It's pretty common for draft-eligible players to have quite a long way to go in terms of adding strength and size. When you're dealing with 18-year-old prospects, that's to be expected.
That's not the case for Justin Carbonneau, though. He's one of the handful of forwards in the first round who already has pro-ready size, at 6 foot 1 and 205 pounds. He makes good use of his strength, too.
"I play like a power forward," Carbonneau told me at the NHL's scouting combine earlier this month in Buffalo, N.Y. "I go to the net, I'm not scared of anyone."
Carbonneau, an 18-year-old winger, is expected to be drafted somewhere in the early- to mid-teens on Friday, right where the Penguins are picking at Nos. 11 and 12. If they want to go for a wing with one of their two picks, there's a lot to like about Carbonneau's game.
Last season was Carbonneau's third in the QMJHL, and he led the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in goals (46) and points (89) in 62 games -- totals good enough to finish tied for second in the entire league in goals and second in points.
Blainville-Boisbriand general manager Olivier Picard told NHL.com that Carbonneau's strength played a big role in his success this season.
"He's been more involved and in a better position to receive the puck," said Picard. "As soon as he has a puck on his blade, he's dangerous. ... He was competing the year before also to get loose pucks and everything, but now his strength is becoming even better than the other guys. So he wins more battles and everything and that helps."
Carbonneau said that his general consistency is what he's looking to improve the most over the next few years, but he has a mentality that he knows he needs to keep working in just about every area of his game -- "I haven't developed yet," he said. "I'm a good player, but I'm not good enough."
It's not clear yet where Carbonneau will be making those strides next season. He could return to Blainville-Boisbriand, but he's also been in talks with Boston College to jump to NCAA hockey next season, now that major junior players are eligible.
One thing to like about Carbonneau from the Penguins' standpoint is that because he's played three QMJHL seasons already, he becomes AHL-eligible in 2026-27, whereas many prospects out of major junior in the draft won't become AHL eligible until 2027-28. Getting Carbonneau to turn pro in only two seasons could be a nice bonus for a team that needs prospects on the fast track.
The Penguins, ideally, would come out of this first round with a center and a left-handed defenseman. But really, they still need high-end prospects at just about every position, wing included. Carbonneau would be a nice add to the pool.
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
8:49 pm - 06.26.2025Buffalo, N.Y.Draft profiles: Carbonneau has pro size
It's pretty common for draft-eligible players to have quite a long way to go in terms of adding strength and size. When you're dealing with 18-year-old prospects, that's to be expected.
That's not the case for Justin Carbonneau, though. He's one of the handful of forwards in the first round who already has pro-ready size, at 6 foot 1 and 205 pounds. He makes good use of his strength, too.
"I play like a power forward," Carbonneau told me at the NHL's scouting combine earlier this month in Buffalo, N.Y. "I go to the net, I'm not scared of anyone."
Carbonneau, an 18-year-old winger, is expected to be drafted somewhere in the early- to mid-teens on Friday, right where the Penguins are picking at Nos. 11 and 12. If they want to go for a wing with one of their two picks, there's a lot to like about Carbonneau's game.
Last season was Carbonneau's third in the QMJHL, and he led the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in goals (46) and points (89) in 62 games -- totals good enough to finish tied for second in the entire league in goals and second in points.
Blainville-Boisbriand general manager Olivier Picard told NHL.com that Carbonneau's strength played a big role in his success this season.
"He's been more involved and in a better position to receive the puck," said Picard. "As soon as he has a puck on his blade, he's dangerous. ... He was competing the year before also to get loose pucks and everything, but now his strength is becoming even better than the other guys. So he wins more battles and everything and that helps."
Carbonneau said that his general consistency is what he's looking to improve the most over the next few years, but he has a mentality that he knows he needs to keep working in just about every area of his game -- "I haven't developed yet," he said. "I'm a good player, but I'm not good enough."
It's not clear yet where Carbonneau will be making those strides next season. He could return to Blainville-Boisbriand, but he's also been in talks with Boston College to jump to NCAA hockey next season, now that major junior players are eligible.
One thing to like about Carbonneau from the Penguins' standpoint is that because he's played three QMJHL seasons already, he becomes AHL-eligible in 2026-27, whereas many prospects out of major junior in the draft won't become AHL eligible until 2027-28. Getting Carbonneau to turn pro in only two seasons could be a nice bonus for a team that needs prospects on the fast track.
The Penguins, ideally, would come out of this first round with a center and a left-handed defenseman. But really, they still need high-end prospects at just about every position, wing included. Carbonneau would be a nice add to the pool.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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