Around the CHL ~ volume #1 preview edition #8

The Canadian Hockey League regular season begins in two days 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 leaders:
Division champions 2018-19
WHL - Prince Albert Raiders (East) 68 games played, 54-10-2-2 record, 112 points, 307 goals for/112 goals against; Vancouver Giants (B.C.) 68 games played, 48-15-3-2 record, 101 points, 228 goals for/162 goals against; Everett Silvertips (U.S.) 68 games played, 47-18-2-3 record, 99 points, 223 goals for/130 goals against; Edmonton Oil Kings (Central) 68 games played, 42-18-4-4 record, 92 points, 259 goals for/198 goals against
OHL - Ottawa 67's (East) 68 games played, 50-2-4-2 record, 106 points, 296 goals for/183 goals against; London Knights (Midwest) 68 games played, 46-15-6-1 record, 99 points, 299 goals for/211 goals against; Saginaw Spirit (West) 68 games played, 45-17-3-3 record, 96 points, 294 goals for/218 goals against; Niagara IceDogs (Central) 68 games played, 44-17-7-0 record, 95 points, 326 goals for/209 goals against
QMJHL - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (West) 68 games played, 59-8-0-1 record, 119 points, 320 goals for/138 goals against; Drummondville Voltiguers (Central) 68 games, 52-13-2-1 record, 107 points, 338 goals for/173 goals against; Halifax Mooseheads (Maritimes) 68 games played, 49-15-2-2 record, 102 points, 300 goals for/164 goals against; Baie-Comeau Drakkar (East) 68 games played, 49-15-2-2 record, 102 points, 306 goals for/189 goals against

League championships 2019
President's Cup - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies vs. Halifax Mooseheads  (Huskies won series 4 games to 2 games)
J. Ross Robertson Cup - Ottawa 67's vs. Guelph Storm (Storm won series 4 games to 2 games)
Ed Chynoweth Cup - Prince Albert Raiders vs. Vancouver Giants (Raiders won series 4 games to 3 games)

Memorial Cup 2019
Teams - Guelph (OHL champion), Halifax (hosts), Prince Albert (WHL champion), Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL champion)

Final May 26, 2019 Halifax vs. Rouyn-Noranda 4-2

ROUYN-NORANDA HUSKIES WIN 2019 MEMORIAL CUP!!!


Team changes
The Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League were relocated to Manitoba and named the Winnipeg Ice. The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles were renamed the Cape Breton Eagles. 

Rouyn-Noranda will look to repeat as Memorial Cup champions. This year the Memorial Cup will be held in Kelowna, home of the Kelowna Rockets who will be in the tournament no matter what. Prospects will look to continue impressing scouts as some will be eligible to be invited to World Junior camps in early December, which might include a few Halifax Mooseheads. The 2020 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game will be hosted by the Hamilton Bulldogs on January 16.

Semi-Finals Set Around the CHL

It's mid-April meaning that the third round is about to begin in all three of the leagues in the Canadian Hockey League. We're down to the conference finals in the Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League while it's the semi-final round in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Ed Cheynoweth Cup playoffs
#E1 vs #C1 Prince Albert Raiders - Edmonton Oil Kings

#B1 vs #U2 Vancouver Giants - Spokane Cheifs

J. Ross Robertson Cup playoffs
#E1 vs #E3 Ottawa 67's - Oshawa Generals

#W4 vs #W2 Guelph Storm - Saginaw Spirit

President's Cup playoffs
#1 vs #5 Rouyn-Noranda vs. #5 Rimouski Oceanic

#2 vs #3 Drummondville Voltigeurs - Halifax Mooseheads

Predictions
WHL Third Round - Prince Albert in 6, Vancouver in 7
OHL Third Round - Ottawa in 5, Saginaw in 5
QMJHL Third Round - Rouyn-Noranda in 4, Drummondville in 6

Thursday's games
67's vs. Generals at 8PM
Spirit vs. Storm at 8:05PM

Friday's games
Huskies vs. Oceanic at 8:30PM
Voltigeurs vs. Mooseheads at 8:30PM
Raiders vs. Oil Kings at 10PM
Giants vs. Chiefs at 11:30PM

Top Herd

We're about to start the post-season so I would like to award my overall Top Herd player award. Once again this season, I asked you my readers to vote who you thought should get the award and the poll has closed. Thanks for voting.

