NCAA season begins tonight

Photo - NCAA Hockey Facebook

This is not a post that I thought I would ever write but with the rule change back in 2024 that players who skated in the Canadian Hockey League could continue their careers in the NCAA, that is where we are. 

It is disappointing that these young men are not staying in Canada to play university hockey especially since as a fan, I would like to see them after they leave the Q however I understand. There are a handful of former Halifax Mooseheads players who will suit up for teams in the United States. 

Jacob Steinman - Bowling Green State Falcons (CCHL)

Mathis Rousseau - Maine Black Bears (Hockey East)

Brady Schultz - Quinnipiac Bobcats (ECAC Hockey)

Markus Vidicek - Quinnipiac Bobcats (ECAC Hockey)

Stephane Huard - Sacred Heart Pioneers (AHA)

Alex Carr - New Hampshire Wildcats (Hockey East)

This is the first full season that CHL players are able to play NCAA hockey. Markus Vidicek, Brady Schultz and Quinnipiac will visit Boston College to start the season on Friday. Also happening this evening, Alex Carr and New Hampshire are set to host Mathis Rousseau and Maine. Sacred Heart and Bowling Green begin their season on Saturday. 

Good luck to these guys during the season. 

Game Day 5: vs Drakkar

PREVIEW - Our Halifax Mooseheads welcome the last place Baie-Comeau Drakkar for the first student night of the season. This is also the first game against a Quebec province based team in 2025-26. Halifax will look to get back in the win column and end their four game home stand on a high note. Baie-Comeau is on a seven game road trip because their arena is getting renovated but have not gotten a victory yet. The Drakkar were close on Saturday though, losing 2-1 in a shootout and are last place as well in goals scored. It'll be important to get points in games like this before the holiday break for Halifax as it'll probably determine whether or not the Mooseheads make the playoffs. So grab some friends and take advantage of the $10 student tickets along with deals on alcohol tonight, if you are of age of course. 

Coverage
TV: FloHockey | Radio: News 95.7 | Live: @MC_MooseCountry

Overall records
Drakkar: 0-3-0-1 = 1 point (6th in East division, 18th overall)
Mooseheads: 2-2-0-0 = 4 points (5th in Maritimes division, 12th overall)

Leading scorers
HAL: Oleg Kulebyakin 4pts (2G & 2A), Shawn Carrier 3pts (2G & 1A), Quinn Kennedy 3pts (2G & 1A)
BAC: Charles-Louis Plourde 4pts (0G & 4A), Justin Gendron 2pts (1G & 1A), Alexis Michaud 2pts (1G & 1A)

Head-to-head
This is the first match of the season series between these two teams. Halifax had a 0-1-0-1 record against the Drakkar last season while Baie-Comeau went 2-0-0-0 versus the Mooseheads. Anthony Lavoie had a goal and an assist to propel the Drakkar to a 4-3 shootout victory in their last meeting on January 30. 

Out of town
Eagles vs. Sagueneens - 7:00 p.m.
Olympiques vs. Islanders - 8:00 p.m.

After the buzzer
Halifax will hit the road for a match up against the Moncton Wildcats at the Avenir Centre on October 5. Puck drops at 3:00 p.m. 

STATS SUNDAY: September

Games played: 4
Record: 2-2-0-0, 4pts
Goals for/against: 12/16
Powerplay: 19.1%
Penalty kill: 75.0%
Shutouts: None

Top 5 leading scorers
Points: Oleg Kulebiakin 4, Shawn Carrier 3, Quinn Kennedy 3, Jasu Mensonen 2, Will Bent 2
Goals: Oleg Kulebiakin 2, Shawn Carrier 2, Quinn Kennedy 2, Will Bent 1, Patrick McNab 1
Assists: Oleg Kulebiakin 2, Amelio Santini 2, Shawn Carrier 1, Quinn Kennedy 1, Will Bent 1
Penalty minutes: Daniel Walters 8, Eddy Doyle 6, Mathieu Taillefer 6, Oleg Kulebiakin 4, Quinn Kennedy 4
Plus/minus: Malik L'Italien +1, Patrick McNab +1, Junior Gualberto +1, Amelio Santini E, Justin Chiras E
Rookie scoring: Oleg Kulebiakin 4pts, Jasu Mensonen 2pts, Malik L'Italien 1pt

Goaltender stats
Owen Bresson     2-1-0-0     3.57 GAA     0.857 SAV%
Nicolas Cirka     0-1-0-0     4.17 GAA     0.846 SAV%

Game Day 3 & 4: vs Sea Dogs

PREVIEW - It's back to back home games for our Halifax Mooseheads against the Saint John Sea Dogs this weekend. The Sea Dogs updated their logo and jerseys before the start of the season in a move that the team is calling the #NextWave. Both teams are amidst a rebuild with Saint John winning the first overall pick at the 2025 draft where they selected forward Alexis Joseph. The rookie has yet to record his first point in the Q but we are only one weekend into the season. Halifax's rookie Jasu Mensonen will look to continue his good start after picking up a goal in both games against Charlottetown last week. I expect this will be another tight series between these two clubs, after they each won 4 out of eight games played in 2024-25. The Mooseheads should get some help in the scoring department as Liam Kilfoil, who led Halifax in scoring for most of last year, was released by the Detroit Red Wings from his tryout contract earlier this week. Not only do the Sea Dogs have the same records as well as goals for/against numbers but the teams are both led by first year players heading into tonight's match. 

Fans in Moose Country will get a rematch tomorrow night as Halifax hosts their first ever (I think) Country Night. I'm not sure what it is planned for the evening but it still should be a good way to spend a Saturday night. 

