JoeTasca

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Joe Tasca·Jun 4, 2024·Partner

Volts Denied Junior Hockey Glory in Saginaw

The QMJHL’s dominance at the Memorial Cup tournament came to an emphatic conclusion this spring. The Drummondville Voltigeurs, coming off an impressive four-game sweep of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the league final, were expected to have a great chance of being the fifth consecutive 'Q' team to capture Canada’s national junior hockey championship. The Volts seemingly had all the necessary pieces; a balanced offense, three solid defense pairings, and steady goaltending. Instead, Drummondville put forth a disappointing performance in Saginaw, failing to win a single game against its CHL opponents. After getting thoroughly embarrassed by the OHL champion London Knights in their opening game, the Voltigeurs dropped a pair of one-goal games to Saginaw and Moose Jaw. In going 0-3, Drummondville became the first QMJHL club to go winless at the Memorial Cup since Moncton laid a goose egg in 2010. Despite its disappointing record, it’s unfair to say Drummondville played poorly in the tournament. While the Volts were outmatched in a 4-0 loss to London, they could have easily won their other two Round Robin games. Drummondville surrendered a two-goal lead in a 4-3 loss to Saginaw, and then gave up a soul-crushing shorthanded tally in the waning minutes of regulation against Moose Jaw, resulting in another 4-3 defeat. In hindsight, it’s easy to say Drummondville was inferior to its competition at the Memorial Cup, but the fact of the matter is anything can happen in a short tournament. The Voltigeurs, while certainly not a top-heavy team with a litany of high-end talent, represented the Q very well. The hockey gods simply weren’t on their side in Saginaw, but that doesn’t detract from what was a spectacular season and a well-earned league championship. Be sure to bookmark THN.com/QMJHL for year-round coverage of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on The Hockey News-QMJHL. Also follow us on Twitter @HockeyNewsQMJHL.

Joe Tasca·May 21, 2024·Partner

Voltigeurs Represent QMJHL at Memorial Cup

Drummondville Voltigeurs swept the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to earn the right to play for the Memorial Cup starting this weekend in Saginaw, Michigan. Life is full of surprises and sports are no different. The fact that the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Drummondville Voltigeurs advanced to the President’s Cup final wasn’t particularly surprising for QMJHL fans and observers. Since the Christmas trading period, the two teams seemed to be on a collision course. The clubs each made expensive additions that helped shore up their rosters. Most notably, Drummondville acquired three players with a winning pedigree – forwards Mikael Huchette and Kassim Gaudet and defenseman Vsevolod Komarov helped Quebec capture the Memorial Cup last spring. The Voltigeurs also added Alexis Gendron, who spent the first half of the season in the AHL. Meanwhile, Baie-Comeau brought in depth forward Donovan Arseneault, along with veteran goaltender Charles-Edward Gravel. These players complimented what were already very strong lineups, allowing Baie-Comeau and Drummondville to finish the regular season atop their respective conferences. The two teams faced little resistance through the first three rounds of the playoffs, losing a mere four games between them. Indeed, it was entirely predictable for Baie-Comeau to be facing Drummondville in the QMJHL championship series. But what couldn’t have been foreseen was how the series played out on the ice. Drummondville won the regular season series against Baie-Comeau (three wins, one loss), and their experience-laden lineup led many QMJHL observers to believe the Voltigeurs would conquer their north shore opponents in the final. However, while Drummondville clearly had the edge on paper, most fans anticipated a competitive series between the two best teams in the league. Unfortunately for those of us who were hoping for some drama in a league playoff that lacked any for a month and a half, that’s not what happened. The Voltigeurs came out of the gates on fire in Game 1 of the series, posting a 5-0 victory behind Alexis Gendron’s hat trick. Riley Mercer posted his second consecutive shutout in Game 2, a 1-0 thriller that Tampa Bay draft pick Ethan Gauthier ended in overtime. Gauthier added two more goals in Game 3, a convincing 6-2 victory. Drummondville completed the sweep in front of a sold out crowd in Game 4, led by Sam Oliver’s two goals. Defensive stalwart Vsevolod Komarov, a Buffalo draft pick, was named Most Valuable Player of the playoffs. To say the least, the 2024 President’s Cup final failed to live up to the billing (much like the final series in the OHL and WHL, which also resulted in sweeps). Drummondville’s impressive performance capped off what was the least compelling QMJHL playoff in the modern era. 15 of the league’s 17 playoff series ended in five games or less; a league record. Sherbrooke’s first-round victory over Blainville-Boisbriand was the only series that went to seven games. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkG_kaCDMg4[/embed] The only question that remains is whether Drummondville can become the fifth straight QMJHL team to win the Memorial Cup. The Voltigeurs certainly have their work cut out for them. OHL champion London demolished Oshawa in the O final, outscoring the Generals 31-9 in four games. WHL champion Moose Jaw is also a formidable opponent, as the Warriors are coming off a sweep of favored Portland. Lastly, it would be a mistake to discount Saginaw, the host of this year’s tournament, as the Spirit won 50 games this season. Like its competitors, Drummondville will be well-rested heading into the Memorial Cup tournament. Time will tell if the Voltigeurs can continue the Q’s run of dominance in Canada’s national junior hockey championship. Be sure to bookmark THN.com/QMJHL for year-round coverage of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on The Hockey News-QMJHL. Also follow us on Twitter @HockeyNewsQMJHL.

