QMJHL Names Scholastic POM

Every month, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announces a Scholastic Player of the Month which recognizes a player on each team with his performance on ice and in the classroom. The player is selected based on their school results, their implication, the school-hockey conciliation, their team spirit and their on-ice performances. 

For your Halifax Mooseheads, Cam Minella was named the Scholastic Player of the Month for September. 

Team	Player	Program	Academic Establishment
Baie-Comeau Drakkar	Brayden Besner	Étudiant libre	Acadia University
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada	Matt Gosselin	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de Terrebonne
Cape Breton Eagles	Will Murphy	Business Administration	Cape Breton University
Charlottetown Islanders	Rowan Walsh	Business General	University of Prince Edward Island
Chicoutimi Saguenéens	Christophe Berthelot	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de Chicoutimi
Drummondville Voltigeurs	Hugo Dufour	Sciences de la nature	CÉGEP de Drummondville
Gatineau Olympiques	Jayden Tillman	High School – Grade 11	NPU – Northern PreUniversity
Halifax Mooseheads	Cam Minella	High School – Grade 12	Woodlawn High School
Moncton Wildcats	Chris Baird-Gajdos	Étudiant libre	American Public University
Newfoundland Regiment	Antoine Proulx	Étudiant libre	Acadia University
Québec Remparts	Charles-Antoine Dubé	Sciences de la nature	Cégep St-Lawrence
Rimouski Océanic	Zack Arsenault	High School – Grade 12	NPU – Northern PreUniversity
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	Samuel Rheault	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Shawinigan Cataractes	Philippe Boucher	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de Shawinigan
Sherbrooke Phoenix	Samuel Rochon	High School – Grade 12	NPU – Northern PreUniversity
Saint John Sea Dogs	Thomas Charbonneau	High School – Grade 12	University of Nebraska High School
Val-d’Or Foreurs	Benjamin Olivier	High School – Grade 12	NPU – Northern PreUniversity
Victoriaville Tigres	Maxime Dodier	Sciences de la nature	CÉGEP de Victoriaville

Around the CHL ~ volume #1 preview edition #12

We are just days away from the Canadian Hockey League beginning the 2026-27 regular season with puck dropping on September 17 in the OHL. So I figured it would be nice to recap how last year ended and point out some important events below. Check back all year long for more stories on the CHL and our Mooseheads. 

here are last year's leaders:
Division champions 2025-26
WHL - Everett Silvertips (U.S.) 68 games played, 57-8-2-1 record, 117 points, 304 goals for/173 goals against; Prince Albert Raiders (East) 68 games played, 52-10-5-1 record, 110 points, 310 goals for/165 goals against; Medicine Hat Tigers (Central) 68 games played, 50-10-5-3 record, 108 points, 348 goals for/208 goals against; Penticton Vees (B.C.) 68 games played, 44-14-6-4 record, 98 points, 268 goals for/188 goals against; 

OHL - Brantford Bulldogs (East) 68 games played, 48-10-8-2 record, 106 points, 296 goals for/190 goals against; Kitchener Rangers (Midwest) 68 games played, 47-14-5-2 record, 101 points, 261 goals for/179 goals against; Barrie Colts (Central) 68 games played, 45-14-5-4 record, 99 points, 246 goals for/194 goals against; Windsor Spitfires (West) 68 games played, 44-15-6-3 record, 97 points, 264 goals for/173 goals against

QMJHL - Moncton Wildcats (Maritimes) 64 games played, 50-10-2-2 record, 104 points, 302 goals for/164 goals against; Chicoutimi Sagueneens (East) 64 games played, 49-10-3-2 record, 103 points, 321 goals for/150 goals against; Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (West) 64 games played, 40-17-5-2 record, 86 points, 221 goals for/178 goals against; Drummondville Voltiguers (Central) 64 games, 40-18-3-3 record, 86 points, 240 goals for/195 goals against

League championships 2026
President's Cup - Moncton Wildcats vs. Chicoutimi Sagueneens (Sagueneens won series 4 games to 2 games)
J. Ross Robertson Cup - Kitchener Rangers vs. Barrie Colts (Rangers won series 4 games to 0 games)
Ed Chynoweth Cup - Everett Silvertips vs. Prince Albert Raiders (Silvertips won series 4 games to 1 game)

Memorial Cup 2026
Teams - Chicoutimi (QMJHL champion), Everett (WHL champion), Kelowna (Hosts) and Kitchener (OHL champion)

Final May 31, 2026 Everett vs. Kitchener 2-6

KITCHENER RANGERS WIN 2026 MEMORIAL CUP!!!