And the winner is.....

Samuel Asselin

The Mooseheads picked up Samuel Asselin from the 2018 Memorial Cup champion Acadie-Bathurst Titan after the first game of this season and he had a career year, leading Halifax in points with 86 while more than doubling his goals. Asselin scored 48 times in 2018-19, his previous high was 17, leading the QMJHL in that category. 

Here is the list of my Top Herd that I have done this season. I didn't name one every game. 

Oct 27     Cape Breton - Jake Ryczek

Nov 3      Val-d'Or - Walter Flower

Nov 9      Cape Breton - Ben Higgins

Dec 7      Saint John - Denis Toner

Dec 8      Acadie-Bathurst - Samuel Asselin

Dec 14    Moncton - Alexis Gravel

Dec 15    Charlottetown - Jordan Maher

Dec 31    Cape Breton - Raphael Lavoie

Jan 4       Rimouski - Alexis Gravel

Jan 5       Quebec - Keith Getson

Jan 10     Shawinigan - Antoine Morand

Jan 18     Acadie-Bathurst - Samuel Asselin

Jan 31     Victoriaville - Antoine Morand

Feb 1      Sherbrooke - Samuel Asselin

Feb 11    Acadie-Bathurst - Arnaud Durandeau

Feb 15    Gatineau - Raphael Lavoie

Feb 23    Saint John - Xavier Parent

Feb 24    Blainville - Alexis Gravel

Mar 13   Moncton - Benoit-Olivier Groulx

Mar 16   Charlottetown - Keith Getson

Here are the final poll results
Samuel Asselin - 93.52%, Other - 2.31%, Raphael Lavoie - 1.39%, Antoine Morand - 1.39%, Alexis Gravel - 1.39%

Around the CHL ~ volume #2 season edition #10

Well it's that time of year again, the regular season is over so here is a recap of the leaders in the Canadian Hockey League. The 2019 playoffs begin in all three leagues later this week so watch here for posts about the post-season. Our Halifax Mooseheads had a strong season and will look to go far in the playoffs after finishing atop the Eastern conference in the QMJHL. GO MOOSE GO!

League leaders
Goals - Justin Brazeau 61 goals (OHL North Bay Battalion), Joachim Blichfeld 53 goals (WHL Portland Winterhawks), Samuel Asselin 48 goals (QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads)
Assists - Peter Abbandonato 82 assists (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), Justin Almeida 78 assists (WHL Moose Jaw Warriors), Morgan Frost 72 points (OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Points - Jason Robertson 117 points (OHL Niagara IceDogs), Joachim Blichfeld 114 points (WHL Portland Winterhawks), Peter Abbandonato 111 points (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Defenceman points - Mac Hollowell 77 points (OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), Josh Brook 75 points (WHL Moose Jaw Warriors), Charle-Edouard D'Astous 66 points (QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic)
Rookie points - Brayden Tracey 81 points (WHL Moose Jaw Warriors), Cole Perfetti 74 points (OHL Saginaw Spirit), Egor Serdyuk 65 points (QMJHL Victoriaville Tigres)
Goalie wins - Dustin Wolf 41 wins (WHL Everett Silvertips), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 38 wins (OHL Sudbury Wolves), Samuel Harvey 35 wins (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Save percentage - Dustin Wolf 0.936 SAV% (WHL Everett Silvertips), Samuel Harvey 0.926 SAV% (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 0.920 SAV% (OHL Sudbury Wolves)
Goals against average - Dustin Wolf 1.69 GAA (WHL Everett Silvertips), Samuel Harvey 2.08 GAA (QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), Michael DiPietro 2.40 GAA (OHL Ottawa 67's)

