Yesterday, the Rimouski Océanic have acquired overage goaltender Samuel St-Hilaire from the Sherbrooke Phoenix for a 2025 third round pick and a 2027 fifth rounder.
St-Hilaire, 20, is coming off a massive 2023-24 campaign with the Phoenix where the 6-2 netminder posted a .915 save percentage across 36 games.
His play was good enough to join Team Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship, albeit as the back-up behind fellow QMJHLer Mathis Rousseau.
With the addition of Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs -- who already has pro pedigree in Latvia, winning the Playoff MVP award in the top league -- there was a strong sense that St-Hilaire would pursue pro opportunities this season rather than return to Sherbrooke for his overage year.
However, a trade to the Memorial Cup hosts might have been the type of scenario to convince him otherwise.
St-Hilaire is currently representing the Los Angeles Kings at a pre-season prospect tournament as an invitee and will join the Océanic for the start of the regular season.
This opportunity opened up with the injury of Quentin Miller, Rimouski's starting goalender.
Miller, a 2023 4th rounder of the Montreal Canadiens, was scheduled to return for his overage season after hoisting a .907 save percentage over 47 games between the Quebec Remparts and the Océanic.
That changed last week, as Miller left a pre-season game against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens with a shoulder injury.
At the time, the injury severity was unknown, however the timing of the injury was bad for the Habs prospect as it meant he would have to miss the Canadiens rookie camp.
The extent of the injury was made public yesterday afternoon after the trade when Rimouski general manager Danny Dupont confirmed that Quentin Miller would undergo an shoulder operation and will miss approximately six months.
Even if the Océanic miss NHL pedigree in Miller's absence, Samuel St-Hilaire is a more than capable replacement and will help in the Océanic's quest for Memorial Cup glory in their 30th anniversary season.
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