The Future Looks Bright in Shawinigan
Despite the Cataractes’ depth, six rookies have made the line up.
Most teams that aspire to the big prizes have achieved a certain maturity and there isn’t much room for the rookies. All the same, six young players have been up to the challenge of forcing their coach’s hand and making their way into the line-up – this despite their team’s depth of talent.
THEQMJHL.CA is pleased to present them here to you today.
Samuel Asselin, forward, 17-years-old, 5’9”, 178 LBS
The season is barely three weeks old but already Samuel Asselin has shown that he can contribute to the Cataractes’ offensive success. In the absence of Anthony Beauvillier and Dennis Yan who were both taking part in their respective NHL training camps, the young forward scored five points in his first six regular season games.
‘I can’t say that I’m surprised. Samuel has the energy and the mettle to play in this league. He had a great training camp. With the offensive corps we have this year it’s hard for him to hope to earn a spot on the first two lines, but we know we can put him in there if we need to…he’s already shown us that,’ his coach, Martin Bernard emphasized.
Alexandre Dufour, forward, 18-years-old, 5’7”, 171 LBS
This forward from Val-d’Or fills out the roster. He will probably be happy to play a supporting role, in and out of the line up.
‘Alexandre is coming from college…he’s a player that never gave up on his dream of playing in the QMJHL. He’s got good hockey sense and his offensive style of play will help us when he is in the line up.’
Louis-Philip Fortin, defenseman, 17-years-old, 5’11”, 167 LBS
At the age of 17, Louis-Philip is already playing on his third QMJL team. He was drafted by the Quebec Remparts and then traded to Saint John. He hadn’t even stepped on Sea Dog’s ice when already he was en route for Shawinigan.
‘He skates well and knows how to re-launch the offense. His shot finds its way on net, even in traffic. He’s a defenseman with good offensive skills and has already become part of our regular line up,’ explained Head Coach Martin Bernard.
Simon Benoit, defenseman, 17-years-old, 6’3”, 173 LBS
The Cataractes’ Head Coach doesn’t hesitate for a second to declare Simon Benoît to be the surprise of training camp. The 17-year-old blue liner stands out in his own end and imposes his presence along the boards. For sure he is going to be used all season to kill penalties.
‘He will eventually go up against the opposing top lines… he’s a big guy who also has a good shot,’ he explained.
Benoît for his part, seems just as excited by the start to his season.
‘The transition from Midget AAA to Major Junior has gone really well. The coaches have supported us and really given us all the tools we need to succeed. I can already see progress in my play since the start of the season. My ultimate goal is to solidify my place in the line up,” Benoît said.
Jocktan Chaîney, defenseman, 16-years-old, 6’1”, 185 LBS
The old injury that held Jocktan Chaîney back is definitely a thing of the past. The 16-year-old defenseman who was his team’s first round pick in the last draft, has started the season with force, collecting five assists in his first eight outings.
‘He can really read the play well. Jocktan is an exceptional passer. We chose him in the draft because we thought he was the Midget AAA defenseman who was most ready to play in Major Junior this year. It looks like he’s trying to prove us right,’ smiled the coach.
Two rookie goalies, one spot.
Even if the Cataractes have not officially named the positions of #1 goalie and backup, it looks like Antoine Samuel has ensured his spot between the pipes. Which is to say, the rookies Frédéric Foulem and Mikhail Denisov have up to the next trade period in December to prove that they deserve the second spot on the bench.
‘We meant what we said at the end of training camp. We’ve been playing them in rotation, and up to now we’ve been happy with what our rookies have been giving us. Their number of starts will without a doubt be limited because we have three good goalies… among other things, we make sure that in practices they do what they have to,’ explained Head Coach Martin Bernard.
Rookie Frédéric Foulem admits he has no problem battling for the second spot against his Russian compatriot.
‘We are trying to get used to the speed of the play and the shot quality. It’s obvious that there’s a difference in the calibre from what we’ve experienced before but the transition is going well. The team is offering us really professional support and that is helping us to get results. The battle between the pipes should be seen positively. Us, what we want is to win as many games as we can,’ he said.
Note that Foulem turned down Harvard University to join the Cataractes.
Translation: Richard Dumas