Division leaders
WHL - Prince Albert Raiders 112 points/54 wins (East division), Vancouver Giants 101 points/48 wins (B.C. division), Everett Silvertips 99 points/47 wins (U.S. division), Edmonton Oil Kings 92 points/42 wins (Central division)
OHL - Ottawa 67's 106 points/50 wins (East division), London Knights 99 points/46 wins (Midwest division), Saginaw Spirit 96 points/45 wins (West division), Niagara Ice Dogs 95 points/44 wins (Central division)
QMJHL - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 119 points/59 wins (West division), Drummondville Voltigeurs 107 points/52 wins (Central division), Halifax Mooseheads 102 points/49 wins (Maritimes division), Baie-Comeau Drakkar 102 points/49 wins (East division)

BMO CHL top ten ~ week 26
1. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies {59-8-0-1} week 25 #1
2. Prince Albert Raiders {54-10-2-2} week 25 #2
3. Drummondville Voltigeurs {52-13-2-1} week 25 #3
4. Ottawa 67's {50-12-4-2} week 25 #4
5. London Knights {46-15-6-1} week 25 #5
6. Vancouver Giants {48-15-3-2} week 25 #7
7. Baie-Comeau Drakkar {49-15-2-2} week 25 #6
8. Halifax Mooseheads {49-15-2-2} week 25 #8
9. Everett Silvertips {47-16-2-3} week 25 10
10. Saginaw Spirit {45-17-3-3} week 25 #9
Honorable mentions: Saskatoon Blades {45-15-8-0 n/a}, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds {44-16-7-1 n/a}, Edmonton Oil Kings {42-18-4-4 n/a}, Niagara IceDogs {44-17-7-0 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 team this season. (note: Halifax's score is listed first)

West division
Blainville-Boisbriand 2 games 1-1-0-0 {1-3, 4-0}
Gatineau 2 games 2-0-0-0 {7-2, 1-0}
Rouyn-Noranda 2 games 0-2-0-0 {4-5, 4-8}
Val-d'Or 2 games 1-1-0-0 {6-2, 2-3}

Central division
Drummondville 2 games 1-1-0-0 {4-3OT, 3-6}
Shawinigan 2 games 2-0-0-0 {5-2, 7-1}
Sherbrooke 2 games 2-0-0-0 {4-2, 8-2}
Victoriaville 2 games 1-1-0-0 {3-4, 7-5}

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

Maritimes division
Acadie-Bathurst 9 games 9-0-0-0 {5-0, 8-2, 9-0, 6-0, 5-4, 4-1, 5-3, 6-1, 6-1}
Cape Breton 9 games 5-3-0-1 {4-2, 4-3, 2-5, 5-2, 2-3SO, 3-2SO, 7-1, 0-3, 2-4}
Charlottetown 9 games 7-1-0-1 {3-2, 8-2, 4-3OT, 2-1, 6-2, 2-5, 4-1, 3-0, 2-3SO}
Moncton 9 games 7-1-1-0 {4-2, 5-4OT, 2-3OT, 2-0, 5-1, 5-3, 4-2, 2-3, 5-3}
Saint John 8 games 8-0-0-0 {5-4OT, 4-0, 10-2, 10-2, 4-0, 11-1, 6-1, 5-4SO}

