The 2025 QMJHL draft looks promising, with young Alexis Joseph at the top of the list, tipped for several years now as the best player born in 2009 in Quebec. However, the young man has still not made a decision on whether he will join the Cecchini circuit or whether he will instead take the path of American colleges.
The family of the young color holder of the Phénix d’Esther-Blondin as well as his representatives from the Wasserman firm, Olivier Fortier and Charles-Olivier Roussel, do not want to skip any steps for the rest of things, as they had done last year by not requesting exceptional player status which would have allowed Joseph to make his debut in the QMJHL this season, at age 15.
And the two situations are somewhat linked, confirmed Fortier in an interview with The Journal.
“We did not make the request [pour le statut d’exceptionnel] on the one hand because we like the environment he is currently in at Esther-Blondin and there is no point in skipping steps, but also because Alexis wants to evaluate his options in time and place, when it will be time to do it.”
Not before January
NCAA teams cannot speak directly to players they wish to recruit until 1is January. From this date, Joseph and his family will evaluate the interest of the different American programs and will take the time to visit the most interesting installations.
And there will be a lot of interest from American teams.
“It’s certain that Alexis is a candidate of choice for big programs,” agrees Fortier. We’re going to see what they have to offer in terms of development. Everyone hears stories about how things are in the United States, but until you go see for yourself, it’s hard to form an opinion. Alexis is a young person who likes to make thoughtful decisions and who doesn’t want to skip steps.”
For his part, the young 15-year-old forward who measures 6’4″ and weighs 193 lbs admits to having very little time to devote to this dilemma, for the moment.
“Both options are good avenues,” he assures. Right now, my priorities are school and my season with the Phoenix. We’ll see what happens next.”
Not a disavowal
From the outside, the Joseph clan’s decision to evaluate all their options could be seen in several ways.
On the one hand, one might think that this is a way of leaving doubt in order to be able to choose, when the time comes, where he wants to play in the QMJHL. A tactic that has already been used in the past, it must be recognized.
Some could also see it as a disavowal of the Quebec junior circuit.
We put these two hypotheses to Olivier Fortier, who rejected them categorically.
“Alexis’ family, as much as we are, is very aware that the QMJHL is a good avenue. Alexis has a lot of interest in playing in the QMJHL, but he also has some in the NCAA. He just wants to make sure he chooses the right avenue. It is also important to mention that Alexis does not intend to choose his team and that this is not a disavowal towards LHJMQ,” he adds, specifying that all his clients, the majority of whom play in the QMJHL, go through this same type of process at their 15th birthday.
Moreover, Fortier does not expect a decision to be made before the spring, ideally before the QMJHL draft, so that all teams know what to expect.
A gifted young person in the spotlight for a long time
Photo provided by the Phénix of Collège Esther-Blondin
Alexis Joseph has been in the spotlight for as long as he can remember.
When Alexis Joseph was 9 years old, in 2018, a text on the website of the Conquérants des Basses-Laurentides organization, entitled Supervising a gifted person in the LHEQ, detailed the fact that, even though he had been upgraded and was playing with players 11 years old, two years his senior, he was the best scorer on his team.
During the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in May 2022, Joseph made headlines when he scored 17 points in five games to help the little Montreal Canadiens win top honors in Class AAA.
Photo d’archives, DIDIER DEBUSSCHERE
Then, he obtained a waiver to make his debut at the U18 AAA level at the age of 14 last season, and scored 53 points in 39 games.
He has therefore, for a long time, carried the label of “prodigy” or “gifted young person”.
There would therefore be a real danger for the young hockey player to get lost in this mass of compliments. But that’s not the case. Each step came with a lot of pressure, expectations and media attention that never seemed to bother him.
“Playing M18 AAA at 14 years old came with enormous pressure,” admits his agent Olivier Fortier. What’s fun about him is that he is passionate about hockey. He likes it for real and it’s still a game for him. It has to stay that way. He also has parents who are very down to earth and who are able to keep him humble.”
Become a complete player
The fact remains that this is only the beginning of the attention paid to Joseph, one of Quebec’s great hopes of recent years.
“I focus on myself, my team and the school. What’s important is how I can improve, and the rest I don’t worry too much about. I just want to play hockey and have fun doing it.
“My goal is to become a complete player and that is what I must demonstrate. I have to be able to do the little details. As Martin St-Louis said: I have to return my game in the game! That’s the most important thing for me and that’s what I’m going to work on this year.”
In 10 games so far this season, Joseph has scored 8 goals and 14 points.
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