Last year was supposed to be “the year” for the Sherbrooke Castors – now the Lewiston Maineiacs.

The Castors traded Yan Gaudette and Maxime Boisclair to Chicoutimi for an older, more experienced Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau. They acquired Remi Bergeron from Acadie-Bathurst for a draft pick, and sent Dany Roussin to Rimouski for Gabriel Balasescu. The goal was, of course, to make a deep run into the playoffs. After edging Montreal (now P.E.I.) in the playoffs, Sherbrooke fell 4-1 to Hull (now Gatineau) in five games.

This year, trading will not be so focused on winning it all immediately. Bergeron and Parenteau are both gone. Balasescu is still here as an overage, and is having a phenomenal year. But so are Roussin (63 points, second behind only Sidney Crosby in the QMJHL), Gaudette (26 points for Chicoutimi) and Boisclair (12 points in 23 games for Chicoutimi).

According to general manager Normand Gosselin, the team plans to lay low and look at what happens around the league before addressing any issues. Last season, most of the trades took place at the end of the trading period, with a rush of activity on the final day. For Maineiacs fans, those expecting a housecleaning will probably have to start dusting their own shelves at home. Gosselin has already stated he will not sacrifice youth for immediate success, but instead plan for a successful 2004-05 season.

“There is no rush,” said Gosselin. “We can wait until the new year and see then.”

Speaking of trades

As of Sunday night, just one trade had taken place during this final trading block of the 2003-04 season.

Gatineau sent two 17-year-old players, Yanick Charron and Lance Woodman, to Halifax in exchange for an eighth-round selection in the 2004 draft, and a first-round selection in the 2004 import draft. Halifax already has two solid import players, and would not be able to draft a third.

Speaking (again) of trades

There have been rampant rumors surrounding which of the Maineiacs will be traded, if any.

Players in the locker room Saturday joked about whether or not they would see each other again following the holiday break. Four stalls, those belonging to Marc-Andre Cliche, Chad Denny, Richard Stehlik and Vladislav Balaz, were bare due to their involvement in the World Junior and Under-17 tournaments. Stehlik’s, however, was strikingly bare, as was that of goaltender Matt Davis, who has been injured for more than a month.

On his way out of the locker room, Davis could be heard joking, “Uh oh, my locker is empty, I must be getting traded.” He, and his teammates around him, laughed for a few moments afterward and then parted ways.

Around the league

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced its last Player of the Week selections of 2003.

Yan Gaudette of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens garnered the offensive award, scoring two goals and three assists in three road games last week. His five points and plus-4 rating were both team highs as the Sags won two of three, their first two road wins of the season.

On defense, Steve Villeneuve took the honors, having scored two goals and added two assists in two games for the Halifax Mooseheads.