Around the CHL ~ volume #1 preview edition #7

The Canadian Hockey League regular season begins in less than a week so to get you ready I thought I would recap how last season went. Check back all year long for more stories about the CHL and your Mooseheads.

here are last year’s winners:
Division champions 2017-18
WHL – Moose Jaw Warriors (East) 72 games played, 52-15-2-3 record, 109 points, 326 goals for/216 goals against; Everett Silvertips (U.S.) 72 games played, 47-20-2-3 record, 99 points, 246 goals for/167 goals against; Kelowna Rockets (B.C.) 72 games played, 43-22-5-2 record, 93 points, 280 goals for/249 goals against; Medicine Hat Tigers (Central) 72 games played, 36-28-8-0 record, 80 points, 260 goals for/252 goals against
OHL – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (West) 68 games played, 55-7-3-3 record, 116 points, 317 goals for/186 goals against; Hamilton Bulldogs (East) 68 games played, 43-18-4-3 record, 93 points, 252 goals for/207 goals against; Kitchener Rangers (Midwest) 68 games played, 90 points, 43-21-3-1 record, 246 goals for/218 goals against; Barrie Colts (Central) 68 games played, 89 points, 42-21-4-1 record, 297 goals for/229 goals against
QMJHL – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (West) 68 games played, 50-11-4-3 record, 107 points, 276 goals for/184 goals against; Acadie-Bathurst Titan (Maritimes) 68 games played, 43-15-8-2 record, 96 points, 270 goals for/183 goals against; Rimouski Oceanic (East) 68 games played, 42-17-6-3 record, 93 points, 231 goals for/174 goals against

League championships 2018
President’s Cup – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada vs. Acadie-Bathurst Titan (Titan won series 4 games to 2 games)
J. Ross Robertson Cup – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. Hamilton Bulldogs (Bulldogs won series 4 games to 2game)
Ed Chynoweth Cup – Everett Silvertips vs. Swift Current Broncos (Broncos won series 4 games to 2 games)

Memorial Cup 2018
Teams – Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL champion), Hamilton (OHL champion), Regina (hosts), Swift Current (WHL champion)

Final May 27, 2018 Acadie-Bathurst vs. Regina 3-0

ACADIE-BATHURST TITAN WIN 2018 MEMORIAL CUP!!!


Acadie-Bathurst will look to repeat as Memorial Cup champions. The Halifax Mooseheads will be celebrating their 25th anniversary by hosting the national championship in May. The 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game will be hosted by the Red Deer Rebels on January 23.

Top Herd

The regular season is over, I will be awarding my overall Top herd player award. This season I asked you, my readers to vote who you thought should get the award and the poll has closed.

 

And the winner is....

 

 

 

 

Benoit-Olivier Groulx

18 year old sophomore Benoit-Olivier Groulx was another case of where his stats were better in his second year in the QMJHL than his rookie season. The Gatineau, QC native almost doubled his points total, scoring 28 goals during 2017-18 and 55 points while also improving on his plus/minus to +9.

Here is the list of my Top Herd that I have done this season. I didn't name one every game.
Sep 30  Acadie-Bathurst - Filip Zadina
Oct 1     Charlottetown - Blade Mann-Dixon
Oct 6     Quebec - Blade Mann-Dixon
Oct 8     Blainville - Arnaud Durandeau
Oct 14   Cape Breton - Justin Barron
Oct 17   Moncton - Otto Somppi
Oct 29   Charlottetown - Benoit-Olivier Groulx
Nov 9    Baie-Comeau - Ben Higgins
Nov 11  Sherbrooke - Raphael Lavoie
Nov 18  Cape Breton - Jared McIsaac
Nov 21  Moncton - Arnaud Durandeau
Dec 1    Rouyn-Noranda - Raphael Lavoie
Dec 2    Val-d'Or - Alexis Gravel
Dec 15  Acadie-Bathurst - Patty Kyte
Dec 16  Cape Breton - Alexis Gravel
Dec 28  Charlottetown - Jake Ryczek
Dec 30  Cape Breton - Xavier Parent
Jan 11  Charlottetown = Filip Zadina
Jan 19  Cape Breton - Otto Somppi
Jan 27  Saint John - Maxime Fortier
Jan 28  Saint John - Benoit-Olivier Groulx
Feb 3    Acadie-Bathurst - Blade Mann-DIxon
Feb 11  Shawinigan - Maxime Fortier
Feb 16  Moncton - Benoit-Olivier Groulx
Feb 19  Rimouski - Arnaud Durandeau
Feb 24  Gatineau - Alexis Gravel
Mar 14  Saint John - Joel Bishop
Mar 16  Moncton - Connor Moynihan

Here are the final poll results 
Benoit-Olivier Groulx - 43.33%, Other - 30%, Otto Somppi - 23.33%, Blade Mann-Dixon - 3.33%, Arnaud Durandeau - 0%, Alexis Gravel - 0%

Around the CHL ~ volume #2 season edition #9

We’re at the end of the regular season in major junior hockey so I thought I would recap who ended on top for different statistic categories. These are the final leaders for each of the three leagues. The 2018 Presidents Cup playoffs are just around the corner. Your Halifax Mooseheads will look to make some noise this year after finishing 4th in the Q. GO Moose GO!

