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FN Draft Profiles: Maddox Dagenais is a large centre who could be available late in the first round
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Apr 30, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 29, 2026, 18:21 EDT
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One of the biggest needs in the Calgary Flames’ system is at the centre position.
There’s a solid chance that they’ll draft a centre with their top six pick, whether they draft someone like Caleb Malhotra or perhaps even select a player like Viggo Björck. Both of those players are bound to be a top six forward.
But what about with their other picks? Could they find a different centre a little bit further down the draft list? Well, Maddox Dagenais has the potential to be the Flames’ third-line centre of the future.

Scouting report

If Dagenais’ last name sounds familiar, his father Pierre played parts of five seasons in the National Hockey League, scoring 35 goals and 58 points in 142 games. Maddox is a left-shot centre and stands at 6’4”, 196 lbs. Dagenais was selected first overall in the 2024 Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League by the Québec Remparts, where he’s played his last two seasons. Let’s take a look at what scouts have to say about
Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff ranked Dagenais as his 31st draft-eligible prospect. Here’s what he had to say about the centre.
“Dagenais has had a strong playoff run with Quebec, which will definitely help his draft stock. The son of former NHLer Pierre Dagenais managed to register a point-per-game in 62 outings with Quebec, while often leading the team’s offensive push. He has an NHL caliber-frame at 6-foot-4 and 196 pounds, and he’s extremely reliable at both ends of the ice. 
Dagenais isn’t flashy, but he’s smart, toolsy and plays with a ton of power. At times, he’s able to dominate the puck better than most other big forwards in this draft class. Dagenais’ hockey IQ is impressive, and he’s a good skater for his size. I think he could be a good middle-six guy.”
Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino ranked Dagenais higher, as the centre slotted in as his 22nd-best draft-eligible prospect in his April update. He’s what was said about him.
“When he’s on his game playing with pace and physicality, you see visions of at least a top-nine power forward. He has undercover skill and a powerful shot for when he is in finishing position, but he is a threat to use that shot anywhere on the ice. Dagenais has been exclusively used on the power play this season, not just because of his shot, but his ability to set-up at the net front or work off the wall. I think this is a player who will be undervalued by teams.”
Finally, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler ranked Dagenais as his 35th-best prospect, writing this about the centre prospect.
“Dagenais is a strong center who, at his best, stays around and on the puck and shows confidence holding and shooting it. When he’s engaged, going to the net, winning board battles and stacking positive shifts, he looks like a future middle-sixer NHLer who’s going to score 20 goals. He has good skill. He’s a volume shooter as well and can impose himself physically when he’s ramped up. 
He has work to do in the faceoff circle and to round out his game: for example, teams will likely want him to become a potential penalty killer, which he doesn’t do right now. But he goes to high-danger areas, he has a quick release, he protects the puck well along the wall and makes some low-to-high plays from below the goal line, and he has pro attributes. I’ve liked the way he has played through contact this season after that was a bit of a question a year ago, and he’s seeing the results in a ton of drawn penalties and making himself more imposing out there.”

The numbers

Although Dagenais played his major junior in Québec, he split his earlier days between La Belle Province and Ontario, playing in Ontario cities like Kingston and Belleville.
Joining the Remparts for the 2024-25 season, Dagenais scored 12 goals and 26 points in 43 games, and was a -22 with 10 penalty minutes. It’s almost impossible to miss the QMJHL playoffs, as 16 of the 18 teams make it, but the Remparts were swept by Flames prospect Étienne Morin and the Moncton Wildcats, the team that went on to win the Gilles-Courteau Trophy.
Dagenais’ aged-17 season was better, potting 30 goals and 62 points in 62 games while finishing the season with a +/- of 0. The only Rempart who out-scored Dagenais was Philadelphia Flyer prospect Nathan Quinn, who scored 34 goals and 73 points in 58 games.
It was a better overall season for the Remparts, who made the post-season once again. Their first round opponents were the Charlottetown Islanders, defeating them in seven games before being swept by the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. Over the 11 games, Dagenais scored three goals and six points.

Availability and fit

There could be several opportunities for the Flames to draft Dagenais. The centre’s consolidated ranking on Eliteprospects is 31st, ranking as high as the 16th-best draft-prospect by some publications.
If that’s the case, Dagenais could be available with the Golden Knights pick, depending on how far they go in the post-season. Even if the Flames don’t pick Dagenais with that pick, the centre could end up falling to them with one of their early second rounders.
For fit, Dagenais has “third-line centre” written all over him. He’s tall and is a strong defensive centre, though his face-offs are an area he will need to improve at. Last season, he won 51.3 per cent of the 380 face-offs he took, up from his 44.7 percent last season. Dagenais didn’t penalty kill last season either.
That said, Dagenais is a good bet with either the Golden Knights’ pick toward the end of the first round, or one of their three high second-round picks if he falls that far.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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