Petr the Great

The Rimouski Oceanic is in a rebuilding phase, something that they have done so with great success in the past having developed players such as Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby. This time, they are placing their hopes on two Czech-born imports, Petr Straka and Jakub Culek. Mckeen's correspondent Rick Springhetti reports on several Rimouski Oceanic.

Jakub Culek (2010), LW/C, Rimouski

Czech-born forward is a big forward with some impressive passing ability .. had some difficulty in the first part of the season where he played center at times, but since he moved exclusively to the wing he has really improved his play .. excellent peripheral vision, he is able to distribute the puck on either side of him right on his teammate's stick and does so without warning .. has a lumbering skating style but he does pick up decent speed after his first few steps .. lack of explosiveness does lead to some penalty problems at times .. like a lot of bigger players, he seems lazy on the ice but is actually very effective .. not afraid to play the body but doesn't do so with a lot of authority .. needs to work on his shot .. currently, his shot could use some velocity and a quicker release .. does not get himself involved enough defensively leaving his defenseman in a vulnerable position .. like a lot of bigger players, he gives the impression that he is not doing much at first until you start to notice a lot of little things that he does well .. very interesting upside depending on how he grows into his 6-foot-4 frame.

Alex Emond (2010), LW, Rimouski

Missed last years draft by only one day .. hard-working player who always does what is best for the team .. very labored skating style and has trouble picking up speed .. uses his body to protect the puck, as he does not have the pure skill needed to make plays .. offensively, he will dump the puck in deep and go after it as hard as he can .. does not have very good peripheral vision for passing plays .. will immediately go to the front of the net once his team has control of the puck and try to take advantage of scoring chances on rebounds or deflections .. used in defensive situations and is effective due to his ability to hold his position well and his ability to win physical battles along the walls or in the corners .. tough individual who plays through pain and doesn't take many shifts off.

Julien Levasseur (2010), D, Rimouski

Average skater in terms of speed, but seems solid on his feet .. skating style is fluid though so there is reason to believe that he will improve as he gains muscle mass .. capable of making an effective lead pass to his forwards .. shows a lot of imagination in the use of the boards when distributing the puck .. understands positioning when defending one-on-one but leaves too much room between himself and opponents if they are good skaters .. forgets to move his feet at times at center ice hurting his team when they are trying to defend against a quick transition game .. not afraid of hanging on to the puck in the defensive zone but does get into trouble when he tries to get fancy .. tends to scramble when plays breakdown in front of him .. not afraid to play a physical game and to battle for the puck .. although he does not always win his battles he puts up enough of a fight to give his teammates a chance to come in and support him.

Petr Straka (2010), RW, Rimouski

Forward with many offensive tools in his toolbox .. issue is consistency, although that is getting better .. when he does not compete, he seems invisible .. not a very graceful skater but he catches opponents off guard at times with a sudden burst of speed .. really solid on his feet forcing opponents to hook and grab him .. can release a shot quickly with an effective toe-drag move that he uses in one-on-one situations .. not hesitant to shoot the puck if a scoring chance appears for him .. has a real nose for the net and the right instincts in the slot area .. good passing skills, he manages to spot open teammates even while moving at quick speeds .. willingness to shoot and pass the puck make him unpredictable .. improving his physical involvement as the season wears on, especially in the slot .. still a lot of work to do in his defensive game .. needs to get more involved and improve his anticipation in terms of playing an aggressive or passive forecheck game.

Philippe Tremblay (2010), G, Rimouski

Good size .. very aggressive goaltender who likes to move up very quickly to challenge the shooter .. positionally sound, he simply lets the puck hit him and tries to control the rebound .. likes to handle the puck around the net .. ok glove hand, he keeps it slightly low .. needs to continue working on his leg strength to help his quickness when he goes side to side .. leaves the five-hole open at times .. very calm and controlled attitude, which is not easy on a rebuilding Rimouski team.