League leaders
Goals – Jayden Halbgewachs 70 goals (WHL Moose Jaw Warriors), Alex Barre-Boulet 53 goals (QMJHL Blainville-Boisbriand Armada), Aaron Luchuk 50 goals (OHL Barrie Colts),
Assists – Aleksi Heponiemi 90 assists (WHL Swift Current Broncos), Jordan Kyrou 70 points (OHL Sarnia Sting), Alex Barre-Boulet 63 assists (QMJHL Blainville-Boisbriand Armada),
Points – Jayden Halbgewachs 129 points (WHL Moose Jaw Warriors), Alex Barre-Boulet 116 points (QMJHL Blainville-Boisbriand Armada), Aaron Luchuk 115 points (OHL Barrie Colts)
Defenceman points – David Quenneville 80 points (WHL Medicine Hat Tigers), Olivier Galipeau 74 points (QMJHL Acadie-Bathurst Titan), Evan Bouchard 62 points (OHL London Knights),
Rookie points – Filip Zadina 82 points (QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads), Andrei Svechnikov 72 points (OHL Barrie Colts), Peyton Krebs 54 points (WHL Kitchener Rangers)
Goalie wins – Matthew Villalta 40 wins (OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), Logan Flodell 38 points (WHL Lethbridge Hurricanes), Colten Ellis 33 wins (QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic),
Save percentage – Justin Fazio 0.918 SAV% (OHL Sarnia Sting), Samuel Harvey 0.930 SAV% (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), Carter Hart 0.947 SAV% (WHL Everett Silvertips)
Goals against average – Carter Hart 1.60 GAA (WHL Everett Silvertips), Samuel Harvey 2.10 GAA (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), Matthew Villalta 2.58 GAA (OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Division leaders
WHL – Moose Jaw Warriors 109 points/points/52 wins (East division), Everett Silvertips 99 points/47 wins (U.S. division), Kelowna Rockets 93 points/43 wins (B.C. division), Medicine Hat Tigers 80 points/36 wins (Central division)
OHL – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 116 points/55 wins (West division), Hamilton Bulldogs 93 points/43 wins (East division), Kitchener Rangers 90 points/43 wins (Midwest division), Barrie Colts 89 points/42 wins (Central division)
QMJHL – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 107 points/50 wins (TELUS West division), Acadie-Bathurst Titan 96 points/43 wins (Maritimes division), Rimouski Oceanic 93 points/42 wins (TELUS East division)

BMO CHL top ten ~ week 26
1. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds {55-7-3-3} week 25 #1
2. Moose Jaw Warriors {52-15-2-3} week 25 #2
3. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada {50-11-4-3} week 25 #3
4. Swift Current Broncos {48-17-5-2} week 25 #4
5. Sarnia Sting {46-17-4-1} week 25 #5
6. Acadie-Bathurst Titan {43-15-8-2} week 25 #7
7. Everett Silvertips {47-20-2-3} week 25 #9
8. Hamilton Bulldogs {43-18-4-3} week 25 #10
9. Halifax Mooseheads {43-18-6-1} week 25 #8
10. Kitchener Rangers {43-21-3-1} week 25 #6
Honorable mentions: Rimouski Oceanic {42-17-6-3 n/a}, Portland Winterhawks {44-22-1-5 n/a}, Barrie Colts {42-21-4-1 n/a}

Season series versus each team

Below you will find the records of your Halifax Mooseheads versus each of the other seventeen teams in the Q plus the monthly records for the teams this season. (note: Halifax's score is listed first)

TELUS West division
Blainville-Boisbraind 2 games 1-0-1-0 {4-5OT, 4-2}
Drummondville 2 games 0-1-1-0 {1-2OT, 1-7}
Gatineau 2 games 2-0-0-0 {7-5, 4-1}
Rouyn-Noranda 2 games 1-1-0-0 {6-2, 2-7}
Sherbrooke 2 games 2-0-0-0 {3-1, 3-2OT}
Val-d’Or 2 games 2-0-0-0 {4-2, 2-1SO}