Kitchener will look to repeat as Memorial Cup champions. This year the Memorial Cup will be held in Guelph, home of the Guelph Storm who will be in the tournament no matter what. The 2025 CHL USA Top Prospects two game series will be hosted by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and the Quebec Remparts on December 1 and 2, respectively. Multiple rules changes were announced by the Western Hockey League for this season. 

#Our18: Halifax Mooseheads

Photo - QMJHL website

from theqmjhl.ca

At times last year, the Mooseheads looked like a team poised to build off a stunning 2025 postseason run. At other times, they fell well below that level. The club has made a number of moves to ensure a more consistent – and more competitive – season awaits the fans in Halifax.

First, the returnees; the top three scorers from the forward ranks last year - Oleg Kulebiakin, Shawn Carrier and Quinn Kennedy - are back for another season. Daniel Walters brings his heavy, combative style to the ice for a third 'Q' campaign. A pair of off-season transactions has added to this already impressive crew. On the draft floor in Halifax, a trade was finalized that saw slick puck mover Mateo Nobert come over from Blainville-Boisbriand. During training camp, the Moose acquired winger Nathan Langlois, a breakout player with Rouyn-Noranda last year, from the Huskies. Preparing to make his 'Q' debut is Paul Sintschnig, the second overall selection in the 2026 CHL Import Draft, who comes to North America after a full season in the Austrian pro ranks where he became the youngest player to score a goal in that league. 

The backend is led by captain Owen Phillips, back for his fifth season in Halifax and the lone player remaining from the team's most recent appearance in the league Final in 2023. Malik L'Italien is back as one of the best 17-year-old blueliners in the circuit. Eddy Doyle aims to build upon an impressive breakout campaign in 2025-26. Sintschnig's teammate in Austria last season, Nico Uschan, is ready to bring his defense first style of play to North America. It will also be a complete overhaul in the crease as a pair of American standouts, Jack Fichthorn and Carson Mertz, prepare to make their QMJHL debuts. 

It's been a methodical build back to contender status in the Nova Scotia capital and one that is not yet complete. However, based on the direction taken off the since the conclusion of the last season, there's a lot to look forward to in Moose Country this year. 

2025-2026 Stats:

Record	29-29-3-3 (64 points)
Conference Ranking	7th East
Overall Ranking	12th
Goals For	214 (11th)
Goals Against	258 (14th)
PP (Overall)	22.4% (9th)
PK (Overall)	77.0% (12th)
Leading Rookie (PTS)	Kulebiakin (29-44-73)
Leading Scorers (PTS)	Kulebiakin (29-44-73)
	Carrier (37-28-65)
	Kennedy (31-25-56)
	Phillips (6-35-41)
	Kilfoil (14-25-39)

Here are highlights from 2025-26 below

QMJHL Names Scholastic POM

Every month, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announces a Scholastic Player of the Month which recognizes a player on each team with his performance on ice and in the classroom. The player is selected based on their school results, their implication, the school-hockey conciliation, their team spirit and their on-ice performances. 

For your Halifax Mooseheads, Connor MacPherson was named the Scholastic Player of the Month for March. 

