QMJHL 2013-2014 Thread

JHikka · #1 Posted **Sep 13, 2013, 12:34 AM**

Season starts tonight with the Wildcats in Halifax! Should be an entertaining season

MonctonRad · #2 Posted **Sep 13, 2013, 1:06 AM**

The game was in Halifax and was preceded by a 20 minute ceremony where the Memorial Cup banner was hoisted to the rafters of the Metro Centre. No doubt it was a very proud moment for the Moose and for their fans.

The Moncton Wildcats then went on to thump the Mooseheads by a score of 4-0

It's a whole new season.

JHikka · #3 Posted **Sep 13, 2013, 2:07 AM**

There are still plenty of players left at NHL camps (including Halifax netminder Fucale) so the early season scores are always a bit off...that being said, Halifax are going to (naturally) be a weaker team this season.

In terms of the Atlantic division I assume it'll be between Halifax & Moncton. Bathurst lost (I think?) their top five scorers from last season. Cape Breton and Saint John are in rebuild seasons and should be aiming for low playoff spots (12/14th at the highest). Charlottetown are a bit of a wildcard...they lost Duffy and Currie but still have a decent team. Look for Sprong to put in a really good season...I have a feeling

Overall Baie-Comeau and Drummondville are going to have strong teams. Gatineau are supposed to be strong but I haven't been impressed by what i've seen of them in the preseason.

MonctonRad · #4 Posted **Sep 13, 2013, 2:22 AM**

Moncton is a bit of a mystery this year so I have no idea how well we will do. We lost almost all of our best players from last year and only have nine returnees to the team (and only two 20 year olds). We also have a new coach this year.

By all that is right and holy, we should have a fairly weak team this year, but we went deep into the US northeast for draftable players and convinced five of the Yanks to opt for us rather than going the US college route.

Add in the return of Alex Debeau in goal, as well as Conor Garland, Ryan Penny and Ivan Barbashev as well as a couple of good quality free agents and things are starting to look up.

We may perhaps also land Barbishev's old linemate from Russia (Vladimir Tkachev) too. We drafted him and he was all set to come but he got tangled up in the work-to-rule campaign by Canada's visa agents and is now seriously considering the KHL instead.

Personally I think the team will do better this year than people have been fearing. They seem to have good chemistry and have done very well in the pre season. Of course we won't know for sure until after Christmas......

Since you're living in Ottawa now JHikka, are you going to catch some Gatineau games when the Maritime teams are in town?

MonctonRad · #5 Posted **Sep 14, 2013, 1:24 AM**

Well, the Sea Dogs did to us what we did to the Mooseheads last night - spoil our home opener.

We were ahead 3-2 halfway through the third period but then the Dogs got a power play goal and 20 seconds later the game winner. The final goal was an empty netter with 12 seconds left in the game.

Although we lost the game, I think I like this team. The Cats seem more offensive minded than previous teams and also seemed more creative with the puck. Danny Flynn had a very tight system when he coached. This team seems entirely different and more entertaining.

I am not predicting a winning season. Our defence is weaker than usual and (at least in this game), we took too many penalties that came back to bite us. This will have to be addressed.

Finally, the other Russian player (Tkachev) has been relegated by his KHL team to the Russian minors. This might make him more receptive to coming to North America (at least if he can get his visa). We should know more next week.

JHikka · #6 Posted **Sep 29, 2013, 5:42 PM**

Anddd Jonathan Droiun has been returned to Halifax for this season. Given his camp this wasn't a big surprise but it certainly makes the Atlantic division a lot more interesting now..

q12 · #7 Posted **Sep 29, 2013, 10:14 PM**

http://www.tsn.ca/chl/story/?id=433042

Quote:

LIGHTNING ASSIGN DROUIN TO QMJHL'S MOOSEHEADS

THE CANADIAN PRESS
9/29/2013 1:52:07 PM

The Tampa Bay Lightning are sending 2013 third-overall pick Jonathan Drouin back to the Halifax Mooseheads.

Tampa announced its final roster on its official web site on Sunday and Drouin's name was amongst those reassigned.

A native of Ste-Agathe, Que, Drouin was named CHL Player of the Year in 2012-13 after scoring 41 goals and 64 assists in 49 games with Halifax. He also added 12 goals and 23 assists in 17 playoff games, helping the Mooseheads capture the Memorial Cup.

I think the Mooseheads may be looking to repeat. This is awesome news, most people thought we weren't getting him back.

JHikka · #8 Posted **Oct 1, 2013, 3:58 AM**

The Mooseheads aren't looking to repeat, per se...they had no choice in whether Droin returned or not. Their likelihood of repeating is low and i'm personally interested to see if Drouin can play well without Frk and Mackinnon.

q12 · #9 Posted **Oct 1, 2013, 11:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHikka

The Mooseheads aren't looking to repeat, per se...they had no choice in whether Droin returned or not. Their likelihood of repeating is low and i'm personally interested to see if Drouin can play well without Frk and Mackinnon.

I meant the Mooseheads now with Drouin may be looking at a run for the cup again. They won't have the same stellar record as last year but that doesn't mean they can't go for it.

I like this quote from CBS sports:

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-...-bay-lightning

Quote:

Now Drouin will return to the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and be the go-to guy on that team all year for the defending QMJHL and Memorial Cup champions. After putting up 105 points as a 17-year-old last season, who knows what kind of damage Drouin will do with that extra experience under his belt.

