Schedule and ticket packages announced for 2019 TELUS Cup
Host Thunder Bay Kings open Canada’s National Midget Championship against Pacific champions
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – With preparations for the 2019 TELUS Cup underway in Thunder Bay, Ont., hockey fans can start planning their trip to northwestern Ontario with the release of the official tournament schedule and full-event ticket packages for Canada’s National Midget Championship, set for April 22-28, 2019.
The host Thunder Bay Kings, who have won the TELUS Cup twice (1995 and 1997), will welcome five regional representatives – Atlantic, Central, Quebec, Pacific and West – to the 3,371-seat Fort William Gardens as they look to be crowned national champions next April.
“We are excited for the opportunity to compete for a national championship in front our hometown fans, and to welcome five great teams to our incredible hockey town,” said Gary Linquist, chair of the local host committee. “As we continue to prepare both on and off the ice, we can’t thank our community members enough for their support and efforts to ensure the 2019 TELUS Cup will be a memorable and world-class event for everyone involved.”
The tournament will kick off on April 22, with the Central Region champions taking on the Atlantic titlists at 12 p.m. ET, followed by the Quebec champs taking on the West winners at 4 p.m. ET. Opening day will conclude with the host Kings opening their quest for the TELUS Cup against the Pacific Region champions at 7:30 p.m. ET.
“The release of the schedule and ticket packages for the 2019 TELUS Cup is a major milestone as Thunder Bay prepares to welcome the top Midget teams in Canada, and provides a new level of excitement for hockey fans of all ages in our community,” said Trevor Hosanna, executive director of Hockey Northwestern Ontario. “We are determined to create a memorable experience for the teams, the players and their families, hockey fans and volunteers, and we look forward to showcasing all that Thunder Bay has to offer in April.”
Early-bird ticket packages for the 2019 TELUS Cup are available for purchase online now at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, and cost $42 for youth under the age of 18 and $63 for adults. Special pricing is available for Thunder Bay North Stars and Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey season-ticket holders, as well as Thunder Bay Minor Hockey Association families. Single-game tickets will be available for purchase at a later date.
“The TELUS Cup is one of Hockey Canada’s premier events and it provides fans the opportunity to watch six of the top Midget teams in Canada compete on the national stage,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of events and properties for Hockey Canada. “The early-bird ticket package is an affordable way for fans to secure their seat early for this prestigious event, and to contribute back to the long term health of minor hockey in Thunder Bay as 100% of the event profits go back to support the game locally.”
TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will air the gold-medal game on April 28. All preliminary-round games and both semifinals, as well as the bronze-medal game, will be available via live stream at HockeyCanada.ca/TELUSCup.
Historically, the TELUS Cup has generated more than $6 million in local economic impact, and net proceeds from the event will be directed to supporting grassroots hockey initiatives in the community.
For more information on the 2019 TELUS Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/TELUSCup, or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter.
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Chevaliers de Lévis
Simply dominant from start to finish, the Quebec Region champions hope to cap a historic season with a national title
Let’s start with the obvious. The Chevaliers de Lévis are good. Very, very good.
The Ligue de hockey M18 AAA du Québec (LHM18AAAQ) has sent a team to the gold medal game at the TELUS Cup in nine of the last 11 tournaments. It’s home to the last two national champions – the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François in 2023 and Cantonniers de Magog in 2024 – and La Belle Province has produced 14 national titles, second most of any province behind only Saskatchewan (15).
But the Chevaliers did something this season that no team in LHM18AAAQ history has ever done. It went through the regular season without a defeat in regulation time – 38 wins, an overtime loss and three shootout defeats.
Lévis didn’t suffer a 60-minute setback until Game 3 of its second-round series against the Blizzard, and that was its lone postseason loss, meaning the Chevaliers will bring a combined record of 49-1-4 to Chilliwack for their second appearance at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship.
The offence was terrific – the Chevaliers’ 195 goals ranked second in the LHM18AAAQ – but the defence was historic. Lévis allowed just 67 goals in 42 games, the fewest in a season in league history, bettering the mark of 71 set by the 2018-19 Chevaliers.
Antoine Proulx – who won gold with Canada White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge – and Ryan Gagné were lights out between the pipes; the duo tied for the LHM18AAAQ lead with 19 wins each, and were one-two in goals-against average (1.49 and 1.53, respectively) and save percentage (.939 and .940, respectively).