Joe Tasca·May 7, 2024·Partner

Clash of the Titans in the QMJHL Final

The Drummondville Voltigeurs and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, the two top teams in the regular season, will compete for the Gilles-Courteau Trophy in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Final. To say that the QMJHL playoffs haven’t been very compelling so far is a remarkable understatement. Of the 14 series that have been played, only two of them have progressed beyond five games. There has been a lone “upset” of note, but even that’s a stretch because Victoriaville’s victory over Rouyn-Noranda wasn’t particularly surprising to many Q followers. The lack of intrigue in this year’s post-season was personified in the league semifinals, as Baie-Comeau and Drummondville were able to quickly dispose of their respective opponents. Trade deadline acquisition Alexis Gendron helped Drummondville finish off arch-rival Victoriaville in dramatic fashion in Game 5 of that series, scoring the tying goal in the final minute of regulation before winning the game 11 seconds into overtime. Baie-Comeau also received some overtime heroics in Game 5 of its series with Cape Breton, as Jules Boilard deflected in an Anthony Lavoie point shot to send the Drakkar to the league final. Of course, it’s not very surprising to see the two best regular season teams in the 'Q' advance to the league championship series. The Baie-Comeau-Drummondville matchup was entirely predictable, as the depth of these clubs placed them above and beyond their competition heading into the post-season. The Drakkar have sailed through the first three rounds with a stellar 12-1 record, defeating three Maritime teams along the way. Not to be outdone, the Voltigeurs have gone 12-3, highlighted by its five-game triumph over neighboring Victoriaville. While there haven’t been many riveting playoff series’ to date, the championship matchup between Baie Comeau and Drummondville should be a doozy. Both teams are extremely balanced up front, on the backend, and in goal. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dcX5JJAi7M[/embed] Seventeen year-old Justin Poirier has led the charge for Baie-Comeau in the playoffs, notching 17 goals in just 13 games, including a four-goal outing in Game 4 against Cape Breton. Islander draft pick Justin Gill has also been a standout, scoring ten goals and adding 14 assists for 24 points. On defense, Latvian Niks Fenenko has been extremely effective, particularly on the power play, contributing four goals and 11 assists for 15 points. Trade-deadline acquisition Charles-Edward Gravel has provided stability in goal, as his 1.89 goals against average clearly indicates. For Drummondville, Tampa Bay draft pick Ethan Gauthier has led the club offensively, scoring ten goals and adding ten assists for 20 points. Team captain and Nova Scotia native Luke Woodworth has been quite productive with six goals and ten assists for 16 points. The aforementioned Alexis Gendron, who has battled a nagging injury in the playoffs, has scored eight post-season goals. Vsevolod Komarov has anchored the Voltigeurs’ defense corps in the absence of Maveric Lamoureux (4-8-12), and Riley Mercer has been steady between the pipes. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ell0KYQv9Ms[/embed] There’s a lot to like about the Baie-Comeau / Drummondville matchup. The Drakkar are looking for their first league title, having lost their two previous final appearances in 2013 and 2014. As a remote team on the north shore, Baie-Comeau has often had trouble attracting impact players over the years (especially Anglophones), and as a result, building a championship-caliber team has been difficult. But a mix of savvy drafting and effective recruiting on the part of general manager and head coach Jean-Francois Gregoire has produced a stellar team that is poised to do something very special. Meanwhile, Drummondville is seeking a second league title. The 2009 team that won the President’s Cup was one of the best CHL teams of the modern-era, and while the current version of the Voltigeurs doesn’t have as much high-end talent on hand, they’re incredibly skilled and loaded with veteran players determined to close out their junior careers with a championship. Unlike its North Shore opponent, Drummondville has no trouble attracting Anglophones over the years, as the club has built a welcoming culture that has made the city a desirable place to play. I’ll stand by the prediction I made a month and a half ago; Drummondville will win this series and represent the Q at the Memorial Cup. It won’t be easy, though, as Baie-Comeau has home-ice advantage and a legitimate game-breaker in Justin Poirier. Expect a long series, which will be an anomaly in this year’s playoffs. Be sure to bookmark THN.com/QMJHL for year-round coverage of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on The Hockey News-QMJHL. Also follow us on Twitter @HockeyNewsQMJHL.

