When ruminating on the idea of an ideal player and teammate, people may think of a person who is hardworking, selfless, versatile, and a natural leader. VGK prospect Mathieu Cataford strives to uphold those ideals every day.
Cataford, drafted 77th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, has posted 46 points (13G, 33A) in 35 games for the Rimouski Oceanic in the QMJHL this season. He’s in his fourth season of junior hockey and first with Rimouski. The Chateauguay, Quebec native spent three years with the Halifax Mooseheads, sporting an ‘A’ on his chest in his final season with them in 2023-24 before an off-season trade to the Oceanic. At the conclusion of the 2023-24 QMJHL season, Cataford registered two assists in four games with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL.
In Halifax, Cataford’s offensive talents began to blossom as he piled up 211 points (88G, 123A) in 195 games. In 2023-24, Cataford’s 90-point season (40G, 50A) culminated in his name being added to the prestigious list of recipients of the Michel Briere Trophy as the QMJHL’s most valuable player.
“It's obviously an individual award, but I think there were a lot of people behind it, too. I was thinking about my linemates throughout the year and the coach of our team, too,” Cataford said. “I was happy. I was really honored. I appreciate that they gave that to me.”
Cataford’s praise for his teammates and coaches rather than his own game was no surprise to Wil Nichol, Director of Player Development for the Vegas Golden Knights. In his regular conversations and meetings with Cataford since he was selected at the 2023 draft, Nichol said he’s seen many of the characteristics that the organization looks for when adding players to the fold.
“You would think he has four or five siblings, despite being an only child,” Nichol said. "He’s very team-oriented, selfless, low-maintenance and hardworking.”
Nichol has been especially impressed by Cataford’s ability and willingness to continue learning from his coaches and peers about what it takes to become a professional hockey player.
“He wants feedback, like the good ones do, and then he'll apply it,” Nichol said. “His self-evaluation is really good, which people who are reading this might think, ‘Oh, that's natural.’ It's not. It's one of the first things that we work on when we draft kids is their self-evaluation because it's so important to get better.”
While Cataford has shown his offensive abilities at the junior level with 257 career points (101G, 156A), he said that in order to make his mark in any league, he aspires to be a two-way forward that can play in any situation. As a fan of former Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, Cataford said he’s tried to build his game around what he saw from the six-time Frank J. Selke trophy winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward.
“I think as you go up, it's the defensive play that is even more important,” Cataford said. “I got a little bit of a taste of it in Henderson, and as soon as you make just one little mistake, it can cost a lot. So, I think it's what I've been trying to improve every year. I'm trying to be a better two-way forward every day.”
Cataford’s success in junior hockey earned him a spot on Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Despite Canada’s loss to Czechia in the quarterfinals, Cataford was proud to be part of the annual tournament of the top players 20-and-under in the world.
“Obviously, we didn't have the outcome that we wanted. However, it was still a dream come true to wear the maple leaf, and I'm really proud of that accomplishment,” Cataford said.
Rimouski is slated to host the 2025 Memorial Cup as the top teams across junior hockey in Canada will compete to become Canadian Hockey League champions. The winner of the QMJHL championship, the Ontario Hockey League championship, and the Western Hockey League championship, and the Rimouski Oceanic will round out the four-team tournament in May.
As Cataford aims to continue his journey toward the NHL, he and the Oceanic will be on center stage at the end of the season with a chance to capture the highest team success at the junior hockey level.
