Below you will find a round up of some more news that has happened this summer.
NHL DRAFT
Two Halifax Mooseheads players heard their name called in Nashville during day 2 of the NHL entry draft back on June 29. Forward Mathieu Cataford was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the third round, 77th overall. Not long after at 83rd overall, the Nashville Predators picked defenceman Dylan MacKinnon. Both players improved in their points amount during their sophomore year last season but had dropped in the CSS rankings by the year-end list. Predators amateur scout J-P Glaude said about MacKinnon, "He's a hard defender and is tough to play against. He's explosive and has a strong lower body; we view him as a type of guy who is hard to find in hockey these days."
A few notes about the draft. To no one's surprise, Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats was made the first overall selection by the Chicago Blackhawks. Drummondville Voltigeurs' player Tyler Peddle waited inside the Bell Centre through both days to hear his name called last at 224th overall in the 7th round. Unfortunately, Herd forward Markus Vidicek didn't get selected for the second year in a row.
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| Photo - Herd website |
Despite having the max two Euro players on the team already, general manager Cam Russell used the Mooseheads first round pick (44th overall) in the 2023 CHL Import Draft on Switzerland forward Yannik Ponzetto. The 17-year-old played at both the U17 and U20 level with Kloten Elit last season where he had 26 goals and 52 points in 34 games in the Swiss U17 league.
"We were happy to be able to get Yannik at that spot. He's a big, skilled winger who will be able to immediately step in and play," Russell said.
The team announced that Ponzetto has committed to coming to Halifax and that former captain Attilio Biasca will return to his hometown to play hockey during the upcoming season.
GRETZKY CUP
The 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup was earlier this month and Canada were able to repeat as champions after defeating the Czech Republic in the gold medal game by a score of 3-2 in overtime on August 5. Former Herd coach Sylvain Farveau was apart of the championship team as an assistant coach meanwhile general manager Cam Russell also received a medal as a member of the Program of Excellence management group. Halifax's 2023 import draft selection Yannik Ponzetto participated in the tournament for Switzerland who finished 6th overall. Ponzetto picked up a goal and two assists in four games played.
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| Photo - Herd website |
CANADA SUMMER MEETINGS
We may see some Mooseheads representing the maple leaf later in 2023 as there were five players named to Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence summer meetings rosters. Prospect Liam Kilfoil, who Halifax drafted 31st overall in the 2023 Q draft, is among the sixty-six under-17 players that were selected. The 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will take place November 2-11 in Charlottetown and Summerside, PEI.
Meanwhile, veterans Jordan Dumais, Jake Furlong, Markus Vidicek and Mathis Rousseau were selected to participate in the under-20 meetings along with 41 other players. The 2024 World Junior Championships will take place from December 26 to January 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden. According to the release; 'players took part in virtual meetings that covered a variety of topics, including education on the Program of Excellence, sport safety presentations, short-term international competition preparation and meetings with the Hockey Canada management group. Players will continue to be evaluated through the early portion of the 2023-24 season before the Canadian rosters are named.'
Congratulations to these five young men and good luck. I hope we can cheer them on with Team Canada this winter.
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| Photo - QMJHL website |
It was announced last month that the city of Moncton along with the Moncton Wildcats will host the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft. The draft is schedule for June 8 at the Avenir Centre. This will be the second time the Wildcats have hosted the draft, having held the event in 2009 as well but it was in the Moncton Coliseum, the club's previous arena.
Moncton will also host the the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in January.
FIGHTING BANNED
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced its safety regulations for the 2023-24 season on August 10 and as expected, there have been changes made to the fighting rules. According to the document, 'as soon as a fight occurs, those engaged must be systematically ejected from the game.' Read the full update below and you can see the league's safety regulations here.
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| Photo - Adam Kimelman on Twitter |
MANN-DIXON
Former Mooseheads goaltender Blade Mann-Dixon has been named the Goaltender Coach and Video Coach for the Cape Breton Eagles the team announced recently after the Eagles promoted staff member Scott Gouthro. "I'm extremely excited to be a part of the Eagles organization and join the community of Sydney," says Mann-Dixon. "It's a surreal experience coming back to coach in the league after playing for four years. I am grateful for the opportunity and very thankful to have someone around with as much experience as Scott." The Antigonish, NS native is a graduate of his hometown St. F.X. University after playing for Moncton, Charlottetown, Saint John and Halifax while in the QMJHL.
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