If they gave out an MVP award for this camp my vote would go to Héroux. He was by far the most consistent and dynamic player from start to finish at this event, demonstrating really strong play both with and without the puck and generating scoring chances at a much higher rate than his peers. When the games got sluggish and there was hardly any room to operate in the neutral zone, it was only Héroux who managed to create offense by getting in on the forecheck and turning over pucks with his speed. His quick processing ability allowed him to turn these turnovers into scoring chances by making quick centering feeds to teammates in the slot long before the defenders could even react. Even as the F2 I thought he did a great job of anticipating the play in front of him which allowed him to cut off plays along the boards and turn those into quick offense as well. As a puck carrier he was one of the few who could consistently gain separation from checkers in the neutral zone by utilizing cross overs and weight transfers to pull away and sidestep his way into space and gain the blueline. You combine all the aforementioned playmaking, processing ability and high-end skating ability and you find yourself with one of the premiere talents for the 2025 QMJHL Draft.

Despite being held off the scoresheet, Héroux’s overwhelming offensive toolkit allow him to be an effective player every time he steps on the ice and generate scoring chances at a high rate. It becomes more and more clear every game that he’s one of the true playdrivers of this Québec class with his ability to consistently transport the puck through the neutral zone, gain the offensive blueline and drive results in the offensive zone. He even demonstrated the ability to use his teammates effectively in order to execute zone entries by using a series of give and go’s to dish then drive into space. He was yet again extremely efficient on the forecheck, using his speed to pressure defenders, steal pucks and make quick plays to the middle of the ice. He was equally as effective along the perimeter in the offensive zone, using quick spins and pivots to create separation from defenders and make difficult passes on both his backhand and forehand to the slot.

Héroux’s quickness and tenacity were once major factors throughout. Early on in the game he was getting really active on the forecheck, limiting defenders time and space on retrievals and forcing turnovers from below the goal line. He was showing good anticipation as well as the F2 to read the intentions of the defender to cut off plays along the boards in the offensive zone and make a quick dash to the middle of the ice to generate a chance. Once again, he was one of the better transitional forwards, using powerful crossovers to build up speed in the neutral zone, gain the offensive zone and push back defenders where he would then execute drop passes to teammates in space. He set up the game winning goal by breaking up an outlet pass in the offensive zone, attacking downhill and slipping a pass to a teammate in the slot who was able to bury it.

When the game was sloppy and clogged up in the neutral zone in the first period it was Héroux who was one of the few, if not only, player who was still able to create some offense thanks to his high-end speed and tenacity on the forecheck. He forced a handful of turnovers in the first frame alone by taking good angles and using his deceptive strength to get bigger players off the puck. He was also one of the few puck carriers who could consistently gain separation in the neutral zone, which allowed him to gain the offensive blueline with possession. He made a great play on his team’s second goal of the game when he got in quick on the forecheck to disrupt a breakout, gained possession of the puck and made a quick centering pass to a teammate who buried it from in tight.

Héroux had some flashes of some really high-end skill but struggled to provide it consistently on a shift to shift basis. He’s able to generate good speed through the neutral zone with the puck on his stick and was one of Québec White’s better puck transporters throughout the game. He gets himself into some trouble after entering the offensive zone as he usually skated himself into problematic areas and not use much of a delay game. He nearly scored a goal off the rush when he got a step on a defender, dropped his shoulder and got around the goaltender only to be denied by an outstretched pad. He picked up an assist on the overtime winner off a beautiful backhand pass in the neutral zone that sprung Lemaire who made no mistake on the breakaway.