Playing career
Desnoyers played for the Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League at 15 years old. During his first season with the team he recorded 23 goals and 30 assists in 42 games. He ranked second in the league in scoring with 53 points. [1]
On June 9, 2023, Desnoyers was drafted first overall by the Moncton Wildcats in the 2023 QMJHL Draft. [2] [3] During the 2023–24 season, in his rookie season, he recorded 20 goals and 36 assists in 60 regular season games. Among rookies, he ranked third in points, power-play assists (18) and face-off efficiency (53.9%). [4] Following the season he was named to the Rookie All-Star Team. [5] He was also named a finalist for the Michel Bergeron Trophy, awarded to the QMJHL's rookie of the year. [6]
On October 22, 2024, Desnoyers was selected to compete in the CHL/USA Prospects Challenge. [7] On November 3, 2024, he scored his first career hat-trick. [8] He finished the week with five goals and three assists in three games and was subsequently named to the QMJHL Team of the Week for the week ending November 5, 2024. [9] [10] The 2024–25 season marked a breakout for Desnoyers, who finished fifth in scoring during the regular season with 84 points in 56 games, helping his team to win the Jean Rougeau Trophy. [11] He was a finalist for the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player of the season, [12] and was named a First Team All-Star. [13] As well, he received the Paul Dumont Trophy as the QMJHL personality of the year. [14] In the QMJHL playoffs, the Wildcats embarked on a deep run to the Finals, where they defeated the Rimouski Océanic in six games to claim the Gilles-Courteau Trophy as league champions. In 19 playoff games, Desnoyers had 9 goals and 21 assists, with his 30 points being second in postseason scoring. He received the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs, becoming the first player to do so in their draft-eligible season since Jonathan Drouin in 2013. [15] As QMJHL champions, the Wildcats competed at the 2025 Memorial Cup, losing in the semi-final to the OHL's London Knights. Desnoyers had a goal and an assist in four tournament games. [16]
Following his successful season, Desnoyers received the Michael Bossy Trophy, awarded to the player considered the QMJHL's top prospect for the 2025 NHL entry draft. [17] He was also named Wildcats captain ahead of the 2025–26 QMJHL season, despite not sure whether he wanted to return to Moncton, go straight to the NHL, or take the NCAA route. [18] Desnoyers was selected 4th overall in the 2025 NHL entry draft by the Utah Mammoth. He revealed in August 2025 that he had been dealing with wrist issues all of the previous season and underwent wrist surgery to resolve these problems, with recovery time projected at 12 weeks, which included missing the beginning of the 2025–26 NHL season. [19] He was assigned back to Moncton on September 26 from the Mammoth's training camp as a part of their cuts. [20]
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