Lukas Cormier improves game

Lukas Cormier’s desire to improve his game led him to being named QMJHL top defenceman

Lukas Cormier continues to push himself to get better every day.

And it’s paying off.

The 19-year-old SainteMarie-de-Kent, N.B., native was named the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s top defenceman on Thursday, becoming the first member of the Charlottetown Islanders franchise to receive the recognition.

“It’s a great honour,” Cormier said after the announcement. “A lot of good players have got it before me.”

That list includes the likes of Cornwall’s Jordan Spence, Thomas Chabot of the Ottawa Senators, Samuel Girard of the Colorado Avalanche, Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hall of Famer Ray Bourque.

Joining Cormier as finalists for this year’s award were Spence and Noah Laaouan, Cormier’s partner on the Isles’ blue-line and the league’s top defensive defenceman.

“I couldn't have done it without Noah,” Cormier said. “He’s been a great partner for me, and I am happy for him for the award he got (Wednesday).”

Cormier also thanked his teammates, the coaches and staff for helping him grow as a player.

But a lot of the credit for his success goes to the work he put in during the off-season.

“He didn't waste any time,” head coach and general manager Jim Hulton said, referring back to the summer of 2020. “He was in elite shape when he came into camp. He was head and shoulders, I think, our fittest player and I think that fuelled his confidence.”

Cormier finished fourth overall in league scoring behind three teammates (Cédric Desruisseaux, Thomas Casey and Brett Budgell) and tops amongst defencemen with 54 points in 39 games. He recorded 19 points on the power play. Spence was second with 40 points in 32 games.

“Every year you play you get more confidence and I think that’s a big part of it,” Cormier said. “And I keep working hard in the summer, training harder every day and just never being satisfied with anything and always wanting to get better.”

Cormier burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old rookie playing on the Isles’ top pair next to captain Pierre-Olivier (P.O.) Joseph. He scored 15 goals that season. Year 2 didn’t go as planned.

“I’m really proud of the way he bounced back from kind of a frustrating year (in 2019-20) with the broken foot, COVID cancelling the season,” Hulton said.

The bench boss saw his prized pupil elevate when the games mattered the most this season as the Islanders went back to the semifinals. The Victoriaville Tigres, who won the President Cup, eliminated the Islanders in Game 5 of the best-of-five series.

“I thought he and Budgell were head and shoulders our most competitive people in that environment and they rose to the occasion,” Hulton said. “Lukas wanted the puck on his stick and he wanted to be a difference maker.”

While the offence has been a staple of Cormier’s game, he’s not a one-trick pony as his defensive play has been a bit underrated.

“I feel I can play in any situation and be efficient in the defensive zone all the time,” he said.

The Vegas Golden Knights’ prospect, who has a calm, cool demeanour, knows he can improve in those areas and plans to work on that this off-season.

“He’s hungry enough to want to be a dominant force that he’ll continue to address all of those areas,” Hulton said.

Cormier has accomplished a lot in his three-year junior career but there’s still two big items left on his to-do list. One would be making Team Canada for the world junior championship and the other would be to help lead the Islanders to the franchise's first title.

“Hopefully, it's a double championship – world junior gold and Memorial Cup,” Hulton said. “I think every one of the guys that have received these individual awards would be the first to tell you they’d trade them for that one big trophy that Victo has.”

Hulton believes there’s another level for Cormier to get to and is confident he will reach it.

“He has the kind of personality to be able to handle that type of pressure,” he said.

Cormier is expected to attend camps for Team Canada and Vegas before quarterbacking the Isles on a deep playoff run.

“We want to win a championship in Charlottetown,” he said. “We’re going to go for it again next year and that’s the main goal we all have in mind.”