We thought it would be a great idea to keep you up to date on some of the former Rocket players.  Many people have provided us with feedback that it would be great to receive info on former players.  This will be a new feature that we will provide to our fans from time to time with the help of Scott Gregory who is undertaking the task on behalf of the Rocket.  Scott is a fantastic fan of our organization and we thank him greatly for his dedication to this very important project.

Here are the players we have featured to date:

#44 Jimmy Bonneau

#81 Cory Urquhart

#61 Mark Lee

#35 Jonathan Boutin

#74 Danny Stewart

#29 Steve Pelletier

The Rocket would like to thank Scott Gregory for his dedication to this project. Scott is a volunteer for the Rocket and we truly appreciate his efforts in bringing this information to all of our loyal fans.

Jimmy was a player who was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2003 NHL entry draft and was picked 241st overall. Jimmy’s first year in the QMJHL saw him playing for the Montreal Rocket where he racked up 261 penalty minutes. His solid enforcer presence on the ice made him a well liked player in his home rink and caused a lot of trouble to other players in the Q. Jimmy fought hard on the ice and was one of the toughest players in the league. PEI welcomed Jimmy with open arms in 2003 where he delighted fans with his strong fighting abilities and contributions to the Rocket’s offense. During the two years spent playing for the Rocket Jimmy had a total of 497 penalty minutes but was still able to contribute with some decent points to help the Rocket out.

The next few years saw Jimmy moving on to play in the ECHL for the Long Beach Ice Dogs with former Rocket players Corey Urquhart and Michael Lambert. He then went to play for the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL for the 2006-2007 season and had the opportunity to move one step closer to the NHL by playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs for 9 games. He started the 2007-2008 in the AHL playing for the Bulldogs but was sent down to the Cyclones after playing only 6 games. In the summer of 2008 he was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. Buffalo then sent Bonneau to play for the Portland Pirates of the AHL where he played for 46 games and picked up 122 penalty minutes.. This was Buffalo’s new farm team, replacing the Rochester Americans after being affiliated with them for 29 years. Jimmy’s two year stay here on PEI had a good grounding effect on him and every summer he still comes back to the Island to visit with friends he has made. A very down to earth and genuinely friendly guy Jimmy will be always remembered by Rocket fans.

Corey grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and played his first two years in the QMJHL with the Quebec Rempart. Midway through the 01-02 season he went to the Montreal Rocket and then eventually came to the PEI Rocket when the team was relocated to PEI. In 2003-04, Corey had a successful season with the Rocket in Charlottetown with his fast break out rushes on an explosive line that included Michael Lambert and Max LaPierre. He contributed 79 points in regular season play. His 13 points in 10 playoff games that year was thought by many to eventually see him play in the Big Show some day. He then played in Hamilton of the AHL for the Bulldogs and never did get his opportunity to play for the Montreal Canadiens who drafted him in the 2nd round, 40th overall. Cory would then for the next four seasons bounce back between the ECHL and the AHL and even a stint in sunny Arizona for the Arizona Sundogs of the CHL. He played for the Cincinnati Cyclones, Long Beach IceDogs, and then the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL before heading to the Springfield Falcons of the AHL for the 2008-2009 season. That year he spent half of the season in Stockton where he tallied 60 points in 57 regular season games. He has become a journeyman hockey player in the Minor Pros but may fulfill his dream someday of playing in the NHL although the odds are slim.

Mark Lee played for the PEI Rocket in their inaugural 2003-2004 season. This Newfoundland born player got his start playing in the MJHL for the Amherst Ramblers getting 53 points in 47 games played. During the 2004-2005 season Mark played for the Kansas City Outlaws of the United Hockey League. He then moved on to play for the Trenton Titans of the ECHL, a stint with The Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL. In the two years in Hartford he played with former NHL’er Darius Kasparaitis. Mark continues his minor-pro hockey career playing last year for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. In 49 games played he had a total of 47 points. While playing for the Rocket, Mark always showed determination and grit in his playmaking abilities and gained much fan support for his hard work ethic on the ice.

Jonathan started his QMJHL career with the Halifax Mooseheads in 2001-2002 and played with them for two and a half years before being traded mid season to the PEI Rocket. The trade involved Boutin and Yannik Charron who came to the Rocket while Kevin Cormier and goaltender Sebastien Nolet went to the Mooseheads. Boutin spent a year and a half with the Rocket and compiled 26 wins and 14 losses over that time period. During the playoffs in '04 he tended goal for 11 games but was unable to help the Rocket advance further. Late in the 04-05 season Boutin was traded to the Quebec Remparts for Phillip LaChance and another goalie Jean Francois Bernard.

Boutin, a draft pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning then went on to play for the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. For the next few years he bounced back from the AHL to the ECHL playing for teams such as the Johnstown Chiefs and the Victoria Salmon Kings. Jonathan then joined the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. A few weeks ago, Jonathan signed on with a team in Russia, but apparently the opportunity fell through and he has now returned to Quebec.

Danny started his hockey career with the Rimouski Oceanic in the 2001-02 and played with fellow Islanders, Thatcher Bell and Brent MacLellan. He then played with Sidney Crosby for two years before being sent to play his final year in the Q with the PEI Rocket. Having an Island born player such as Stewart in the lineup made his last stint in the QMJHL a decent one and an opportunity for the fans to see another Island boy help the Rocket. In the 58 games in which Stewart played for the Rocket he potted 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points overall. Not a bad finish to his QMJHL tenure.

Stewart, who was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 4th round (123 overall) then, spent some time in the ECHL where he played for the Bakersfield Condors and the Utah Grizzlies. With a subpar season in 2006-07 with the Grizzlies he then made the decision to play in the EIHL in England. For three seasons he played overseas where he developed a liking for the country and the fans enjoyed his chippy and in your face style of hockey that Stewart was noted for. He played for the Basingstoke Bison and also the Coventry Blaze in the last three seasons where the coaching staff spoke highly of his contributions to the team as a leader and helping to win a few trophies in the league. Stewart has signed on again with the Coventry Blaze for the 2009-10 season and hopes to have another successful season in the British League.

Steve played for the Rocket during the Inaugural 2003-2004 season and quickly became a fan favorite here in Charlottetown. Standing at just 5' 11" he was a formidable force as a grinder and had no problem mixing it up in the corners. His fast pace as a grinder helped the Rocket to a successful opening season on PEI. In the Rocket's first playoff run, Steve racked up a respectable 10 points through two rounds in the Q playoffs. Born in St Jerome, Quebec he played for the Val d'Or Foreurs and then the Quebec Remparts before joining the Montreal Rocket in 02-03. When the team relocated in 03-04 he played a total of 55 games with the PEI Rocket and racked up 34 points. After his stint in the Q he played for the Rockford IceHogs of the United Hockey League in 04-05 and 05-06. He then was traded to the Corpus Christi Rays of the Central Hockey League and played there for the 06-07 season. Steve then went to play in Europe where he toiled for the Nottingham Panthers in the English Ice Hockey League in England and the following year 08-09 in Strasbourg, France to finish off last season.