Newcombe, Desruisseaux put trade behind them
SYDNEY — It was two days before Christmas in December 2022 when Jacob Newcombe and Thomas Desruisseaux became linked together in their junior hockey careers.
The Cape Breton Eagles and Chicoutimi Saguenéens completed a deal on Dec. 23 of that year which saw the Eagles acquire Newcombe in a trade for Desruisseaux.
Along with Newcombe, the Eagles also received a secondround pick in 2023 and a first-round pick in 2024. Chicoutimi claimed a first-round pick in 2025 along with Desruisseaux.
It was a trade that worked out for the best for both Newcombe and Desruisseaux, who requested a deal be made before the start of the Christmas trade period.
Newcombe had been a target of the Eagles before the trade period and it brought him back to his home province and closer to his family in Sambro, N.S., just outside of Halifax.
Meanwhile, Desruisseaux would receive more playing time with a rebuilding Saguenéens organization and be back in his home province of Quebec.
Despite the connection between the two players, Newcombe said it’s not something he thinks much about anymore.
“There was an opportunity for me to come closer to home and that’s what I wanted and fortunately it happened and we’re here now,” said the 19-year-old Newcombe, noting he enjoyed his season-and-a-half in Chicoutimi.
“It was a great fit for me and now I focus on playing and that’s it.”
‘A GOOD TRADE’
Like Newcombe, Desruisseaux has moved on from the trade and is only focused on what he can control and that’s his play on the ice.
“It was a good trade for me and for him too probably,” said the 18-year-old Desruisseaux, noting Sydney was a great place for him to begin his junior hockey career.
“I’m excited to get back in Sydney and play with another team against them. I’m just trying to focus on Game 1 and take things one game at a time for now.”
Since the trade, Newcombe has appeared in 62 games during parts of two seasons, scoring 24 goals and 51 points along with 46 penalty minutes and a +12 rating.
The forward missed the first half of the season while undergoing cancer treatment after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system, which is part of the body's germ-fighting immune system.
Newcombe returned to the Eagles lineup on Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Centre 200 on Jan. 18 against the Saguenéens, who drafted him in the seventh round, No. 114 overall at the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft.
In 26 regular season games this season, the six-foot, 202pound Newcombe recorded 11 goals and 24 points. He has two goals and six points in five playoff games, playing on the club’s top line with Cam Squires and Cam MacDonald.
As for Desruisseaux, who was picked No. 13 overall by Cape Breton in 2022, the 18-year-old has appeared in 103 games with Chicoutimi since the deal, recording 23 goals and 91 points along with 34 penalty minutes and a -20 rating.
The six-foot, 163-pound forward played in all 68 regular season games with the Saguenéens in 2023-24, notching career highs in goals (16), assists (44) and points (60).
In four playoff games, the Lévis, Que., product leads Chicoutimi with two goals and eight points while centering the club’s second line with Emmanuel Vermette and Nathan Lecompte.
OLD FRIENDS
During his time with the Saguenéens, Newcombe played with some of the players on the current roster and knows what to expect from the Quebec-based team, despite the clubs only playing twice this season.
“They’re a younger group of guys and they’re a good team,” said Newcombe. “We know what we’re capable of, so we’ll take it one game at a time and adjust if we have to and see how things go.”
Desruisseaux expects his club to continue its strong play after sweeping the Moncton Wildcats in four games in the opening round.
“It’s two great teams and it will be fun to watch and play,” said Desruisseaux. “We worked hard, and we tried to do things simple and that’s why we’re succeeding right now.”
Cape Breton and Chicoutimi played twice in the regular season with the Eagles beating the Saguenéens 3-0 on Jan. 18. Cape Breton also lost to Chicoutimi 5-2 on Feb. 10 in Chicoutimi.
Game 1 of the best-ofseven series between Cape Breton and Chicoutimi will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at Centre 200 in Sydney. Game 2 is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. in Sydney.
As of publication time, less than 50 tickets remained for Game 1 with limited seating available in the upper bowl.
The series will shift to Chicoutimi for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday and Game 5, if necessary, on April 19. Game 6 and 7, if needed, would be played on April 22 and 23 in Sydney.