Coverage
TV: Eastlink | Radio: News 95.7 | Live: @MC_MooseCountry

Overall records
Sea Dogs: 1-1-0-0 = 2 points (3rd in Maritimes division, 8th overall)
Mooseheads: 1-1-0-0 = 2 points (5th in Maritimes division, 13th overall)

Leading scorers
HAL: Jasu Mensonen 2pts (2G & 0A), Shawn Carrier 2pts (1G & 1A), William Bent 1pt (1G & 1A)
SNB: Olivers Murnieks 3pts (0G & 3A), Elliot Dube 2pts (2G & 0A), Zachary Morin 2pts (1G & 1A)

Head-to-head
This is the first match of the season series between these two teams. Halifax had a 4-3-1-0 record versus the Sea Dogs in 2024-25 while Saint John went 4-4-0-0 against the Mooseheads. Their last match on March 8 saw our Herd lose 3-1 on home ice with Halifax goaltender Jacob Steinman earning 1st star honours after stopping 31 of the 33 Sea Dogs' shots. 

Out of town
Eagles vs. Wildcats - 7:00 p.m.
Huskies vs. Remparts - 8:00 p.m.
Olympiques vs. Drakkar - 8:00 p.m.
Armada vs. Cataractes - 8:00 p.m.
Phoenix vs. Voltigeurs - 8:00 p.m.

After the buzzer
Halifax's fifth game of the season will see the Baie-Comeau Drakkar coming to town for student night on October 2. Puck drops at 7 p.m.

Mensonen helps Herd get SO win

Rookie forward Jasu Mensonen has only played two matches but is showing that the North American game has not phased him. After scoring the lone goal in the season opener, the Imatra, Finland native got our Halifax Mooseheads on the board first in front of the fans at the Scotiabank Centre. He also scored the game winner to help the home team to a 5-4 shootout victory on Saturday night over the Charlottetown Islanders. It seemed like the Islanders were chasing the game but a two men advantage around the mid point of the first period gave the away team some life with Jude Herron scoring a PP goal and overage  forward Nathan Leek tied the natch up at 2 a few minutes later. Early in the middle frame, Quinn Kennedy gave Halifax back the lead. The Mooseheads looked to be in pretty control, outshooting Charlottetown 24-14 through 40 minutes. A short-handed goal by the Isles in the third tied the game again. Not very often do we see an extra frame in the home opener but we did tonight. A tripping penalty by rookie Oleg Kulebyakin had all the momentum in the overtime on the Islanders side as they outshot Halifax 6-0 but goaltender Owen Bresson stopped them all to send the match to a shootout. Mensonen was sent out as the second shooter and put it in while Kennedy also scored to secure the win for the good guys. 

FINAL: Islanders 4 at Mooseheads 5 SO
Stars: 3. Carlos Handel HAL | 2. Anthony Flanagan CHA | 1. Shawn Carrier HAL
Attendance: 8,205
MC's Top Herd: Quinn Kennedy

GAME LOG
First period
3:25 HAL Jasu Mensonen (2), PP | A: None
5:50 HAL William Bent (1) | A: None
10:01 CHA Jude Herron (1), PP | A: Chen & Watroba
13:41 CHA Nathan Leek (2) | A: Herron

Second period

0:59 HAL Quinn Kennedy (1) | A: Carrier & Kulebyakin

Third period
4:28 CHA Anthony Flanagan (1), SH | A: B. Peddle
14:34 HAL Shawn Carrier (1) | A: Doyle
15:09 CHA Anthony Flanagan (2) | A: Watroba 

Overtime
None

Shootout
HAL Bent        MISS           
CHA Flanagan         MISS
HAL Mensonen         GOAL       
CHA Campbell        MISS
HAL Kennedy       GOAL

Powerplay: CHA - 1-for-7; HAL 1-for-7
Shots: 41-26 in favour of Halifax

Did not play - Alec Nesreddine (healthy), Liam Kilfoil (NHL camp), Lincoln Waugh (injured), Junior Gualberto (healthy)

Next game
Halifax will welcome first overall pick Alexis Joseph and the Saint John Sea Dogs on Friday night. Puck drops at 7 p.m. 

Game Day 1: at Charlottetown

PREVIEW - The 2025-26 regular season begins tonight for our Halifax Mooseheads as they visit the Charlottetown Islanders. It will be the Islanders home opener at the Eastlink Centre, you can watch the game on Eastlink's Friday Night Hockey or the QMJHL's new webcast provider; FloHockey. Halifax was near the bottom of the age range last year and once again find themselves there, though they are somehow even younger this season than the 2024-25 season. Despite that, they do come in to the new season with more experience especially in the playoffs where the Mooseheads defeated one of the top teams as the 16th seed. They'll look to improve their record and I can't imagine them not doing so. Charlottetown had the upper hand last season but are going to be without captain Marcus Kearsey and Owen Conrad because of NHL camps this weekend so if the Herd want to get an advantage, now is the time. However, Halifax will also be without a player as Liam Kilfoil is participating in Detroit Red Wings camp. Get excited Moose Country, it's time for the games that matter. 

Coverage
TV: Eastlink | Radio: News 95.7 | Live: @HFXMooseheads

Overall records
Mooseheads: 0-0-0-0 = 0 points 
Islanders: 0-0-0-0 = 0 points

Leading scorers
CHA: n/a
HAL: n/a

Head-to-head
This is the first match of the season series between these two teams. Halifax had a 3-4-0-1 record versus the Islanders in 2024-25 while Charlottetown went 5-2-0-1 against the Mooseheads. Their last battle was on March 22 where the Charlottetown Islanders defeated the home Mooseheads 3-2 in a shootout in Halifax. 

Out of town
Regiment vs. Wildcats - 6:30 p.m. 
Sea Dogs vs. Eagles - 7:00 p.m.
Oceanic vs. Drakkar - 8:00 p.m.
Huskies vs. Armada - 8:00 p.m.
Foreurs vs. Olympiques - 8:00 p.m.
Cataractes vs. Tigres - 8:00 p.m.
Voltigeurs vs. Sagueneens - 8:00 p.m.
Phoenix vs. Remparts - 8:00 p.m.

After the buzzer
Halifax will play their home opener on Saturday night in a rematch against the Charlottetown Islanders. Puck drops at 7:00 p.m.

