Our 20’s – Shawinigan Cataractes
Throughout the summer, we’ll be looking back at the QMJHL careers of our 20-year-old players, who will be moving on to new opportunities next season. Today, we feature the graduating players of the Shawinigan Cataractes.
Vince Élie
After being selected 36th overall by the Saint John Sea Dogs in the 2021 QMJHL Draft, Élie returned for another season with the Laval-Montréal Rousseau-Royal U18 AAA program. He then recorded 27 points in 65 games as a rookie with the Sea Dogs before being traded to the Shawinigan Cataractes midway through the 2023-24 season. That year, he finished with 62 points, followed by 69 points in his first full season with the Cataractes. Élie also helped Shawinigan reach the 2025 QMJHL Semifinals, where the team fell to Rimouski. As a 20-year-old, the 5-foot-8, 198-pound centreman totaled 52 points, finishing his junior career with 210 points (83G-127A) in 247 QMJHL games. His performance earned him a professional contract with the Stuttgart Rebels of Germany’s third division.
Mathys Fernandez
Fernandez took a winding path before establishing himself in Shawinigan beginning in January 2024. Originally selected 43rd overall by the Québec Remparts in the 2021 QMJHL Draft, he never suited up for the club after being traded to Val-d’Or following a season with Collège Esther-Blondin’s U18 AAA team. Then, in the summer of 2023, he was on the move again, this time to Chicoutimi, where he spent half a season before being dealt to Shawinigan. Fernandez found his groove with the Cataractes, posting a .910 save percentage during the 2024-25 regular season. He was even better in the playoffs, recording a .915 save percentage while helping Shawinigan advance to the QMJHL Semifinals. As a 20-year-old, he set a career high by appearing in 42 games and finished with a .906 save percentage. After playing 133 QMJHL games, Fernandez will continue his career at Concordia University next season.
Drew Hockley
Hockley’s QMJHL journey began in 2022 when he attended the Acadie-Bathurst Titan’s training camp, but he did not earn a roster spot. He returned for another season with the Mount Academy Saints before spending a season and a half in the BCHL with the Victoria Grizzlies. He then played one season at Quinnipiac University before choosing to join the Shawinigan Cataractes, with whom he finished the 2025-26 season with six points in 26 games. Hockley will play for the University of Alaska-Anchorage next season.
