Alexis Cournoyer was the first Quebec-born player drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 2025 and the Trois-Rivières native grew up cheering for the team that called his name.
Cournoyer did his post-selection Zoom from a room with a Canadiens poster and light fixture, and a photo of him as a child in a Canadiens jersey and goaltending equipment quickly started making the rounds on social media.
Birthplace: Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Date of birth: December 13, 2005
Catches: Left
Position: Goaltender
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 205 lbs.
Team: Cape Breton Eagles
The goaltender fits right in with the vibe of the 2025 Canadiens draft class. He is a player whose second half of the season put him firmly on the radar. Cournoyer started the season in the MJAHL, the Maritimes Junior A league, a level below the QMJHL. He joined the Cape Breton Eagles in the Q in the middle of the season, and performed really well.
Earlier this month, he committed to Cornell University, where he will play next season and likely be their starter. Considering he only has 23 games of Major Junior experience, next season will be a big opportunity for development.
Cournoyer’s attitude is a highlight in most scouting reports. Multiple NHL goalie scouts told Elite Prospects that they would love to work with him and his work ethic and willingness to improve is something that teams have spoken about.
At 6’4″ he’s on the taller-end of goaltenders, but went undrafted in his first year of eligibility last year. He uses his size to his advantage, and became Cape Breton’s starting goaltender to start the playoffs, which was an accomplishment on its own given where he started the season.
He isn’t the most athletic goaltender, and his side to side movements aren’t as explosive as many top goaltending prospects.
However, his technique, attitude, and ability to read the play stood out among scouts and is why there’s perhaps an intriguing upside that may not be apparent at first. Because he’s so often in the right position, his lack of athleticism isn’t as big of an issue.
Rankings:
Hockey Prospect: #10 goaltender
McKeen’s: #195
NHL Central Scouting: #16 North American goaltender
McKeen’s compares his skill set to Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobeš, who was drafted in a similar spot and turned into a tremendous NCAA goaltender.
The Canadiens have the luxury of having a lot of goaltenders in the pipeline and can monitor their development without needing to put pressure on any of them to be The Future. With Dobeš and Jacob Fowler already turning professional, the Canadiens can afford to keep an eye on younger goaltenders with upside and see who rises to the top.
It’s also a good thing the Canadiens called Cournoyer’s name when they did. According to TVA’s Anthony Martineau, he was 15 minutes from leaving to the airport as an invite for Nashville Predators development camp.
