QMJHL: Life after Lewy; ex-Maineiacs mates opponents in Top Prospects Game

KELOWNA, B.C. — Francis Beauvillier and Dillon Fournier are bonded by a team that doesn't exist — although they'll set that aside tonight.

It's hardly unusual, in the transient realm of junior hockey, for a player in his draft year to already be on his second team. Teams are always making moves in service of the future. Yet Beauvillier, a speedy Rimouski Océanic forward who won the fastest skater competition on Tuesday, and Fournier, a steady defenceman, are on their second teams because their first one folded. Both were first-round picks of the late and lamented Lewiston Maineiacs, the former U.S.-based team the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League bought out last summer after years of heavy financial losses.

"I think it means a lot that we're both here," says Fournier, 17, who is on Team Cherry for tonight's contest.. "Me and Beauvy, we were both two of the younger guys on the team, it was a real good mix of guys. But we've each found new roles with our new teams and he's having a good year and I'm having a good year, so it's worked out."

In some alternate timeline where losing money was no object, both might have been part of a contender this season instead of taking on extra duties with rebuilding squads. The Maineiacs' diaspora attests to what might have been. Each of the next two MasterCard Memorial Cup host teams boast Lewiston alumni. Michael Chaput is one of the team leaders of the Shawinigan Cataractes, who also boast colourful New York Islanders prospect Kirill Kabanov. Goalie, Andrey Makarov won a world junior silver medal for Russia and is starting for the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, who'll host the 2013 Cup. Matthew Bissonnette is fourth in the QMJHL in points. Coach Jean-François Houle has helped the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada be respectable in their first season since relocating.

"It was a pretty sad day when it became official [the team was folding], because we had a good team spirit," says Beauvillier, 18, a member of Team Orr who has 17 goals and 24 points in 51 games for Rimouski this season. "But we knew we weren't getting enough fans, if we weren't sold out we would just be moving ... we had some good fans, though."

Of course, the reality of junior hockey is while winning makes life easier, it is all about trying to get to the next level. Being on a contender loaded with 19-year-olds who have already been drafted is not always in someone's best interest. Loyalty to their old teammates might proscribe saying it, but both players are grateful for the chance to spread their wings in other QMJHL outposts.

"For sure it's helped us," says Beauvillier, a native of Sorel-Tracy, Que. "For me, it was tough in Lewiston the first two years since I had to earn every bit of ice time, but it made me stronger mentally. That's going to make me better in the long run."

Fournier, who is logging major minutes with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies after being the first player snapped up in the Maineiacs dispersal draft, became his team's go-to defenceman in Rouyn-Noranda almost instantly. The rebuilding Huskies are having a tough year, sitting second-last in the league with only 35 points. But it's been a good learning experience for him.

"I have a much different role in Rouyn-Noranda," says Fournier, who was a late addition to Team Cherry after the Ottawa 67's Cody Ceci withdrew due to a sore back. "It's something that I wasn't prepared for when I was 15 or 16. It's been good to get that experience of having things change on you out of the way when you're young."

The former Maineiacs do feel some pride when one of their own does well. When Makarov nearly stole the world junior gold for Russia on Jan. 5, making 57 saves in the 1-0 overtime loss to Sweden, all of his boys back east were up late rooting for him.

"I was all talking with the guys throughout that game and we were really impressed with him," Fournier says. "He's having a great season out here from everything I hear."

Meantime, Beauvillier and Fournier are looking forward to being opponents this evening. The circumstances of their parting are unique, but regular rules for ex-teammates still apply. That's hockey.

"He's still my friend and I'll talk to him, but on the ice we won't talk," Beauvillier says.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet (photo: The Canadian Press).