For all the success Quebec teams have had at the TELUS Cup, it has never produced three-consecutive national champions. In fact, no province has three-peated since Saskatchewan (Saskatoon Contacts once, Prince Albert Mintos twice) from 2005-07.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
Ligue de hockey M18 AAA du Québec Division semifinal: defeated Albatros du Collège Notre-Dame 2-0 (4-2, 6-3) Division final: defeated Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 3-1 (6-3, 3-0, 1-5, 7-3) Semifinal: defeated Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 3-0 (6-1, 5-1, 5-0) Final: defeated Rousseau Royal de Laval-Montréal 3-0 (4-3, 3-2, 5-3)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 38-0-4 (1st in LHM18AAAQ) Goals for: 195 (2nd in LHM18AAAQ) Goals against: 67 (1st in LHM18AAAQ) Longest winning streak: 14 (Sept. 6-Oct. 23) Top 3 scorers: - Charles-Antoine Dubé – 27G 29A 56P (6th in LHM18AAAQ) - Charles-Albert Pouliot – 21G 31A 52P (12th in LHM18AAAQ) - Alex Desruisseaux – 20G 26A 46P (20th in LHM18AAAQ)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 11-1 Goals for: 55 Goals against: 26 Top 3 scorers: - Samuel Thibault – 9G 7A 16P - Alex Desruisseaux – 5G 10A 15P - Charles-Antoine Dubé – 7G 7A 14P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2005 – Commandeurs de Lévis | bronze medal | 4-2-1 | 24GF 20GA
QMJHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Antoine Proulx – Titan d’Acadie-Bathurst 2024 (2nd round, 23rd overall) Brandon Delarosbil – Phoenix de Sherbrooke 2024 (2nd round, 31st overall) Josh Demers – Foreurs de Val-d’Or 2024 (3rd round, 51st overall) Jacob Boucher – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (3rd round, 55th overall) Elliot Lacroix – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (4th round, 59th overall) Ludovic Paradis – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (4th round, 73rd overall) Charles-Albert Pouliot – Charlottetown Islanders 2024 (5th round, 78th overall) Charles-Antoine Dubé – Remparts de Québec 2024 (6th round, 94th overall) Malyk Côté – Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand 2024 (7th round, 117th overall) Cohen Paquet – Tigres de Victoriaville 2024 (7th round, 124th overall) Ryan Gagné – Olympiques de Gatineau 2024 (8th round, 133rd overall) Felix Grenier – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (8th round, 144th overall) Émerik Paris – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2023 (10th round, 168th overall)
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Moncton Flyers
After a stunning national title three years ago, the Atlantic Region champions are back in search of an encore
The 2025 edition of the Moncton Flyers sure has a tough act to follow.
In 2022, as hockey came out of the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to some semblance of normal, the Flyers earned one of the most unlikely national championships ever, going undefeated to win just the second TELUS Cup by an Atlantic Region team.
The seven wins Moncton earned in Okotoks, Alberta, were almost exactly half of their combined total from their first eight appearances at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship (15).
Now comes the return engagement, again in Western Canada.
Moncton outlasted a balanced field at the Atlantic Regional, edging the host – and defending champion – Kensington Wild in the final. The regional run came after an 8-2 playoffs in the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Major U18 Hockey League (NBPEIMU18HL) and a 26-8-3 finish in the regular season, good for second in the NBPEIMU18HL.
In all, the Flyers haven’t lost a game by more than one goal since Feb. 18.
Moncton spread around the scoring – captain Nathan Weber topped the scoring chart during the regular season (19-33—52), Jaxon Somers paced the offence in the NBPEIMU18HL playoffs (9-5—14) and Marc MacPhee did the honours at the Atlantic Regional (3-6—9).
The defence wasn’t too bad, either – goaltenders Simon Cormier (2.67) and Luca Leger-Andrade (2.68) posted the top two goals-against averages in the regular season, and Cormier had a 2.11 mark in the playoffs.
With their trip to Chilliwack, the Flyers become one of just seven teams to reach double digits in TELUS Cup appearances (the Regina Pat Canadians will also make their 10th this year), and their 10 trips get them within one of St. John’s for the most by an Atlantic team.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major U18 Hockey League N.B. semifinal: defeated Saint John Vitos 4-1 (5-2, 5-0, 2-3, 5-2, 3-2) N.B. final: defeated Fredericton Caps 4-1 (2-3, 5-1, 4-3 OT, 3-2, 4-3)
Atlantic Regional Preliminary round: 1st place (3-1) – defeated Charlottetown Knights 6-3, lost to Halifax Macs 3-2 SO, defeated East Coast Blizzard 10-1, defeated Kensington Wild 6-1 Final: defeated Kensington Wild 5-3
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 26-8-0 (2nd in NBPEIMU18HL) Goals for: 167 (1st in NBPEIMU18HL) Goals against: 101 (1st in NBPEIMU18HL) Longest winning streak: 9 (Nov. 9-Jan. 4) Top 3 scorers: - Nathan Weber – 19G 33A 52P (4th in NBPEIMU18HL) - Jacob Pineau – 19G 30A 49P (5th in NBPEIMU18HL) - Jaxon Somers – 17G 25A 42P (11th in NBPEIMU18HL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 12-3 Goals for: 67 Goals against: 32 Top 3 scorers: - Jaxon Somers – 13G 8A 21P - Nathan Weber – 6G 15A 21P - Marc MacPhee – 7G 12A 19P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
1977 – Moncton Flyers | fourth place | 4-2-1 | 24GF 19GA 1978 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 4-2-0 | 19GF 13GA 1979 – Moncton Flyers | ninth place | 1-3-1 | 15GF 21GA 1980 – Moncton Flyers | eighth place | 2-3-0 | 17GF 20GA 1986 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 1-4-0 | 24GF 34GA 2009 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 1-4-0 | 15GF 32GA 2012 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 1-3-1 | 17GF 22GA 2018 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 1-4-0 | 8GF 17GA 2022 – Moncton Flyers | gold medal | 7-0-0 | 42GF 26GA
QMJHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Jacob Pineau – Cape Breton Eagles 2024 (6th round, 100th overall) Simon Cormier – Moncton Wildcats 2023 (8th round, 141st overall) Jaxon Somers – Olympiques de Gatineau 2024 (9th round, 151st overall) Liam Daigle – Olympiques de Gatineau 2024 (10th round, 170th overall) Luc Morais – Moncton Wildcats 2023 (10th round, 178th overall) Nathan Weber – Charlottetown Islanders 2023 (11th round, 189th overall) Malik Bourque-Vigneault –Océanic de Rimouski 2024 (14th round, 247th overall)
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Fraser Valley Thunderbirds
After six weeks on the sidelines, the hosts are ready to resume their quest for a home-ice national title
The long wait is almost over for the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.
A season of anticipation is into its final days as the Thunderbirds prepare to welcome the country’s best to the Fraser Valley for the 2025 edition of the TELUS Cup.
When the puck finally drops on Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship on April 21 – Fraser Valley opens against the West Region champions, the Regina Pat Canadians – it’ll end a 44-day layoff for the hosts, who haven’t seen the ice since they were swept from the first round of the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) playoffs by the Vancouver NW Hawks on March 8.
The Thunderbirds ran hot and cold during the regular season, never winning more than three in a row while never dropping more than four straight. They finished with an 18-16-1-1 (W-L-OTL-T) record, good for fifth in the eight-team BCEHL, with goals for (151) and goals against (163) totals that placed them fourth and seventh, respectively.
Cole Brown was the offensive star for Fraser Valley, pacing the BCEHL with 65 points (24-41—65) – meaning he was involved in 43.1% of the goals the Thunderbirds scored during the regular season. But it was a balanced offence behind Brown, with five players – Marco De Pedrina, Manwinder Sandhu, Simon Ward, Parker MacDougall (who left the team midseason to join the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels) and Noah Lawless – all finishing with 40+ points.
