CHL notebook: Blue Jackets prospect Dumais chasing 2nd straight QMJHL scoring title

Future NHL stars are developing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Each week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

Jordan Dumais led the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in scoring last season. Now the Columbus Blue Jackets forward prospect is out to do it again.

The 19-year-old has 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 12 games. His average of 2.42 points per game puts him ahead of last season when he averaged 2.19 points in 64 games en route to a league-best 140 points (54 goals, 86 assists).

Baie-Comeau forward Justin Gill, a New York Islanders prospect, leads the QMJHL with 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists), but has played eight more games

"We have a great group here of guys and obviously it's good to play in Halifax," Dumais said. "I'm honored to be here and looking forward to even more games and a good season."

That season didn't begin until Oct. 20 because of some injuries and a health issue that occurred during his time at Blue Jackets training camp. But he looked OK when he had a hat trick and two assists in his first game.

He's stayed near that high pace since, with six games of at least three points and has scored at least a point in each of the 12. That included three assists in a 4-0 win against Cape Breton on Nov. 12, the first of which gave him 304 points with Halifax, passing Brandon Benedict to become the Mooseheads' all-time leading scorer.

Dumais is up to 307 points (115 goals, 192 assists) in 184 games. He also is Halifax's all-time leader in assists, and he's four goals from tying Benedict's all-time Halifax mark of 119, set in 343 games.

"The fans tell me stuff after games pretty much every game I've been here, so they've been keeping up with that," Dumais said of the points record chase. "It's great to be with those names at the top of the organization."

The Blue Jackets are hoping Dumais pushes that mark higher. He played in two preseason games in Columbus and scored an overtime goal in a 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sept. 24. But after beginning the season with the Blue Jackets on the injured/non-roster list, he was returned to Halifax when he was healthy.

The decision, though, was not an easy one.

"The numbers he did have (last season) and the strong training camp he had, he made a case for himself and there's a lot of conversations around him," Blue Jackets player development coach Derek Dorsett said. "Unfortunately, the only option for him was to go back to Halifax; with the CHL agreement he can't play in the American Hockey League. He handled it right, he has the right attitude, obviously it's showing that he's went there with a good attitude and the right attitude to have success again in the Quebec league."

Dumais said he didn't need a message from the Blue Jackets about why he was being sent down and understands what he needs to work on this season, including getting stronger and continuing to develop his 200-foot game.

"At the end of the day, I think it's pretty self-explanatory and I think we're on the same mindset with those guys," he said. "No matter what they tell me, I'm just going to do my best and always work hard and be the best."

That best could earn him a spot in the Columbus as soon as next season.

Dorsett has been around Dumais since the Blue Jackets selected him in the third round (No. 96) of the 2022 NHL Draft. But after two NHL training camps, there are more fans than just those in the player development group.

"I'm around the big club quite a bit and a lot of the guys that I either played with or played against, just being around the rink and talking with the some of the veteran guys, a lot of them have come up to me and said this kid can play, and it's obvious," Dorsett said. "We just want to make sure that he keeps progressing his 200-foot game. We know that he can put up points, we know that he can score, we know that he can make unbelievable passes and stuff like that. He's a very exciting prospect for us."

OTHERS TO WATCH

Denver Barkey, RW, London (PHI): The right wing scored two goals in London's 5-2 win against Guelph on Wednesday to extend his point streak to eight games (six goals, seven assists). That includes back-to-back game-winning goals against Owen Sound on Nov. 10 and Guelph on Nov. 11. His streak ended in London's  7-4 loss to Flint on Friday, but the 18-year-old, selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (No. 95) of the 2023 NHL Draft, has 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 20 games.

Ethan Gauthier, RW, Drummondville (TBL): The forward matched his season best with four points (two goals, two assists) in Drummondville's 5-4 win against Baie-Comeau on Nov. 10. The 18-year-old, selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round (No. 37) in 2023, has 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 20 games this season.

Luca Cagnoni, D, Portland (SJS): The defenseman had five points (one goal, four assists) in Portland's 7-3 win against Kamloops on Nov. 8. It was his highest point total in a game in his four Western Hockey League seasons. He followed that with two assists in a 5-1 win against Vancouver on Nov. 10 to give him 13 points (one goal, 12 assists), including four multipoint games, during a five-game point streak that ended Friday in Portland's 2-1 loss to Prince Albert. The 18-year-old, selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fourth round (No. 123) of the 2023 draft, has 26 points (three goals, 23 assists) in 16 games.