By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
The first round of the playoffs is on its way in the Q, best of luck to all the teams on their quest for the Gilles-Courteau trophy and the Memorial Cup.
We have an honorable mention: in his 23rd season with the Charlottetown Islanders, Andrew “Spider” MacNeil worked his 1,500th game as the team’s equipment manager. Congrats Spider on a job well done and keep grinding.
We would also like to take the time to wish best of luck to Francis Denis, AT with the Blainville Armada, who after 18 seasons, is leaving the league and starting his own practice in the greater Montreal area. You will be missed, Frank, here in the Q, but your business will surely be a hit.
Wishing everyone in every league the very best in the playoffs.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Another season is upon us, and the heat has already been turned up in the Q. To start things off, we would like to welcome newcomers to the league.
The new EM in St. John, Dave Campbell, is starting his second stint in the league. Yves Menard is also back as EM in Blainville. Colten Funk is the new AT with the Halifax Mooseheads, and Aaron Small, AT is now with the St-John’s Regiment. Francis Assouyat is the new AT with the Quebec Remparts, and Carolyn Claveau, AT, is now with the Rimouski Océanics. Audrey Boudreau, AT is now with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and Maxime Dessureault, AT, has joined the Shawinigan Cataractes. Lastly, Tyler Jay, EM, has moved over to St-John’s Newfoundland with the new Regiment organization.
We want to congratulate Chris McDonald and Graham Black from the Moncton Wildcats on their league championship and winning the Gilles-Courteau trophy last season.
The Q and its members wish everyone in every league an excellent season, safe travels and keep grinding.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Things are gearing up in the final weeks of the regular season in the Q. Congrats to the Moncton Wildcats on their 1st place finish.
We would like to welcome the Newfoundland Regiment who will be at home in St-John’s for the 25-26 season. Thank you to the present and past staff of the Acadie-Bathurst Titans for your hospitality throughout the past 27 seasons. Best of luck to all the players and personnel on the move to St-John’s.
Also, a huge thank you to CCM hockey for the immense support to all the Q teams as well as the whole CHL throughout the past twenty plus years. Welcome to Bauer and Under Armour as the official suppliers of the CHL. Looking forward to this new relationship.
All the best to everyone and your teams for the playoffs, safe travels.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Another summer has past and the new season is around the corner, and with this comes some movement in staffs across the league. We would like to welcome back Bradey Williston, after a stint in the ECHL, is now the new EM with the St-John Seadogs. Warm welcome to Justin Gagné, EM with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Simon Gilbert is the new EM with the Blainville Armada. In Drummondville, Samuel Bourget is the new EM and Sarah Blanchette the new AT with the Voltigeurs. Mark Petrin is the new AT with the Shawinigan Cataracts. Will Drover has moved from Rouyn to Sherbrooke and will take on the roll of EM and Sarah Scott is the new AT with the Pheonix. Noah Boisvenue is on as AT with the Gatineau Olympiques. Tyler Jay has moved to Bathurst from St-John and will be the team’s EM for the Titans.
We would like to send our congratulations to Charles-Emile Lemelin on his promotion to the AHL. He has taken a roll as an assistant EM with the Ontario Reign. Also, congratulations are in order for one of our alumni, Alex Ryan, who has signed on with the Toronto Maple Leaf’s equipment staff. Best of luck gentlemen on your new ventures.
Best of luck to everyone and safe travels.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
The 23-24 season is coming to a wrap in the Q, and an exciting one it has been.
We have a few milestones to announce. Stéphane Savard, EM with the Québec Remparts and AT Francis Denis of the Blainville Armada worked their 1000th game in the QMJHL. Congrats gentlemen on the job you do day in and day out, you are both highly valuable to your teams.
Another member of our league was part of our national junior team. Tyler Jay was an EM with team Canada at this year’s World Junior Championship in Sweeden. Congrats Tyler.
To all making the play-offs, save travels and best of luck.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
We would like to start off by congratulating the Quebec Remparts and their Equipment Manager, Stephane Savard and Félix-Antoine Lavoie, Athletic Therapist, on winning the Memorial Cup last May. Congrats on a job well done.
We would like to welcome newcomers to the Q, Camille Fréchette, AT with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, Megan Sullivan, AT in Bathurst, Colton Riley, AT with the Cape-Breton Eagles, Marie-Pier Lemay, PHT in Chicoutimi with the Saguenéens, Sidney Dufour, AT with the Huskies in Rouyn-Noranda and Gaelle Bergeron, AT in Val D’Or.
Mariane Allard, AT is now with the Shawinigan Cataracts and Philippe Brunet, AT is now in Rimouski with the Océanics. Welcome also to Jordan Stene, new EM with the Bathurst Titans and to Yves Ménard, who is back in Blainville with the Armada as assistant EM. All the best to everyone in your new roles.
Congrats to Bradey Williston who has moved up to the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays as their new equipment manager. All the best in your pro career.
To everyone in the hockey world, good luck and safe travels.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
In our Fall newsletter, I forgot to mention and congratulate Tyler Jay, EM and Jeff Kelly and their staff on winning the 2022 Memorial cup. Great job gents.