Team	Player	Program	Academic Establishment
Baie-Comeau Drkkar	Liam Armit	Secondaire 5	Polyvalente des Baies
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada	Spencer Gill	Business	Athabasca University
Cape Breton Eagles	Lucas Romeo	Business General	University of New Brunswick – UNB
Charlottetown Islanders	Dylan MacKinnon	Business Administration	Athabasca / UNB
Chicoutimi Saguenéens	Alexandre Desmarais	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de Chicoutimi
Drummondville Voltigeurs	Filip Kovalcik	High School – Grade 12	Trecin (Stredna Sortova Skola)
Gatineau Olympiques	Michel Myloserdnyy	Business	Northern Pre-University – NPU
Halifax Mooseheads	Connor MacPherson	Business General	St Marys University
Moncton Wildcats	Evan Dépatie	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP à distance
Newfoundland Regiment	Alexis Mathieu	High School – Grade 12	Northern Pre-University – NPU
Québec Remparts	Benjamin Lelièvre	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP Limoilou
Rimouski Océanic	Luke Patterson	Business	University of New Brunswick – UNB
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	Eliot Ogonowski	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Shawinigan Cataractes	Frédéric Bergeron	Secondaire 5	Académie des Estacades
Sherbrooke Phoenix	Éloi Bénard	Secondaire 5	Académie des Estacades
Saint John Sea Dogs	Maxime Côté	High School – Grade 12	Northern Pre-University – NPU
Val-d’Or Foreurs	Hemerick Carbonneau	Sciences de la nature	CÉGEP de Val-d’Or
Victoriaville Tigres	Simon-Pier Brunet	High School – Grade 12	Northern Pre-University – NPU

Season records 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 {7-5, 3-6}
Gatineau 2 games 1-0-0-1 {4-3OT, 5-6SO}
Rouyn-Noranda 2 games 0-1-1-0 {4-5OT, 2-4}
Val-d'Or 2 games 0-2-0-0 {4-6, 2-5}

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

East division
Baie-Comeau 2 games 2-0-0-0 {4-1, 5-4}
Chicoutimi 2 games 0-1-1-0 {3-9, 4-5OT}
Quebec 2 games 2-0-0-0 {3-2SO, 5-4OT}
Rimouski 2 games 2-0-0-0 {5-4, 7-1}

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

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

Overtime/shootout records
OT ~ five overtime win, three overtime loss
SO ~ four shootout win, three shootout loss

QMJHL Names Scholastic POM

Every month, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announces a Scholastic Player of the Month which recognizes a player on each team with his performance on ice and in the classroom. The player is selected based on their school results, their implication, the school-hockey conciliation, their team spirit and their on-ice performances. 

For your Halifax Mooseheads, Owen Phillips was named the Scholastic Player of the Month for February. 

The QMJHL changed how they share the players in the article they post, so here's the picture of them. This is also the latest I believe the league have announced the student-athletes. 

Photo - QMJHL website

Alumni Update: Statistics

Logan Crosby of Pictou County
Photo - Jennifer Weeks

There are plenty of former Halifax Mooseheads players suiting up for teams in different leagues on both sides of the ocean. I figured I would share how some of them are doing in terms of statistics for the leagues that are on a holiday break now in North America. It's crazy that we are already this close to Christmas time. 

QMJHL (major junior)

MJAHL (junior a)

QJHL (junior a)

NSJHL (junior b)

U-SPORTS (university)

NCAA

NSSHL (nova scotia senior)

AESHL (newfoundland senior)

CWSHL (newfoundland senior)

LHSAAAQ (quebec senior)

LHSB (new brunswick senior)

NPHL (ontario senior)

LHCS

LNAH (semi-professional)

Good luck to all the players in the second half of their season. 

QMJHL Names Scholastic POM

Every month, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announces a Scholastic Player of the Month which recognizes a player on each team with his performance on ice and in the classroom. The player is selected based on their school results, their implication, the school-hockey conciliation, their team spirit and their on-ice performances. 

For your Halifax Mooseheads, Nicholas Cirka was named the Scholastic Player of the Month for November. 

