SYDNEY, N.S. — With the regular season less than a month away, the Cape Breton Eagles officially announced its roster for the 2019-20 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season.
The team will carry 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders.
Overage forwards Shaun Miller, Shaun Boudrias and Derek Gentile of Sydney were part of the 23-man roster announced late Thursday afternoon.
Among the veteran players returning to the club are forwards Ryan Francis, Brooklyn Kalmikov, Liam Kidney, Mathias Laferrière, Félix Lafrance and Egor Sokolov. Cole Fraser, who played with Blainville-Boisbriand last season, will also be part of the team.
On the blue-line, veteran defenders include Kyle Havlena, Adam McCormick and Nathan Larose. The team also added Jarrett Baker of Black Rock, Victoria County, during the offseason in a trade with Drummondville.
William Grimard and Ottawa Senators prospect Kevin Mandolese will make up the team’s goaltending tandem for the second-straight year.
New players to the lineup include Czech Republic import Ivan Ivan as well as forwards David Doucet and Connor Trenholm.
Defensemen Logan Kelly-Murphy, Matthew Lint, Alex Falardeau and Jérémy Langlois will also wear the Eagles colours this season.
Meanwhile, defenceman Antoine Crête-Belzile, 20, remains at home in Quebec City under concussion protocol and it’s unknown if or when he could return to Cape Breton.
Next month, Laferrière (St. Louis), Sokolov (Columbus), Boudrias (Minnesota), Larose (St. Louis) and Mandolese (Ottawa) will attend their respective NHL training camps.
While Mandolese is attending the Senators camp, goaltenders Kenzie MacPhail of Inverness and Jack Cashen of New Waterford will remain with the team but are not on the opening night roster.
In other team news, the club has reassigned 16-year-old defenceman Zach Welsh. The Halifax native will serve as an affiliate player this season.
Cape Breton will open the 2019-20 regular season on Sept. 20 when they travel to Bathurst, N.B., to play the Titan. Game time is 7 p.m. at the K.C. Irving Regional Centre.
ROSTER
2019-20 Cape Breton Eagles
Age in bracket
Forwards:
- Shawn Boudrias (20)
- David Doucet (16)
- Ryan Francis (18)
- Cole Fraser (18)
- Derek Gentile (20)
- Ivan Ivan (17)
- Brooklyn Kalmikov (18)
- Liam Kidney (18)
- Mathias Laferrière (19)
- Félix Lafrance (18)
- Shaun Miller (20)
- Egor Sokolov (19)
- Connor Trenholm (16)
Defensemen:
- Jarrett Baker (19)
- Alex Falardeau (17)
- Kyle Havlena (19)
- Logan Kelly-Murphy (18)
- Matthew Lint (17)
- Adam McCormick (19)
- Nathan Larose (19)
- Jérémy Langlois (16)
Goaltenders:
- Kevin Mandolese (19)
- William Grimard (18)
Note: Defenceman Antoine Crête-Belzile (20) remains in Quebec City under concussion protocol.
MORE ON THE SCREAMING EAGLES:
- Young players impress, earn spots on Cape Breton Eagles roster
- Eagles wrap up pre-season with win over Sea Dogs
MORE ON THE MOOSE:
- Mooseheads' Barron ranked as potential NHL first-rounder
- Mooseheads coach J.J. Daigneault gets back to basics
- Mooseheads close pre-season with loss to Wildcats
A LOOK AT THE CHARLOTTETOWN ISLANDERS:
