Most blogs don't do this but I wanted to let you know why it seems like I've disappeared at least on here. I am still sharing news, pictures and scores on my social media accounts though. Our Halifax Mooseheads have had a great start to the season which I will have a post on later today.
Back to why I've been MIA though. In the summer, I got a new job which is the first time I have been working full time since about 2014. It's been very busy to start as I am still training plus I am also going to school part-time so I don't have a lot of brain capacity to think of much else right now. So for this season, posts will be very sporadic but I hope you will bear with me and continue to support my blog.
I really do appreciate everyone who reads my blog and follows my social media. Thank you!
PREVIEW - After being delayed for a week because of Hurricane Fiona, our Halifax Mooseheads will have their home opener finally this evening as they welcome the Cape Breton Eagles to the Scotiabank Centre. It's the first game for both teams during the 2022-23 regular season as the storm created a number of postponements the past seven days. Halifax will be debuting their new look tonight in front of the Moose Country faithful, who have had mixed feelings about the updated logo. The Mooseheads should have a full roster Saturday as forwards Jordan Dumais, the team's leading scorer last year, and Zachary L'Heureux were returned to the club by their respective NHL teams in the last 48 hours. The team is expected to be a Cup contender this season and will have a few new players in the line-up which includes import defenseman David Moravec and free-agent forward Brody Fournier. Cape Breton's top point getter Ivan Ivan is back this year for the Eagles as an assistant captain after spending time at Detroit Red Wings camp. The Eagles are predicted to finish in the lower part of the standings and have quite a different roster than they did in 2021-22 including a new head coach in Jon Goyens. Despite all this, the battle of Nova Scotia matches are always an exciting time so get ready to rock the arena as the Herd kick off their season.
Overall records Mooseheads: 0-0-0-0 = 0 points (3rd in Maritimes division, 12th overall) Eagles: 0-0-0-0 = 0 points (5th in Maritimes division, 14th overall)
Leading scorers CAP: n/a HAL: n/a
Head-to-head Like I said this is the first game between these two this season. During 2021-22, Halifax went 8-0-0-1 against the Eagles while Cape Breton had a 1-8-0-0 record versus the Mooseheads. The two clubs finished last season in Sydney on May 1 with Halifax coming on top 5-4 as Mathieu Cataford provided three assists in the win.
Not playing Probably will be some healthy scratches
Out of town Oceanic vs. Armada - 5:00 p.m. Sagueneens vs. Drakkar - 5:00 p.m. Phoenix vs. Foreurs - 5:00 p.m. Sea Dogs vs. Wildcats - 7:00 p.m. Titan vs. Islanders - 7:00 p.m. Huskies vs. Cataractes - 8:00 p.m. Olympiques vs. Remparts - 8:00 p.m.
After the buzzer Halifax will head to New Brunswick to take on the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Wednesday night. Puck drops at 7:00 p.m.
With the regular season beginning this week, there is lots of news popping up so I thought I would do another Herd Word.
CHL TOP 10 The Canadian Hockey League announced the pre-season edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings on Tuesday and our Halifax Mooseheads were among the honourable mention teams on the list.
According to the website; The climb up the ranks begins this season for the Halifax Mooseheads as the club returns a well-rounded offensive core headlined by newly minted Columbus Blue Jackets draftee Jordan Dumais who was one of only seven QMJHL skaters to reach triple-digit production last season.
Other honourable mention teams include the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL and the WHL's Portland Winterhawks.
MACKINNON It's been a good summer for alumni Nathan MacKinnon who after leading the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup title back on June 26, signed an 8-year contract extension earlier this week. The contract will start in the 2023-24 season and is worth $100.8 million dollars. At an average annual salary of $12.6 million, this will make MacKinnon the highest paid player in the National Hockey League.
"Nathan is obviously one of the premier players in the NHL so a long-term extension was something we wanted to get done before the season started," said Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland. "He has that rare combination of speed and power with a high compete level that makes him a generational player. We are thrilled he will continue to be a member of this team and this community for many years to come."
MacKinnon has recorded 242 goals and 648 points in 638 career regular season games. The 27-year-old is going into his 10th NHL season and his point total ranks sixth on the franchise's all-time scoring list.