Several alumni at NHL main camps

There are a number of young men on NHL teams main camp rosters that have suited up for the Halifax Mooseheads sometime in their career. Out of the two current Herd players that were invited to rookie camps last weekend, Kilfoil made the main camp. 

Justin Barron - Nashville Predators
Mathieu Cataford - Vegas Golden Knights
Elliot Desnoyers - Minnesota Wild
Jonathan Drouin - New York Islanders
Jordan Dumais - Columbus Blue Jackets
Nikolaj Ehlers - Carolina Hurricanes
Cavan Fitzgerald - Chicago Blackhawks
Martin Frk - Calgary Flames
Jake Furlong - San Jose Sharks
Benoit-Olivier Groulx - Toronto Maple Leafs
Nico Hischier - New Jersey Devils
Liam Kilfoil - Detroit Red Wings
Zachary L'Heureux - Nashville Predators
Raphael Lavoie - Vegas Golden Knights
Nathan MacKinnon - Colorado Avalanche
Brad Marchand - Florida Panthers
Timo Meier - New Jersey Devils
Xavier Parent - New Jersey Devils
Mackenzie Weegar - Calgary Flames

Check out each club's social media accounts for updates throughout the next few weeks. I will make a post of where alumni have landed this season late next month. Good luck to all the players at their respective training camps. 

Next QMJHL Draft to be in Halifax

The QMJHL Commissioner held a press conference on Tuesday morning to launch the 2025-26 season and made a few announcements. 

Among the news shared was that our Halifax Mooseheads will officially host the 2026 Entry Draft on June 5 and 6 at the Scotiabank Centre. The first round is set to take place on Friday evening while round 2 to 12 will be held on Saturday. It is the first time in franchise history Halifax will welcome the 17 other teams for this annual event. 

Photo - Mooseheads website

Halifax currently own two picks in the first round in 2026 - their own and the first pick of the Rimouski Oceanic. 

"The QMJHL is very pleased and excited to hold its 2026 Draft presented by Fenplast in the beautiful city of Halifax, a very important market in our league," said the commissioner, Mario Cecchini. "The players, families and teams present at the Draft will be able to fully enjoy the beautiful attractions of the city."

"We are thrilled to be able to bring this event to Halifax, especially for our deserving fans who will no doubt make this the most exciting draft in QMJHL history," said Chairman/Owner Sam Simon and Peter Simon, President of Simon Sports. 

I'm sure more information on how fans can enjoy this free event will be made available next spring when it is closer to the draft. 

Herd Word

Photo - Trevor MacMillan via The Hockey News

It's opening week finally.

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League regular season begins this week when the defending league champion Moncton Wildcats visit the Newfoundland Regiment on Thursday night. It will be the first QMJHL game in St. John's since 2008. 

Our Halifax Mooseheads will play a home-and-home series against the Charlottetown Islanders this weekend to start the year, opening up on the road before hosting their home opener on September 20. 

Photo - Crushers Facebook

MHL SEASON UNDERWAY
The Maritime Junior A Hockey League regular season got underway this past Thursday and there are a number of Herd alumni playing in the league. Defenseman Dominic MacKenzie along with forwards Logan Crosby and Cade Moser will suit up with the Pictou County Crushers while the Truro Bearcats have forwards Liam Welsh, Jake Todd and Callum Aucoin on their roster. 

Halifax affiliate players Cole Bent (Valley), Tucker Makinen (Yarmouth), Ryan Fletcher (Valley), Jameson George (Chaleur), Aidan Bent (Valley) and Cole MacLeod (Yarmouth) have also been named to rosters. 

19-year-old Logan Crosby, who played 163 games with the Mooseheads before being traded to the Moncton Wildcats, will wear the C on his chest for the Crushers after being named captain on September 11. In his third season with the Bearcats, Liam Welsh, 20, was given the C while Jake Todd was named an assistant captain on the Truro club. 

KILFOIL SCORES
While participating in Detroit Red Wings camp, forward Liam Kilfoil scored a really nice goal in the Wings' 6-5 loss against the Dallas Stars prospects on Sunday. 

Detroit has not announced their main camp roster so I am not sure if Kilfoil has been invited but I haven't seen the team announce they have released him either. 

A beauty from Liam Kilfoil pic.twitter.com/A0CoJaKTAK

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 15, 2025

SIMONS PUTTING UP MONEY
Back in June, it was announced that the Halifax Mooseheads were asking the Halifax regional council for a loan worth about 1.5 million dollars to build a 4,720-square-foot training facility extension to the RBC Centre in Dartmouth. The council said they would look into it but as of September, had not made a decision. 

Well now, the clubs owners, Simon Sports, are saying they will be willing to pay for the full price of the construction. There are still questions and the final plan needs to be given the green light by the council either way it sounds like. Even once it is, the facility wouldn't be complete for another additional year or so. For the full story, click here. 

QMJHL FIGHT
After not being offered an entry level contract by the Nashville Predators who drafted him in 2023, former Moose defenseman Dylan MacKinnon was invited to Boston Bruins rookie camp over the weekend. The Bruins participated in the two-game Prospects Challenge hosted by Buffalo. During the team's game against New Jersey, MacKinnon fought fellow Q alumnus Cam Squires. 

ARENA UPGRADES
Talking about the home opener, fans should expect to see some changes when they head to the Scotiabank Centre on Saturday evening. A new public address system has been added to the facility, along with new interior and exterior digital signage. There will be new concessions offerings though no more info is given. Work is also currently being completed on a new state-of-the-art player area for the Mooseheads players and coaching stuff which is slated to open later this fall according to the article released by the team. 

Scotiabank renewed its naming rights partnership with the arena back in the spring and it was long rumoured (or known) that upgrades would be made once again to the almost 50 year old building. 

"We're excited to start a new season with our incredible fans. There are many new additions to the fan experience that we are looking forward to sharing with them. We have a great young team and we can't wait for all of us to be together again on Saturday night in Moose Country," said President Brian Urquhart. 

