Simon Gagne didn't need detailed scouting reports on James Scantlebury prior to the 2025 QMJHL Draft.
The Quebec Remparts general manager had years of experience watching Scantlebury compete against his son, Matthew, through the minor-hockey ranks for 2009-born players in the province. Gagne even had a chance to coach Scantlebury at one summer peewee tournament in Boston.
"I saw James since he was a little kid playing against my son," the longtime Philadelphia Flyers forward said in a telephone interview this week.
"... I knew the type of player he was — not just the skill player, putting up points, but the compete level, the work ethic that he was bringing. Especially when I coached him, he was making everybody better that was playing with him with and without the puck."
With a deep file on Scantlebury along with his connection to the forward from their time at the Chowder Cup, Gagne didn't hesitate picking the Montreal-area native ninth overall last year, even though he knew the player had been tendered by the Chicago Steel of the USHL for 2025-26.
Fast forward a year, and Gagne's move looks like a big winner. Scantlebury, 17, made the decision to come to Quebec ahead of his 2027 NHL Draft eligibility, and is off to as hot a start as any rookie in the CHL.
"Even though Quebec took me, I wanted to honour my commitment (to Chicago) and I wasn't going to opt out last minute on them," the five-foot-10, 175-pound Scantlebury, 17, said. "I wanted to play my year out and see how things go. And then ultimately I think it was my best choice to come play in Quebec this year.
"... There's a great coaching staff here (led by longtime AHL and QMJHL coach Eric Veilleux), and obviously Simon is great. I just felt we had a great team going and we have a chance to win. I want to be on a winning team and a winning organization and I felt that was going to help me become the best player I can be and help me in my career."
After two years starring for the Bishop Kearney prep-school program in Rochester, N.Y., and being a finalist for USHL rookie of the year last season while playing for a Chicago team that finished out of the playoffs, Scantlebury is doing more scoring and winning in Quebec.
Scantlebury is tied for second in the Q scoring race with 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in eight games after a six-point performance last time out against Chicoutimi.
He's a big reason the Remparts have won seven in a row after losing their season opener, good for the No. 2 spot in the latest CHL rankings heading into Friday night's home game against Gatineau.
Playing on a team that also recruited expected high first-round pick Carter Meyer from the U.S. National Development Team Program this year, Scantlebury is doing everything in his power to prove he's a first-round prospect, too.
"Of course being in the first round is a goal of mine and in the back of my head," said Scantlebury. "But I feel like just not thinking about it and working every day toward that goal will ultimately help me in the long run."
Another bonus of being in Quebec is getting in-arena support from family — including his parents, Leo and Michelle, and three siblings. "Their attendance is really great for me because I'm big on family," Scantlebury said.
The son of two school teachers, Scantlebury comes by his passion for the game naturally.
"When I was young, even 10-11 months, my dad to get me to stop crying would put on some hockey and I would just watch it. 'Stop crying,' he said," Scantlebury said with a chuckle, surely recalling stories told by Leo.
"He kind of put a stick on my hands and then I started skating at two, and we had a backyard rink every year. Grateful to have had that. It made me love the game."
Because he's not the biggest guy, Scantlebury always will have to fight off size concerns.
It's no coincidence that he models his game after a certain Carolina Hurricanes forward.
"I think I play similar to Logan Stankoven," Scantlebury said of the five-foot-eight Cane. "Undersized guy but plays with a lot of speed and pace to his game. He's relentless, he's a dog. I think when I'm doing those things I'm at my best. I like to watch him and take after his game."
Gagne was an assistant coach on a 2022-23 Remparts team that competed against Stankoven's host Kamloops Blazers at the Memorial Cup. Quebec won the championship, while Stankoven was the tournament's leading scorer.
"I see (the comparison) really, really well," Gagne said. "We did play against him at the Memorial Cup in Kamloops when we won. I saw him right there in junior. When you see a player like that have success in junior and work his ass off like that and you see him go to the next level and doing the same thing and having success, that shows you those guys are capable to do it at different levels. That's a great example for James."
The Remparts and the Moncton Wildcats are the finalists for the 2028 Memorial Cup, with the winner expected to be selected in November.
If the Remparts get the nod, perhaps it will be incentive for Scantlebury to stay in Quebec and delay his start at Boston University.
But that's a question for another day. The Remparts, who also have St. Louis Blues first-round pick Maddox Dagenais up front, are going to have a chance to win their way into this year's Memorial Cup in Guelph, Ont.
"One thing I can tell you is people have started to pay more attention to him, that's for sure," Gagne said. "With the start that he's had and what he's doing, every player that has played with James since the start of the season has seen their game pick up and they're having success."
Eagles write to fans
While things have started off very well for an expected Q title contender in Quebec, it's basically the opposite story for the Cape Breton Eagles.
After an all-in off-season featuring several blockbuster moves, the Eagles are off to an underwhelming 2-3-4 start. It prompted team owners Irwin and Trevor Simon to address a letter to Eagles fans on social media this week.
"We hear your frustration and we understand it," read part of the letter. "You have every right to expect more, and we hold ourselves to that same standard."
The Eagles never have won a QMJHL title. This is supposed to be the season to make a serious run after the Eagles acquired guys like goalie Lucas Beckman (Ottawa Senators) and forward Liam Lefebvre (Los Angeles Kings) from the reigning Q champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
Keep an eye on the Attack
After a 2-6 start under new management and ownership, the Owen Sound Attack made a big trade Thursday, sending Florida Panthers prospect forward Cole Zurawski to the Kingston Frontenacs for four draft picks.
While Attack GM Tyler Nother told Owen Sound Sun-Times beat reporter Greg Cowan the move does not mean the OHL team is rebuilding, it raises questions about whether Owen Sound might consider dealing guys like forwards Harry Nansi (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Pierce Mbuyi (Pittsburgh Penguins).
The Memorial Cup host Guelph Storm and London Knights look like the teams to beat in the Western Conference, but the East appears wide open.
Games to watch
Michigan Wolverines at Denver Pioneers, Friday, 9 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. MT; Saturday, 8 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. MT
It doesn't get much better than the top-ranked team in the NCAA (Denver) against the No. 2 squad (Michigan). Denver beat Michigan in double-OT in last year's Frozen Four semifinal en route to the national title. Of course, that game didn't include guys like 2027 NHL Draft top prospect Landon DuPont of Michigan and Denver rookies Daxon Rudolph (Buffalo Sabres first-rounder) and Ryan Lin (San Jose Sharks first-rounder).
Victoria Royals (6-1) at Red Deer Rebels (6-2-1), Friday, 9 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. MT
Poul Anderson (undrafted in the NHL) and Rebels teammate Beckett Hamilton (Colorado Avalanche) are 1-2 in WHL scoring. They face a Royals team allowing an average of just 2.6 goals per game.
Cape Breton Eagles (2-3-4) at Saint John Sea Dogs (6-1-2), Saturday, 3 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. AT
2027 NHL Draft first-round prospect Jamie Glance has had four multi-point games in a row for surging Saint John.
Sudbury Wolves (7-0-1) at Guelph Storm (7-2), Sunday, 2:07 p.m. ET
Surprising Sudbury enters the weekend as the only OHL team without a regulation loss. Senators prospect Adam Nemec has one goal and 10 assists in four games for Sudbury. Guelph has won seven in a row after starting the year with two losses.
