A pair of third-round picks are headed to Cape Breton in exchange for 2009-born prospects Julien Nadeau and Caiden Pellegrino.
In what is more of a futures move, the Cape Breton Eagles have traded prospects Julien Nadeau and Caiden Pellegrino to the Rimouski Océanic in exchange for a pair of third-round picks in 2027, Rimouski's own as well as Moncton's.
Nadeau, 16, was the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 QMJHL draft. He hasn't yet cracked Cape Breton's roster this season, but has 20 (3+17) points in 28 games for the Collège Notre-Dame Albatros in the U18 AAA circuit.
Pellegrino, 16, is an top American prospect, drafted in the 10th round in 2025. He has a ridiculous 29 (12+17) points in just nine games for St. Mark's School in Massachusetts, but there's no guarantee he ever comes over to play in the QMJHL. He's already committed to Providence College of the NCAA for the 2027-28 season.
This is more of a max exodus from Cape Breton's 2025 draft class, as they've already moved first-rounder Olivier Charron in yesterday's trade with Shawinigan. It's possible they see the next 18 months as their window to win, and are targeting the next two playoff runs to make an impact.
If so, maybe 16-year-old prospects aren't what they desire, and having more pick flexibility for trades is more desirable.
In Rimouski's eyes, this is a good bet on upside. Nadeau has looked good at the U18 level and could play QMJHL games this season, growing into a bigger role across the next few years as the Océanic build up their next generation.
It would be a huge heist to get Pellegrino to come over, but with the CHL/NCAA rule changes, they could try and convince him the QMJHL would be a better development path than any American pathway into college.
Cape Breton currently sit third in the Eastern conference, though they're 13 points back of second-placed Moncton. Rimouski, meanwhile, are eighth in the conference, and are in much more of a rebuilding year.
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