The Kensington Wild will have the shortest trip to Membertou for the 2024 TELUS Cup, but they’ve come an awfully long way to get there.

The post-pandemic years have been tough on the Wild, who won just 18 of 73 regular-season games across three seasons from 2020-23 and suffered a pair of playoff sweeps at the hands of the Charlottetown Knights (there was no postseason in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign).

But then came 2023-24.

Kensington finished second in the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island U18 Major Hockey League (NBPEIU18MHL) and led the league in goal scoring, earning almost as many wins before the calendar turned to 2024 (13) as it did the previous two full seasons (17).

The Wild got their revenge on Charlottetown in the P.E.I. final, sweeping aside the Knights in four straight, and cruised through the Atlantic Regional with four wins and an overtime loss, capped by a 10-0 romp over the Halifax Macs in the regional final.

Ethan Dickson led the charge offensively, sitting atop the NBPEIU18MHL scoring chart with league-leading totals in goals (31), assists (44) and points (75), 20 points more than the next-highest scorer and 26 more than any other Wild skater. Between the pipes, George Gallant fashioned a league-best .929 save percentage across 17 appearances.

It’s the first time a team from Prince Edward Island has won the Atlantic championship since 2004, and the first time a team from Kensington will play for Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship since 1976.

HOW THEY GOT TO MEMBERTOU

New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island U18 Major Hockey League
P.E.I. final: defeated Charlottetown Knights 4-0 (5-1, 5-4, 6-1, 6-2)

Atlantic Regional
Preliminary round: 1st place – defeated Halifax Macs 3-2, lost to Dartmouth Majors 2-1 OT, defeated Moncton Flyers 6-2, defeated Pinnacle Growlers 7-0
Final: defeated Halifax Macs 10-0

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 21-10-4 (2nd in NBPEIU18MHL)
Goals for: 180 (1st in NBPEIU18MHL)
Goals against: 120 (2nd in NBPEIU18MHL)
Longest winning streak: 5 (Sept. 23-Oct. 14)
Top 3 scorers:
- Ethan Dickson – 31G 44A 75P (1st in NBPEIU18MHL)
- Liam Arsenault – 15G 34A 49P (4th in NBPEIU18MHL)
- Eddy Doyle – 15G 23A 38P (11th in NBPEIU18MHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 8-1
Goals for: 49
Goals against: 14
Top 3 scorers:
- Ethan Dickson – 9G 13A 22P
- Liam Arsenault – 9G 5A 14P
- Derek Andrews – 4G 8A 12P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

1976 – Kensington | 13th place | 0-6-0 | 4GF 47GA

QMJHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Eddy Doyle – Halifax Mooseheads 2023 (4th round, 75th overall)
Michael Arsenault –Drummondville Voltigeurs 2022 (6th round, 102nd overall)
Ethan Dickson –Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2022 (13th round, 234th overall)

It’s not often an overtime loss in a mid-November game is notable.

But when that’s the only blemish on your record through the regular season and playoffs, it bears mentioning.

The Brandon Wheat Kings were simply dominant in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League (MBU18AAAHL) this season, posting a record of 43 wins and an overtime loss while outscoring opponents by an otherworldly 270-82 (the next-best totals were 193 GF and 120 GA).

Their run to the TELUS Cup – their first appearance since winning it all in 2004 – included a streak of 42 consecutive victories after that Nov. 10 loss to the Southwest Cougars, before the Wheat Kings dropped a meaningless game to the Thunder Bay Kings to close out the preliminary round at the West Regional, their place in the regional final already secured.

They were challenged in that final by the defending champion Saskatoon Blazers, but an overtime goal from Brady Turko sent the Wheat Kings to Membertou with a 1-0 win.

Turko was the trigger man all season long for Brandon, scoring 41 goals in 41 games during the regular season before adding 13 in 13 playoff contests. He rode shotgun alongside Jaxon Jacobson, the No. 5 pick by Brandon in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, who put up 106 points (37-69—106) in 35 games.

But let’s not forget the guys at the other end of the ice. Matthew Michta and Burke Hood have split the goaltending duties right down the middle, with both posting sub-2.00 goals-against averages in the regular season and a combined six shutouts.