CHL TOP 10 
While our Mooseheads did not make the pre-season top 10 rankings, I thought I would share them for anybody who is interested. 
1. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 
2. Brantford Bulldogs 
3. Spokane Chiefs 
4. Chicoutimi Sagueneens 
5. Windsor Spitfires
6. Edmonton Oilers
7. Kitchener Rangers
8. Moncton Wildcats
9. Kelowna Rockets
10. Niagara IceDogs

Other things..

• This is a little late but I wanted to still share it anyways. Nova Scotia was well represented at Hockey Canada's Olympics orientation camp in late August & the four players attending got together for a picture.

  

  'Coupla bluenosers' Marchand, Turnbull, Crosby & MacKinnon
  Photo - Blayre Turnbull's Instagram

  
  
• FloHockey lists Halifax forward Liam Kilfoil as one of top future NHL prospects to watch in the QMJHL this year. Kilfoil went undrafted in 2025 but is eligible again for the 2026 entry draft. 
• Pictou County's Logan Crosby (3G & 1A) and Cade Moser (1G & 3A) have started the MHL season on a good note, with both recording 4 points each in 2 games. Jake Todd had two goals for Truro over the weekend. 
• On September 4, it was announced that the Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers were named the finalists to host the 2027 Memorial Cup. 

Moose Announce Leadership Group

Photo - Mooseheads Facebook
Kilfoil currently at NHL camp

The Halifax Mooseheads announced their leadership group for the 2025-26 QMJHL season on Saturday and 19-year-old forward Owen Phillips was presented with the C on his jersey. 

Phillips, a native of Halifax, NS, was originally drafted in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft seventh overall by the Mooseheads and is entering his fourth season with his hometown club. In his first 189 games played, he has scored 11 goals and picked up 51 points with an additional 9 points in 36 playoff games. 

Head coach Brad MacKenzie presented the leadership group, which also includes Liam Kilfoil (18), Mathieu Taillefer (19) and Quinn Kennedy (19) as alternates, with their updated sweaters during a team meeting. You can see the announcement below in a new episode of Moose Tracks Uncharted. 

Moose Tracks Uncharted - The Letters

Watch with us as our leadership group is announced for the 2025-26 season. #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/u44hMOilhS

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) September 13, 2025

A big congratulations to Owen and the three other guys on being given a letter for this year. 

#Our18: Halifax Mooseheads

Photo - QMJHL website

The QMJHL has been doing previews for each of their 18 clubs this month and on Monday, it was our Halifax Mooseheads' turn. 

From the website

• What can we expect from the returnees?

It’s a good thing players wear their names on the back of their sweaters because fans in Halifax had to learn a lot of new ones last year. By the end of the campaign, they were not only known but remembered as the first sixteenth seeded team to win a playoff round in QMJHL history. This year, 17 of those players return, including the top three scorers in Quinn Kennedy, Liam Kilfoil and Shawn Carrier. Daniel Walters appears ready to take the next step in his ‘Q” career after being drafted in the first round of the 2024 QMJHL Draft. German Carlos Handel took on some tough assignments as a rookie blueliner last year but turned enough heads to get selected by the Montreal Canadiens at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Joining him on the blue line once again is Owen Phillips, who will be one of several Moose stepping into higher leverage roles this season. There is no doubt, this group that made history last year is ready to make a charge up the standings.

• How will a few strategic additions bolster this roster?

Though there wasn’t much room for newcomers to this squad, those who are new on the scene will likely impress right away. Connor MacPherson represents the lone 20-year-old on the club to start the season. Known for his heavy shot and a strong cycle game, the winger from Windsor, Ontario literally worked his way across the country by way of the BCHL Penticton Vees and the University of New Hampshire to arrive in Moose Country. Wingers Oleg Kulebyakin and Jasu Mensonen make their debuts following their selections at the 2025 CHL Import Draft. Third overall selection from last June’s QMJHL Draft, Malik L’Italien, is a puck-moving left shot defenseman with size while Paulo Gualberto Jr., another 2025 draftee, has been a scoring machine at the U-14 and U-15 levels in Massachusetts.

 

• How will the new goaltending tandem perform?

The most valuable piece of a very memorable season in Moose Country was netminder Jacob Steinman, acquired at the trade deadline in a deal that saw franchise favorite Mathis Rousseau head to Moncton. With last year’s Patrick-Roy Trophy winner off to the NCAA ranks, the reins are now passed off the Owen Bresson, acquired from the Shawinigan Cataractes last month. There’s still going to be a familiar face in the crease on a number of nights however, as Nicolas Gillham-Cirka returns after serving as an understudy to both Rousseau and Steinman on a rebuilding squad while also performing solidly in a pair of relief appearances during the postseason.

 

_

2024-2025 Stats:

Team Record	19-35-8-2 (48 points)
Division Ranking	5th Maritimes
Overall Ranking	16th
Goals For	155 (17th)
Goals Against	231 (13th)
PP (Overall)	17.4% (15th)
PK (Overall)	76.9% (T-12th)
Leading Rookie (PTS)	Handel (3-23-26)
Leading Scorers (PTS)	Kennedy (24-23-47)
	Kilfoil (21-25-46)
	Carrier (18-26-44)
	Schultz (7-23-30)
	MacPhee (16-12-28)

Check out the highlights from the 2024-25 season below. 

Herd Word

Most of these I wanted to share but didn't really feel like they were enough to make full posts about so hence this Herd Word. You've probably seen a lot of this info however for those who haven't, here you go.  

GURSOY

Photo - Walleye website

Halifax Mooseheads alumni Kevin Gursoy has signed a contract with the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. This will be Gursoy's first professional season after spending the last five years at the university level with the Ryerson Rams and TMU Bold. He really excelled during the 2023-24 season, scoring 15 goals and 30 points in 28 games played. The 26-year-old had 84 points over his collegiate career after suiting up for 30 games with the Herd in 2020. 

Good luck to Kevin in Toledo. 

