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QMJHL Cape Breton Eagles

Four Trades Made on Opening Day of Winter Trade Period

December 16, 2024 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release


On the opening day of the 2024-2025 QMJHL winter trade period, Eagles general manager Sylvain Couturier wasted no time shaking up his team's roster, completing four trades.

Early this morning, the Eagles traded 18-year-old defenceman Étienne Desjardins to the Quebec Remparts in exchange for a second round draft pick in 2026.

Desjardins (Mirabel, QC) is in his second season with the Eagles since being selected in the third round, 49th overall in the 2022 QMJHL entry draft.

Since then, Desjardins has scored two goals and seven assists in 87 games, while amounting an even plus/minus rating.

"We are confident in signing and bringing in another defenceman this week and we like our 17-year-old defencemen group so unfortunately Étienne was the odd man out. A second round pick is a great return for us in this trade. Étienne was a great teammate with the Eagles and we wish him luck with his new club," said Eagles general manager Sylvain Couturier.

Then, the team announced they have acquired 19-year-old forward Lewis Gendron from the Sherbrooke Phoenix in a trade that will send back three draft picks.

The Phoenix will receive a second round pick in 2026, a second round pick in 2027 and a fifth round pick in 2025.

Gendron (Sherbrooke, QC) has played parts of three seasons with his hometown Phoenix club after being selected in the seventh round, 114th overall in the 2021 QMJHL entry draft.

So far this season he sits third in team scoring with ten goals and 16 assists in 31 games.

Throughout 100 career regular season games, Gendron has scored a total of 33 goals and 39 assists as well as five goals and four assists in nine playoff games.

"Lewis is a smaller forward but he plays big," said Eagles general manager Sylvain Couturier. "He is a guy who can do just about everything on the ice; PK, PP, he is a really good face-off guy, he can play on the wing, he is very versatile. Any team would love to have him and he will be a great asset for us moving forward."

A short time later, the club added to its forward core by acquiring 19-year-old forward Alexandre Guy from the Val d'Or Foreurs.

In exchange, the Eagles will trade back the 2025 3rd round draft pick and the 2027 second round draft pick that were originally acquired from Val d'Or on October 21 through a trade which sent 20-year-old Noah Reinhart to the Foreurs.

Guy, (Blainville, QC) has played parts of four seasons with the Foreurs since being selected by the team in the fifth round of the 2021 QMJHL entry draft, 86th overall.

Over that stretch, the 6 foot 3, 193lb forward has scored 48 goals and 24 assists in 161 career games, as well as one playoff game in 2022 in which he recorded an assist.

"This trade finalizes the Noah Reinhart trade from earlier this season," said Couturier. "We hope Alexandre will do what Noah Reinhart did this year in Val d'Or and explode with a new club. Alexandre is a big boy, he has 40 goals over the last two years, he is a goal scorer and has a big frame. It didn't work out for him this year and we are confident he will meet his full potential in Cape Breton."

Finally, the Eagles announced they have traded The Cape Breton Eagles have traded 17-year-old forward Émile Ricard to the Chicoutimi Saugeneens in exchange for a 2026 first round pick and a 2027 second round pick.

Ricard (Drummondville, QC) was drafted in the first round, 12th overall by the Eagles in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft. Over the past season and a half he has amounted nine goals and 19 assists across 98 regular season games as well as one goal and two assists in 14 career playoff games.

So far this season, Ricard sits ninth in team scoring with 12 points in 29 games.

"Emile requested a trade and obviously to get a first back and to add a second was important for us," said Eagles general manager Sylvain Couturier. "We wouldn't have accepted the trade for him unless we got what we wanted.

Getting the first round pick back and a second we thought was good enough for us to move him. We wish him the best of luck and thank him for the time he spent here."

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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