The Thunderbirds 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 31 tournaments since then (most recently the Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe in 2023) have reached the gold medal game.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
B.C. Elite Hockey League Quarterfinal: lost to Vancouver NW Hawks 2-0 (2-4, 2-6)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL-T): 18-6-1-1 (5th in BCEHL) Goals for: 151 (4th in BCEHL) Goals against: 163 (7th in BCEHL) Longest winning streak: 3 (Oct. 13-27) Top 3 scorers: - Cole Brown – 24G 41A 65P (1st in BCEHL) - Marco De Pedrina – 19G 28A 47P (12th in BCEHL) - Manwinder Sandhu – 10G 36A 46P (14th in BCEHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 0-2 Goals for: 4 Goals against: 10 Top 3 scorers: - Noah Lawless – 1G 2A 3P - Jeremy Kraft – 2G 0A 2P - Manwinder Sandhu – 0G 2A 2P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
First appearance
WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Koltin Herfst – Victoria Royals 2024 (2nd round, 37th overall) Riley Charlton – Vancouver Giants 2024 (5th round, 94th overall) Lucas Wiercioch – Everett Silvertips 2024 (6th round, 125th overall) Simon Ward – Vancouver Giants 2022 (9th round, 180th overall)
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Pacific Regional
Flames vs. Rockets. Who wins their way to the Fraser Valley?
There are two teams left in the westernmost region of U18 hockey – either the Calgary Flames or Okanagan Rockets will represent the Pacific at the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
It’s the second time in three years these teams will meet for regional supremacy – Calgary swept Okanagan in a pair of competitive games in 2023, with the teams combining for 23 goals in two games. Both teams have made somewhat recent trips to the U18 Men’s National Club Championship – the Flames were the Pacific representatives two years ago, finishing in sixth place, while the Rockets won bronze in 2014 (the first medal by a B.C. team in 32 years).
Calgary and Okanagan skate into the best-of-three regional series with different kinds of momentum – the Flames swept their way through the AEHL final, while the Rockets persevered to down the Cariboo Cougars in overtime of Game 3 on the road to win the BCEHL title.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)
2024 – Calgary Buffaloes (bronze medal) 2023 – Calgary Flames (6th place) 2022 – Vancouver NE Chiefs (6th place) 2019 – Calgary Buffaloes (4th place) 2018 – Lethbridge Hurricanes (bronze medal)
CALGARY FLAMES AEHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 27-6-4-1 (1st in AEHL) Goals for: 173 Goals against: 98 Leading scorer: Evan Benoit (19G 23A 42P)
Playoff record: 8-1 Goals for: 41 Goals against: 23 Leading scorer: Nathan Ivey (7G 3A 10P)
ROAD TO THE PACIFIC REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Calgary Royals 2-0 (6-4, 5-2) Semifinal: defeated Calgary Buffaloes 3-1 (6-3, 1-3, 5-3, 6-1) Final: defeated Sherwood Park Kings 3-0 (4-2, 3-2 2OT, 5-3)
Last national championship appearance: 2023 (6th place) Total national championship appearances: 2 (1999, 2023)
OKANAGAN ROCKETS BCEHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 21-12-1-2 (3rd in BCEHL) Goals for: 149 Goals against: 121 Leading scorer: Dion Schraeder (39G 23A 62P)
Playoff record: 6-1 Goals for: 27 Goals against: 12 Leading scorer: Hayden Laing (3G 8A 11P)
ROAD TO THE PACIFIC REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Vancouver NE Chiefs 2-0 (4-1, 6-2) Semifinal: defeated Valley West Giants 2-0 (6-0, 2-1) Final: defeated Cariboo Cougars 2-1 (4-2, 2-4, 3-2 OT)
Last national championship appearance: 2014 (bronze medal) Total national championship appearances: 1 (2014)
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Quebec Regional
Rousseau Royal vs. Chevaliers. Who wins their way to the Fraser Valley?
There are two teams left in La Belle Province – either the Rousseau Royal de Laval-Montréal or Chevaliers de Lévis will represent Quebec at the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
The Chevaliers have been simply dominant this season; they went without a regulation-time loss in the regular season, going 38-0-4, and are 8-1 on their postseason run, with a 5-1 setback in Game 3 against Séminaire Saint-François their only 60-minute setback across 51 games. The Rousseau Royal, meanwhile, are battle-tested, having gone the distance in all three of their series, and twice were an overtime goal from elimination.