MOOSE UNCHARTED
Halifax has been doing something different this summer, sharing some short behind the scenes videos and calling them Moose Tracks Uncharted. The latest one looked into the on and off-ice tests that the boys had to go through recently. 

Check out the rest of clips on the team's YouTube channel. 

FLO HOCKEY
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has decided to switch up their streaming services and go with the company Flo Hockey, which streams thousands of games from the OHL, AHL, ECHL and other junior leagues. Fans can subscribe monthly or annually on the company's website, it sounds like with a subscription you get access to not just the Q matches but all the games available in your region. Mooseheads season ticket holders will get a 20% discount as a benefit. 

SINGLE GAME TICKETS
Tickets for the regular season will go on sale tomorrow September 9 at 11 a.m. You can buy tickets to all 32 games on ticketmaster.ca or going to the Scotiabank Centre box office. See prices below;

                        Lower    Upper
Adult                 $26        $22
Senior                $24        $20
Student              $18        $14
Youth                 $14        $12

Senior is 60 and over, youth is 12 and under.
Taxes included. Service charge not included.

Photo - Herd Facebook

FULL PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE
I have already shared the normal annual events in a different post but since the team has officially announced their promotional schedule. I'll also have it on the 'Schedule' tab above. 

Home Opener            September 20     Charlottetown Islanders
Country Night            September 27    Saint John Sea Dogs
90's Night                   October 11        Moncton Wildcats
DND Appreciation     October 25         Cape Breton Eagles
Kid's Day                   November 9       Charlottetown Islanders
Weiner Dog Races     November 15    Moncton Wildcats
Toque Toss                December 6        Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Toy Drive                   December 7        Val-d'Or Foreurs
Girl Guides Day        January 25          Drummondville Voltigeurs
Moose Fight Cancer  February 13        Moncton Wildcats
Scouts Canada Day    March 1              Quebec Remparts
Fan Appreciation        March 6             Cape Breton Eagles

STUDENT NIGHTS
Thought I would do a separate entry for the student nights. Students can get tickets during Thursday night matches for just $10 and have a chance to win in-game prizes. Games include October 2 vs. Baie-Comeau, October 9 vs. Rimouski, December 11 vs. Charlottetown, December 18 vs. Saint John, January 15 vs. Chicoutimi, February 12 vs. Shawinigan and March 5 vs. Blainville-Boisbriand. 

NHL ROOKIE CAMPS
A couple of current Herd players and three alumni will be participating in rookie camps over the next few weeks.
Liam Kilfoil - Detroit Red Wings 
Carlos Handel - Montreal Canadiens 
Jake Furlong - San Jose Sharks
Dylan MacKinnon - Boston Bruins 
Mathieu Cataford - Vegas Golden Knights

Good luck to the four players at camp. If I've missed anyone, please let me know.

MOOSE & MILITARY
Our Halifax Mooseheads have had a long history of supporting the Royal Canadian Navy, mainly CFB Halifax here in Nova Scotia. Last month, this year's team visited HMCS Frederick Rolette and met with the personnel on the ship. The players explored many areas on the vessel. 

STATS SUNDAY: Pre-season

Games played: 4
Scores*: 0-3, 9-3, 4-5 SO, 2-3
Record: 1-2-0-1, 3pts
Goals for/against: 15 / 14
Powerplay: 16.7%
Penalty kill: 93.3%

Team leaders
Points: Daniel Walters (7pts), Cole MacLeod (3pts), Caylen Blake (3pts)
Goals: Daniel Walters (4G), Cole MacLeod (2A), Alec Nesreddine (2G)
Assists: Daniel Walters (3A), Caylen Blake (2A), Cameron Minella (2A)
Penalty minutes: Daniel Walters (8 mins), Lincoln Waugh (4 mins), Cole Bent (4 mins)
Plus/minus: Lincoln Waugh (+4), Ryan Fletcher (+4), Paulo Gualberto Jr (+2)

Goaltending stats
Sam Madgett:  0-0-0-0   2.18 GAA   0.917 SAV%
Olivier St-Onge:  0-1-0-0   2.86 GAA   0.909 SAV%
Nicolas Cirka:  1-1-0-1   3.20 GAA   0.889 SAV %
Owen Bresson: 0-0-0-0   4.04 GAA   0.875 SAV%

*Halifax's score is first

Poll 25 Result

Last week I asked on Twitter who you think will be the next captain of our Halifax Mooseheads for the upcoming season. The poll is now over so below are the results. It will be interesting to see who actually will be named, I am not sure when the team will make the announcement. 

Quinn Kennedy   - 11%
Owen Phillips   - 63%

Connor MacPherson   - 0%
Liam Kilfoil   - 26%

As you can see, about two thirds of those who voted believe that Owen Phillips should be named captain. 

Owen is going into his 4th season with the Mooseheads, in 2024-25 he picked up 3 goals and 19 points. The 19-year-old will turn twenty in January and wore an A on his jersey last year. I'm not sure who is set to get the C but I suspect we'll see Cam Russell and brass share the news before the start of the regular season. 

Thank you for voting on the poll. 

Around the CHL ~ volume #1 preview edition #11

The Canadian Hockey League regular season begins in less than 3 weeks 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 2024-25
WHL - Everett Silvertips (U.S.) 68 games played, 48-12-4-4 record, 104 points, 277 goals for/178 goals against; Medicine Hat Tigers (Central) 68 games played, 47-17-3-1 record, 98 points, 300 goals for/193 goals against; Victoria Royals (B.C.) 68 games played, 40-17-4-7 record, 91 points, 272 goals for/218 goals against; Prince Albert Raiders (East) 68 games played, 39-23-5-1 record, 84 points, 253 goals for/228 goals against 

