Xavier Bourgault (born October 22, 2002) is a Canadian professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

forward currently playing for the

Belleville Senators The Belleville Senators (colloquially known as the B-Sens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Belleville, Ontario. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ottawa Senators. The Senators pl ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

(AHL) as a prospect to the Ottawa Senators of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

(NHL). He was drafted 22nd overall by the

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

in the 2021 NHL entry draft.

Playing career

Junior career

Bourgault was drafted by the Shawinigan Cataractes of the

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; , LHJMQ), formerly the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The league includes teams in Quebec ...

(QMJHL) in the second round of the 2018 draft as a centre. However, the Cataractes chose to move him to the

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to play alongside Mavrik Bourque. Making his QMJHL debut with the Cataractes in 2018–19, Bourgault recorded 7 goals and 20 points in 62 games. In 2019–20, he increased his offensive output to 33 goals and 71 points in 63 games, for a 1.13 points per game rate. His points per game rate was raised yet again to 1.38 in 2020–21, as he recorded 20 goals and 40 points in a

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-shortened 29 games. Recording only six penalty minutes that season, he was named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, the QMJHL's award for sportsmanship. During the 2021–22 season, he had his best year with the Cataractes, scoring 36 goals and 75 points in 43 games. In the playoffs, Bourgault finished second on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 22 points, behind only Bourque, as the Cataractes won the Gilles-Courteau Trophy as league champions. The Cataractes made the 2022 Memorial Cup, but finished third in the four-team tournament, losing to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the

Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League, alongside the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The league is for players ag ...

in the semi-final.

Professional career

On July 23, 2021, Bourgault was drafted by the

of the

(NHL) 22nd overall in the first round of 2021 NHL entry draft. Bourgault was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract on March 31, 2022. He was assigned to the Oilers'

(AHL) affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, for the 2022–23 season. In his AHL rookie season, he scored 13 goals and 34 points. He returned to Bakersfield for the 2023–24 season, but saw his offense decline, scoring only 8 goals and 20 points in 55 games. On July 15, 2024, Bourgault was traded to the Ottawa Senators along with forward Jake Chiasson for forward Roby Järventie and a fourth-round draft pick in

2025 So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...

. He was assigned to Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the

, to begin the 2024–25 season.

International play

Bourgault was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in December 2021. He played in the opening game against Czechia and was struck in the head, causing him to leave the game. However, the tournament was cancelled shortly afterwards before its completion due to the pandemic and the results were annulled. The tournament was restarted in August 2022, but Bourgault chose to skip it, preferring to focus on making the Oilers.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bourgault, Xavier 2002 births Living people Bakersfield Condors players Belleville Senators players Canadian ice hockey forwards Edmonton Oilers draft picks Ice hockey people from Chaudière-Appalaches NHL first-round draft picks Shawinigan Cataractes players 21st-century Canadian sportsmen