The Memorial Cup is set to start this Friday at 7 PM EST, featuring the CHL's three champions and the tournament's host team. With the Rimouski Océanic holding the eight day long tournament, the QMJHL will bring two teams to the tournament. 

While we'll later look at the upcoming opponents of the Océanic, and the reigning QMJHL champions, the Moncton Wildcats, first let's take a look at what the eastern-most league has to offer.

Starting off with the host franchise, the Rimouski Océanic.

To be given the opportunity to host the Memorial Cup, you generally need to be in a position to succeed and Rimouski have proven this season that they deserved that honour.

The team boasts six NHL affiliated prospects including 2024 QMJHL MVP and recent Team Canada world junior player Matheu Cataford (Vegas Golden Knights) as well as 2024 second round pick Spencer Gill (Philadelphia Flyers).

Additionally, the team was re-inforced at the trade deadline, bringing on the QMJHL's point leader, overager Jonathan Fauchon (NCAA) and Washington Capitals prospect winger Eriks Mateiko.

Things were on the up-and-up for the team, finishing in second in the regular season and making their way all the way to the QMJHL finals. Only one team stood in their way, the Moncton Wildcats.

The Océanic could have lost the series and still saved face should they have kept things competitive, but generally they got outplayed most of the series -- losing in 5.

As such and with the steep competition coming from the WHL and the OHL, it'd be very hard to gauge the Océanic as having anything more than a fleeting chance at not coming in last.

However, a win from the Océanic may be the most poetic of the four options. Should they capture the cup, they would do so the year of the team's 30th anniversary, and also on the 20th anniversary of their last cup win.

Other prospects of note: Alexandre Blais (Anaheim Ducks), Basille Sansonnens (Vancouver Canucks), Luke Coughlin (Florida Panthers), Mathis Langevin (2025 NHL Draft), William Lacelle (2026 NHL Draft), Jacob Mathieu (NCAA)

Florida Panthers Prospect To Leave QMJHL, Commits To Maine The Memorial Cup host Rimouski Océanic's roster boasts many NHL prospects. On their blueline, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers">Florida Panthers</a> prospect defender Luke Coughlin.

On the other hand, there's the Moncton Wildcats.

The Cats have seven NHL prospects rostered, including former second round pick Etienne Morin (Calgary Flames) and former third rounder Juraj Pekarcik (St. Louis Blues). Not to mention potential Top 10 NHL Draft pick Caleb Desnoyers, who is coming off scoring 30 points (9+21) over 19 playoff games.

Additionally the team features the who is likely the winningest head coach outside of professional hockey, Gardiner MacDougall, who will look to secure his second Memorial Cup win in his second appearance.

As for the Wildcats, their season has gone exactly to plan. They dominated the regular season, finishing first by a landslide, and proceeded to run their way through the playoffs -- including their future foe at the Memorial Cup, the Rimouski Océanic in the finals.

The team will have a tough decision to make, however. Who will they start in net? So far this playoffs, they've rotated goaltenders between former Team Canada world juniors goaltender, overager Mathis Rousseau, and Detroit Red Wings prospect Rudy Guimond. Guimond has a record of 24-1 as a Wildcat through the regular season and post-season and had a significantly better save percentage in the regular season.

However, the elder Rousseau did pick up a slightly better save percentage in the playoffs with a .918 compared to Guimond's .911, while also picking up two more games.

All-in-all, being from the QMJHL, the Moncton Wildcats are likely underdogs as they don't have the reputation of the London Knights nor the Medicine Hat Tigers. It's doubtful the Cats win it all, but not out of the realm of possibility, however I would not be surprised if they make the finals.

Other prospects of note: Dyllan Gill (Tampa Bay Lightning), Gabe Smith (Utah Mammoth), Dylan MacKinnon (Nashville Predators), Loke Johansson (Boston Bruins), Julius Sumpf (2025 NHL Draft), Markus Vidicek (NCAA)

Wildcats Win QMJHL Championship, Beat Memorial Cup Hosts' Océanic In Six When head coach Gardiner MacDougall joined the Moncton Wildcats organization in the summer, it set the tone for the season.

Never want to miss out on any QMJHL news? Make sure to book mark THN's QMJHL site.