TELUS East division 
Baie-Comeau 2 games 1-1-0-0 {2-3, 5-4}
Chicoutimi 2 games 0-1-1-0 {3-4OT, 2-4}
Quebec 2 games 0-1-1-0 {2-3OT, 2-3}
Rimouski 2 games 2-0-0-0 {6-5OT, 3-1}
Shawinigan 2 games 1-0-0-1 {2-3SO, 6-1}
Victoriaville 2 games 0-2-0-0 {0-2, 2-8} 

Maritimes division
Acadie-Bathurst 9 games 4-5-0-0 {3-5, 4-3, 4-5, 5-2, 6-5, 1-11, 3-1, 2-3, 4-5}
Cape Breton 9 games 8-1-0-0 {3-4, 9-5, 4-3, 6-5SO, 5-2, 4-2, 5-2, 4-1, 5-4OT}
Charlottetown 9 games 7-1-1-0 {3-2, 3-0, 6-2, 2-3OT, 0-2, 6-3, 3-2OT, 6-2, 3-2OT}
Moncton 9 games  6-2-1-0 {2-3, 5-1, 6-5, 4-3OT, 4-3OT, 3-4OT, 1-5, 12-5, 7-4}
Saint John 8 games 6-2-0-0 {4-1, 2-7, 7-1, 5-4OT, 5-2, 8-2, 3-6, 7-3}

Monthly records
September 4 games ~ 3-1-0-0 record overall, 1-0-0-0 home, 2-1-0-0 away
October 12 games ~ 7-3-2-0 record overall, 4-0-2-0 home, 3-3-0-0 away
November 11 games ~ 5-4-2-0 record overall, 3-2-0-0 home, 2-2-2-0 away
December 11 games ~ 8-2-0-1 record overall, 5-1-0-0 home, 3-1-0-1 away
January 11 games ~ 9-1-1-0 record overall, 4-0-1-0 home, 5-1-0-0 away
February 12 games ~ 7-4-1-0 record overall, 5-2-1-0 home, 2-2-0-0 away
March 7 games ~ 4-3-0-0 record overall, 2-1-0-0 home, 2-2-0-0 away

Overtime/shootout records
OT ~ eight overtime win-six overtime loss
SO ~ two shootout win-one shootout loss

Around the CHL ~ volume #2 season edition #8

We're at the third way point of the season and their are some players who are leading more than one category. Your Halifax Mooseheads are on top of their division, tied for the lead with 31 points. GO Moose GO!

League leaders
Goals – Tyler Steenbergen 31 goals (WHL Swift Current Broncos), Aaron Luchuk 21 goals (OHL Windsor Spitfires), Filip Zadina 18 goals (QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads)
Assists – Aleksi Heponiemi 41 assists (WHL Swift Current Broncos), Jordan Kyrou 30 assists (OHL Sarnia Sting), Nicholas Welsh 22 assists (QMJHL Moncton Wildcats)
Points – Aleksi Heponiemi 57 points (WHL Swift Current Broncos), Jordan Kyrou 48 points (OHL Sarnia Sting), Drake Batherson 37 points (QMJHL Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Defenceman points – Kale Clague 33 points (WHL Brandon Wheat Kings), Sean Durzi 32 points (OHL Owen Sound Attack), Olivier Galipeau 25 points (QMJHL Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Rookie points – Filip Zadina 35 points (QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads ), Milos Roman 22 points (WHL Vancouver Giants), Cam Hillis 18 points (OHL Guelph Storm)
Goalie wins – Justin Fazio 15 wins (OHL Sarnia Sting), Cole Kehler 15 wins (WHL Portland Winterhawks), Samuel Harvey 13 wins (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Save percentage – Carter Hart 0.952 SAV% (WHL Everett Silvertips), Justin Fazio 0.928 SAV% (OHL Sarnia Sting), Samuel Harvey 0.927 SAV% (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Goals against average – Carter Hart 1.65 GAA (WHL Everett Silvertips), Tristan Berube 2.17 GAA (QMJHL Gatineau Olympiques), Matthew Villalta 2.41 GAA (OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Division leaders
WHL – Moose Jaw Warriors 38 points/19 wins (East division), Portland Winterhawks 34 points/17 wins (U.S. division), Victoria Royals 33 points/16 wins (B.C. division), Medicine Hat Tigers 30 points/15 wins (Central division)
OHL – Sarnia Sting 39 points/19 wins (West division), Kitchener Rangers 32 points/15 wins (Midwest division), Hamilton Bulldogs 29 points/12 wins (East division), Barrie Colts 28 points/13wins (Central division)
QMJHL – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 34 points/16 wins (TELUS West division), Quebec Remparts 33 points/16 wins (TELUS East division), Halifax Mooseheads 31 points/14 wins (Maritimes division)