There are probably a lot of coaches around the QMJHL that uttered an expletive or two upon learning the human highlight reel was coming back to Halifax.

• Video Link

JHikka · #10 Posted **Oct 1, 2013, 9:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by q12

I meant the Mooseheads now with Drouin may be looking at a run for the cup again. They won't have the same stellar record as last year but that doesn't mean they can't go for it.]

It's certainly possible, and it is a long season, but right now they're in 14th overall, and Blainville, Charlottetown, Chicoutimi, and Baie-Comeau are all very strong.

And I wouldn't even begin to fathom considering Drouin as a human highlight reel. For all we know he may be a one-season wonder.

MonctonRad · #11 Posted **Oct 1, 2013, 9:34 PM**

Moncton is in the running for the 2015 Memorial Cup. Quebec City and Chicoutimi are also bidding.

The 2006 Memorial Cup in Moncton was a tremendous experience and I remember it as the greatest sporting event I ever attended (even better than the 1984 Grey Cup in Edmonton), but I must admit that I'm not sure this is a wise move on Irving's part.

The team is weak this year, and I doubt that we will be back in shape in only two years time. It might have been better if we had held off until 2017 to repeat as a host......

What about Saint John, surely they must want to bid on the Cup again?

JHikka · #12 Posted **Oct 1, 2013, 10:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

What about Saint John, surely they must want to bid on the Cup again?

Saint John were planning on at least bidding on hosting the Memorial Cup in 2015. Looks like they've been done over by the league (again).

Moncton won't win the rights to host in 2015. It'll go to one of Chicoutimi or Quebec (probably Quebec if this is the last chance before there's an NHL team there to supplant the Q team). Given that Moncton hosted so recently (2006) it seems highly unlikely and are probably only in the top three to fill the Maritime quota slot.

MonctonRad · #13 Posted **Oct 2, 2013, 1:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHikka

Moncton won't win the rights to host in 2015. It'll go to one of Chicoutimi or Quebec (probably Quebec if this is the last chance before there's an NHL team there to supplant the Q team). Given that Moncton hosted so recently (2006) it seems highly unlikely and are probably only in the top three to fill the Maritime quota slot.

I agree that 2015 seems awfully quick. That's only nine years after the last time we hosted it. Statistically, we should only get to host it every 60 years or so, but probably some small market teams in the CHL will never be able to host the event and, do any of the American teams ever get to host the cup? Given the symbolism and pagentry surrounding the cup, it might be a purely Canadian event......

Even 2017 seems quick to be trying again (although there is a school of thought that Irving is just tenderizing the Q by bidding in 2015, hoping to get it in 2017 instead).

The trouble with either a 2015 or 2017 bid is that it would be highly unlikely that the new events centre would be ready, even for 2017. The most optimistic projections state 2018 could be the year it opens it's doors. Still, given the way things operate around here, I would be gobsmacked if the centre opened it's doors by 2020.

I think we should hold off holding the Memorial Cup again in Moncton until 2021.

JHikka · #14 Posted **Oct 2, 2013, 2:39 AM**

I'm wondering if you read my post before yours...Moncton won't be hosting 2015. They're only a placeholder.

As for American teams hosting:
Spokane in 1998
Seattle in 1992
Portland in 1986 and 1983

Last five hosts by League:

WHL: Saskatoon, Brandon, Vancouver, Kelowna, Regina (2013-2001)
OHL: London, Mississauga, Kitchener, London, Guelph (2014-2002)
QMJHL: Shawinigan, Rimouski, Moncton, Quebec, Halifax (2012-2000)

Chicoutimi have never hosted the Memorial Cup.

fenwick16 · #15 Posted **Oct 3, 2013, 4:24 AM**

Nathan MacKinnon got two assists in his first NHL regular season game with the Colorado Avalanche - http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/boxscore?id=2013020006 as Colorado beat Anaheim 6 - 1.

JHikka · #16 Posted **Oct 3, 2013, 10:28 PM**

I was at the Charlottetown/Gatineau game last night. Gatineau blew a third period 3-1 lead to lose 5-3. Charlottetown has a good team although Gatineau were still missing Reway.

MonctonRad · #17 Posted **Oct 4, 2013, 3:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Nathan MacKinnon got two assists in his first NHL regular season game with the Colorado Avalanche - http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/boxscore?id=2013020006 as Colorado beat Anaheim 6 - 1.

According to the T&T today, MacKinnon is the youngest player in the NHL to have scored two or more points in a single game since 1944. Pretty impressive, especially for his first game.....

JHikka · #18 Posted **Oct 5, 2013, 12:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

According to the T&T today, MacKinnon is the youngest player in the NHL to have scored two or more points in a single game since 1944. Pretty impressive, especially for his first game.....

The record is youngest player with a two point debut, not game in general.

Smevo · #19 Posted **Oct 5, 2013, 1:23 AM**

Eagles beat the Sea Dogs tonight. Now 4-2-0-2 and 2nd in Maritimes division (hey, I'll take it for now).

Trevor3 · #20 Posted **Oct 5, 2013, 3:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smevo

Eagles beat the Sea Dogs tonight. Now 4-2-0-2 and 2nd in Maritimes division (hey, I'll take it for now).

They're off to a great start for sure. Not sure if they'll keep it up or not, but they're keeping pace with some of the top teams when they face them unlike years past where they looked like a Midget C team some nights.

Dumont is doing a great job turning the franchise around and restoring some respectability.