A milestone was reached during this past February. Our good friend, Chris “Macker” MacDonald, EM with the Moncton Wildcats, worked his 1000th game in Charlottetown.
A little surprise was set up for him when he walked into the rink. Andrew “Spyder” MacNeil took care of the details. Congrats Macker on 1000 and wishing you another 1000 and thank you Spyder for the great set-up.
Wishing everyone best of luck for the remainder of the season and for those going into the playoffs, all the best in the quest for your holy grail.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
To start off, congratulations are in order to one of our alumni, former AT of the Val D’or Foreurs, Donavan Delarosbil, now an assistant AT with the Colorado Avalanche, on winning the Stanley cup. Job well done Don, the entire Q league is proud of you.
Congrats also, to former EM of the Rimouski Oceanic, Francis St-Pierre, on his new position with the Montreal Canadians and to Anastasio Abbandonato, EM, formally of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on his promotion to the Laval Rockets. Best of luck gentlemen in the pursuit of your careers.
We would like to welcome newcomers to the league. In Bathurst, Megan Sullivan, AT, Felix Lachance, AT in Chicoutimi, Emilie Croteau, AT with Drummondville, and Philippe Brunet, AT in Val D’Or. On the equipment side, please welcome Bradey Williston with the Bathurst Titans, Louis Leclerc in Rimouski and Will Drover in Rouyn-Noranda. Best of luck to all of you in your first season.
We would like to wish everyone all the best in your seasons and be safe.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
As our season is winding down and play-off season is around the corner, here are a few notes from the Q to pass along. First off, we would like to welcome Trevor Mielke as the new EM for the Acadie-Bathurst Titans. Trevor has taken over for George White who has retired. George worked his last games prior to the Christmas break, all the best George!!
We would also like to ask that you keep our colleague Bob Pouliot from the Drummondville Voltigeurs in your thoughts as he is going through some health issues at this time.
Once again, I had the privilege to work the World Junior Championships in Edmonton. This time Covid played a huge factor on the tournament as the event had to be cancelled. Hopefully, we will be able to replay the championships in the later months of the summer. It was an honour to work alongside Chris Hamilton, EM of the Ottawa 67’s. I hope we get the chance to finish the job we started.
With the deception of an early end to World Juniors combined to the NHL pulling out of the 2022 Olympics came an unbelievable career opportunity as I got a call to step in and be a part of the support staff of Canada’s National men’s hockey team. An extreme honour to represent my country on the largest sporting stage at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Along the journey, it was a pleasure to work with Q alumni Kevin Elliott AT (formally from the Charlottetown Islanders) and to catch up with Serge Bayo Leblanc (formally from the Moncton Wildcats). Serge was part of the women’s National team who captured gold. Congrats Bayo on a job well done.
Another Q member had an unbelievable opportunity at the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing. Tyler Jay, EM with the Saint-John Seadogs was part of the support staff on our national men’s para hockey team who brought back a silver medal from China. Congrats TJ!!
From L to R : Kevin Elliott, Serge Bayo Leblanc, Brian St-Louis Left: Grant Boswall Right: Tyler Jay
All the best to everyone for the remainder of your seasons and safe travels.
By Brian St-Louis, Head Equipment Manager
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Another season is under way in the Q and life is getting back to normal as fans are allowed back in the rink and travel restrictions have been lifted.
It was a busy off-season as many of our colleagues have moved on to another level. Best of luck to these great individuals as they climb to the pro level.
Congrats to Andrew Oddy, AT, formally from the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Alex Ryan, ex Halifax Mooseheads, EM, who are now with the Ontario Reign organization in the AHL.
Kyle Sutton, AT, from Shawinigan Cataracts and Jean Huynh, EM, from Sherbrooke Phoenix are now part of the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL.
Last but not the least, Kevin Elliott, AT, ex Charlottetown Islander has moved on to become director of medical services for Hockey Canada. Kevin was also part of the Team Canada that won Gold at the 2021 Men’s World Championships. Well-deserved Kevie!!
We would also like to welcome to our league Nicole Smith, AT with the Bathurst Titans, Sara Miller AT, with the Cape-Breton Eagles, Devin Atkin, AT with the Charlottetown Islanders, Samuel Mathieu, AT with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Elizabeth Giguère-Lemieux, AT with the Shawinigan Cataracts and Alexandre Mercier, AT with the Val D’Or Foreurs. Mélanie Landry, AT has moved from Val D’Or and is now the Athletic Therapist for the Halifax Mooseheads. On the equipment side, Benji Newson, EM has joined the Mooseheads, Anastasio Abbandonato, EM has joined the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Charles-Émile Lemelin, EM has joined Phoenix and Dominic Beaudet, EM has joined Val D’Or.
Best of luck to all in your new jobs and enjoy the journey.
Finally, congrats to the St-John Sea Dogs and the city of St-John on being selected to host the 2022 Memorial Cup. Tyler Jay, EM and Jeff Kelly, AT and their staff, will certainly be great hosts.
Have a fun and safe season!