Alumni Update: Multiple Former Herd Win Championships

Sorry I haven't been doing very well at keeping you updated on how the alumni of our Halifax Mooseheads have done this season, with school and now a job and all the craziness that COVID has caused it's been difficult to keep track. As you know, it's hard to pay attention to the leagues overseas but since we're starting the playoffs here in the QMJHL I thought I would give you an update. 

USPORTS
Let's start with the university season. The University Cup was held in Wolfville, NS in early April with 8 universities participating. I had already mentioned who was in the tournament and that 7 Herd alumni were on team rosters but I never gave an update on the blog who won the whole thing. Goaltender Aleix Gravel and defenceman Jordan Lepage along with their UQTR Patriotes went into the weekend as OUA champions and ranked third. The Patriotes defeated the UBC Thunderbirds and Ryerson Rams to punch their ticket in the gold medal game. They battled the #1 Alberta Golden Bears but came out on top in double overtime after being down 4-2 after 40 minutes. Gravel made 66 saves in the contest and was named tournament MVP after the game. 

In the bronze medal game, the StFX X-Men got the 3-2 overtime victory over the Ryerson Rams. Former Moosehead Blade Mann-Dixon did not play but Patrick Kyte did for the X-Men. Forward Kevin Gursoy scored a goal for the Rams and was named Ryerson's player of the game in the loss. 

Congrats to Gravel, Lepage and the Patriotes on winning the David Johnston University Cup and to Kyte, Mann-Dixon and the X-Men getting the bronze medal. 

CZECHIA
In Czech Republic, a couple of former Moose players battled it out in the final best-of-7 series where the championship trophy was won on April 28. Milan Jurcina and Sparta Praha took on Petr Vrana and Trinec with Trinec coming out on top to win the Czech Extraliga for the third straight season. 

Jurcina had an assist in 23 games played during the regular season and the same in 16 playoff games. This is the third season Milan has played for Praha after a few years in the DEL. The 38-year-old suited up for Halifax between 2000-2003 collecting 53 points. Vrana meanwhile has been on all three championship teams for Ocelari Trinec, captaining the last two seasons. In the regular season, the 37-year-old had 13 goals and 26 points in 52 games and added 6 points in 14 post-season matches. 

Congrats to Petr Vrana and HC Ocelari Trinec on winning the Czech Extraliga championship. 

Regular season stats

Petr Vrana           Trinec       52   13   13   26
Jan Stransky        Boleslav   52    6     3    9
Cody Donaghey  Kladno      34    1    1    2
Milan Jurcina      Praha        23    0    1    1

EIHL

More congratulations are in order as another former Herd won a championship trophy recently, this time in the EIHL which is a league in the United Kingdom. Jake Coughler and the Cardiff Devils defeated the Belfast Giants in the final game 6-3 with Coughler actually scoring in the match. The 26-year-old finished the regular season with 21 goals and 35 points for Cardiff before adding 4 points in 4 games during the post-season. 

Regular season stats
Gabriel Desjardins   Dundee          49   13   27   40
Cameron Critchlow  Manchester   54   14   23   37

Jake Coughler           Cardiff          33   21  14   35

DEL
Konrad Abeltshauser and the EHC Red Bull Munchen were back in the final series again for the first time since the 2018-19 season but they couldn't get over Eisbaren Berlin on Wednesday evening. Berlin were victorious winning the series 3-1. Abeltshauser scored a goal and recorded 5 points in 8 post-season games. The 29-year-old had 3 goals and 25 points in 50 games played during the regular season. 

Regular season stats
Stephen MacAulay      Dussseldorfer   56   13   25   38
Konrad Abeltshauser   Munchen          50    3    22   25
Marcel Barinka            Kolner              48   11   12   23
Andrew Bodnarchuk    Nurnberg         42    2    11   13

ECHL
Over here in North America, the ECHL finished their regular season a few weeks and are waiting the start of the second round. The teams remaining to participate in the division finals include Reading, Newfoundland, Florida, Jacksonville, Toledo, Wheeling, Utah and Rapid City. Forward Randy Gazzola is the lone remaining Moose alumni in the post-season and he led all alumni who played in the ECHL in points during the regular season.  

      

 

AHL
The playoffs for the American Hockey League is a bit confusing as the second round will begin before the first one is scheduled to conclude. Partially because of that and the fact that guys seem to go up and down between the AHL and ECHL, I will just give you the regular season stats. Forward Martin Frk had a great year for the Ontario Reign scoring 40 goals and 73 points in 58 games. The 28-year-old also was named to the AHL second all-star team. 

NHL

Despite nine alum playing regularly in the top professional league during 2021-22, there are only 3 guys who are competing for the Stanley Cup. Mackenzie Weegar and the Florida Panthers were the top team in the NHL during the regular season, picking up 122 points. Florida is taking on the Washington Capitals in the first round which began May 3. The Colorado Avalanche were the next best team and are up 1-0 in their series against the Nashville Predators. Former Herd Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for the Avs in Game 1. Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins series versus the Carolina Hurricanes started on May 2. 

Good luck to the remaining players who are battling it out for trophies. Follow me on Twitter (MC_MooseCountry) as that will be where the most up to date info on current and former Mooseheads is shared. 

For more player statistics, check out Elite Prospects to see how our alumni did during the regular season. 

Photos - Radio-Canada, Trinec Twitter, Devils Twitter