Brandon will look to end a dry spell for its region. The most successful region in tournament history (with 17 national titles since 1984), West teams have only one gold medal (and one gold medal game appearance) in the last seven tournaments, by Notre Dame in 2018.

HOW THEY GOT TO MEMBERTOU

Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League
Quarterfinal: defeated Eastman Selects 3-0 (10-2, 7-0, 9-2)
Semifinal: defeated Pembina Valley Hawks 3-0 (6-1, 4-1, 4-2)
Final: defeated Winnipeg Wild 3-0 (5-2, 4-1, 4-3 OT)

West Regional
Preliminary round: 1st place – defeated Saskatoon Blazers 4-1, defeated Winnipeg Wild 3-1, lost to Thunder Bay Kings 5-3
Final: defeated Saskatoon Blazers 1-0 OT

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 43-0-1 (1st in MBU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 270 (1st in MBU18AAAHL)
Goals against: 82 (1st in MBU18AAAHL)
Longest winning streak: 31 (Nov. 11-Feb. 25)
Top 3 scorers:
- Jaxon Jacobson – 37G 69A 106P (1st in MBU18AAAHL)
- Brady Turko – 41G 49A 90P (2nd in MBU18AAAHL)
- Ethan Stewart – 29G 35A 64P (3rd in MBU18AAAHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 12-1
Goals for: 64
Goals against: 21
Top 3 scorers:
- Jaxon Jacobson – 12G 16A 28P
- Brady Turko – 13G 13A 26P
- Colten Worthington – 9G 7A 16P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2004 – Brandon Wheat Kings | gold medal | 4-2-1 | 26GF 20GA
1994 – Brandon Wheat Kings | 6th place | 0-5-0 | 11GF 25GA
1980 – Brandon | 9th place | 1-4-0 | 13GF 23GA

WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Jaxon Jacobson – Brandon Wheat Kings 2023 (1st round, 5th overall)
Easton Odut – Brandon Wheat Kings 2022 (2nd round, 34th overall)
Nolan Saunderson – Spokane Chiefs 2023 (5th round, 90th overall)
Brady Turko – Brandon Wheat Kings 2022 (5th round, 97th overall)
Burke Hood – Vancouver Giants 2022 (6th round, 119th overall)
Kaeson Fisher – Everett Silvertips 2022 (6th round, 124th overall)
Owen Wallace – Prince Albert Raiders 2021 (7th round, 138th overall)
Jonah Lemoine – Prince Albert Raiders 2023 (9th round, 178th overall)
Colten Worthington – Saskatoon Blades 2022 (11th round, 233rd overall)
Grady Taylor – Lethbridge Hurricanes 2023 (13th round, 278th overall)

Defence wins championships, but that doesn’t mean you can sleep on the Calgary Buffaloes in the offensive end.

The Buffaloes allowed less than three goals a game in the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) regular season and gave up only 25 in 12 playoff games, capped by a shutout of the Vancouver NE Chiefs – a team that averaged almost six goals a game in its run to the B.C. title – in the deciding Game 2 of the Pacific Regional.

But again, let’s not forget what Calgary can do with the puck.

The Buffaloes paced the AEHL with 199 goals in 38 games, scoring 29 – almost a goal a game – more than second-best St. Albert. Cooper Williams and Caleb Matthews were the dynamic duo up front; Williams’ 29 goals led the league, while Matthews topped the loop with 50 assists and 68 points.

In all, seven Buffaloes averaged at least a point a game and eight reached double-digits in goals.

Calgary took control of the AEHL South Division with a season-high nine-game win streak from Dec. 20 to Jan. 28 that saw it outscore its opponents by a combined 56-16.

It faced early adversity in the playoffs, dropping the opener of its best-of-three series against the Red Deer Chiefs, but has lost just once in 11 games since, clinching a ninth appearance at the TELUS Cup.

The Buffaloes have never failed to reach the semifinals at Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship and have taken home a medal from six of their eight trips, including a national championship in 1989.