OHL - London Knights (Midwest) 68 games played, 55-11-2-0 record, 112 points, 325 goals for/180 goals against; Windsor Spitfires (West) 68 games played, 45-17-4-2 record, 96 points, 309 goals for/223 goals against; Brantford Bulldogs (East) 68 games played, 44-19-5-0 record, 93 points, 281 goals for/221 goals against; Barrie Colts (Central) 68 games played, 42-22-2-2 record, 88 points, 250 goals for/219 goals against
QMJHL - Moncton Wildcats (Maritimes) 64 games played, 53-9-2-0 record, 108 points, 294 goals for/144 goals against; Rimouski Oceanic (East) 64 games played, 46-14-2-2 record, 96 points, 249 goals for/178 goals against; Drummondville Voltiguers (Central) 64 games, 40-18-3-3 record, 86 points, 224 goals for/174 goals against; Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (West) 64 games played, 37-19-3-5 record, 82 points, 258 goals for/210 goals against

League championships 2025
President's Cup - Moncton Wildcats vs. Rimouski Oceanic (Wildcats won series 4 games to 2 games)
J. Ross Robertson Cup - London Knights vs. Oshawa Generals (Knights won series 4 games to 1 game)
Ed Chynoweth Cup - Medicine Hat Tigers vs. Spokane Chiefs (Tigers won series 4 games to 1 game)

Memorial Cup 2025
Teams - London (OHL champion), Medicine Hat (WHL champion), Moncton (QMJHL champion) and Rimouski (Hosts)

Final June 1, 2025 London vs. Medicine Hat 4-1

LONDON KNIGHTS WIN 2025 MEMORIAL CUP!!!


Team changes
The Penticton Vees joined the Western Hockey League as its 23rd team from the BCHL. The Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League were relocated to St. John's and named the Newfoundland Regiment. 

London 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. The 2025 CHL USA Top Prospects two game series will be hosted by the Calgary Hitmen and the Lethbridge Hurricanes on November 25 and 26, respectively. 

Poll #25

Now that the roster has been released, I thought I would do this poll. With defenceman Brady Schultz moving on to university, our Halifax Mooseheads are once again in need of a captain for the 2025-26 season. 

Only two of the players who were apart of last season's leadership group will be back, they probably have the biggest chance of becoming the new captain but we'll have to wait and see. So my question is, who do you think will be captain for the upcoming season? 

Who will be captain for Halifax
A. Quinn Kennedy
B. Owen Phillips
C. Connor MacPherson
D. Liam Kilfoil

If you have another name in mind, let me know. 

The poll will be up on X, I will pin it to the top. You'll have until the end of August to vote. 

Herd Official Roster

YOUR 2025-26 HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS

7  Carlos Handel  D  Erlangen, Germany

9  Liam Kilfoil  C  Quispamsis, NB
10  Oleg Kulebaikin  LW  St. Petersburg, Russia*
12  William Bent  RW  Dover, MA, USA
14  Connor MacPherson  RW  Windsor, ON

17  Patrick McNab  C  Beaconsfield, QC
19  Caylen Blake  LW  Corner Brook, NL

20  Daniel Walters  C  Halifax, NS
23  Cameron Minella  D  Darien, CT, USA*

26  Owen Phillips  D  Hammonds Plains, NS
29  Owen Bresson  G  Dominion, NS

32  Alec Nasreddine  LW  Mountainside, NJ, USA

37  Amelio Santini  RW  Cote-Saint-Luc, QC
39  Nicolas Cirka  G  Westmount, QC
51  Eddy Doyle  D  Tignish, PE

55  Shawn Carrier  LW  Trois-Rivieres, QC
56  Lincoln Waugh  D  Summerside, PE

70  Jasu Mensonen  LW  Imatra, Finland*
72  Mathieu Taillefer  D  Richelieu, QC
73  Justin Chiras  D  Bedford, NH, USA

77  Malik L'Italien  D  Montreal, QC*
88  Quinn Kennedy  C  Upper Tantallon, NS

89  Antoine Fontaine  RW  Granby, QC
93  Junior Gualberto  C  Barnstable, MA, USA*

*indicates rookie

Seven players reassigned, roster set

Photo - Mooseheads Facebook

Our Halifax Mooseheads announced its regular season roster on Sunday evening after reassigning another seven players earlier in the day. Surprisingly, there were only two rounds of cuts but the NCAA rule change made it a different training camp. It was a very competitive camp as well so that made it hard for the brass to make decisions. With the roster moves today, Halifax will go into the 2025-26 season with 24 players. 

Players cut
F Callum Aucoin (returnee)
G Jack Bell (2025 pick)
D Ryan Fletcher (free agent)
F Cole MacLeod (2024 pick)
F Cade Moser (returnee)
G Olivier St-Onge (2023 pick)
D Logan Trewin (2024 pick)

The regular season roster includes 14 forwards, eight defencemen and two goaltenders. 17 veterans will be joined by seven new players on the team. One of the new players is 20-year-old free agent signee Connor MacPherson who will start the year as the lone overager on the Mooseheads. 

Congrats to all the guys who made the team and for the new guys, welcome to Moose Country. Good luck to the guys who got cut with their respective teams this season. 

My next post will have the full roster. 

Halifax will play one more pre-season game on September 5 while the home opener is set for September 20 against the Charlottetown Islanders. 

Moose make first roster cuts

Our Halifax Mooseheads made their first round of cuts on Thursday afternoon and it was big one with 18 players being reassigned. Not surprising there was such a large amount who were sent down to their respective teams but I am a bit surprised by a couple of the guys who did get released today. The article put out by the team did not mention if any of the players left voluntarily. 

Players cut:
D Duncan Anderson
D Cole Bent
D Nicolas Blanchette
F Elie Champagne
F Nico Ciardiello 
F Thomas Cote
D Mickael Fournier
D Jameson George
G Thomas Laplante
G Sam Madgett
F Tucker Makinen
F Jayden Napon
F Noah Olmedo
F Nathan Ruel
F Sam Ryan
F Jordan Shaw
D Gavin Sudds
F Ylan Verpaelst

The training camp roster now stands at 17 forwards, 10 defencemen and four goalies. Previous years we would have seen another round of cuts before Saturday's pre-season game but its possible Cam Russell and staff will wait until after the match. We could even see the regular season roster be named after the game in Truro.  

