Players of the Month – March 2021

Sherbrooke, QC – The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League unveils its top performers of March 2021.

Forward of the Month

Dawson Mercer – Chicoutimi Saguenéens – 9GP, 9G, 9A, 18Pts
The Chicoutimi Saguenéens are making a charge up the QMJHL standings and Dawson Mercer is playing a pivotal role. The 19-year-old center from Bay Roberts, Newfoundland recorded a point in each March contest, part of a 13-game scoring streak. Among the highlights for the fourth-year veteran were a pair of hat tricks on March 6^th and 20^thagainst Baie-Comeau and Sherbrooke respectively. Two of his nine tallies during that span were game-winners.

Selected 18^th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Mercer currently leads the Saguenéens in scoring with 19 goals and 36 points in 22 games.

Honourable Mention

Bennett MacArthur – Acadie-Bathurst Titan – 8GP, 12G, 4A, 16Pts
Entering March with 15 goals in 46 career games in the “Q”, Bennett MacArthur nearly doubled that output in an eight-game span. The 20-year-old from Summerside, PEI posted his first career four-goal game against Moncton on the 11^th. This high-octane performance has rocketed MacArthur into second place in team scoring with 28 points in 24 games entering April.

Defenseman of the Month

Jordan Spence – Val-d’Or Foreurs – 10GP, 3G, 11A, 14Pts
The Val-d’Or Foreurs made several bold statements during the Holiday trade period. One of the game changers they brought on board was Spence, who has paid instant dividends thanks in part to a month of March which saw him produce seven multi-point outings. Recording a +/- rating of even or better in nine of ten games, Spence registered his first two-goal game in a Foreurs uniform, which included the overtime winner, on March 2^nd versus Drummondville.

A member of Team Canada’s silver medal-winning squad at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, Spence currently sits second among all blueliners with 38 points in 31 games.

Honourable Mention

Lukas Cormier – Charlottetown Islanders – 7GP, 3G, 8A, 11Pts
With his club entering April on a 13-game winning streak, Lukas Cormier is showing no signs of slowing down in the waning days of the regular season. The league’s top scoring rearguard, Cormier posted four multi-point contests in March including his third two-goal game of the campaign against Cape Breton on the 13^th.

Rookie of the Month

Justin Côté – Drummondville Voltigeurs – 9GP, 12G, 3A, 15Pts
It’s safe to say centre Justin Côté has become very comfortable in an offensive role during his maiden season in the QMJHL. March saw the 16-year-old from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec find the back of the net in seven of nine games including four multi-goal outings. On March 24^th, Côté registered his first career hat-trick versus Blainville-Boisbriand. The following evening, he tucked home his first QMJHL game-winner against Gatineau.

Selected in the second round of the 2020 QMJHL Draft, Côté has joined a solid Voltigeurs squad after gaining notoriety for his goal scoring exploits at the Under-18 echelon with the Chateauguay Grenadiers.

Honourable Mention

Tristan Luneau – Gatineau Olympiques – 8GP, 1G, 6A, 7Pts
Luneau, who sits second in scoring among rookie defensemen, truly hit his stride in March, finishing the period on a four-game point scoring streak. Among the highlights for the top selection at the 2020 QMJHL Draft were back-to-back multi-point outings on the 20^th and 21^st against Blainville-Boisbriand and Drummondville, respectively.

Goaltender of the Month

Jonathan Lemieux – Val-d’Or Foreurs – 6-1, 1.42 GAA, .944 Sv%, 1 SO
As trying a season as this has been, Jonathan Lemieux has certainly made the most of it. The 19-year-old from Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec completed the month on a five-game winning streak, allowing two goals or less on six occasions. March highlights for the fourth-year veteran included a 37-save victory against Blainville-Boisbriand on the seventh, a 27-stop triumph versus Quebec on the 25^th and his first shutout of the season, which saw him turn aside 23 shots in a win over Rouyn-Noranda on the 24^th.

A third-round selection of the Foreurs in the 2017 QMJHL Draft, Lemieux carries a sterling 19-4 record into the month of April. He sits second in the league in wins (19), GAA (2.01) and save percentage (.918%).

Honourable Mention

Colten Ellis – Charlottetown Islanders – 4-0, 1.47 GAA, .942 Sv%, 2 SO
There’s not much to say about Ellis’ season that the scoresheet can’t already reveal. Riding an unbeaten streak that stretches back to February 13^th, the 20-year-old from Antigonish, Nova Scotia made league history with back-to-back shutouts against the Cape Breton Eagles on March 16^th and 21^st. The latter was the 18^th of his career, setting a new QMJHL all-time record.

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