HOW THEY GOT TO MEMBERTOU

Alberta Elite Hockey League
Quarterfinal: defeated Red Deer Chiefs 2-1 (3-5, 5-1, 6-2)
Semifinal: defeated Calgary Flames 3-1 (6-1, 2-5, 3-1, 5-2)
Final: defeated Sherwood Park Kings 3-0 (4-3 2OT, 2-1 3OT, 6-2)

Pacific Regional
Final: defeated Vancouver NE Chiefs 2-0 (3-2, 1-0)

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL-T): 27-9-0-2 (1st in AEHL)
Goals for: 199 (1st in AEHL)
Goals against: 106 (2nd in AEHL)
Top 3 scorers:
- Caleb Matthews – 18G 50A 68P (1st in AEHL)
- Cooper Williams – 29G 22A 51P (5th in AEHL)
- Christian Stephanson – 17G 28A 35P (13th in AEHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 10-2
Goals for: 46
Goals against: 25
Top 3 scorers:
- Caleb Matthews – 11G 14A 25P
- Cooper Williams – 8G 7A 15P
- Brayden Gourley – 5G 7A 12P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2019 – Calgary Buffaloes | 4th place | 3-4-0 | 25GF 23GA
2009 – Calgary Buffaloes | silver medal | 3-2-2 | 29GF 21GA
2008 – Calgary Buffaloes | 4th place | 2-4-1 | 17GF 22GA
2006 – Calgary Buffaloes | silver medal | 4-3-0 | 30GF 25GA
1998 – Calgary Buffaloes | bronze medal | 5-1-1 | 41GF 26GA
1989 – Calgary Buffaloes | gold medal | 5-2-0 | 26GF 18GA
1987 – Calgary Buffaloes | bronze medal | 4-3-0 | 28GF 21GA
1985 – Calgary Buffaloes | bronze medal | 3-3-1 | 25GF 23GA

WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Rhys Jamieson – Everett Silvertips 2023 (2nd round, 32nd overall)
Cooper Williams – Saskatoon Blades 2023 (2nd round, 41st overall)
Townes Kozicky – Prince George Cougars 2023 (2nd round, 44th overall)
Caleb Matthews – Victoria Royals 2022 (3rd round, 91st overall)
Christian Stephanson – Winnipeg ICE 2022 (7th round, 154th overall)
Colten Scott – Seattle Thunderbirds 2022 (11th round, 236th overall)

The long wait is almost over for the Sydney Rush. And it’s been long in more ways than one.

Almost five years after the 2021 TELUS Cup was first awarded to the Rush, the puck will finally drop on Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship at the Membertou Sport & Wellness Centre, thanks to the cancellation of the 2021 tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sydney did participate as the “host” team in 2022, but that tournament was played in Okotoks, Alberta, more than 5,000 kilometres from Cape Breton.

So the wait to welcome the nation has been a significant one.

But when the tournament gets underway on April 22, it will also have been a long wait for the Rush to resume their season; Sydney was unceremoniously dumped from the postseason on March 3, swept by the Valley Wildcats in the first round of the Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League (NSU18MHL) playoffs.

That’s a 51-day break between games, which can be a good or bad thing.

The Rush played to a 12-20-6 record in the NSU18MHL during the regular season, good for sixth in the eight-team loop. They potted 118 goals in 38 games, the fifth most, but allowed a league-high 183, plus 17 in three playoff games.

Two players remain on the Sydney roster from the 2022 TELUS Cup team – leading scorer Tyler Seymour (17-24—41 in 38 GP) and captain Keegan O’Neill.

The Rush are looking to end a very long drought for host teams; not since the Calgary Northstars in 1991 has the hometown side been the last team standing, and only six in the 30 tournaments since then (most recently the Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe last year) have reached the gold medal game.

HOW THEY GOT TO MEMBERTOU

Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League
Quarterfinal: lost to Valley Wildcats 3-0 (2-6, 4-6, 3-5)

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 12-20-6 (6th in NSU18MHL)
Goals for: 118 (5th in NSU18MHL)
Goals against: 106 (8th in NSU18MHL)
Longest winning streak: 4 (Jan. 28-Feb. 17)
Top 3 scorers:
- Tyler Seymour – 17G 24A 41P (8th in NSU18MHL)
- Keegan O’Neill – 12G 20A 32P (15th in NSU18MHL)
- Malcolm MacDonald – 14G 17A 31P (17th in NSU18MHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 0-3
Goals for: 9
Goals against: 17
Top 3 scorers:
- Brody Ford – 2G 2A 4P
- Rory Pilling – 2G 2A 4P
- Braylan Fitzgerald – 1G 2A 3P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2022 – Sydney Rush | 5th place | 1-4-0 | 13GF 34GA
1999 – Cape Breton Jeans Experts | 5th place | 1-4-0 | 10GF 29GA
1982 – Cape Breton Colonels | bronze medal | 3-4-1 | 26GF 37GA
1978 – Sydney Steelers | 12th place | 1-4-0 | 15GF 32GA
1975 – Sydney Legionnaires | 10th place | 1-5-0 | 12GF 28GA

QMJHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Rory Pilling – Cape Breton Eagles 2023 (2nd round, 34th overall)
Jonathan Coombs – Cape Breton Eagles 2023 (13th round, 228th overall)

Fifty-two teams call the Central Region home, but only six remain in the hunt for the region’s berth at the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia – the Markham Waxers, Ottawa Jr. 67’s, Timmins Majors, Vaughan Kings, Waterloo Wolves and host Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

All six are relatively fresh faces, with the Greyhounds the most recent regional competitors, in 2022. They own nine TELUS Cup appearances between them – six of those belong to Sault Ste. Marie – but none have played on the national stage since Ottawa won silver in 2013.

The field has a bit of a ‘Cinderella’ feel to it – only the Jr. 67’s were the best regular-season team in their league – although all six teams have earned their spots; the five league champions finished a combined 40-13-8 in the playoffs, and even the host Greyhounds pushed Timmins to overtime in the GNU18L semifinals.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)

2023 – Toronto Jr. Canadiens (4th place)
2022 – Mississauga Reps (4th place)
2019 – Toronto Young Nationals (gold medal)
2018 – Toronto Young Nationals (4th place)
2017 – Mississauga Rebels (bronze medal)

MARKHAM WAXERS
OMHA CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 24-8-2-1 (5th in OMHA)
Goals for: 157
Goals against: 87
Leading scorer: Matthew Johnson (25G 21A 46P)

Playoff record: 11-2-2
Goals for: 68
Goals against: 37
Leading scorer: Tate Collins (9G 9A 18P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
OMHA Playoffs
Round robin: 2nd in East Group A – lost to Ajax-Pickering Raiders 4-0, tied North Central Predators 2-2, defeated Kingston Jr. Gaels 1-0, defeated Oshawa Generals 7-3, defeated North Central Predators 5-2, defeated Clarington Toros 8-3, defeated Clarington Toros 6-0, defeated Kingston Jr. Gaels 5-1, tied Ajax-Pickering Raiders 5-5, defeated Oshawa Generals 3-2

OMHA Championship
Preliminary round: 2nd in Group 2 – defeated Central Ontario Wolves 9-2, defeated Oakville Rangers 5-1, lost to Burlington Eagles 7-3
Semifinal: defeated Guelph Gryphons 5-3
Final: defeated Burlington Eagles 4-2

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

OTTAWA JR. 67’S
HEO CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 24-4-2 (1st in HEO)
Goals for: 141
Goals against: 70
Leading scorer: Dylan Turcotte (28G 21A 49P)

Playoff record: 7-2-1
Goals for: 37
Goals against: 21
Leading scorer: Dylan Turcotte (7G 8A 15P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Semifinal: defeated OHA Mavericks 3-1-1 (-3, 3-2, 3-2, 0-2, 1-1)
Final: defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 4-1 (5-3, 2-4, 4-2, 8-1, 5-1)

Last national championship appearance: 2013 (silver medal)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2013)

SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS
HOST

Regular season record: 20-13-3 (3rd in GNU18L)
Goals for: 136
Goals against: 106
Leading scorer: Sebastian Dos Reis (19G 26A 45P)

Playoff record: 2-2-1
Goals for: 14
Goals against: 15
Leading scorer: Camden Cowan (3G 4A 7P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Preliminary round: 2nd place – lost to Sudbury U18 Wolves 4-1, defeated Timmins Majors 3-2, tied New Liskeard Cubs 3-3, defeated Sudbury U16 Wolves 3-1
Semifinal: lost to Timmins Majors 5-4 OT

Last national championship appearance: 2013 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 6 (1980, 1993, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2013)

TIMMINS MAJORS
GNU18L CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 23-9-3 (2nd in GNU18L)
Goals for: 144
Goals against: 121
Leading scorer: Ian Lachance (26G 48A 74P)