Joe Tasca·Apr 23, 2024·Partner

Classic Rivalry Renewed in QMJHL Semi-finals

The Drummondville Voltigeurs will host the Victoriaville Tigres in Game 1 of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League semifinals on Friday. When I first started watching the QMJHL in the early 90’s, virtually all of its teams were separated by no more than a two-hour drive. Clubs were based in tiny cities in close proximity like Laval, Granby, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Saint-Hyacinthe, and visiting teams would routinely arrive back home before midnight following a game. Thirty years later, the league’s footprint is very different. Not only does the QMJHL consist of six teams based in Atlantic Canada, but northern outposts like Val-d’Or, Rouyn-Noranda and Baie-Comeau are also represented. Consequently, bus and air travel has increased considerably, and teams are often required to log overnight stays at hotels when playing in distant cities. While close geographical rivalries in the QMJHL are, for the most part, a distant memory, some vestiges of the past still remain. For example, the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Victoriaville Tigres are separated by a mere 32 miles (52 kilometers). The teams are so close, in fact, that I was once able to attend a 4 p.m. game in Victoriaville, then drive south to Drummondville on Route 122 for a 7:30 p.m. match that night (I didn’t have time to stop at Restaurant Le Canadien in Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil as I normally do, much to my chagrin.) Much to the delight of fans in the Centre-du-Quebec region, the QMJHL rivalry between Drummondville and Victoriaville will be renewed this week as the two teams square off in the league semifinals. These two clubs have a longstanding rivalry that was on full display last spring when the upstart Voltigeurs upset the heavily-favored Tigres in the first round of the playoffs. Victo will be looking to turn the tables on their regional rivals this season. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVBXknS-wcA[/embed] Victoriaville advanced to the semifinals by defeating Rouyn-Noranda in impressive fashion. In disposing of the Huskies in five games, Victoriaville scored a total of 24 goals. The Tigres were led by local boy Maxime Pellerin, who has 11 goals in just nine playoff contests. Justin Larose four goals, eight assists), Justin Gendron (five goals, six assists), and Mael Lavigne (four goals, seven assists) have also featured prominently in what’s become a balanced offensive attack in the post-season. Drummondville, while expected to be in the semifinals after finishing second overall in the league, had all it could handle in fending off a scrappy Sherbrooke squad in six games. Tampa Bay draft pick Ethan Gauthier has led the way for the Voltigeurs in the playoffs, having tallied ten goals and eight assists in ten games. Slovakian import Peter Repcik has also been impressive with five goals and seven assists. Captain Luke Woodworth (five goals, six assists) and Sam Oliver (five goals, five assists) are also producing at a point-per-game pace. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Far2U4qPylk[/embed] In the other QMJHL semifinal, top-seeded Baie-Comeau will square off against upstart Cape Breton. The Eagles are undoubtedly the hottest team in the league, having won 17 of their past 18 games, including a four-game sweep of Chicoutimi in the quarterfinals. Cape Breton is led by New Jersey draft pick Cam Squires, who has seven goals and ten assists in nine games. Jacob Newcombe, who missed half the season while being treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leads the Eagles with eight playoff goals. For Baie-Comeau, 51-goal scorer Justin Poirier has continued his regular season excellence in the playoffs. The 17-year-old winger has ten goals in eight post-season games, including a hat trick in the series clincher against Acadie-Bathurst. New York Islanders draft pick Justin Gill has had an impressive playoff, as well, scoring five goals and ten assists in just eight games. Latvian defenseman Niks Fenenko has powered the Drakkar’s offense from the back end, contributing four goals and eight assists. There’s a lot to like about these two semifinal matchups. In addition to the natural rivalry, the Drummondville/Victoriaville series is evenly-matched and promises to be lengthy. The same can be said of the Baie-Comeau/Cape Breton matchup, which doesn’t appear to be competitive on paper (the two teams are separated by 28 points in the standings), but the Eagles are sure to be a stiff challenge for their North Shore opponent. Trade deadline acquisitions like defenseman Tomas Cibulka and winger Lucas Romeo have added the necessary depth to turn what was a mid-pack team at Christmas into a serious contender. Be sure to bookmark THN.com/QMJHL for year-round coverage of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on The Hockey News-QMJHL. Also follow us on Twitter @HockeyNewsQMJHL.

