QMJHL Report: Rimouski Oceanic

The Rimouski Oceanic made major changes in their hockey operations department during the off-season and while they're not considered a contender this season, they are laying the foundation of being a quick, aggressive, hard-working team. McKeen's has notes on several Oceanic prospects eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Francis Beauvillier (2012), C, Rimouski

Picked-up by Rimouski at the Lewiston dispersal draft .. team has been satisfied by his play but more was expected offensively .. the 6-foot-1, 176-pound center has seen some time at the wing .. a fluid skater with some speed, his lateral mobility is excellent .. smart two-way player with a good understanding of the defensive game, he's often sent onto the ice for short-handed situations .. dangerous when he beats opposing defensemen on the outside and uses his tremendous wristshot .. lacks vision to really use his linemates effectively .. prone to brain cramps when it comes to his passing game .. consistency is an issue, as he can be a factor for a few shifts then disappear for long stretches .. needs to stop making long unnecessary circles when he doesn't have the puck and instead - use his abilities to create scoring opportunities .. shows great skill at times, but his work ethic is questionable .. at his best when he's given clear assignements.

Liam O'Brien (2012), C/LW, Rimouski

A straight ahead, north-south player, he's got a good frame at 6-feet and 200 pounds .. needs to improve his all-around skating ability .. knows how to create some space for others with his physical play and aggressive presence along the boards .. quick hands, he's managed to score a few goals on the powerplay when he planted himself in the crease and was focused on getting loose pucks .. play seems to happen too quickly for him at times, which has him running around a little .. coaching staff has singled him out as a player who they feel can really show some improvement as the season wears on .. work ethic is not an issue for him.

Peter Trainor (2012), LW, Rimouski

Undrafted player, Trainor was signed by Rimouski in November of last year, but only played two games that season .. this year, he's among the teams' top scorers and in the top ten in the league among rookies .. a pure goal scorer with excellent offensive instincts and anticipation .. quietly moves around in the offensive zone, finding openings and is quick to capitalize on scoring chances .. deceptive skater, he surprises opposing defensemen with a good burst of speed .. struggles in his own zone to avoid giveaways and mistakes .. brings little in terms of physical play .. prone to turnovers in the neutral zone.

Maxime Fortier (2012), D, Rimouski

The 6-foot-1, 162-pound defensemen was drafted in the sixth round in 2011 .. tends to panic when pressed and starts trying to do too much .. when given a little time, he moves the puck out of his zone adequately .. can even make an effective stretch pass .. needs to add some muscle to his tiny frame to be competitive at this level .. has trouble with his pivots and he's not very quick when going backwards .. he does well going forward .. his shot, while not overly hard does get to the net more often than not.