Playoff record: 4-1-1
Goals for: 15
Goals against: 11
Leading scorer: Edan Etheridge (4G 6A 10P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Preliminary round: 3rd place – defeated New Liskeard Cubs 3-1, lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 3-2, defeated Sudbury U18 Wolves 2-1, tied Sudbury U16 Wolves 1-1
Semifinal: defeated Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds 5-4 OT
Final: defeated Sudbury U18 Wolves 2-1

Last national championship appearance: 2002 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2002)

VAUGHAN KINGS
GTHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 22-7-7 (2nd in GTHL)
Goals for: 104
Goals against: 57
Leading scorer: unavailable

Playoff record: 9-5
Goals for: 42
Goals against: 32
Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated North York Rangers 3-1 (2-3, 3-1, 5-2, 4-1)
Semifinal: defeated Toronto Young Nationals 3-2 (2-5, 3-2, 3-2, 3-4, 4-1)
Final: defeated Mississauga Senators 3-2 (2-4, 2-3, 2-0, 3-2, 4-2)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

WATERLOO WOLVES
ALLIANCE CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 24-10-1 (3rd in Alliance)
Goals for: 153
Goals against: 80
Leading scorer: unavailable

Playoff record: 7-1-3
Goals for: 35
Goals against: 19
Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Huron-Perth Lakers 2-1-1 (5-3, 3-3, 0-1, 3-1)
Semifinal: defeated Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs 3-0 (3-0, 4-2, 4-1)
Final: defeated Lambton Jr. Sting 2-0-2 (2-2, 4-3, 5-1, 2-2)

Last national championship appearance: 2003 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2003)

There are two teams left in the westernmost region of U18 hockey – either the Calgary Buffaloes or Vancouver NE Chiefs will represent the Pacific at the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia.

Both teams have made very recent trips to the Men’s U18 National Club Championship – the Chiefs were the Pacific representatives two years ago, finishing in sixth place, while the Buffaloes reached the bronze medal game in 2019.

Calgary and Vancouver NE skate into the best-of-three regional series with plenty of momentum, coming off series sweeps in their respective league finals and outscoring their opponents by a combined total of 21-7.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)

2023 – Calgary Flames (6th place)
2022 – Vancouver NE Chiefs (6th place)
2019 – Calgary Buffaloes (4th place)
2018 – Lethbridge Hurricanes (bronze medal)
2017 – Leduc Oil Kings (5th place)

CALGARY BUFFALOES
AEHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 27-9-0-2 (1st in AEHL)
Goals for: 199
Goals against: 106
Leading scorer: Caleb Matthews (18G 50A 68P)

Playoff record: 8-2
Goals for: 42
Goals against: 23
Leading scorer: Caleb Matthews (11G 12A 23P)

ROAD TO THE PACIFIC REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Red Deer Chiefs 2-1 (3-5, 5-1, 6-2)
Semifinal: defeated Calgary Flames 3-1 (6-1, 2-5, 3-1, 5-2)
Final: defeated Sherwood Park Kings 3-0 (4-3 2OT, 2-1 3OT, 6-2)

Last national championship appearance: 2019 (4th place)
Total national championship appearances: 8 (1985, 1987, 1989, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2019)

VANCOUVER NE CHIEFS
BCEHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 28-4-2-2 (2nd in BCEHL)
Goals for: 197
Goals against: 86
Leading scorer: Lucas McDonald (32G 26A 58P)

Playoff record: 6-1
Goals for: 33
Goals against: 17
Leading scorer: Jack Schierau (5G 7A 12P)

ROAD TO THE PACIFIC REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Greater Vancouver Canadians 2-0 (6-2, 7-2)
Semifinal: defeated Cariboo Cougars 2-1 (6-5 OT, 1-4, 4-3 OT)
Final: defeated Okanagan Rockets 2-0 (5-0, 4-1)

Last national championship appearance: 2022 (6th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2022)

There are two teams left in La Belle Province – either the Cantonniers de Magog or Estacades de Trois-Rivières will represent Quebec at the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia.