Joe Tasca·Apr 9, 2024·Partner

Titan Slay Mooseheads in QMJHL Playoffs

The Acadie-Bathurst Titan upset the Halifax Mooseheads in the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs. If there’s one thing that can confidently be said about the QMJHL playoffs, it’s that you can expect the unexpected. The first round of the 2024 tournament was no exception. In what is likely the biggest playoff upset in the CHL thus far, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan swept the heavily-favored Halifax Mooseheads in the opening round. Bathurst was led by its 21-year-old captain Milo Roelens, who scored overtime goals in the first two games of the series. PEI-native Colby Huggan, who spent half of last season playing Junior A, had a fabulous series with four goals and four assists. Washington prospect Antoine Keller was strong in goal, allowing just six goals in four games. The Bathurst victory over Halifax was surprising for a few reasons. The Titan are in the midst of a rebuild, having finished 25 points behind Halifax in the regular season. Bathurst head coach and general manager Gordie Dwyer dealt away arguably his three best players at the Christmas trade deadline. Joseph Henneberry was shipped to Victoriaville, Donovan Arseneault left for Baie-Comeau, and Ty Higgins landed in Rouyn-Noranda. As a result, the Bathurst roster is littered with youth and inexperience. On the other hand, Halifax had loaded up at the trade deadline, acquiring overagers Peter Reynolds and Lou-Felix Denis, along with Czech-import Jan Sprynar. These players were expected to compliment 'Q' veterans like Mathieu Cataford and Markus Vidicek, both of whom topped the 40-goal mark. The Mooseheads were also solid on the backend, led by Brady Schultz and Jake Furlong. In addition, Mathis Rousseau had a standout season between the pipes. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGUeR0t8xGA[/embed] But the Mooseheads never seemed to get their footing in this series. Furlong missed the series with an injury, and Columbus draft pick Jordan Dumais – arguably the best player in the league – didn’t suit up, either. Halifax suspended Dumais with four games remaining in the regular season after he was arrested on drunk driving changes. His team-imposed suspension ended after Game 1 against Bathurst, but Dumais didn’t see any playoff action after team officials said he re-aggravated a lower-body injury following abdominal surgery in January. Acadie-Bathurst wasn’t the only team to pull off a sweep of a favored opponent in the opening round. The Chicoutimi Sagueneens, led by veteran head coach Yannick Jean, dispatched the Moncton Wildcats in four games. Chicoutimi has an abundance of young talent on its roster, most notably Maxim Masse (17), Emile Guite (16), and offensive defenseman Alex Huang (16). Not to be outdone is 17-year-old Thomas Desruisseaux, who led the Sags with two goals and six assists in its series against Moncton. Overage forward Craig Armstrong, a London, Ontario native who played in Chicoutimi this season after spending four years in the WHL, contributed two goals and four assists. There wasn’t much tension in the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs, as five of the eight matchups ended in four-game sweeps. Only one series exceeded five games. However, the second round will likely prove to be much more compelling. In the Western Conference, top-seeded Drummondville shouldn’t have much trouble disposing of Sherbrooke or Blainville-Boisbriand (Game 7 on Tuesday). The series between Rouyn-Noranda and Victoriaville, on the other hand, is shaping up to be a lengthy battle. The goaltending matchup is especially intriguing, as the Huskies’ William Rousseau (eight shutouts) is opposed by Victo’s Nathan Darveau (five shutouts), an overager. Rouyn-Noranda is more balanced up front, which could tip the scale in their favor, but they’ll be without high-scoring defenseman Jeremy Langlois in this series. In the East, powerhouse Baie-Comeau should defeat Bathurst, although the Titan proved against Halifax that it won’t go down without a fight. The series between Cape Breton and Chicoutimi should be an absolute treat, as both teams are dynamic offensively. Cam Squires and Olivier Houde led the charge for Cape Breton in its five-game victory over Rimouski, while 20-year-old Brayden Schmitt provides some offensive punch from the backend. The Eagles have more experience than the Sags, but it’s tough to bet against a Chicoutimi team playing with house money. Be sure to bookmark THN.com/QMJHL for year-round coverage of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on The Hockey News-QMJHL. Also follow us on Twitter @HockeyNewsQMJHL.