Whoever earns the spot on the West Coast will be looking to make it back-to-back-to-back national titles for the region, following Séminaire Saint-François, which ended a 22-year gold medal drought for Quebec in 2023, and Magog, which finally got over the hump in 2024 after three gold medal game losses in as many tournaments.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)
2024 – Cantonniers de Magog (gold medal) 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)
ROUSSEAU ROYAL DE LAVAL-MONTRÉAL
Regular season record: 26-14-2 (4th in LHM18AAAQ) Goals for: 151 Goals against: 137 Leading scorer: Zakary Horvat-Edouard (19G 38A 57P)
Playoff record: 8-5 Goals for: 54 Goals against: 43 Leading scorer: Benedetto-Antonio Masi (11G 8A 19P)
ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL Division semifinal: defeated Intrépide de Gatineau 2-1 (3-4, 5-4 OT, 4-3) Division final: defeated Vikings de Saint-Eustache 3-2 (4-2, 6-7, 8-1, 0-3, 4-0) Semifinal: defeated Riverains du Collège Charles-Lemoyne 3-2 (6-5, 4-5 OT, 2-5, 3-2 OT, 6-2)
Last national championship appearance: 2013 (bronze medal) Total national championship appearances: 2 (2009, 2013)
Regular season record: 38-0-4 (1st in LHM18AAAQ) Goals for: 195 Goals against: 67 Leading scorer: Charles-Antoine Dubé (27G 29A 56P)
Playoff record: 8-1 Goals for: 43 Goals against: 18 Leading scorer: Charles-Antoine Dubé (6G 7A 13P)
ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL Division semifinal: defeated Albatros du Collège Notre-Dame 2-0 (4-2, 6-3) Division final: defeated Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 3-1 (6-3, 3-0, 1-5, 7-3) Semifinal: defeated Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 3-0 (6-1, 5-1, 5-0)
Last national championship appearance: 2010 (6th place) Total national championship appearances: 2 (2005, 2010)
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: West Regional
Thistles. Pat Canadians. Kings. Wild. Who wins their way to the Fraser Valley?
There are a few familiar faces at the West Regional. The Winnipeg Wild and Thunder Bay Kings are both back for a fourth year in a row, joined by one of the region’s most successful teams, the Regina Pat Canadians, who are in search of a 10th trip to the U18 Men’s National Club Championship.
The host Kenora Thistles round out the quartet, with the winner off to the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
The three league champions are all coming in riding major playoff success – Kenora, Regina and Winnipeg claimed their titles by going 20-4 in the postseason, with only one of those four defeats coming by more than a single goal.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)
2024 – Brandon Wheat Kings (silver medal) 2023 – Saskatoon Blazers (bronze medal) 2022 – Notre Dame Hounds (fifth place) 2019 – Tisdale Trojans (bronze medal) 2018 – Notre Dame Hounds (gold medal)
KENORA THISTLES HOST & HNO CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 19-29-3 (10th in MU18AAAHL) Goals for: 130 Goals against: 191 Leading scorer: Carter Peters (25G 20A 45P)
Playoff record: 2-1 Goals for: 13 Goals against: 9 Leading scorer: Carter Peters (3G 4A 7P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL HNO championship: defeated Thunder Bay Kings 2-1 (2-3 OT, 4-3, 7-3)
Last national championship appearance: 2004 (4th place) Total national championship appearances: 1 (2004)
REGINA PAT CANADIANS SMAAAHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 35-7-2 (1st in SMAAAHL) Goals for: 233 Goals against: 128 Leading scorer: Maddox Schultz (43G 50A 93P)
Playoff record: 9-1 Goals for: 38 Goals against: 17 Leading scorer: Maddox Schultz (9G 13A 22P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Prince Albert Mintos 3-0 (3-2, 4-2, 7-2) Semifinal: defeated Saskatoon Blazers 3-1 (5-2, 3-4, 5-2, 4-0) Final: defeated Moose Jaw Warriors 3-0 (2-1, 2-1, 3-1)
Last national championship appearance: 2017 (4th place) Total national championship appearances: 9 (1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2015, 2017)
THUNDER BAY KINGS HNO REPRESENTATIVES
Regular season record: 5-27-4 (13th in GTHL) Goals for: 47 Goals against: 136 Leading scorer: unavailable
Playoff record: 1-2 Goals for: 9 Goals against: 13 Leading scorer: Sawyer Smith (3G 2A 5P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL HNO championship: lost to Kenora Thistles 2-1 (3-2 OT, 3-4, 3-7)
Last national championship appearance: 2019 (6th place) Total national championship appearances: 9 (1975, 1976, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2019)
WINNIPEG WILD MU18AAAHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 40-6-2 (2nd in MU18AAAHL) Goals for: 236 Goals against: 89 Leading scorer: Ludovic Perreault (40G 46A 86P)
Playoff record: 9-2 Goals for: 50 Goals against: 27 Leading scorer: Ludovic Perreault (13G 9A 22P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Interlake Lightning 3-0 (7-0, 4-2, 4-3) Semifinal: defeated Winnipeg Bruins 3-2 (3-2, 4-5, 7-1, 2-5, 3-2 OT) Final: defeated Brandon Wheat Kings 3-0 (6-1, 6-3, 4-3 OT)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Atlantic Regional
Knights. Blizzard. Macs. Wild. Flyers. Who wins their way to the Fraser Valley?
