It was the staple of an event considered as one of the best showcase tournaments in Eastern Canada. Every team in the QMJHL and their scouting staff were always in attendance, with the Q’s CSR or Central Scouting Agency selecting the teams. The storylines were always endless with the additions and omissions of the prospect rosters, to some brilliant performances over the years, but the 2025 Monctonian AAA Challenge’s Top Prospect game has been cancelled.
“There’s no prospects game this year, as it was the general request of the visiting coaches,” said Tournament Chair Blair Brooks.
“They felt that their best players were playing two games on Friday, and then some had to play early games on Saturday with possibilities of moving on to playoffs later that day.,” Brooks added.
Say what you want to say about “Top Prospect” games, but the Monctonian AAA Challenge’s prospect game was always noteworthy and tremendously well attended. Obviously, the decision to postpone the event wasn’t taken lightly.
Are “Top Prospect” games important, do they still have the same value as they used to? Well, that’s depends on who you ask, that question is about as subjective as asking scouts who they “like” early on in a season.
The Monctonian Challenge Top Prospects game used to be the first look scouts had on best on best from most of the Atlantic Canada, but that’s changed given the inception of the Q Cup over Thanksgiving weekend which pits all the top draft eligible players from the Atlantic provinces against each other in a highly competitive best on best tournament that is very well attended by the QMJHL CSR and all of the teams across the circuit.
Will the cancellation take away from the event or will the tournament be less attractive to scouts now with no “Top Prospect” game? Obviously, we won’t know the answer to that question until the event rolls around, but the hockey and quality of the competition will be excellent as always and don’t worry the scouts will still be in attendance and flock in droves to such a prestigious event.
The Monctonian Challenge has always been an excellent event, and it will continue to be a terrific showcase tournament for all the players that attend. Scouts are always intrigued in seeing players in different situations and top prospects games like the one at the Monctonian Challenge either confirms a scout’s early projections or leave them wanting more from the player. You see it’s all about viewings, it’s all about seeing players in different situations and it’s still incredibly early in the draft year process. The Monctonian like other showcase tournaments is one chapter in the path to June’s entry draft for all these young prospects. There are still so many chapters yet to be written.
The 44th Monctonian AAA Challenge is slated for Nov. 13 – 16, 2025 with 60 teams registered for the event. As in the past, the tournament will feature three divisions – U18 AAA, U16 AAA, and U15 AAA. The U18 division will have all 19 Atlantic U18 teams as well as prep schools Kings Edgehill, Rothesay Netherwood School, College Claretain, Ontario Hockey Academy and Seminaire Saint Joseph. The U16 division will feature 12 Atlantic teams while the U15 division will have 24 teams representing the four Atlantic provinces.
Get out and be sure to catch all of the action at this years Monctonian AAA Challenge, you won’t be disapointed!
FDS Sports Blog 