Joe Tasca·Mar 26, 2024·Partner

QMJHL Playoff Preview: Can Drummondville or Rouyn-Noranda Challenge Baie-Comeau?

In our QMJHL playoff preview, we look at the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, Drummondville Voltigeurs and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies as challengers for the Gilles-Courteau Trophy. Parity is quite common in sports these days and major junior hockey is no exception. In the past, one dominant QMJHL team would often separate itself from the pack and emerge as the clear favorite to win the league championship going into the playoffs. Those days appear to be over. Last year was a wonderful example, as four teams finished the 2022-‘23 season with 105 points or more, setting the stage for a riveting post-season that resulted in the first QMJHL championship for Patrick Roy’s Quebec Remparts. The 2024 post-season is promising to be just as compelling. While the Baie-Comeau Drakkar finished with 109 points and occupied first place in the league standings all season long, two other teams – the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies – topped the 100-point mark. Baie-Comeau is a wonderful story going into the playoffs. The Drakkar weren’t necessarily expected to be a major contender this season, but the impressive performance of its youthful core, led by 17-year-old Justin Poirier, surpassed all pre-season projections. Poirier’s 51 goals led the league, while fellow 17-year-old and draft eligible power forward Raoul Boilard added 22 goals and 62 points. Poirier has an NHL-ready wrist shot, while Boilard has garnered comparisons with Auston Matthews. Baie-Comeau is incredibly balanced up front, as at least eight players scored 18 goals or more. The club is led by Justin Gill, an overager who potted 40 goals and 98 points this season. On defense, assistant captain Emile Chouinard is expected to be back for the playoffs after undergoing treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In goal, Baie-Comeau made a big gamble at the trade deadline by shipping out homegrown netminder Olivier Ciarlo in favor of Charles-Edward Gravel, who was obtained from Blainville-Boisbriand. Gravel has performed well since the trade, and the pressure will be on him to maintain that standard in the playoffs. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Hl031xUaw[/embed] Drummondville poses the biggest challenge to Baie-Comeau. The Voltigeurs are led by Ethan Gauthier, a Tampa Bay draft pick who scored a team-high 36 goals and 71-points. Sam Oliver (35), Justin Cote (32) and Peter Repcik (30) also topped the 30-goal mark this season. Drummondville shored up its defensive corps by acquiring Vsevolod Komarov from Quebec early in the season, and he responded by producing 50 points in just 38 games. He and Maveric Lamoureux, an Arizona prospect, lead Drummondville on the backend, although Lamoureux is out for the playoffs with an injury. Riley Mercer is a stud in goal and can steal games on his own. Rouyn-Noranda is another team to keep an eye on going into the playoffs. The Huskies were the pre-season favorite to finish atop the league standings, and while they had some rough patches, Rouyn-Noranda appears to be hitting its stride as we go into April. Antonin Verreault led the league in scoring this year with 107 points, the only QMJHL player to crack the century mark. Belarussian Andrei Loshko produced at a point-per-game pace after coming over from Chicoutimi in the off-season. Arizona draft pick Jeremy Langlois and trade deadline acquisition Ty Higgins lead the blueline corps. In goal, the Huskies are led by Memorial Cup winner William Rousseau, who posted a league-leading eight shutouts this season. If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Drummondville to capture the league title. The Voltigeurs were 3-1 against Baie-Comeau this season, and while regular season success doesn’t necessarily translate into playoff success, Drummondville’s experience may prove to be the defining factor in a potential playoff matchup. The Voltigeurs’ roster is absolutely littered with 19-year-olds who have considerable playoff experience. It’s cliché to simply assume that a team with that kind of veteran leadership has the advantage over a younger club, but over the course of a playoff series, skill and poise often prove to be a lethal combination. Of course, there’s no guarantee that these two teams will play each other in a league final. Rouyn-Noranda, Halifax and Victoriaville are very strong and quite capable of going deep in the playoffs. That’s the beauty of the post-season. Anything can happen. As hockey fans, this is the best time of the year. Let’s enjoy the ride. Be sure to bookmark THN.com/QMJHL for year-round coverage of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on The Hockey News-QMJHL. Also follow us on Twitter @HockeyNewsQMJHL.