Featuring a mix of ability, size and experience, the Rimouski Oceanic were expected to be dominant team in the QJMHL according to many but they have been a little inconsistent to this point. To reach their full potential, a few promising youngsters will need to step up their play.
Mckeen’s Quebec region scout Rick Springhetti filed these reports on various players.
Nicholas Hebert (2014), C, Rimouski
First round draft pick of Rimouski in 2013 .. Hard working forward is slowly getting more ice-time by the coaching staff .. gives a solid and consistent effort in all areas of the ice .. slightly choppy skater who is always moving his feet .. turns could be a little tighter which would help him avoid some hits .. manages to display good energy levels even when playing long shifts .. has started to show some solid passing abilities that will be even better if he can gain some wrist strength .. works hard along the boards to retrieve the puck .. does well pressuring teams on the forecheck .. has a lot of work to do on his shots .. release and velocity is still not strong enough for him to be a real threat in the offensive zone .. low center of gravity helps him a good deal in the face-off circle.
Jean-Francois Lavoie (2014), LW, Rimouski
Young forward is mostly seeing fourth-line duty .. slightly choppy skater who tends to be a little upright .. always keeps his feet moving helping him pressure puck carrier well .. quick to get into proper defensive positioning in his zone .. tends to get rid of puck quickly when he has it instead of looking for openings and using his speed to take advantage of them .. when he does hold on to the puck, he can surprise opponents with some surprisingly effective stickhandling ability .. will go into traffic area but doesn’t have enough strength to properly gain position .. has to work on his shooting ability to be able to contribute offensively.
Guillaume McSween (2014), D, Rimouski
Big defenseman (6’3”, 210 lbs) who is slowly learning how to use his size effectively .. was suspended in early October for 3 games for a knee on knee hit .. although he has shown some modest improvement in his footwork, he still has some work to do .. lateral mobility and pivots are especially difficult for him .. very good slot presence, he is able to play a physical game without getting into penalty problems .. strong enough to handle bigger forwards .. passes the puck reasonably well in short distances .. shot on net is very heavy and leads to a lot of rebounds .. to his credit, he plays a simple game and doesn’t often get in trouble .. very raw player who that is hard to project long-term.
Simon Bourque (2015), D, Rimouski
Young defenseman is being brought in slowly by the Rimouski coaching staff .. mostly paired with Philadelphia first round pick Samuel Morin but is often limited in ice-time in the 3rd period .. mobile skater in all directions .. smooth skating stride with good mechanics on his turns and pivots .. has to work on his overall strength .. plays a very safe game at both ends of the ice .. shot on net is very weak .. makes safe passes .. defensively, he plays the angles well .. has a lot of trouble clearing the crease and can get in trouble when he has to battle for the puck because of his smaller frame .. very raw player who is gaining some solid experience .. could be seeing a lot of ice-time next year as there should be a lot openings in Rimouski next season.
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