Interest high for Eagles’ second overall pick
Eagles GM says teams are calling to inquire about club’s second overall pick
SYDNEY — Jacques Carrière's cellphone isn't too far away from him these days.
Not because he's expecting calls from the media ahead of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft Friday, but because he has something several teams want — the second overall pick.
The Cape Breton Eagles general manager has received phone calls from teams inquiring about the club's pick since it was announced last month they'd be selecting second overall at this year's draft.
“Teams are still calling — it's the wild west out there,” said Carrière. “I think if you look at all 18 teams draft list you wouldn't find one similar to the other, so that makes for a lot of excitement over players — it's very volatile right now.”
The Eagles, who are currently in the middle of a rebuild process, finished the 2020-21 regular season in 17th place with a 12-25-1-0 record, leaving the club in draft lottery territory with the remaining four bottom five teams in the overall standings.
Despite having better odds in the draft lottery than Sherbrooke, the club was selected for the second overall pick, leaving the Quebec-based Phoenix with the first overall selection.
Carrière wouldn't say what teams have called. He believes all teams would be interested in the selection, but can they afford the price is the bigger question.
“We're talking about the No. 2 overall pick, so I would think all other teams are interested, but they also have to have the value to pay for it,” said Carrière.
“Some teams aren't calling because they don't have any first-round, second-round or third-round picks, so unless they want to pay with their players, they're not willing
to do that stuff, so not all 17 teams are calling.”
Carrière acknowledged the team doesn't feel obligated to trade the pick but is listening to offers.
“We're comfortable if we pick at No. 2 because we know we're going to get a good player,” said Carrière. “We're also comfortable if we move back and get something for our second pick — we're in a good spot.”
With the first-round of the QMJHL Entry Draft only days away, Carrière admits the phone hasn't stopped ringing.
“It's definitely ramping up right now and getting more
interesting and more serious for sure,” said Carrière. “It's like every trade, at first you see if there's any interest — it takes two to tango in a trade.”
TRADE PERIOD OPENS
Aside from the second overall pick, the QMJHL trade period will open today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Atlantic time. After the 1 p.m. deadline, the trade period won't reopen until the start of the draft's first-round on Friday night.
As of press time, Carrière told the Cape Breton Post the club is expected to make four deals to open the trade period, some of which will be to complete previous trades made at Christmas.
“Some of them are pretty minor, there was some things with trades that if a player made a team or whatever, the pick would be bona fide, so there's going to be bonification of picks — it could all change.”
One of the trades that will be completed today will come from the Mathias Laferrière
deal in October.
“The deal was tiered on levels with a component with games played before the Christmas break and the second component of a value of a pick based on games played after Christmas and postseason as well.”
Meanwhile, as first reported by the Cape Breton Post earlier this month, the Eagles are expected to acquire overage defenceman Sean Larochelle from the Victoriaville Tigres to complete the trade for Shawn Element in December.
OVERAGE SITUATION
Carrière touched on the team's overage situation
moving into the 2021-22 season in the fall.
With the acquisition of Larochelle, the Eagles currently have seven 20-yearold players including Liam Kidney, Mark Rumsey, Émile Hegarty-Aubin, Cole Fraser, Logan Kelly-Murphy and William Grimard.
Carrière said trading a 20-year-old may be tough because there were several 19-year-olds in the league last season and not many teams have space for overagers.
“The 2001-born players were good, and it was a good draft year, but the 2002 group was a little weaker, so it really affects the number of overage players available,” he said. “It's going to be tough to get 20-year-old players in 2022-23.”
During the Christmas trade period, the Eagles acquired now 17-year-old goaltender Rémi Delafontaine from the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, joining fellow 17-year-old Nicolas Ruccia between the pipes.
Delafontaine stayed in Quebec following the trade while Grimard and Ruccia shared time in the crease for the remainder of the season.
When asked about the team's goaltending situation, given the fact Grimard is an overage player, Carrière said the goaltenders will be “a camp decision.”