In the hockey system
Cape Breton Eagles prospect update for 2020-21 season
SYDNEY — Despite the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, some Cape Breton Eagles prospects were able to have a hockey season in 2020-21 either at the under-18 major or junior ‘A’ levels.
Sixteen of the team’s prospects from the 2019 and 2020 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft and American Draft have seen game action this season with the majority being in Atlantic Canada.
Here’s how the Eagles’ prospects have fared during the 2020-21 campaign.
2019 DRAFT PICKS
(Not playing major junior)
• Kenzie MacPhail — Sixthround pick, No. 102 overall. The Inverness product earned a spot on the Maritime Junior Hockey League’s Miramichi Timberwolves. The 17-yearold goaltender appeared in nine games with the club during the regular season, posting a 4-3-0-0 record with a 2.94 goals-against-average and a .899 save percentage.
• Blake Deacon — Ninthround pick, No. 148 overall. A five-foot-10, 165-pound forward, Deacon appeared in 29 games with the Maritime Junior Hockey League’s Valley Wildcats, scoring three goals and 11 points. The Port Williams, Kings County product is 19 years old.
• Jacob Christie — Ninthround pick, No. 156 overall. The 19-year-old defenceman suited up for the Truro Bearcats of the Maritime Junior Hockey League. Christie recorded four assists and 29 penalty minutes in 26 games. He also appeared in three games with the Eagles in 2020-21.
• Alex Cormier — 10thround pick, No. 174 overall. A product of Dieppe, N.B., Cormier was a member of the Grand Falls Rapids of the Maritime Junior Hockey League. The 18-year-old forward had two goals and two penalty minutes in eight games.
• Tanner Greatorex — 12th-round pick, No. 210 overall. The Truro product played for his hometown Truro Bearcats. In his rookie campaign with the team, the 18-year-old defenceman had a goal and five points in 30 games. He also dressed for two games with the Eagles during the season.
• Kian Bell — 13th-round pick, No. 228 overall. The Fall River forward was one of the more impressive Eagles prospects during the 202021 season. The 17-year-old played with the Steele Subaru Majors of Dartmouth in the Nova Scotia Under-18 Major Hockey League, finishing third in the league in points (45) with a league-leading 29 goals and 16 assists. He was also named the league’s most valuable player.
• Jack Cashen — 14thround pick, No. 246 overall. A goaltender from New Waterford, Cashen appeared in nine games with the Sydney Mitsubishi Rush last season and had a 4-5-0-0 record with a 4.70 goals-against-average and an .847 save percentage. He left the team for the final month of the season for undisclosed reasons.
• Luke Holyfield – Secondround pick, No. 30 overall at QMJHL American Draft. The Cromwell, Conn., product was able to see some playing time in 2020-21. He played two games with the Connecticut Chiefs of the Eastern Hockey League, notching a goal and three points.
Note: Prospects Bodie Nobes, Mathis Demers, Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Conor Sullivan have not played any games this season.
2020 DRAFT PICKS
(Not playing major junior)
• Colby Huggan — Thirdround pick, No. 48 overall. A Charlottetown forward, Huggan dressed for the Charlottetown Knights of the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Under-18 Major Hockey League. In eight games, the 16-year-old had three goals and 13 points. He captured the Island Cup with the Knights to claim the P.E.I. under-18 major championship.
• Jacob Long — Fifthround pick, No. 89 overall. The 16-year-old defenceman, who didn’t attend the Eagles camp last season due to COVID-19 protocols, had a successful season with the Fredericton Caps of the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Under-18 Major Hockey League, recording three goals and 14 points in 14 games. He finished first among defencemen in the league in points.
• Kiefer Lyons — Fifthround pick, No. 91 overall. Like Bell in Nova Scotia, Lyons also had an impressive season in the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Under-18 Major Hockey League. In 17 games with the Saint John Vitos, the 17-yearold forward had 23 goals and 32 points with 24 penalty minutes. He also played one game with the Campbellton Tigers of the Maritime Junior Hockey League.
• Matheas Elles — Sixthround pick, No. 109 overall. A 17-year-old defenceman, Elles suited up for the Halifax McDonald’s of the Nova Scotia Under-18 Major Hockey League. In 28 games, the Halifax product had three goals and 16 points with 26 penalty minutes.
• Noah Comeau — Ninthround pick, No. 163 overall. A Dartmouth defenceman, Comeau was a member of the Cole Harbour Wolfpack of the Nova Scotia Under-18 Major Hockey League. The 16-year-old had two goals and 13 points in 26 games.
• Nolan Stewart — 10thround pick, No. 181 overall. The 16-year-old was a teammate of Huggan’s during the 2020-21 season. In eight games with the Charlottetown Knights, the forward had two goals and three points with 22 penalty minutes.
• Noah Harvey — 11thround pick, No. 199 overall. The goaltender had a winning record with the Steele Subaru Majors of the Nova Scotia Under-18 Major Hockey League, posting eight wins and six losses with a 2.61 goals-against-average and a .907 save percentage.
• Liam Trenholm — 12thround pick, No. 216. The Port Hood native appeared in his second season with the Cape Breton West Islanders of the Nova Scotia Under-18 Major Hockey League. In 27 games, the 16-year-old defenceman had seven goals and 11 points with 82 penalty minutes.
• Reese Allen — 13thround pick, No. 235 overall. A 17-year-old forward, Allen had a strong season with the Sydney Mitsubishi Rush of the Nova Scotia Under-18 Major Hockey League. In 29 games, the South Bar product had 10 goals and 24 points with 64 penalty minutes. He also had two goals in four playoff games.
• Connor Welsh — Firstround pick, No. 15 overall at QMJHL American Draft. The 17-year-old forward played 11 games with the Mid Fairfield Rangers Under-16 team in Connecticut, posting nine goals and 16 points. He also played one game with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League and had a -1 rating.
• Beanie Richter — Secondround pick, No. 33 overall at QMJHL American Draft. The son of former NHLer Mike Richter played one game with the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League. He had no points in the game.
Note: Nicolas Hogue, Olivier Houde, Kevin McKenna and Connor Welsh have not played any games this season.