Team	Player	Program	Academic Establishment
Baie-Comeau Drakkar	Zachary Hachey	Cours préparatoires BAC finances	Université LAVAL
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada	Matt Gosselin	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de Terrebonne
Cape Breton Eagles	Jacob Hartlin	High School – Grade 12	Sydney Academy
Charlottetown Islanders	Jabez Seymour	High School – Grade 11	Northern Pre-University (NPU)
Chicoutimi Saguenéens	Maxim Massé	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de Chicoutimi
Drummondville Voltigeurs	Cooper Campbell	High School – Grade 12	Nebraska High School
Gatineau Olympiques	Louis-Étienne Halley	Secondaire 5	Académie Les Estacades
Halifax Mooseheads	Nicholas Gillham-Cirka	High School – Grade 12	Woodlawn High School
Moncton Wildcats	Dominik Necak	High School – Grade 12	Northern Pre-University (NPU)
Newfoundland Regiment	Biagio Jr. Daniele	High School – Grade 12	Northern Pre-University (NPU)
Québec Remparts	Alex Desruisseaux	Secondaire 5	Académie Les Estacades
Rimouski Océanic	William Lacelle	High School – Grade 12	Northern Pre-University (NPU)
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	Alexandre Raymond	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Shawinigan Cataractes	Louis-Félix Gagnon	Sciences humaines	CÉGEP de Shawinigan
Sherbrooke Phoenix	Mavrick Lachance	High School – Grade 12	Northern Pre-University (NPU)
Saint John Sea Dogs	Alexis Joseph	Secondaire 5	Académie Les Estacades
Val-d’Or Foreurs	Josh Demers	Sciences de la nature	CEGEP de Val-d’Or
Victoriaville Tigres	Maxime Lambert	Sciences de la nature	CÉGEP de Victoriaville

Herd Word

BEST GOALIE
Goaltender Owen Bresson of our Halifax Mooseheads was named to the Team of the Week on Monday after going 2-0-0-0 during the previous weekend with wins over Baie-Comeau and Moncton. It's the first time this season that a Herd player has been named to the team. Bresson also had a 0.97 GAA between the two matches. Congrats Owen!

Photo - QMJHL website

MACKINNON TRADED
Former Herd defenseman Dylan MacKinnon has been traded from the Moncton Wildcats to the Charlottetown Islanders. The announcement was made on Tuesday, and could be done because MacKinnon is a 20 year old. Moncton receives 3 draft picks in return. Dylan was a healthy scratch in the Wildcats match against the Mooseheads on Saturday so this would explain why. 

The Moncton, NB native has no points so far this season but has only played two games. 'For the Islanders, who currently sit 1st place in the QMJHL, this acquisition sends a clear message: the team is all-in on a championship push. MacKinnon's arrival adds experience, toughness, and a winning mentality to a defensive group that already ranks among the league's best,' says Charlottetown's press release. 

QMJHL PROSPECTS GAME
The QMJHL announced on Thursday the names of the 40 players who will participate in the first-ever QMJHL Prospects Game on October 21 at the Palais Leopold-Drolet in Sherbrooke. A few of the young men named are currently playing for Halifax this season; forwards Daniel Walters, Oleg Kulebyakin and William Bent will take part. 

Congratulations to our three players on being named and good luck. The rosters of the two teams participating in the game, which will be called Team Lafleur and Team Crosby, will be announced in the coming days. Full release here. 

THIS IS MOOSE COUNTRY
The second season of the team's podcast; This is Moose Country, is underway and episode 2 was released earlier this week. Episode 1 talked about the home opener and the 2025-26 roster plus Scott MacIntosh and Brad Cuzner were joined by new coaches Brad MacKenzie and Josh Hepditch. Below is the video for the most recent episode where Herd alumni Zach Fucale joined the hosts to talk about his time with Halifax, getting traded to Quebec plus more. 

 

Photo - Avalanche Twitter

FRANCHISE LEADER
The Colorado Avalanche have a new all-time leader in points since the franchise relocated and I am sure it is no surprise that it is former Moose player Nathan MacKinnon. The 30-year-old recorded an assist in the Avs opening game on Tuesday in Los Angeles against the Kings. It was his 1,016th point (367 goals, 649 points) in 871 games to break a tie with Joe Sakic (1,015 points in 870 games). 

"He means a ton," Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog said of MacKinnon. "He drives our team on a nightly basis, offensively. ... Just so many things he does so well, and I'm not surprised that he's, yet again, breaking another franchise record. You know, it's just kind of what he does, so exciting to see."

Keep it going Nate, congrats on becoming the points leader!