A cross-country trip awaits whoever comes out on top at the Atlantic Regional, with five teams competing to represent the region at the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
The Kensington Wild – the defending Atlantic champions – are set to play host, welcoming the Charlottetown Knights, East Coast Blizzard, Halifax Macs and Moncton Flyers to the Credit Union Centre in Kensington. The four provincial champions (the Knights are there as P.E.I. representatives) rolled through their respective playoffs, posting a combined 29-9 record.
There is experience in the group – the field includes four of the last five regional representatives: Flyers (2018, 2022), Macs (2019) and Wild (2024) – and familiarity; those three teams were also part of the 2024 tournament, with Kensington blanking Halifax 10-0 in the Atlantic final.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)
2024 – Kensington Wild (5th place) 2023 – Pictou County Majors (5th place) 2022 – Moncton Flyers (gold medal) 2019 – Halifax Macs (5th place) 2018 – Moncton Flyers (5th place)
CHARLOTTETOWN KNIGHTS PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND REPRESENTATIVES
Regular season record: 20-12-3 (3rd in NBPEIMU18HL) Goals for: 156 Goals against: 138 Leading scorer: Declan MacLauchlan (33G 30A 63P)
Playoff record: 1-4 Goals for: 18 Goals against: 22 Leading scorer: Rowan Walsh (4G 3A 7P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL P.E.I. final: lost to Kensington Wild 4-1 (4-6, 6-4, 3-5, 2-3, 3-4) Last national championship appearance: 2006 (6th place) Total national championship appearances: 4 (1975, 1977, 1997, 2006)
EAST COAST BLIZZARD NLU18MHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 22-10-0 (2nd in NLU18MHL) Goals for: 160 Goals against: 90 Leading scorer: Gavin Connors (22G 25A 47P)
Playoff record: 8-4 Goals for: 54 Goals against: 41 Leading scorer: Gavin Connors (6G 11A 17P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL Semifinal: defeated Central Impact 4-2 (6-7, 9-2, 4-5, 4-3 OT, 4-2, 2-0) Final: defeated Pinnacle Growlers 4-2 (4-2, 6-2, 2-1, 5-6 OT, 1-7, 7-4) Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
HALIFAX MACS NSU18MHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 30-5-2 (1st in NSU18MHL) Goals for: 178 Goals against: 70 Leading scorer: Luc Legere (24G 32A 56P)
Playoff record: 9-2 Goals for: 48 Goals against: 21 Leading scorer: Charlie Benigno (9G 13 A 22P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Sydney Rush 3-0 (8-3, 9-4, 5-2) Semifinal: defeated Cape Breton West Islanders 3-0 (1-0, 3-1, 4-0) Final: defeated Pictou County Majors 3-2 (1-4, 9-1, 4-1, 1-3, 3-2)
Last national championship appearance: 2019 (5th place) Total national championship appearances: 6 (1980, 1983, 1994, 2011, 2014, 2019)
KENSINGTON WILD HOST & PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 13-19-5 (5th in NBPEIMU18HL) Goals for: 140 Goals against: 166 Leading scorer: Jordan Shaw (21G 23A 44P)
Playoff record: 4-1 Goals for: 22 Goals against: 18 Leading scorer: Derek Andrews (4G 6A 10P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL P.E.I. final: defeated Charlottetown Knights 4-1 (6-4, 4-6, 5-3, 3-2, 4-3)
Last national championship appearance: 2024 (5th place) Total national championship appearances: 2 (1976, 2024)
MONCTON FLYERS NEW BRUNSWICK CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 26-8-3 (2nd in NBPEIMU18HL) Goals for: 167 Goals against: 101 Leading scorer: Nathan Weber (19G 33A 52P)
Playoff record: 8-2 Goals for: 38 Goals against: 21 Leading scorer: Jaxon Somers (9G 5A 14P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL N.B. semifinal: defeated Saint John Vitos 4-1 (5-2, 5-0, 2-3, 5-2, 3-2) N.B. final: defeated Fredericton Caps 4-1 (2-3, 5-1, 4-3 OT, 3-2, 4-3)
Last national championship appearance: 2022 (gold medal) Total national championship appearances: 9 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1986, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2022)
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Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Central Regional
Canucks. Waxers. Automotive. Wolves. Cyclones. Kings. Who wins their way to the Fraser Valley?