While a team from Trois-Rivieres hasn’t competed for Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship in 48 years, the Cantonniers are no stranger to the big stage; they’re in search of their fourth trip to nationals in the last five tournaments, having lost in the gold medal game in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

Whoever earns the spot in Membertou will be looking to make it back-to-back national titles for the region; one year ago, the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François (who Magog eliminated in the LHM18AAAQ semifinals) ended a 22-year gold medal drought by beating the host Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe in an all-Quebec final.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)

2023 – Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François (gold medal)
2022 – Cantonniers de Magog (silver medal)
2019 – Cantonniers de Magog (silver medal)
2018 – Cantonniers de Magog (silver medal)
2017 – Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François (silver medal)

CANTONNIERS DE MAGOG

Regular season record: 27-9-6 (2nd in LHM18AAAQ)
Goals for: 163
Goals against: 111
Leading scorer: Gabriel Courchesne (24G 35A 59P)

Playoff record: 8-1
Goals for: 37
Goals against: 19
Leading scorer: Marc-Olivier Proteau (5G 7A 12P)

ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL
Tacks semifinal: defeated Grenadiers de Chateauguay 2-0 (7-2, 10-4)
Tacks final: defeated Lions du Lac St-Louis 3-1 (2-6, 4-1, 4-1, 2-1)
Semifinal: defeated Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 3-0 (4-2, 2-1 OT, 2-1)

Last national championship appearance: 2022 (silver medal)
Total national championship appearances: 5 (1995, 2000, 2018, 2019, 2022)

ESTACADES DE TROIS-RIVIÈRES

Regular season record: 25-15-2 (6th in LHM18AAAQ)
Goals for: 158
Goals against: 131
Leading scorer: Jérémy Loranger (30G 34A 64P)

Playoff record: 8-2
Goals for: 35
Goals against: 19
Leading scorer: Chad Lygitsakos (5G 10A 15P)

ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL
Thaïzone semifinal: defeated Chevaliers de Lévis 2-0 (4-2, 5-1)
Thaïzone final: defeated Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 3-1 (4-5, 3-1, 3-1, 1-0)
Semifinal: defeated Vikings de Saint-Eustache 3-1 (2-3 OT, 4-1, 6-3, 3-2 OT)

Last national championship appearance: 1976 (9th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (1976)

There are plenty of familiar faces at the West Regional. The host Winnipeg Wild and Thunder Bay Kings are back for a third year in a row, joined by the defending champion Saskatoon Blazers, who are looking to earn a return trip to the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia.

The Brandon Wheat Kings round out the quartet, and what a season it’s been for the Manitoba champions; including the playoffs, the Wheat Kings have 52 wins and a single overtime loss, and they’re unbeaten since Nov. 10.

The three league champions are all coming in riding major playoff success – Brandon, Saskatoon and Thunder Bay claimed their titles without losing a game in regulation, going 20-0-1 in the postseason.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)

2023 – Saskatoon Blazers (bronze medal)
2022 – Notre Dame Hounds (5th place)
2019 – Tisdale Trojans (bronze medal)
2018 – Notre Dame Hounds (gold medal)
2017 – Regina Pat Canadians (4th place)

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS
MBU18AAAHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 43-0-1 (1st in MBU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 270
Goals against: 82
Leading scorer: Jaxon Jacobson (37G 69A 106P)

Playoff record: 9-0
Goals for: 53
Goals against: 14
Leading scorer: Jaxon Jacobson (12G 11A 23P)

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Eastman Selects 3-0 (10-2, 7-0, 9-2)
Semifinal: defeated Pembina Valley Hawks 3-0 (6-1, 4-1, 4-2)
Final: defeated Winnipeg Wild 3-0 (5-2, 4-1, 4-3 OT)

Last national championship appearance: 2004 (gold medal)
Total national championship appearances: 3 (1980, 1994, 2004)

SASKATOON BLAZERS
SMAAAHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 34-7-3 (1st in SMAAAHL)
Goals for: 194
Goals against: 116
Leading scorer: Dayne Beuker (41G 43A 84P)

Playoff record: 9-1
Goals for: 40
Goals against: 20
Leading scorer: Raiden Zacharias (6G 8A 14P)

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Estevan Bears 3-1 (4-1, 4-0, 2-3 OT, 5-4)
Semifinal: defeated Tisdale Trojans 3-0 (3-2, 3-0, 6-3)
Final: defeated Regina Pat Canadians 3-0 (4-1, 4-3 OT, 5-3)

