One of the more heralded prospects out of Québec for the 2026 QMJHL Draft, Charbonneau was able to dominate the scoresheet at this year’s Cross Border Challenge, finishing with 11 points in 4 games while flashing an impressive combination of power and skill. His puck control in conjunction with his 6’1 and 185 lbs frame (I’ve actually heard he’s a little bigger now than what he’s currently listed as, and it looked like it) made him extremely difficult to contain tight areas in the offensive zone, as he was able to maneuver around stick checks while shielding the puck from defenders in order to work his way off the wall and gain access to the middle of the ice. He’s a highly intelligent off-puck player as well, consistently getting himself into loose pockets of ice in the offensive zone to make himself a prime passing option and generate looks for himself from dangerous areas. I thought he had a few impressive moments as a puck-carrier up the ice as well when he was able to attack wide into the zone, delay around the hashmarks then use his size to shield the puck from a defender and either hit a trailer option or set up the cycle game for his line. There is some room to grow in terms of his skating ability and his on-puck route taking, but if he continues to grow in these areas at Mount St. Charles this season the potential with a player of his archetype is sky high.

Zaac Charbonneau delivered a strong, well-rounded performance at Nationals, using his size, puck protection, and smart distribution to help drive the Jr. Mounties' offense and scored a few clutch, skillful goals. He was effective at maintaining long offensive zone possessions, sweeping around the perimeter and looking for passes into high danger areas. When it was time to shoot, his heavy wrist shot remained a consistent threat, especially from distance. Charbonneau also showed a great understanding of when to attack the net or open shooting lanes, and when to keep possession moving. Charbonneau’s ability to control possession, shield defenders, and drive play made him a constant scoring threat whenever he was on the ice.

The playmaking ability of Zaac Charbonneau is something that really stood out to me during this event. He displayed great vision, constantly had his head up weighing his passing options, and was able to make that final incisive pass to unlock defenses in important moments. He allowed plays to develop and did not rush or force plays, he went into plays with an open mind and was able to regularly identify the best decision he could make with the puck and did so. He was able to play the game at a slower pace and dictate the flow of the offense, but also showed some nice touch passes to contribute to the transition play and generate some odd-man rushes. He was a confident puck carrier who used his size effectively to hold defenders at bay while he drove to the net to get some shots in tight. The speed at which he processed the game enabled him to be an effective player from the moment the puck got to his stick.

I was very impressed with the play of Zaac Charbonneau. One of the clear drivers of this Mount offense, Charbonneau was able to make plays happen time and time again ranging from defensive zone breakouts to moments of individual brilliance in the attacking end. I’d like to highlight his ability to exit the defensive zone, because it was just so easy for him. He would stand players up on defense, eliminate space for them as they looked to get down low, and reclaim possession before calmly turning up ice and exiting the zone leading an odd man rush as a result of his strong pressure on the puck. When leading the charge up ice he displayed strength on the puck, good hands, and the ability to read what was in front of him and make the appropriate play. He identified weaknesses in the defense and took advantage of them by breaking down the opposition with incisive passes, or by getting to the front of the net and occupying space to pose a shooting threat. He was effective in front of goal and was able to establish strong positioning to earn himself enough room to get redirect and rebound opportunities that he was able to convert on. He stayed with plays well, showed tenacity in battles for the puck or positioning in key areas, and commanded the ice with the puck on his stick. He was a very influential player and his all-around effort was something that really helped his team during each of their games.

A third of the top line for the Mounties, Charbonneau is a perfect complement for his linemates with his high skill and highly impactful physical presence. Charbonneau is a bit awkward using his body at times as but knows how to leverage his size to his advantage, using his reach to control pucks and drive lanes and also be an overwhelming presence who wins a high percentage of puck battles. His skill level and IQ is high end and he is far more than just the battering ram on this line as his ability to read off teammates and defensive miscues to feast in the offensive zone. When he’s moving his feet he’s nearly impossible to counteract.

Another CCM 68 standout, Charbonneau has a nice mix of size and skill which allows him to outmuscle and outwork many of his counterparts. He can be a beast in transition, using his size to protect the puck and break into the zone. Once in the offensive zone, Zaac showed creativity in his shooting, proving to be a threat from all angles with his quick and accurate release. He used his strength along the wall to initiate cycles and if none were available, he would work off the wall to the middle of the ice in an attempt to get a shot or cross ice pass off. When in a 1 on 1 situation, Charbonneau would welcome pressure from the defender and either use his size to bully past them or his impressive puck skills to get by.

