He’s baaack.

After taking a month off to play for the Canadian Junior team, Sidney Crosby has reaffirmed his status as one of the top players in the league, and has garnered the award to prove it.

In four games on the road last week, Crosby netted six goals and added three assists for nine points. He was a plus-6 and fired 25 shots on goal in those four games.

Rimouski, however, was none the better, losing twice in regulation and once more in overtime in those four games.

Crosby is currently the leading scorer in the Canadian Hockey League with 85 points in 38 games played.

On defense, Doug O’Brien of Gatineau took top honors last week with a goal and six assists, a plus-4 and 13 shots on goal. Among the league leaders, O’Brien is second behind Jonathan Paiement with 42 points in 44 games. Paiement has 43 points.

Picard No. 4

The mid-term rankings for the Central Scouting Bureau of the NHL have placed Alexandre Picard as the fourth-best prospect at the forward position in all of North America, and the first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Through 45 games, Picard has scored 30 goals and added 29 assists for 59 points, placing him ninth. His 30 goals are third behind Sidney Crosby (39) and Dany Roussin (33), both of Rimouski.

The next QMJHL player on the list is Peter Pohl of Gatineau at No. 30. Picard is the only Lewiston player on the 240-player list, which divides the players into rounds.

Even with a potential influx of Europeans in the NHL draft, Picard would still be a high first-round pick.

Traveling with the team

In its infancy, the Maineiacs’ booster club, currently run by two billet mothers, is organizing a bus trip to Quebec’s famed Winter Carnival during the weekend of Jan. 30-Feb. 1. The trip includes two Maineiacs games, one in Quebec on Jan. 30 and another in Shawinigan on Feb. 1. On Saturday, Jan. 31, those on the trip will have the day to explore Quebec.