PREDICTIONS/PREVIEWS Many believe that the Mooseheads will contend for the Maritimes division title this season and could contend in the playoffs in the spring.
Chronicle Herald's Willy Palov shared his predictions of how the QMJHL will end come March;
3. Halifax Mooseheads: There's some debate about whether this is Halifax's 'go for it' year or if it's 2023-24. With the depth and balance the Mooseheads have in their lineup, it might end up being both. Zachary L'Heureux, Cam Whynot, Jordan Dumais and Mathieu Cataford are just some of the blue-chip pieces in place for a turn at the top of the cycle that should last a minimum of two years.
The QMJHL shared their division previews for the 2022-23 season and on Wednesday, it was the Maritimes division's turn. Check out the video below.
Below you'll also find a video from the Canadian Hockey League previewing the QMJHL.
HERD ON TV Our Halifax Mooseheads will be in two games that will be apart of the CHL on TSN broadcast this season. The Herd's game against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on November 3 and their match at the Moncton Wildcats on November 27 are among the fifteen-ish games set to be shown on TSN in the first half of the season. For a full list of matches, click here.
The CHL also announced their TV Game of the Week broadcast schedule and it includes Halifax's match on October 8 versus the Islanders in Charlottetown. Fans can watch the game via the CHL mobile app and online at watch.chl.ca for free. Full schedule here.
IMPORTANT DATES
The date and location for the NHL/CHL Top Prospects game was announced by Regina Pats star and 2023 draft-eligible prospect Connor Bedard the other day. It will be played in Bedard's hometown of Vancouver, BC on January 25, 2023.
The QMJHL's holiday trading period will be Sunday, December 18 to Friday, January 6.
Dates for the 2023 Memorial Cup were also announced and the tournament will be played from May 26 to June 5 in Kelowna.
There are plenty of young men on NHL teams main camp rosters that have suited up for the Halifax Mooseheads sometime in their career. Many of the players are Herd alumni but there are a few who are currently on the Mooseheads’ opening night roster (bolded).
A lot of camps have already started after teams had their rookies participate in tournaments and training over the weekend.
Below is a list of players Samuel Asselin - Boston Bruins Justin Barron - Montreal Canadiens Evan Boucher - Calgary Flames Elliot Desnoyers - Philadelphia Flyers Jonathan Drouin - Montreal Canadiens Jordan Dumais - Columbus Blue Jackets Arnaud Durandeau - New York Islanders Nikolaj Ehlers - Winnipeg Jets Cavan Fitzgerald - Carolina Hurricanes Martin Frk - St. Louis Blues Zach Fucale - Washington Capitals Jake Furlong - San Jose Sharks Benoit-Olivier Groulx - Anaheim Ducks Nico Hischier - New Jersey Devils Zachary L'Heureux - Nashville Predators Nathan MacKinnon - Colorado Avalanche Brad Marchand - Boston Bruins Jared McIsaac - Detroit Red Wings Timo Meier - San Jose Sharks Robert Orr - Carolina Hurricanes Xavier Parent - New Jersey Devils Jakub Voracek - Columbus Blue Jackets Mackenzie Weegar - Calgary Flames Cameron Whynot - Calgary Flames Filip Zadina - Detroit Red Wings
Keep it plugged into the club's social media to see how these guys do and I'll share a list of where players land next month. Good luck to all the players in their respective training camps.
Who would've thought a hurricane would postpone the beginning of the Halifax Mooseheads season?
Hurricane Fiona is coming towards the Atlantic provinces and is expected to make landfall Friday night / Saturday morning which has forced the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to postpone games in the Maritime division this weekend. This includes our Mooseheads home opener on Friday night against the Charlottetown Islanders.
The following list are the other matches that have been postponed: Sept 23 - Moncton vs. Cape Breton Sept 23 - Charlottetown vs. Halifax Sept 24 - Halifax vs. Charlottetown Sept 24 - Acadie-Bathurst vs. Saint John Sept 25 - Cape Breton vs. Moncton
A new date has yet to be determined but Halifax did say that tickets purchased for the home opener will be honoured at the reschedule game.