Fifty-two teams call the Central Region home, but only six remain in the hunt for the region’s berth at the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia – the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks, Markham Waxers, Ottawa Automotive, Sudbury Wolves, Upper Canada Cyclones and Vaughan Kings.
There are familiar faces – the Waxers are the defending regional champions (they finished fourth at last year’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship in Nova Scotia), and the Kings are back for a second year in a row.
The field has a bit of a ‘Cinderella’ feel to it – only the Canucks (who went without a regulation-time loss) were the best regular-season team in their league – although all six teams have earned their spots; the five league champions finished a combined 43-17-5 in the playoffs.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)
2024 – Markham Waxers (4th place) 2023 – Toronto Jr. Canadiens (4th place) 2022 – Mississauga Reps (4th place) 2019 – Toronto Young Nationals (gold medal) 2018 – Toronto Young Nationals (4th place)
ELGIN-MIDDLESEX CANUCKS ALLIANCE CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 32-0-3 (1st in Alliance) Goals for: 191 Goals against: 42 Leading scorer: Chase Pettipiece (26G 22A 48P)
Playoff record: 8-2 Goals for: 41 Goals against: 11 Leading scorer: Ty Lawson (9G 6A 15P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Brantford 99ers 2-0 (9-3, 4-1) Semifinal: defeated London Jr. Knights 3-0 (3-0, 5-1, 5-0) Final: defeated Waterloo Wolves 3-2 (4-1, 2-3, 4-1, 0-1, 5-0)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
MARKHAM WAXERS OMHA CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 20-6-2-2 (6th in OMHA) Goals for: 140 Goals against: 78 Leading scorer: Maxim Skinner (16G 19A 35P)
Playoff record: 11-4 Goals for: 61 Goals against: 33 Leading scorer: Ulysses Lombardi (11G 12A 23P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
OMHA Playoffs Round robin: 1st in East Group B – defeated Whitby Wildcats 4-2, defeated York-Simcoe Express 5-2, defeated Quinte Red Devils 7-4, lost to Quinte Red Devils 2-1, defeated Barrie Jr. Colts 6-2, defeated Peterborough Petes 2-1, defeated Whitby Wildcats 2-0, defeated Peterborough Petes 6-3, lost to Barrie Jr. Colts 4-3, lost to York-Simcoe Express 3-1
OMHA Championship Preliminary round: 2nd in Group 1 – lost to Ajax-Pickering Raiders 3-1, defeated Hamilton Kilty B’s 10-2, defeated Burlington Eagles 3-0 Semifinal: defeated Guelph Gryphons 6-2 Final: defeated North Shore Whitecaps 4-3 (SO)
Last national championship appearance: 2024 (4th place) Total national championship appearances: 1 (2024)
OTTAWA AUTOMOTIVE HEO CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 13-12-5 (4th in HEO) Goals for: 103 Goals against: 87 Leading scorer: Sebastian Dzieciol (13G 15A 28P)
Playoff record: 6-4-3 Goals for: 35 Goals against: 32 Leading scorer: Owen Kelly (7G 2A 9P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Semifinal: defeated Ottawa Jr. 67’s 2-1-3 (1-4, 1-0, 4-4, 3-3, 3-1, 2-2) Final: defeated Upper Canada Cyclones X-X (2-0, 1-2, 6-4, 1-4, 3-4, 4-3, 4-1)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
SUDBURY WOLVES GNU18L CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 20-11-1 (4th in GNU18L) Goals for: 158 Goals against: 113 Leading scorer: Denver Mulligan (26G 25A 51P)
Playoff record: 3-2-1 Goals for: 14 Goals against: 16 Leading scorer: Cameron Vekhala (3G 4A 7P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Preliminary round: 4th place – tied Timmins Majors 2-2, lost to Soo U16 Greyhounds 4-2, defeated Soo U18 Greyhounds 3-1, lost to North Bay Trappers 4-1 Semifinal: defeated North Bay Trappers 4-3 (OT) Final: defeated Timmins Majors 3-2
Last national championship appearance: 2018 (6th place) Total national championship appearances: 6 (1987, 1994, 1998, 2008, 2012, 2018)
Regular season record: 18-8-4 (2nd in HEO) Goals for: 113 Goals against: 80 Leading scorer: Jay-Zeus Mbarushimana (22G 33A 55P)
