Max Brien Drafted 10th Overall by the Rimouski Océanic
Draft Day QMJHL June 6, 2026
Sidney Crosby called before the season started. That is the kind of welcome Max Brien received from Rimouski, and it says a lot about how the Océanic feel about the 6'2" forward from Fall River, Nova Scotia. Rimouski traded up to take Max 10th overall at the 2026 QMJHL Draft, then confirmed his spot on the opening night roster after training camp. Here is how a Halifax-area kid became a first-round pick and a major junior player in the same summer.
Who is Max Brien?
Max is a 16-year-old forward who grew up a Mooseheads fan in the Halifax suburbs. He played his U18 AAA hockey with the Steele Subaru program in Dartmouth, the same team Crosby once skated for, and put up 18 goals and 43 points in 33 games during his draft year.
Size and scoring drive his game. At the 2026 QMJHL Cup Atlantic, where he posted five points in four games, he played like a power forward who scores from everywhere: off the rush, from the slot, and through screens in front of the net. He finishes checks, commits to the backcheck, and finds soft ice in the offensive zone.
QMJHL Central Scouting ranked him 13th heading into the draft. Rimouski thought higher of him than that.
How the Rimouski Océanic drafted Max Brien 10th overall
The draft ran on June 6, 2026, at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, so Max heard his name called in front of friends and family. Rimouski made it happen by trading a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick to Val-d'Or for the 10th selection.
That is a steep price. Teams give up a future first for a player they have already decided they want.
I'm happy that the organization believed in me and drafted me. When I finally heard my name called, it was a big sigh of relief.
Max Brien, draft night
How Max earned a roster spot at Océanic camp
A first-round pick does not guarantee a 16-year-old a lineup spot in the QMJHL. Max went through rookie camp and main camp in Rimouski and came out the other side on the roster.
He credits the rookie camp for letting him get his feet under him before the pace jumped. His goals for the season are the ones you want to hear from a young power forward: improve his speed, sharpen the details, keep his head down, and stay disciplined.
The Crosby call came during that stretch. The two talked school, hockey, and golf. Both played U18 in Dartmouth, both were drafted by Rimouski, and now both know what the Océanic jersey means in that town.
Where CEM Hockey fit in
Through Max's draft year, CEM Hockey made sure QMJHL clubs understood who he was beyond the stat line and kept the family informed as interest built ahead of the draft, so that when Rimouski made its move, nobody in the Brien house was surprised.
Max did his part on the ice. We handled the rest.
What comes next for Max
The 2026-27 season is Max's first in major junior, and the Océanic have a February 4 home date with Halifax that his hometown will circle. Between now and then, the job is simple: play his game, keep improving his skating, and give Rimouski the return on that first-round pick.
Congratulations, Max. Rimouski is lucky to have you.
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