BMO CHL top ten ~ week 10
1. Sarnia Sting {18-4-1-0} week 9: #1
2. Moose Jaw Warriors {19-5-0-0} week 9: #2
3. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds {17-3-2-0} week 9: #4
4. Portland Winterhawk {16-4-0-0} week 9: #5
5. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada {15-4-2-0} week 9: #3
6. Swift Current Broncos {15-5-1-0} week 9: #6
7. Kitchener Rangers (15-6-2-0} week 9: n/a
8. Quebec Remparts {16-7-1-0} week 9: #8
9. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies {14-5-3-2} week 9: n/a
10. Brandon Wheat Kings {14-6-0-1} week 9: n/a
Honourable mentions: Barrie Colts {13-6-1-1}, Medicine Hat Tigers {14-7-0-0}, Drummondville Voltigeurs

Opening Night Roster Announced

YOUR 2017-18 HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS

1  Alexis Gravel  G  (Asbestos, QC)
2  Cooper Jones  D  (Bridgewater, MA, USA)
3  Walter Flower  D  (Lunenburg, NS)
5  Jordan Lepage  D  (Rimouski, QC)
7  Ryan Barbosa  D  (Mississauga, ON)
9  Kyle Petten  C  (Bay Roberts, NL)*
11  Filip Zadina  RW  (Pardubice, Czech Republic)*
12  Patrick Kyte  D  (Pembroke, ON)*
14  Jared McIsaac  D  (Truro, NS)
17  Brett Crossley  C  (Cole Harbour, NS)
19  Benoit-Olivier Groulx  LW  (Gatineau, QC)
20  Justin Barron  D  (Halifax, NS)*
21  Arnaud Durandeau  LW  (Beaconsfield, QC)
28  Ben Higgins  C  (Truro, NS)
35  Blade Mann-Dixon  G  (Antigonish, NS)
41  Maxime Fortier  RW  (Montreal, QC)
50  Raphael Lavoie  C  (Chambly, QC)
51  Barrett Dachyshyn  RW  (Halifax, NS)
61  Joel Bishop  LW  (St. John's, NL)
67  Xavier Parent  C  (Blainville, QC)*
71  Connor Moynihan  LW  (Windham, NH, USA)
79  Jocktan Chainey  D  (Asbestos, QC)
89  Otto Somppi  C  (Helsink, Finland)

*indicates rookie

Events

The Halifax Mooseheads released their schedule for the upcoming season earlier this month and have announced the events happening during the 2017-18 season. Check out below for the dates of the yearly special games.

Annual events
HOME OPENER - September 30 vs. Acadie Bathurst Titan
Pink in the Rink 10 - October 14 vs. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
DND Appreciation Night - November 11 vs. Sherbrooke Phoenix
Battle of Nova Scotia/Hurley Cup - December 30 vs. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Teddy Bear Toss - January 27 vs. Saint John Sea Dogs
Fan Appreciation Night - March 16 vs. Moncton Wildcats & March 17 vs. Acadie-Bathurst Titan

Moose to be Apart of Banner Raising

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced the 2017-18 regular season schedule this afternoon.

For the fourth straight year, your Halifax Mooseheads will be the visiting team when they begin their season on September 21 at 7pm. They'll hit the road to Saint John to see the Sea Dogs raise the President Cup banner. I can't imagine that we'll see a big change in the lineup in the upcoming season.

Some highlights from the schedule:

• Moose Country will welcome the boys back when the team has their home opener on September 30. It be the second game of a home and home series between Halifax and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan with puck dropping at 7pm.
• The first Quebec province road trip will be October 20-22 when they travel to Blainville, Sherbrooke and Victoriaville.
• Halifax and Cape Breton will battle each other for the second annual Hurley Cup when they play on December 30 at the Mooseheads home while the Screaming Eagles host on December 31. Both game are at 2pm currently.
• The Mooseheads will have it's longest home stand of 5 games November 9-21 while the longest road trip is also five matches around the end of the season; March 3-11.
• That road trip will be followed by 3 games at home with the regular season ending March 17. We may see another St. Patrick's Day themed game when Halifax hosts the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

Halifax have yet to announce their pre-season schedule or the dates of the annual events. The Moose said that they would announce the specialty games later in the summer.