The Halifax Mooseheads have defied the chances early on within the 2024-25 Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) season after a profitable highway journey with 4 wins and one loss as they put together to return to Halifax for his or her dwelling opener versus their rival Quebec Remparts.
After opening the season with 4 consecutive wins, Halifax had their excellent report snapped by the Charlottetown Islanders to finish their highway journey.
Mooseheads’s Quick Begin
New head coach Andrew Lord, in his first season with the membership, arrived in Halifax after teaching in Wales with the Cardiff Devils and in South Carolina with the ECHL Greenville Swamp Rabbits. He has inherited a younger retooling workforce that opened the season with eight rookies.
Associated: Halifax Mooseheads Retool for 2024-25 Season
Headlining the rookie class is Daniel Walters, who was chosen 11th general by his hometown Mooseheads in June. Normal supervisor Cam Russell’s first main splash in his retool plan was a commerce that despatched the reigning QMJHL MVP Mathieu Cataford to the 2025 Memorial Cup hosts, Rimouski Oceanic, for a large haul that included first-round picks in 2024 (eleventh general – now Walters) and 2026 together with second-round picks in 2024 (thirty fourth general – ahead Caylen Blake) and 2026 and a 2024 third-rounder (forty eighth general).
Lord’s lineup ranks eleventh in age with a median of 17.9 years previous. It is because the workforce is holding onto the utmost variety of over-agers doable, which is an effective stability with the various rookies, and including one other six sophomore gamers who nonetheless require steerage. One other hurdle Lord will face this season is that Halifax has one of many smallest groups bodily. Lord gained’t use this as an excuse. As an alternative, he has spent coaching camp and pre-season rallying the workforce round workforce play but additionally with a singular focus: to win.
“I simply suppose it offers an excuse, proper? (Rebuilding workforce). I imply, we have now to go in, and our mindset needs to be to win each sport. There’s no level in serious about our age or, , what excuses there could possibly be.”
Mooseheads head coach, Andrew Lord
Within the first 5 video games, Lord has seen enchancment on particular groups. The facility play (PP) sits at 25%, good for 10th general and almost a full proportion level above the 2023-24 success fee of 24.1%. In the meantime, the penalty kill (PK) has gone from 88.1% to 88.9%, which ranks second within the QMJHL. They’ve additionally been profitable at five-on-five with the seventh-ranked offence with 17 targets for and the third-ranked protection with 9 targets in opposition to.
These constructive outcomes haven’t gone unnoticed because the Mooseheads have been capturing up within the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) Energy Rankings, now sitting at sixth. Regardless of dropping a number of key expertise throughout the low season, Halifax is proving they’re nonetheless a drive within the QMJHL.
Mooseheads’ New Core
The retool means a major shift within the core group. The Mooseheads will rely closely on their veterans till the rookies start to really feel assured of their sport. Nonetheless, the largest contributor, and maybe the important thing to the season, would be the stellar play in aim by 20-year-old Mathis Rousseau. His 1.47 goals-against common and .947 save proportion not solely make the workforce aggressive, however he gives them with a security internet. His athleticism permits him to make spectacular saves and canopy up any defects within the workforce’s defensive sport. This can purchase Lord the time for his workforce to settle into his defensive system.
Walters has one aim and two assists in his first 5 video games whereas taking part in on the workforce’s second line. There are excessive expectations for this younger participant as he boasts terrific measurement for his age at 6 ft and 183 kilos. Thus far, he has lived as much as his popularity as a real two-way ahead with a really excessive and constant compete degree. His efficiency within the faceoff circle has proven flashes of brilliance, however will work on his consistency on this space. He has additionally proven he has good arms and talent to make performs in tight areas in addition to sturdy defensive play, all abilities that can serve Halifax nicely this season.
Now Halifax will head again dwelling, eat home-cooked meals, and for the primary time, play in entrance of their 10,000-plus followers who’re able to welcome again the QMJHL-leading workforce. They’ll put their 4-1 report on the road for his or her dwelling opener after they face off in opposition to the Remparts de Quebec who gained the QMJHL title on the Scotiabank Middle in Halifax two seasons in the past.