5-star center Scantlebury is BU's first 2009 recruit; Lawrence named to Team Canada

 

   

 

BU received its first 2009 birthdate commitment when highly regarded left-shot center James Scantlebury verballed. A Montreal native, the 5-star forward is PuckPreps’ #9 North American 2009 prospect and was ranked #2 for the QMJHL draft.

RecScouting Managing Editor and Head of Amateur Scouting reports that Scantlebury was "heavily recruited by multiple top teams, including Denver, Michigan and Minnesota."

PuckPreps' Eastern Canada Scout Austin Robson: "James is a very special player and one who I believe has all the potential to be a dominant player at the NCAA level." 

 

Scantlebury was taken at #9 by Quebec in the Q draft, which took place after he accepted a tender to play for USHL Chicago Steel next season.

 “He’s a very dynamic forward who creates scoring chances with his exceptional speed, skill, and hockey sense,” said Steel Head Coach & General Manager Mike Garman. “James is incredibly competitive and has a relentless work ethic every time he’s on the ice. He’s a natural leader and exactly the type of person we want in our program.”

In Chicago, Scantlebury will play for former NHLer Scott Gomez, a teammate of Terrier head coach Jay Pandolfo on a pair of New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup winners (2001, 2003). 

Last season, Scantlebury, a small but solid skater at 5’9” 170 lbs., generated a team-leading 100 points 35G/65A in 56 games for Bishop Kearney 16U AAA and added six points in eight 18U games. The previous season he racked up 130 points (64G,66A) in 55 games for the 14U team. His youth team was the Lac St. Louis Arsenal.

 

Prep Pucks, when reporting his tender to the Steel, called Scantlebury “No. 2 overall recruit in the 2027 recruiting class” for the QMJHL.

Diving into his play style, Scantlebury is an elite puck handler with tremendous pace, agility, dynamism, and fluidity to his game. At this level he's able to take on opponents 1-on-1 with ease, slipping pucks through feet and bodies, creating plenty of high-quality scoring chances all on his own

Besides his skating and puck skills, CHL.ca points to his “poise under pressure, relentless speed and elite hockey sense” that put him in the top 10 for QMJHL Draft Scouting Report.

● Elite Prospects Page

● USHL.com James Scantlebury Signs Tender with Chicago Steel 

● TSN.ca Chateauguay teen projected to go first in theQMJHL draft

● BlackStitchHockey Prospects to Know: Who is James Scantlebury 

►At the World Junior Summer Showcase Sascha Boisvert assisted on a pair of goals for Canada in an 8-4 loss to Sweden. Sascha Boumedienne had a helper for Sweden.

Looking ahead

2026 recruit Tynan Lawrence has been rostered for Team Canada at the upcoming Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in Czechia. Lawrence, who is among the top forwards for Canada, is coming off of a standout performance in the USHL’s Clark Cup Playoffs, where he finished as the top scorer and MVP. Numerous rankings for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft project he'll be a first-round pick.

● FloHockey Canada Hlinka-Gretzky Cup roster includes top prospects Dupont, Lawrence.