Pre-season Game vs Cape Breton

Opponent: Cape Breton Eagles
Where: St. Margaret's Centre
When: August 20, 2025
Time: 7:00pm
Tickets: $18.50

Cape Breton Eagles
Pre-season record: 1-0-0-0, 2pts
Goals for: 3
Goals against: 0
Head coach: Sylvain Couturier
Scoring leader: Jacob Hartlin (1G & 1A)

Halifax Mooseheads
Pre-season record: 0-1-0-0, 0pts
Goals for: 0
Goals against: 3
Head coach: Brad MacKenzie
Scoring leader: n/a

Notes

• This is the second of 4 games between these provincial rivals during the pre-season, Cape Breton took the first game last night in Sydney 3-0. 
• Here is Halifax's roster for tonight - it's a mix of veterans and 2025 draft picks 

• You can watch the game on the Mooseheads YouTube channel. 
• Roster moves will most likely be made tonight but announced tomorrow morning. 
• Tickets are sold out for this evening which is not surprising since there's only 1,000 seats.

Eastlink to show 9 Herd games

Eastlink TV has announced their QMJHL Friday Night Hockey schedule for the 2025-26 season. A total of nine Halifax Mooseheads games will be shown on the regional network. The Herd's season opener against the Islanders in Charlottetown is set to be broadcasted. 

Below are the games featuring Halifax (puck drop is 7pm & Friday evenings unless otherwise stated)

September 19 at Charlottetown Islanders
September 26 vs. Saint John Sea Dogs

October 17 vs. Newfoundland Regiment

January 9 at Charlottetown Islanders 

January 23 vs. Sherbrooke Phoenix 

February 6 at Cape Breton Eagles

February 13 vs. Moncton Wildcats

February 27 vs. Saint John Sea Dogs

March 6 vs. Cape Breton Eagles

I think this is the least amount of Moose games shown in a season. The Cape Breton Eagles and Charlottetown Islanders also have home contests on Eastlink. You can view the full 20-game schedule here. 

49 players on camp roster

Photo - Herd website

A total of 49 players have been invited to the Halifax Mooseheads 2025 training camp that will start in a few days. The roster includes 27 forwards, 16 defencemen and six goaltenders. It consists of 19 returning players from the 2024-25 season so that will make for a very competitive camp over the next number of weeks. 

The lone 20-year-old on the camp roster is the recently acquired forward Connor MacPherson who was signed by Cam Russell as a free agent, the team announced on Friday. Defenceman Malik L'Italien - the third overall pick in June's QMJHL Entry Draft - headlines the new crop of 16-year-olds arriving in Moose Country along with Americans Cameron Minella and Paulo Gualberto. 2025 CHL import picks Oleg Kulebyakin (Russia) and Jasu Mensonen (Finland) will join Carlos Handel as the Herd's European players this year, however Mensonen won't arrive to Halifax until later in camp after concluding his mandatory military service. 

Roster below
Duncan Anderson   D   Antigonish, NS   (draft '25)
Callum Aucoin   F   Hammonds Plains, NS   (trade)
Jack Bell   G   Antigonish, NS   (draft '25)

Cole Bent   D   Halifax, NS   (draft '24)

William Bent   F   Dover, MA   (draft '24)

Caylen Blake   F   Corner Brook, NL   (draft '24)

Nicolas Blanchette   D   St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, QC   (draft '25)
Owen Bresson   G   Dominion, NS   (trade)
Shawn Carrier   F   Trois-Rivieres, QC   (trade)

Elle Champagne   F   St-Georges-de-Beauce, QC   (draft '24)

Justin Chiras   D   Bedford, NH   (free agent)

Nico Ciardiello   F   Guilford, CT   (draft '24)

Thomas Cote   F   Quebec, QC   (draft '24)

Eddy Doyle   D   Tignish, PE   (draft '23)

Ryan Fletcher   D   Brookfield, NS   (free agent)

Antoine Fontaine   F   Granby, QC   (draft '22)

Mickael Fournier   D   Laval, QC   (draft '24)

Jameson George   D   Rothesay, NB   (draft '23)

Nicolas Gilham-Cirka   G   Westmount, QC   (draft '24)

Paulo Gualberto   F   Bamstable, MA   (draft '25)

Carlos Handel   D   Erlangen, Germany   (import)

Quinn Kennedy   F   Upper Tantallon, NS   (trade)

Liam Kilfoil   F   Quispamsis, NB   (draft '23)

Oleg Kulebyakin   F   St. Petersburg, Russia   (import)

Malik L'Italien   D   Montreal, QC   (draft '25)

Thomas Laplante   G   Rosemare, QC   (draft '24)

Cole MacLeod   F   Porters Lake, NS   (draft '24)

Connor MacPherson   F   Windsor, ON   (free agent)

Sam Madgett   G   Stillwater Lake, NS   (draft '23)

Tucker Makinen   F   Bedford, NS   (draft '23)

Patrick McNab   F   Beaconsfield, QC   (draft '23)

Jasu Mensonen   F   Imatra, Finland   (import)

Cameron Minella   D   Darien, CT   (draft '25)

Cade Moser   F   Linacy, NS   (draft '22)

Jayden Napon   F   Montreal, QC   (draft '25)

Alec Nasreddine   F   Mountainside, NJ   (draft '23)

Noah Olmedo-Matte   F   Repentigny, QC   (draft '24)

Owen Phillips   D   Hammonds Plains, NS   (draft '22)

Nathan Ruel   F   Riviere-du-Loup, QC   (draft '25)

Sam Ryan   F   Dartmouth, NS   (draft '25)

Amelio Santini   F   Cote-Saint-Luc, QC   (draft '24)

Jordan Shaw   F   Coleman, PE   (free agent)

Olivier St-Onge   G   Edmundston, NB   (draft '23)

Gavin Sudds   D   Sydney, NS   (draft '24)

Mathieu Taillefer   D   Richelieu, QC   (draft '22)

Logan Trewin   D   Halifax, NS   (draft '24)

Ylan Verpaelst   F   Magog, QC   (draft '25)

Daniel Walters   F   Halifax, NS   (draft '24)

Lincoln Waugh   D   Summerside, PE   (trade)

I suspect we will see first cuts before Tuesday's pre-season game, and the release of the official regular season roster I'm sure will be announced before the end of August. Follow along on this blog and on social media for camp news and updates. 

