Eagles wanted MacIntyre; Mahar chooses NCAA

SYDNEY — Cape Breton Eagles general manager Jacques Carrière says the team were interested in drafting a Cape Breton forward at the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft last weekend.

Carrière told the Cape Breton Post the Sydneybased organization was hoping to draft Sydney Mitsubishi Rush forward Drew MacIntyre in the fifth-round of the draft.

“We were looking at him (MacIntyre) with our first pick in the fifth-round, but we weren't able to do it because we needed a defenceman — we had taken goalies and forwards before that,” said Carrière.

MacIntyre was later drafted by the Shawinigan Cataractes in the fifth-round, No. 88 overall, after acquiring the draft pick in a deal with the Saint John Sea Dogs minutes before.

The Eagles were slated to pick at No. 89 and ultimately took defenceman Jacob Long after the Cataractes selected MacIntyre.

“Shawinigan came and positioned themselves right in front of us via trade, so they probably figured that we were on him,” said Carrière.

Meanwhile, Carrière also spoke about Rush forward Nick Mahar.

According to Carrière, the Eagles interviewed Mahar prior to the draft and at that time he informed the QMJHL team of his intentions to play NCAA.

Carrière said the Eagles were willing to draft Mahar or invite him to the team's training camp prior to hearing he was pursuing the NCAA.

“We didn't take him and that's the reason we're not going to invite him to camp because he told us he was going to go NCAA,” said the second-year GM.

Cape Breton drafted 17 players at the QMJHL Entry Draft last weekend including local players Liam Trenholm of Port Hood and Reese Allen of South Bar.

Because of COVID-19 protocols, it's unknown when the team will hold its training camp for the 2020-21 season.