Blogs from the Broadcast Booth

The teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League are now in the final third of regular season play with the top teams gearing for a run at the League championship. The Moncton Wildcats are one of at least five teams considered to have a chance to hoist the Presidents Cup in mid May.

Despite a first half filled with injuries, the Wildcats, with dogged determination and extraordinary hard work, kept themselves in contention. In many games prior to the Christmas break, the Cats played with as many as seven of their regular line-up being scratched due to a variety of injuries.

Then on December 17th, 2009, the fortunes of the Wildcats took a decided turn for the better. The team announced the return of Nicola Riopel, the outstanding goaltender who last year captured the Q’s MVP award. Rio had been drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in June but was sent back to Major Junior Hockey for more seasoning. He brings talent, experience and a winning attitude to the Cats.

In an interview with me, after the trading period ended, Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach Danny Flynn told me, Rio’s returned signified the beginning of a change in the plans of the team for this season. The Wildcats organization had been expected to have a clear shot at the league title next year but the return of an outstanding netminder, set in motion a whole new series of thoughts about this season.

With the strongest defensive corps in the Q again this year, the decision makers in the organization had to consider a number of possibilities. What if David Savard, Mark Barberio and high ranked draft pick Brandon Gormley made it to the pros next season. That would leave the blueline of the Wildcats in serious jeopardy.

So the race was on. The trade period brought several major moves to strengthen the Wildcats offensively and make them a legitimate contender this year. Gabriel Bourque of Baie-Comeau was the first acquisition, an outstanding two way player who had made it to the Team Canada National Junior team. Then came Nicolas Deschamps, captain of the Chicoutimi Sageueens who scored his first goal for the Wildcats, 19 seconds into his first shift, prompting coach Flynn to ask, “What took you so long?”
In the final hours of the trading period, Kelsey Tessier, another great two way player was acquired from Quebec. Flynn got Newfoundland native Alex Wall from the Montreal Junior and Tyler Metcalfe from Halifax to add even more depth to on defense.

With Kirill Kabanov expected back in the line up in mid-February and Simon Jodoin returning from a shoulder injury, in my opinion the Wildcats are a stronger team than the group that took them to the Memorial Cup final four years ago.


Danny Flynn has said there’s a difference assembling talent and assembling a team. I’m convinced a winning team will be assembled. It’s fair to ask why I say that. A few days ago I was watching the Cats wrap-up a tough practice. At the end of the 90 minute workout, the players gathered by their bench and let loose an ear splitting cheer. I had not heard that since the spring of 2006. Call it chemistry, call it team unity, call it determination, for me it’s called a winning spirit. That’s what exists with the Moncton Wildcats and the proof will be evident in May.