Despite very little fanfare heading into his second QMJHL season, Maddox Dagenais has taken the all important draft year jump, and cemented himself in the conversation as a top-20 pick in this year’s draft.
Dagenais probably profiles as more of a winger rather than a centerman, but he has the size and full-ice impact to play up the middle if necessary. His breakout year with the Quebec Remparts had scouts perking up throughout the season, and if he can continue on this developmental trajectory, it’s easy to see him becoming a real middle-six contributor for a team in the future. Dagenais also brings an element of physicality that should only grow as he ages, making him a complete prospect with some serious room to grow.
Pre-draft rankings
Ranked #17 by Elite Prospects
Ranked #25 by The Athletic (Corey Pronman)
Ranked #23 by Sportsnet (Jason Bukala)
Ranked #35 by The Athletic (Scott Wheeler)
Statistics
What’s there to like?
Dagenais brings a well-rounded offensive game that is predicated on his high pace, with some explosive strides and direct movement, he is able to catch defenders flat footed and beat them outside. He’s used that speed to become a real handful as a forechecker, chip-and-chasing his way into zone entries that he can then take advantage of as he gets his feet moving through the middle of the ice.
And this is all very exciting and intriguing to watch, but it all becomes even more interesting when you consider that Dagenais is listed at a lanky 6 ‘4, 194 pounds. He possesses a long reach that allows him to pick pucks out of traffic and beat opponents to the punch with tips and deflections. As he continues to put on weight and fill out his body, Dagenais should only become more and more of a physical force capable of filling in players along the wall, and shielding the puck in tight spaces, even more so than he already has done thus far in his young career. He also brings a really fun physical game to the table, full of reverse hits and calculated risks on open ice contact. It’s not fully realized either, and if he can get even meaner, Dagenais will be a coach’s dream.
You can see a path for Dagenais to becoming a complete offensive player who could beat you in a myriad of ways. There’s been flashes of him looking like an elite netfront presence, looking like someone that could play the bumper or half wall as the focal point of the power play, along with a steady diet of tantalizing straight line speed and a bevy of rush chances.
Dagenais looks as if he could have a varying degree of outcomes as an NHLer, whether it be as a high energy checking forward, a top-six star with size, or a speedster with scoring acumen in the vein of an Owen Tippett.
What’s not to like?
Despite his intriguing attributes, it’s not as if Dagenais exactly lit any level on fire in his draft year, scoring wise.
His 62 points in 62 games in the QMJHL is nothing to scoff at, but it’s also not exactly elite, only enough to place him 34th in the league in points this year. Compared to someone like Yegor Shilov, who is also in conversation to be drafted in the first round this year and had an 82 point output with Victoriaville, it leaves a bit to be desired, especially in a weak QMJHL that has really felt the brunt of new NCAA eligibility rules. And a lot of that has to do with the fact that he experienced such a rise, so quickly. After a subpar debut season in 2024-25, he found some form in Quebec and started to put himself back into contention with a solid start to this year. But when playing alongside his contemporaries at the World Under-18s, he did tend to look like a bit of a complimentary player. It’ll be interesting to see if he can sustain this level of improvement as the competition gets more difficult, but as of now, we’re looking at a pretty small sample size of good hockey. In the Remparts’ resounding sweep at the hands of Chicoutimi in the QMJHL playoffs, Dagenais was held pointless and looked pretty ordinary.
Without space to wind up and get his legs going, Dagenais isn’t really that dangerous, and as space begins to become more hard to come by as he continues to move into the pro ranks, he could be hard pressed to create offense for himself. He’s not exactly a genius with the puck, and he will need to find another level of playmaking to really make himself something more than a complimentary piece at the next level. If he fails at that, it would be hard to see him developing into something beyond just a medium-upside checking forward.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
The Flyers could use someone like Dagenais who, while still having speed to burn, is a larger frame who would counterbalance some of the smaller names on the Flyers roster. Also, the Flyers drafted his linemate Nathan Quinn in the sixth round of the 2025 Draft, and both players seemed to have their stock increase alongside one another, so it would make sense to reunite them at the pro level and see what could potentially happen.
Dagenais could develop into either a netfront option on the power play, or someone who could slot in as the bumper and release shots quickly, while staying open for deflections in the high slot. He would continue a trend of the Flyers valuing size and speed, and would make sense on multiple different levels.
Could the Flyers actually get him?
Dagenais is projected to go anywhere from pick 17, to somewhere in the second round, but has been rising as the season grew older. There’s a real chance that he could be on the shortlist for the Flyers heading into the draft, and they probably won’t have to do much heavy lifting in order to put themselves into a position to be able to draft him at pick 21.
What scouts are saying
“Dagenais has all the aesthetic tools. He’s a nearly 6-foot-4 center who moves well for his size, has legit offensive skills and a high-end shot from range. Dagenais is a physical player who leans on opponents with his big body. Despite that element in his game, he plays on the outside too much like a lot of shooters, and can be an inconsistent player offensively. He projects as a third-line forward, potentially down the middle.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic
“He has an NHL caliber-frame at 6-foot-4 and 196 pounds, and he’s extremely reliable at both ends of the ice. Dagenais isn’t flashy, but he’s smart, toolsy and plays with a ton of power. At times, he’s able to dominate the puck better than most other big forwards in this draft class.” Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
Almost through the first round now, and it’s time to add another (familiar) name, the USHL forward committed to Michigan State for next season, Jack Hextall:
“He was no stranger to dominant performances, showcasing a dynamic skill set with an endless motor. That’s what I love about his game – he won’t be a high-end producer in the NHL, but he can play a variety of roles while being effective. He has a good shot, but he’s even better as a set-up guy. ” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
