L’Océanic de Rimouski: Michel Ouellet is back “home”

The Rimouski Oceanic has found its new assistant coach. On the eve of a season in which Rimouski will host the Memorial Cup, the team is bringing back to its organization Rimouskois Michel Ouellet who will assist head coach Joël Perrault.

Mr. Ouellet will replace Alexis Loiseau, now head coach of the Gatineau Olympiques. I jumped at the chance, reveals the new assistant coach. He would not have wanted to accompany another team in the Major Junior, he confides. Having the chance to inspire these young people […]sharing this baggage, it will be interesting for them.

I did my research and 13 of the 18 [entraîneurs — ] leaders started their assistant. I think it will be very beneficial for me too.

Last season, the 42-year-old led the Albatross du Collège Notre-Dame M18 3A team in Rivière-du-Loup, a position he held for only one season.

Michel Ouellet, 2000 Memorial Cup champion in Halifax, has already lent a helping hand to the Oceanic as head of player development during the 2014 to 2019 seasons.

At the professional level, Michel Ouellet will have played 10 seasons in the NHL in addition to playing for the East Coast League and the German Elite League.

We are very proud to be able to bring Michel home. A guy from our community who won for us and who has our organization tattooed on his heartindicates in a press release the co-owner, Alexandre Tanguay.

The coaching staff is still composed of Donald Dufresne, associate coach, Jordan Caron, assistant coach for skills development and Michaël Rioux, goaltending coach.

The HLJMQ team will start on the 30th^e training camp in its history on August 12. The regular season will begin with nine road games starting Friday, September 20.

The presentation of the 105^e Memorial Cup will take place from May 23 to 1^is June 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life, in Rimouski. Michel Ouellet could have the chance to win the cup this time as coach. The timing is goodhe said, smiling.

With information from René Levesque