Rimouski Océanic facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rimouski Océanic Océanic de Rimouski
City	Rimouski, Quebec
League	Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League
Division	Telus East
Founded	1995
Home arena	Colisée Financière Sun Life
Colours	Royal blue, white and navy blue
General manager	Danny Dupont
Head coach	Joel Perrault
Championships	Memorial Cup: 2000 QMJHL: 2000, 2005, 2015
Website https://chl.ca/lhjmq-oceanic/
Franchise history
1969–1982	Sherbrooke Castors
1982–1989	Saint-Jean Castors
1989–1995	Saint-Jean Lynx
1995–present	Rimouski Océanic

The Rimouski Océanic is a Canadian junior ice hockey team. They play in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The team started in 1969 as the Sherbrooke Castors. They moved to different cities before settling in Rimouski, Quebec, in 1995. That is when they became the Rimouski Océanic.

Team History and Big Wins

The Rimouski Océanic has a proud history. They have won several important championships. These wins show how strong and skilled the team has been over the years.

Winning the QMJHL and Memorial Cup

In the 1999–2000 QMJHL season, the Océanic won the QMJHL championship. This was a huge achievement for the team. After that, they went on to win the 2000 Memorial Cup. This is one of the biggest trophies in junior hockey. A future NHL star, Brad Richards, was on that winning team.

Sidney Crosby Joins the Team

A famous player, Sidney Crosby, joined the Océanic in the 2003–04 QMJHL season. He was only 16 years old at the time. Crosby scored 135 points for the team that season. This set a new record for a 16-year-old in the QMJHL. Only Wayne Gretzky had more points at that age in Canadian hockey.

Another Championship and Unbeaten Streak

In 2005, the Océanic made history again. They played 28 games in a row without a loss. This was a new QMJHL record. They then won seven playoff games in a row. This made their unbeaten streak even longer. The team won their second QMJHL championship that year. They played in the 2005 Memorial Cup final but lost a tough game.

Hosting the Memorial Cup

The QMJHL announced in 2008 that Rimouski would host the 2009 Memorial Cup. This was a big honor for the city and the team. It meant the Océanic would play for the Cup on their home ice.

More Championship Success

In the 2014–15 QMJHL season, the Océanic won another QMJHL championship. They won in double overtime in the seventh game against the Quebec Remparts. This was a very exciting game. The Océanic then played in the 2015 Memorial Cup tournament.

Team Look and Colors

The Océanic has a unique and cool logo. It shows an ocean liner with teeth, coming out of waves. This design looks like both a shark and a fleur-de-lis. The team's colors are royal blue, navy blue, and white. Their home games are played at the Colisée Financière Sun Life.

The team's jersey has become quite popular. Many fans, even in the United States, like to wear it. Especially popular are jerseys with Sidney Crosby's number 87 on them.

Famous Players

Many talented players have been part of the Rimouski Océanic. Some have even had their jersey numbers retired. This means no other player on the team can wear that number again. It is a special way to honor great players.

Retired Numbers

• Allan Sirois's number 12 was retired on September 20, 2003.
• Vincent Lecavalier's number 4 was retired on September 26, 2004.
• Brad Richards's number 39 was retired on September 26, 2004.
• Jonathan Beaulieu's number 9 was retired on March 10, 2006.
• Michel Ouellet's number 28 was retired on January 30, 2015.
• Sidney Crosby's number 87 was retired on September 27, 2019. This number was also retired for all teams in the QMJHL.

Players Who Played in the NHL

Many players from the Rimouski Océanic have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). This is the top professional hockey league in North America. Here are some of them: