| Halifax Mooseheads | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| League | Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | Maritimes |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Home arena | Scotiabank Centre |
| Colours | Green, white, red |
| Owner(s) | Simon Sports[1] |
| General manager | Cam Russell |
| Head coach | Andrew Lord[2] |
| Website | www.halifaxmooseheads.ca |
| Championships | |
| Playoff championships | 2013Memorial Cup Champions 2013QMJHL Champions |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
TheHalifax Mooseheads are a Canadianjunior ice hockey team in theQuebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based inHalifax, Nova Scotia. The team was founded in 1994 and began play in the Dilio Division of the QMJHL for the1994–95 season.[3] They have appeared in thePresident's Cup Finals five times, winning in2013. The other four appearances were in2003,2005,2019 and2023. They hosted theMemorial Cup in2000 and2019 and won the tournament in2013. The team plays their home games at theScotiabank Centre.
The Mooseheads were the first team fromAtlantic Canada to join the QMJHL. With the Mooseheads' success, the QMJHL then expanded to several other east coast cities. The QMJHL's eastward expansion has been credited with elevating the skill level and the career opportunities for hockey talent from the region.[4] In the2018–19 season, three of theNHL's top seven scorers were QMJHL alumni from Halifax; two of them former Mooseheads.[5]
Halifax was home to professionalAmerican Hockey League clubs for 22 seasons; however, in 1993 theQuebec Nordiques-affiliatedHalifax Citadels announced plans to relocate the team. Faced with the loss of its major hockey draw, brewery executive Harold MacKay proposed the city seek aQuebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) franchise.[6] Since its founding in 1969, the QMJHL consisted of almost exclusively Quebec-based teams. Expansion to Atlantic Canada was considered financially unfeasible by QMJHL commissionerGilles Courteau and much of the league's executive committee due to the added travel costs for the existing franchises,[7] but on 17 March 1994, the QMJHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the Halifax application.[8]
MacKay won the financial backing ofMoosehead Breweries president and CEO Derek Oland. The company put up the $500,000 expansion franchise fee and secured the team's naming rights. Nine minority owners included auto dealer John Gwynne-Timothy,[9] fuel company executive Laddie Farquhar,[10] andNational Hockey League playersWendell Young andCam Russell.[11]
The new club then had to create a team in less than six months.[12] MacKay recruited as the team's head coach and general managerClément Jodoin, then an assistant coach with the Quebec Nordiques and a former AHL defenceman who had spent seven seasons in Halifax. He added as an assistant coachShawn MacKenzie, a former professional goaltender and university coach.[9]
With attendance averaging over 3700 per game, the Mooseheads finished theirfirst season with a 24–42–6 record, earning a playoff berth despite finishing 11th overall in the 13-team league. The club lost in the first round, but took the first-placeBeauport Harfangs to seven games.[13] The Mooseheads continued to build over the next couple of seasons, finishing with a winning record and third place in their division in theirthird season. Fan support continued to grow, averaging 5349 during the regular season and reaching 9600 in the playoffs.[14][9] The team reached the President's Cup semi-final for the first time in 1997, losing to theChicoutimi Saguenéens in a seventh game. The club also continued to have success in recruitment, drafting wingerAlex Tanguay, a future NHL all-star and Stanley Cup winner, 20th overall in the 1996 midget draft.[9]
The Mooseheads underwent several changes prior to its fourth season in1997–98. In addition to losing key players such as Shelley, the team's inaugural coach and general manager, Clément Jodoin, moved to an assistant coaching position with theMontreal Canadiens and the club's founder Harold MacKay stepped down as president. The organization recruited Denis Leblanc as general manager andDanny Grant, a former NHL 50-goal scorer and university coach, as the Mooseheads' new coach. The club struggled on the ice, finishing fifth in their division and losing in the first round of the playoffs in five games. Grant was then replaced as coach byBob Mongrain.[9]
Aided by key acquisitions, including goaltendersPascal Leclaire andAleksei Volkov, andSlovakian forwardLadislav Nagy, the team rebounded to second place divisional finishes in1999 and2000, losing in the second round both seasons. Despite limited on-ice success, the Mooseheads still drew many fans; in 1998–99 cumulative attendance topped one million through the regular season and playoffs. It was the key factor in theCanadian Hockey League's awarding the2000 Memorial Cup tournament to Halifax.[15]
Following the four-game sweep to theRimouski Océanic in the second round of the 2000 QMJHL playoffs, and a month before the Memorial Cup tournament was to begin, the club released Mongrain, replacing him with assistant coach Shawn Mackenzie. Led by a 10-point performance byRamzi Abid, the Mooseheads finished the Memorial Cup round-robin with a 2–1 record, but lost in the semi-final to theOntario Hockey League'sBarrie Colts.[9]
Following the team's strong Memorial Cup showing, Mackenzie was awarded the head coaching job to start the2000–01 season, while Marcel Patenaude took over as general manager. After a slow 2–12 start to the season, the team improved and finished the season in first place in the Atlantic Division, only to lose to Rimouski in five games in the first round of the playoffs. A third place-overall finish the next season propelled Halifax into the second round, ending with a six-game second round loss to theCape Breton Screaming Eagles.[9]
In 2002,Sidney Crosby, a skilled forward from the Halifax suburb ofCole Harbour, had attracted media attention from an early age and often played with older teammates. In early 2002, he was 14 and playing triple-A midget hockey when the Mooseheads approached the QMJHL for permission to sign Crosby for the 2002–03 season. The club asked the league to adopt a rule similar to one in theOntario Hockey League allowing an underage player to play a season with his hometown club prior to draft eligibility. The QMJHL board of governors turned down the request.[16]
The2002–03 season became the club's most successful at the time, marking its first appearance in a President's Cup final. With a regular season record of 44–15–10–3, the club secured first place in its division, before sweeping Cape Breton in the first round, then beatingAcadie Bathurst andBaie Comeau each in seven-game series. The team then met theHull Olympiques in the final, taking them to seven games before dropping a 7–2 decision in the deciding game.[9]
The 2002–03 season was also significant as the city of Halifax played host to theWorld Junior Hockey Championship and original majority owner Moosehead Breweries disclosed the company was looking for a buyer for its 64 percent share of the club. Before the start of the2003–04 season, the club announced thatBobby Smith, a Nova Scotia native and former NHL forward and general manager, had become majority owner. The club retained the rights to the Mooseheads' name and logo.[17]
After having brought in several older players for a run at the league championship, the Mooseheads iced a less experienced team for the 2003–04 season. Among players the team lost was the team's then-offensive leader,Brandon Benedict, who retired with a record of 303 points in 343 games played for the Mooseheads. Outscored 194–274 on the season, the team did not qualify for of the playoffs for the first time in its history. In addition, team owner Bobby Smith engaged in a public spat with the management of the club's arena, claiming the Mooseheads' lease was the worst in junior hockey. After threatening to leave for an older, smaller rink, the dispute was resolved after municipal government intervened.[18]
The Mooseheads team that began the2004–05 season was much improved over the previous year, going into the Christmas break eight games over .500, although the team was often undisciplined and plagued by suspensions. Among them was an eight-game suspension of wingerFrédérik Cabana for a knee-on-knee hit that sidelined Rimouski's Sidney Crosby for two weeks. In response, Smith fired coach Shawn MacKenzie, replacing him with a former NHL linemate,Al MacAdam. Under MacAdam, the team ended the season in first place in their division and moving on to the league final for the second time in three seasons. The season came to an end when the Oceanic and Crosby swept the Mooseheads in the final.[9]
MacAdam returned as coach again in2005–06, and the Mooseheads finished fifth in their division, while advancing to the second round of the playoffs. MacAdam then retired and was replaced by assistant coachCam Russell, who was also a part owner of the club and 10-year NHL defenceman.[19]
Russell's best season as coach saw the club advance to the2007–08 semi-finals, before losing in four games to the Olympiques. The next two seasons had the club finish out of the playoffs and in last place in their division.2009–10 was the worst season in the team's history, finishing with just 13 wins and a .191 record while Russell insisted it was setting the stage for a complete team rebuild. The club went into the 2010 and 2011 QMJHL midget drafts and CHL import drafts with a number of early round picks.[20] A few games into the2010–11 season, Russell stepped away from the bench to become the club's full-time general manager, with Bobby Smith taking over the head coach's role.[21]
In 2011,Nathan MacKinnon, a fast-skating forward fromDartmouth and had developed his skills in the Cole Harbour minor hockey system like Sidney Crosby, was attracting media attention. MacKinnon was also a life-long Mooseheads fan; his family were season tickets holders and had billeted several Mooseheads' players. After failing to land Crosby nine years earlier, the club was determined to add MacKinnon to the Mooseheads roster, however,Baie Comeau Drakkar held the first pick in the June 2011 QMJHL midget draft. The Drakkar chose to select him, despite MacKinnon's signalling he would choose to play in the United States rather than sign with Baie Comeau.[22] Five weeks later, the Drakkar agreed to trade MacKinnon to Halifax in exchange for two top forwards and three consecutive first round draft picks.[23]
The results of Russell's strategic rebuilding program were evident in the2011–12 season, but coincided with a new coach.Dominique Ducharme was a former junior AAA head coach and QMJHL assistant coach. A trade with theRouyn-Noranda Huskies netted them the second pick overall in the 2011 midget draft, allowing the Mooseheads to select highly ranked centreJonathan Drouin. With the eleventh pick, the club chose Montreal goaltenderZachary Fucale.[24] In the 2010 import draft, the club had acquired Czech power forwardMartin Frk.[25]
The2012–13 Mooseheads season then became the most successful in the franchise's history. They finished the season atop all teams in theCanadian Hockey League with just six regulation losses and a .882 record, outscoring their opposition 347–176. Anchored by Drouin and MacKinnon, the team had seven players with a plus-40 rating or better, as well as a defence led by German importKonrad Abeltshauser. In the playoffs, the team improved its winning record to .941, sweeping three rounds before losing one game to Baie Comeau in the final en route to a home ice President's Cup win.[26]
The Mooseheads then went on to compete in the2013 Memorial Cup inSaskatoon,Saskatchewan. After finishing the round-robin with a 2–1 record, they faced and defeated thePortland Winterhawks in the tournament final by a score of 6–4. Nathan MacKinnon recorded two hat-tricks during the tournament, including one in the championship game. It marked the third straight Memorial Cup championship for the QMJHL.[27]
In the2013 NHL Entry Draft, four members of the Mooseheads were selected, including MacKinnon at #1, Drouin at #3 and Fucale as the top goalie, at #36 overall.[28]
The2013–14 was also successful. While MacKinnon had departed for theColorado Avalanche, Drouin and Fucale both returned to the Mooseheads lineup, and the club added a couple of star forwards by way of the 2013 import draft,Nikolaj Ehlers andTimo Meier.[29]
The club found itself in a rebuilding mode once again in the2014–15 season. With the departure of more Memorial Cup veterans including Fucale and Drouin, Ehlers and Meier became the team leaders. After a fourth-place divisional finish, the team upset favouredShawinigan Cataractes in the first playoff round, before falling to theMoncton Wildcats in seven games.[30]
The following season saw the club fall back into losing territory, recording only 21 wins and finishing out of the playoffs in sixth place in the Maritimes division. The Ducharme era came to a close, with the coach moving to theDrummondville Voltigeurs before taking on the role of head coach of theCanada national junior team.[31] In May, the club signed a five-year deal with former NHL assistant coachAndre Tourigny to take over as head coach.[32] While the team showed improvement in2016–17, finishing in fifth place, they were ousted by Rouyn-Noranda 2–4 in the opening round of the playoffs. Tourigny then departed for the OHL at the end of the season.[33]
The Mooseheads made history at the 2016 QMJHL draft by being the first team to have the first and second overall picks when they selected highly touted prospectsBenoit-Olivier Groulx andTruro'sJared McIsaac.[34]
As the2017–18 season approached, Smith and Russell were already looking forward to the club's 25th anniversary season. At the centre of their plans was a bid for the2019 Memorial Cup tournament and to make sure the Mooseheads were legitimate contenders for a second national junior title. The CHL announced in May 2018 that Halifax had won the right to host the event, beating out a rival proposal from Moncton.[35] Among the commitments made by Halifax was a promise to keep ticket prices affordable after high prices in previous tournaments were blamed for empty seats. The club set the cost of tournament passes for season ticket holders at $320, less than half the price of passes at the2018 tournament inRegina.[36]
The Mooseheads began the season by moving offices, training, and practice facilities to the RBC Centre, a new $43 million four-pad arena in Dartmouth.[37]
Assistant coach Jim Midgley took over the head coaching duties for the 2017–18 season, looking for improved results from the returning Olivier-Groulx and MacIsaac, along with goaltenderAlexis Gravel and veteran Max Fortier. While import starNico Hischier had departed after one season, selected first overall by theNew Jersey Devils in the2017 NHL Entry Draft, the club had signed another top Czech prospect,Filip Zadina.[38]
The club began its25th anniversary year with another coaching change.Éric Veilleux was a former NHL forward and AHL head coach who had led theShawinigan Cataractes to a Memorial Cup crown in 2012 and only had one losing season in nine years as a head coach in major junior.[39]
The team then traded for veteran players, includingAntoine Morand andSamuel Asselin from the reigning Memorial Cup championAcadie-Bathurst Titan, andBridgewater, Nova Scotia, nativeKeith Getson from theCharlottetown Islanders. The team finished the season with its second-best all-time record at 49 wins and a .750 points percentage, good for first place in the Maritimes Division. After a seven-game, come-from-behind win over Quebec in the first round, the Mooseheads swept theMoncton Wildcats in four straight, then beat Drummondville in six games in a semi-final matchup. The Mooseheads were led by the production of NHL draft prospectRaphaël Lavoie, who led the league in playoff scoring with 20 goals. In the final, the Mooseheads faced the league-leading Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, a team that had finished the regular season with 59 wins and had lost only two playoff games. The Huskies won the final in six games, hoisting the President's Cup on Halifax ice.[40]