Last national championship appearance: 2023 (bronze medal)
Total national championship appearances: 2 (1974, 2023)

THUNDER BAY KINGS
HNO CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 5-25-6 (12th in GTHL)
Goals for: 95
Goals against: 154
Leading scorer: unavailable

Playoff record: 2-0
Goals for: 14
Goals against: 5
Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
HNO championship: defeated Kenora Thistles 2-0 (11-3, 3-2 OT)

Last national championship appearance: 2019 (6th place)
Total national championship appearances: 9 (1975, 1976, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2019)

WINNIPEG WILD
HOST

Regular season record: 27-13-4 (3rd in MBU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 184
Goals against: 120
Leading scorer: Carter Kingerski (22G 30A 52P)

Playoff record: 6-6
Goals for: 36
Goals against: 34
Leading scorer: Carter Kingerski (5G 10A 15P)

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Interlake Lightning 3-2 (2-4, 2-1, 1-4, 8-1, 2-1)
Semifinal: defeated Winnipeg Thrashers 3-1 (3-6, 5-1, 2-1 OT, 5-2)
Final: lost to Brandon Wheat Kings 3-0 (2-5, 1-4, 3-4 OT)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

It’ll be a short trip for whoever comes out on top at the Atlantic Regional, with five teams competing to represent the region at the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia.

The Dartmouth Majors are set to play host, welcoming the Halifax Macs, Kensington Wild, Moncton Flyers and Pinnacle Growlers to the East Hants Sportsplex in Lantz. The five teams rolled through their respective playoffs, posting a combined 37-12 record – and five of those losses were inflicted by the Majors and Macs on each other during the NSU18MHL final.

There is experience in the group – the Majors, Macs and Flyers have combined for 25 national championship appearances, while the Wild are looking for their first trip to nationals since 1976, and the Growlers for their first trip ever.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)

2023 – Pictou County Majors (5th place)
2022 – Moncton Flyers (gold medal)
2019 – Halifax Macs (5th place)
2018 – Moncton Flyers (5th place)
2017 – Cape Breton West Islanders (gold medal)

DARTMOUTH MAJORS
HOST

Regular season record: 30-8-0 (2nd in NSU18MHL)
Goals for: 160
Goals against: 77
Leading scorer: Aiden O’Donnell (24G 22A 46P)

Playoff record: 8-4
Goals for: 36
Goals against: 28
Leading scorer: Brennan O’Donnell (3G 8A 11P)

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated South Shore Mustangs 3-0 (3-0, 5-2, 2-0)
Semifinal: defeated Valley Wildcats 3-1 (4-1, 2-1, 2-4, 4-3 OT)
Final: lost to Halifax Macs 3-2 (1-3, 5-4, 2-4, 5-4 OT, 1-2)

Last national championship appearance: 2016 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 10 (1984, 1985, 1987, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2015, 2016)

HALIFAX MACS
NSU18MHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 34-4-0 (1st in NSU18MHL)
Goals for: 167
Goals against: 83
Leading scorer: Luc Legere (24G 32A 56P)

Playoff record: 9-4
Goals for: 42
Goals against: 29
Leading scorer: Maddex Marmulak (8G 8A 16P)

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Pictou County Majors 3-0 (2-1 OT, 3-2, 4-0)
Semifinal: defeated Cape Breton West Islanders 3-2 (1-2, 1-4, 4-0, 3-1, 7-5)
Final: defeated Dartmouth Majors 3-2 (3-1, 4-5, 4-2, 4-5 OT, 2-1)

Last national championship appearance: 2019 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 6 (1980, 1983, 1994, 2011, 2014, 2019)

KENSINGTON WILD
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 21-10-4 (2nd in NBPEIMU18HL)
Goals for: 180
Goals against: 120
Leading scorer: Ethan Dickson (31G 44A 75P)

Playoff record: 4-0
Goals for: 63
Goals against: 37
Leading scorer: Ethan Dickson (3G 5A 8P)

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
P.E.I. final: defeated Charlottetown Knights 4-0 (5-1, 5-4, 6-1, 6-2)

Last national championship appearance: 1976 (13th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (1976)