Monthly records
September 4 games ~ 4-0-0-0 record overall, 0-0-0-0 home, 4-0-0-0 away
October 12 games ~ 8-4-0-0 record overall, 0-1-0-0 home, 8-3-0-0 away
November 10 games ~ 6-3-1-0 record overall, 4-2-1-0 home, 2-1-0-0 away
December 10 games ~ 8-1-0-1 record overall, 5-0-0-1 home, 3-1-0-0 away
January 12 games ~ 8-3-1-0 record overall, 5-2-1-0 home, 3-1-0-0 away
February 12 games ~ 11-1-0-0 record overall, 9-0-0-0 home, 2-1-0-0 away
March 8 games ~  5-3-0-1 record overall, 2-0-0-1 home, 2-3-0-0 away

Overtime/shootout records
OT ~ five overtime win-two overtime loss
SO ~ two shootout win-two shootout loss

Official Roster Released

YOUR 2018-19 HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS
1  Alexis Gravel  G  (Asbestos, QC)
2  Denis Toner  D  (Saint-Andre, NB)*
3  Walter Flower  D  (Lunenburg, NS)
9  Kyle Petten  LW  (Bay Roberts, NL)
12  Patrick Kyte  D  (Pembroke, ON)
14  Jared McIsaac  D  (Truro, NS)
15  Jordan Maher  RW  (Gander, NL)
16  Jake Ryczek  D  (Ludlow, MA, USA)
19  Benoit-Olivier Groulx  C  (Gatineau, QC)
20  Justin Barron  D  (Halifax, NS)
21  Arnaud Durandeau  LW  (Beaconsfield, QC)
26  Cole Stewart  RW  (Moncton, NB)*
28  Ben Higgins  RW  (Truro, NS)
29  Cole McLaren  G  (Annapolis Royal, NS)*
50  Raphael Lavoie  RW  (Chambly, QC)
61  Joel Bishop  LW  (St. John's, NL)
67  Xavier Parent  LW  (Blainville, QC)
79  Jocktan Chainey  D  (Asbestos, QC)
88  Antoine Morand  C  (Mercier, QC)
91  Marcel Barinka  C  (Prague, Czech Republic)*
94  Samuel Dube  C  Bad Tolz, Germany)*

*indicates rookie

Events

The Halifax Mooseheads released their schedule for the upcoming season earlier this month and have announced the events happening during the 2018-19 season. With such a late home opener this year, some of the events are in different months than they are normally. Check out below for the dates of the yearly special games.

Annual events
HOME OPENER – October 27 vs. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
DND Appreciation Night – November 9 vs. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Teddy Bear Toss – December 14 vs. Moncton Wildcats
Battle of Nova Scotia/Hurley Cup – December 31 vs. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Pink in the Rink 10 – January 18 vs. Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Fan Appreciation Night – March 16 vs. Charlottetown Islanders

Herd Start Season on Road Again

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced the 2018-19 regular season schedule this evening.

I say this every year but once again your Halifax Mooseheads are starting the new season on the road when they open the regular season on September 21 against the Saint John Sea Dogs at 7pm. They'll hope to start the season off right but will have to do it away from home, with 15 straight away games to begin the year. Opening weekend will conclude with a visit to the island and a match against the Charlottetown Islanders the next night.

Other highlights from the schedule:

• Moose Country is going have a long time to wait to see the team back at Scotiabank Centre with their home opener not being until October 27. Halifax will welcome their provincial rivals, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles for a Saturday 7pm puck drop.
• Before that, the Herd will have their first Quebec road trip when they visit Quebec, Chicoutimi and Baie-Comeau from October 3-6.
• The first 3 games in 3 nights sequence will be October 19-21 with trips to the Victoriaville Tigres, Sherbrooke Phoenix and Drummondville Voltigeurs.
• Cape Breton will be back at the Scotiabank Centre on New Year's Eve after Halifax won the Hurley Cup last year. I'm sure the home and home will be the Battle of Nova Scotia events. Both matches have 2pm starts.
• The Mooseheads longest home stand is 6 games from November 9-25.
• The regular season will end with 3 home games and the finale is March 16 versus Charlottetown at 4pm.

Halifax has yet to announce their pre-season schedule or the dates of the annual events.