Charbonneau was the leading offensive playdriver for this Canadian squad from start to finish, showing a versatility in his attacking style that allowed him to beat defenders in a myriad of ways. His above-average size and skill combination allowed him to dominate both off the cycle and off the rush, using his body to protect the puck as he circled the zone patiently waiting for a play to open up or carving through defenders in transition to break in alone for a scoring chance. His strong shooting mechanics allowed him to be a scoring threat from distance, which he utilized to his advantage by utilizing fake shots to get defenders to drop and get out of lanes before he would slide cross-ice seam passes for high-danger scoring opportunities. His play could be seen as a tad too individualistic at times, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for a summer hockey tournament.

Zaac was stickhandling in traffic with his head down to start the game because he was trying to still drag laterally side to side in order to open space. He was sweeping around the sides of the offensive zone at times, being more passive in defensive postures than I’ve seen him in other efforts, and shooting some heavy wrist shots from distance. He’s still such a high level player though and can bully players when attacking wide quite often. He’s one of those players who appears to always want to be that difference maker from a shot perspective.

Charbonneau is an impressive player—you can see it in his long stride, speed, and the way he protects the puck with reach and strength. He was quiet through the first two periods, but completely took over in the third. On the power play, he walked in and wired a wicked wrister top corner. Then on a 3-on-2, he grabbed his own rebound and started to go behind the net, stopped up, and reached back through the crease to tuck one home as the goalie lost positioning.

You don’t get this style of players very often because they are able to wield their size and puck protection without blowing by using speed at all moments. He was more about making sure possession was safe with him before finding passing lanes to trailers or into the slot from low to high. The length of stride is there, lead passes were well timed, and he possesses a heavier release from distance and wields that actively. He also wasn’t seemingly interested in simply making end to end plays on his own when he had the speed and momentum. Many times he swung passes into the slot area of really looking for those angles changes; not even considering if his own shot release was potentially the right play. Terrific performance overall. There were moments where the speed of his release as far as catch passes and choosing when to shoot could have been quicker. I’d be looking for more on and off the stick type opportunities.

Once again Charbonneau was able to utilize his above-average size and skill combination to carve through opposing defenders in transition and generate plenty of offensive chances for himself on his own. His ability to get himself to the middle of the ice was unparalleled in this game, whether it was executing quick one touch dekes through opponents or toe dragging pucks around multiple defenders to get off the halfwall and get off a dangerous scoring chance from the slot. Charbonneau even flashed some deceptive playmaking in this one, opening up his stance to make the defender think he was shooting the puck, making him change his body positioning before slipping a pass through him for a cross-ice chance. He scored his team’s first goal of the game by receiving a breakaway pass before slipping a backhand shot between the five hole.

Charbonneau was one of my favorite players in this game. Everytime he was on the ice he was creating chances. His big attribute was his speed, he was straight up flying in this game. He had a couple plays where he used his speed to counter attack quickly leading to some great opportunities for his team. He demonstrated incredible passing skills, consistently delivering precise and powerful passes across the offensive zone. His passes were never light; they were always accurate and driven with purpose. Although Charbonneau is a fast player, he skillfully slows down the play at times to allow his teammates to keep up with his quick pace. His patience on the ice often allowed his teammates to find better positions and create more space for an open pass. One of Charbonneau's best plays was him driving to the net leading to a goal for his team.

Charbonneau was the main offensive catalyst for the Canadians in this game, driving play from up front and scoring three goals in the process. I came away most impressed with the versatility of his offensive approach, as he was utilizing both his size and high-end puck skills to beat opponents both off the cycle and in transition while using deceptive tactics to mask his intentions. Off the cycle he would deliver subtle head or shoulder fakes to generate space for himself as he peeled around the top of the circle to get a shot off from the inside. He was toying with defenders in one on one situations, using his puck skills to get around them in tight areas and burst into the middle of the ice for a dangerous chance, even taking on multiple defenders at a time off the rush and splitting between them to break in alone. Charbonneau showed strong shooting mechanics in this one as well, indicative of his first goal where he was able to generate space for himself in the offensive zone, attack downhill and fire a heavy and accurate shot from the hashmarks that beat the goaltender clean from distance.

Charbonneau was the most effective forward off the cycle for Canada 3 in this game. He uses his large frame so effectively along the perimeter by shielding the puck and circling the zone waiting for the play to develop around him. By being able to prolong his puck touches he was able to spot passing options, even while under pressure from opposing defenders, and execute passes to the slot from below the goal line. He proved to be very tough to handle when attacking downhill in transition, as he could either leverage his skill or strength to deke through defenders or dip a shoulder and power through them on his way to the net. He showcased his shooting chops on his teams 4th goal when he received a pass in the slot and demonstrated a quick catch and release motion to get the puck in the net before the goaltender could set up.