The two teams met again in the Memorial Cup tournament: the Huskies as QMJHL champions with the Mooseheads qualifying as hosts. The Mooseheads advanced with a bye to the championship game following a 2–1 record and first-place finish in the round-robin with their lone loss coming against the Huskies. The Huskies then also advanced to the final and defeated the Mooseheads again by a score of 4–2.[41] Following the season, head coach Veilleux left the team for a position with theSyracuse Crunch of theAmerican Hockey League.[42]
* = Interim head coach
List of retired numbers from 1994 to present.[49]
Honorary
The following players have played in at least oneNational Hockey League (NHL) game as of the2023-24 season:[50]
List of first round selections in theNHL Entry Draft:[51]
| Year | # | Player | Nationality | NHL team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 13 | Jean-Sébastien Giguère (G) |  Canada | Hartford Whalers |
| 1998 | 12 | Alex Tanguay (C) | Canada | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2001 | 8 | Pascal Leclaire (G) | Canada | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 2007 | 7 | Jakub Voracek (RW) |  Czech Republic | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 2007 | 19 | Logan MacMillan (C) | Canada | Anaheim Ducks |
| 2013 | 1 | Nathan MacKinnon (C) | Canada | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2013 | 3 | Jonathan Drouin (LW) | Canada | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2014 | 9 | Nikolaj Ehlers (LW) |  Denmark | Winnipeg Jets |
| 2015 | 9 | Timo Meier (RW) |  Switzerland | San Jose Sharks |
| 2017 | 1 | Nico Hischier (C) | Switzerland | New Jersey Devils |
| 2018 | 6 | Filip Zadina (RW) | Czech Republic | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2020 | 25 | Justin Barron (D) | Canada | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2021 | 27 | Zachary L'Heureux (LW) | Canada | Nashville Predators |
The club marked its first quarter century in2018–19, by naming the Mooseheads' all-time, all-star team. Members were chosen by fan ballot from a shortlist of 100 names.[52]
QMJHL season standings.[53]
OTL = Overtime loss,SL = Shootout loss
| Season | GP | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | SOL | Points | Pts % | GF | GA | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 72 | 24 | 42 | 6 | — | — | 54 | 0.375 | 257 | 317 | 6th in Dilio Division |
| 1995–96 | 70 | 32 | 36 | 2 | — | — | 66 | 0.471 | 258 | 262 | 4th in Dilio Division |
| 1996–97 | 70 | 37 | 29 | 4 | — | — | 78 | 0.557 | 267 | 255 | 3rd in Dilio Division |
| 1997–98 | 70 | 24 | 41 | 5 | — | — | 53 | 0.379 | 263 | 316 | 5th in Dilio Division |
| 1998–99 | 70 | 46 | 20 | 4 | — | — | 96 | 0.686 | 298 | 206 | 2nd in Dilio Division |
| 1999–2000 | 72 | 41 | 20 | 6 | 5 | — | 93 | 0.611 | 316 | 259 | 2nd in Maritimes Division |
| 2000–01 | 72 | 32 | 24 | 10 | 6 | — | 80 | 0.514 | 235 | 253 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
| 2001–02 | 72 | 39 | 21 | 9 | 3 | — | 90 | 0.604 | 267 | 197 | 2nd in Maritimes Division |
| 2002–03 | 72 | 44 | 15 | 10 | 3 | — | 101 | 0.681 | 289 | 206 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
| 2003–04 | 70 | 17 | 43 | 7 | 3 | — | 44 | 0.293 | 194 | 274 | 4th in Atlantic Division |
| 2004–05 | 70 | 42 | 16 | 10 | 2 | — | 96 | 0.671 | 242 | 172 | 1st in Atlantic Division |
| 2005–06 | 70 | 35 | 33 | — | 1 | 1 | 72 | 0.507 | 246 | 258 | 5th in East Division |
| 2006–07 | 70 | 32 | 31 | — | 3 | 4 | 71 | 0.457 | 269 | 287 | 6th in East Division |
| 2007–08 | 70 | 42 | 23 | — | 6 | 2 | 89 | 0.600 | 278 | 241 | 1st in East Division |