MONCTON FLYERS
NEW BRUNSWICK CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 26-6-3 (1st in NBPEIMU18HL)
Goals for: 177
Goals against: 98
Leading scorer: Austin Sanchez (18G 37A 55P)

Playoff record: 8-0
Goals for: 48
Goals against: 17
Leading scorer: Austin Sanchez (6G 7A 13P)

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
N.B. semifinal: defeated Saint John Vitos 4-0 (11-1, 7-2, 5-2, 3-1)
N.B. final: defeated Northern Moose 4-0 (6-5, 6-1, 5-1, 5-4 OT)

Last national championship appearance: 2022 (gold medal)
Total national championship appearances: 9 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1986, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2022)

PINNACLE GROWLERS
NLU18MHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 26-6-0 (1st in NLU18MHL )
Goals for: 165
Goals against: 80
Leading scorer: Nolan Avery (21G 28A 49P)

Playoff record: 8-4
Goals for: 42
Goals against: 28
Leading scorer: Andy Knight (5G 7A 12P)

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL

Semifinal: defeated Central Impact 4-1 (3-2, 3-2 OT, 4-1, 2-3, 5-1)
Final: defeated East Coast Blizzard 4-3 (2-5, 0-4, 6-2, 5-3, 6-1, 1-4, 5-0)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

For the first time in its 49-year history, the TELUS Cup is coming to Cape Breton Island.

Adding to the excitement, this year’s edition of Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship will be the first Hockey Canada event to be hosted in partnership with an Indigenous community – the Membertou First Nation. The event will be organized by the Mi’kmaq community located on Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island), with the local culture on full display on and off the ice.

Membertou was first awarded the 2021 TELUS Cup in July 2019, but that tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, the national championship was played in Okotoks, Alberta, with the Sydney Rush serving as the host team despite playing more than 5,000 kilometres from home.

Two years later, the Rush are ready to welcome the best U18 teams from across the country , and the Membertou community is ready for the opportunity to showcase all it has to offer for visiting teams, fans and family alike.

“The support from the whole island heading into the tournament has been awesome,” says Rush forward and Sydney native Tyler Seymour. “Having the community and culture always around hockey, there’s an excitement of having an event hosted by the Indigenous community in Membertou for the first time.

“We have a few players on the team who are Indigenous, and the community hold an annual tournament called the Wallace Bernard Memorial Native Youth Hockey Tournament every year, so the community is always around us, being kind, supportive and always cheering us on.”

Including their 2022 appearance, the 2024 TELUS Cup marks the seventh time a team from Cape Breton participates in the national championship, following the 1975 Sydney Legionnaires, 1978 Sydney Steelers, 1982 Cape Breton Colonels (bronze medal), 1999 Cape Breton Jeans Experts and, of course, the 2017 Cape Breton West Islanders, who made history as the first team from Atlantic Canada to win a national title.

Seymour is among those with TELUS Cup experience, one of just two players who were on the ice in Okotoks in 2022. The 2006-born forward is in his third season with his hometown Rush and has played a pivotal role in the offence, leading the team with 32 points (13-19—32) through 33 games, good for a tie for ninth in the Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League (NSU18MHL).

With seven games in the season to go, the Rush will continue to follow the leadership of captain Keegan O’Neill, who joins Seymour as the only other returnee from 2022. Not only leading with the captain’s ‘C’ on his chest, the 17-year-old has tallied 11 goals, seven of which have come on the power play, tied for the NSU18MHL lead in that category.

The Rush are into final stretch of the regular season, currently sitting at the bottom of the standings with an 8-20-5 record, but Seymour wants to make sure the team closes the campaign with an understanding of what it takes to play at the TELUS Cup.

“It’s the best teams in Canada,” Seymour says. “We got off to a rough start, but we’re progressing really well as a younger team and leading up to TELUS, we have to continue playing our best and not let up. Overall, we’ll enjoy the moment and take in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

In 2022, the Rush missed out on the semifinals, with a lone 3-2 win over the Vancouver NE Chiefs. This year, they will kick off their tournament when they welcome the Pacific Region champions to the Membertou Sport & Wellness Centre on April 22.

Full-tournament ticket packages are now on sale, with single-game ticket sales to be announced closer to the tournament. Get yours while supplies last.