Training camp starts Saturday

Halifax Mooseheads training camp starts this Saturday when players report to Dartmouth for registration day which normally includes physicals as well. 

The team released its first week schedule at the end of July and it will see the attendees participate in some practices, 4 white-green intrasquad games and three of club's 4 pre-season matches. Camp will take place on Rink B of the RBC Centre with the intrasquad games being free to attend for fans. 

Sun Aug 17         9am & 3pm        Green vs White intrasquad

Mon Aug 18        9am & 3pm        Green vs White intrasquad

Tue Aug 19         7pm                    Pre-season @ Cape Breton (Centre 200)

Wed Aug 20        7pm                   Pre-season vs Cape Breton (St. Margaret's Centre)

Thu Aug 21        10am-1pm          Practice

Fri Aug 22          10am-1pm          Practice

Sat Aug 23          4pm                   Pre-season vs Cape Breton (Rath Eastlink Community Centre)

Sun Aug 24         10am-1pm         Practice

Tickets are on-sale now for the home games at ticketmaster.ca and on the RECC website. I'll share the roster later in the week and any more info as it comes out. 

August, we welcome you!

We have turned the calendar in to August which means the off-season is two weeks away from being over for us fans and Halifax Mooseheads will soon start up again. The team kicked off the new month with a roster move as the QMJHL's pre-season trade period opened on Friday. 

Halifax announced that they have acquired 18-year-old goaltender Owen Bresson from the Shawinigan Cataractes in exchange for a 2026 3rd round draft pick. Bresson, a Dominion, NS native, made his Q debut in November following the NCAA rule change. He picked up eight wins in 17 games played for the Cataractes while posting a 2.98 goals against average and a 0.905 save percentage.

Photo - Herd website

According to the press release, Owen will join Nick Cirka to form the duo who will mind the Mooseheads net this season. Welcome to the team Owen! 

Other news and notes...

• Like I mentioned above, the summer trade period began yesterday August 1 and it will go until August 24. 
• Herd training camp will start Aug. 16 the team announced a few days ago with two White-Green intrasquad games on the following day. I will share the full schedule when camp is closer but you can click here for what the team shared. 
• Tickets for Halifax's 'home' exhibition games will go on sale on Tuesday. A live stream will be provided for both on the team's YouTube channel. 
• Former forward Barrett Dachyshyn has signed with the Antigonish Senior Bulldogs of the NSJHL. The 26-year-old did not play last season after finishing four years at the University of Windsor. 
• 92 players were invited to Hockey Canada's national teams orientation camp in preparation for the 2026 Olympics in Italy. Among the forty-two that will look for a spot on the men's team are alumni defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and forward Brad Marchand plus the previously named Nathan MacKinnon. 
• A new recruiting window opened on Aug. 1 for NCAA college hockey teams so be ready for more commitments from junior players. The Grand Forks Herald has a list of 20 Canadians to watch and the Mooseheads 2026 3rd overall selection Malik L'Italien is #16 on the list. 

Theme Nights

We've known the regular season schedule for our Halifax Mooseheads for a couple of months but now the team has released their list of promotional games that will take place during 2025-26. I'll highlight the more special/annual events happening below. 

Annual events
HOME OPENER - September 20 vs. Charlottetown Islanders
DND Appreciation Night - October 25 vs. Cape Breton Eagles     
Toque Toss - December 6 vs. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies    
Mooseheads Fight Cancer - February 13 vs. Moncton Wildcats
Fan Appreciation Night - March 6 vs. Cape Breton Eagles

See the full promotional schedule in the 'Schedule' tab. 

Staffing changes made by Halifax

The Halifax Mooseheads has announced multiple changes to the team's staff this summer and the biggest one being that there will be a new head coach on the bench come September. 

Earlier this month, it was put out that Andrew Lord accepted an offer to become the Head Coach for the Ontario Reign (AHL). The team looked within this time and promoted associate coach Brad MacKenzie to the top position. 

"We want to thank Andrew Lord for his contributions to the Mooseheads and wish him noting but the best in the future. We equally believe Brad MacKenzie is the right person to lead our organization as we take the next step in this journey." said Sam and Peter Simon in the press release. 

"At the same time, it's tough to leave Halifax. I love the city and the fans, and I love what we started to build this past season as a team. I want to thank Sam and Peter Simon for believing in me and for giving me the opportunity to coach this storied franchise. I also want to say thank you to Cam Russell and both the hockey operations and business staffs, it's been a pleasure working with you and I know the team is in great hands with Brad," said Lord.

Lord spent just one season with Halifax, coaching a young rebuilding club to a 19-35-8-2 record and the final playoff berth in the QMJHL. MacKenzie meanwhile is entering his fifth season on the Mooseheads bench and becomes the 15th Head Coach in franchise history. 

Good luck to Andrew with the Reign and congrats to Brad on the new position. 

A few days earlier, the team made the announcement that they have hired Josh Crouse as the club's Director of Performance and Colton Funk as the new Head Athletic Therapist. The release says that 'Crouse will handle all strength and conditioning for the players while overseeing injury prevention, recovery and nutrition' in the newly created position. 

Replacing MacKenzie as the Mooseheads associate coach is Josh Hepditch the team announced on July 21. Hepditch had the same title with the UNB Reds men's hockey team during the 2024-25 season after spending seven years as an Assistant Coach for the Moncton Wildcats. 

"Josh is a coach that I've had a lot of respect for, having coached against him for a number of years," said MacKenzie. "He has a track record of excellent work with defencemen and special teams units. I'm excited to have Josh join our coaching staff and to work alongside him."

Photos - Herd website