| 2008–09 | 68 | 19 | 41 | — | 3 | 5 | 46 | 0.279 | 193 | 290 | 6th in Atlantic Division |
| 2009–10 | 68 | 13 | 48 | — | 3 | 4 | 33 | 0.191 | 171 | 288 | 6th in Atlantic Division |
| 2010–11 | 68 | 20 | 43 | — | 2 | 3 | 45 | 0.331 | 186 | 262 | 5th in Maritimes Division |
| 2011–12 | 68 | 39 | 22 | — | 2 | 5 | 85 | 0.625 | 250 | 238 | 2nd in Maritimes Division |
| 2012–13 | 68 | 58 | 6 | — | 3 | 1 | 120 | 0.882 | 347 | 176 | 1st in Telus Maritimes Division |
| 2013–14 | 68 | 47 | 18 | — | — | 3 | 97 | 0.713 | 292 | 182 | 1st in Telus Maritimes Division |
| 2014–15 | 68 | 32 | 30 | — | 4 | 2 | 70 | 0.515 | 227 | 242 | 4th in Maritimes Division |
| 2015–16 | 68 | 21 | 39 | — | 7 | 1 | 50 | 0.345 | 193 | 277 | 6th in Maritimes Division |
| 2016–17 | 68 | 27 | 35 | — | 3 | 3 | 60 | 0.441 | 229 | 259 | 5th in Maritimes Division |
| 2017–18 | 68 | 43 | 18 | — | 6 | 1 | 93 | 0.684 | 270 | 223 | 2nd in Maritimes Division |
| 2018–19 | 68 | 49 | 15 | — | 2 | 2 | 102 | 0.750 | 300 | 164 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
| 2019–20 | 63 | 20 | 38 | — | 3 | 2 | 45 | 0.357 | 170 | 263 | 5th in Maritimes Division |
| 2020–21 | 43 | 15 | 19 | — | 5 | 4 | 39 | 0.453 | 152 | 183 | 4th in Maritimes Division |
| 2021–22 | 68 | 38 | 28 | — | 1 | 1 | 78 | 0.574 | 272 | 272 | 4th in Maritimes Division |
| 2022–23 | 68 | 50 | 11 | — | 4 | 3 | 107 | 0.787 | 335 | 196 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
| 2023–24 | 68 | 42 | 18 | — | 7 | 1 | 92 | 0.676 | 227 | 184 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
1 Due to local travel restrictions, all Nova Scotia-based teams were deemed ineligible to compete in the playoffs. Three New Brunswick-based teams competed in a six-gameround-robin tournament to determine who would face theCharlottetown Islanders in the Maritimes Division final.[54][55]
TheMemorial Cup is contested annually by the champions of theOntario Hockey League (OHL),Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), andWestern Hockey League (WHL), as well as a predetermined host team. The competition consists of around-robin, a semifinal game, and a final game. Below are the results of every game the Halifax Mooseheads have competed in.
| Year | Round-robin | Semifinal | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000[a] | W, 5–2Barrie Colts W, 7–1Kootenay Ice L, 3–5Rimouski Océanic | L, 3–6Barrie Colts | |
| 2013 | W, 7–4Portland Winterhawks L, 2–5Saskatoon Blades W, 9–2London Knights | Bye | W, 6–4Portland Winterhawks |
| 2019[a] | W, 4–1Prince Albert Raiders W, 4–2Guelph Storm L, 3–4Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | Bye | L, 2–4Rouyn-Noranda Huskies |
| Team records for a single season[56][57] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistic | Total | Season |
| Most points | 120 | 2012–13 |
| Most wins | 58 | 2012–13 |
| Fewest points | 33 | 2009–10 |
| Fewest wins | 13 | 2009–10 |
| Most goals for | 347 | 2012–13 |
| Fewest goals for | 171 | 2009-10 |
| Fewest goals against | 164 | 2018–19 |
| Most goals against | 317 | 1994–95 |
| Highest average attendance | 8686 | 2012–13 |
| Lowest average attendance | 3768 | 1994–95 |
| Individual player records for a single season[58][59] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistic | Player | Total | Season |
| Most goals | Ladislav Nagy | 71 | 1998–99 |
| Most assists | Jordan Dumais | 86 | 2022–23 |
| Most points | Jordan Dumais | 140 | 2022–23 |
| Most points, rookie | Ladislav Nagy | 126 | 1998–99 |
| Most points, defenceman | Jasmin Gelinas | 87 | 1999-2000 |
| Most goals, defenceman | Mario Dumoulin | 23 | 1998–99 |
| Most penalty minutes | Carlyle Lewis | 425 | 1998–99 |
| Best GAA,[a] goaltender | Zachary Fucale | 2.26 | 2013–14 |
| Most shutouts, goaltender | Zachary Fucale | 6 | 2013–14 |
| Plus/Minus | Nikolaj Ehlers | +65 | 2013–14 |
Sports teams based in Nova Scotia | ||
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| U Sports | ||
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