Playoff record: 6-4-1 Goals for: 32 Goals against: 27 Leading scorer: Connor Bain (6G 7A 13P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Semifinal: defeated OHA Mavericks 3-0-1 (1-1, 4-0, 5-3, 4-2) Final: lost to Ottawa Automotive 4-3 (0-2, 2-1, 4-6, 4-1, 4-3, 3-4, 1-4)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
VAUGHAN KINGS GTHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 24-7-5 (2nd in GTHL) Goals for: 125 Goals against: 50 Leading scorer: unavailable
Playoff record: 9-1 Goals for: 31 Goals against: 14 Leading scorer: unavailable
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Mississauga Senators 3-1 (6-3, 1-3, 2-0, 5-0) Semifinal: defeated Toronto Young Nationals 3-0 (1-0, 5-3, 4-2) Final: defeated Toronto Marlboros 3-0 (4-2, 2-1, 1-0)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
Schedules announced for spring national championships
Tickets for Esso Cup, TELUS Cup and Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, available now
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the schedules and ticket package details for the 2025 editions of the Esso Cup, TELUS Cup and Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons.
"We are grateful to the three amazing communities who have dedicated countless hours and put forward an immeasurable effort to play host to these three major events,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact. “The passion, teamwork and unwavering commitment has brought these events to life, that will create memories that will last a lifetime for the athletes, coaches, officials and fans.” “We are also grateful to BC Hockey, Hockey Alberta, the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for their efforts and support to deliver these events and look forward to continuing to work with them into the spring.” Anyone interested in volunteering at the Esso Cup, TELUS Cup or Centennial Cup can now sign up here to support the delivery of three of Hockey Canada’s marquee national championships.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, will air select tournament games, with a full broadcast and streaming schedule to be announced at a later date. 2025 Esso Cup – Lloydminster, Alberta
The Esso Cup returns to Alberta for the first time since 2022, with the Lloydminster Steelers set to host Canada’s U18 Women’s National Club Championship, April 20-26 at the Centennial Civic Centre.
Joined by five regional champions from across Canada, the Steelers will play their first game on April 20 at 7 p.m. MT against the Atlantic Region winners, following matchups between the Pacific and Quebec champions and Ontario and West titlists earlier in the day.
After each team plays five preliminary-round games, the top four clubs will advance to the semifinals on April 25, with the medal games scheduled for April 26.
Tickets for the 2025 Esso Cup can be purchased here.
2025 TELUS Cup – Fraser Valley, British Columbia
The host Fraser Valley Thunderbirds will welcome five regional champions to the West Coast for the 2025 TELUS Cup, Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship, April 21-27 at the Chilliwack Coliseum.
The Thunderbirds open their schedule against the West Region champions on April 21 at 7 p.m. PT to finish a three-game opening day that also sees the Central winners face the Atlantic champs and Quebec titlists play the Pacific champions.
Semifinals are scheduled for April 26, before the medal games on April 27.
Tickets for the 2025 TELUS Cup can be purchased here.
2025 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons – Calgary, Alberta
In partnership with the CJHL and AJHL, Canada’s top Junior A teams will compete for the 2025 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, May 8-18 at the Max Bell Centre. The host Calgary Canucks will be joined by nine champions from across the CJHL.
Teams will be separated into two groups and each play four preliminary-round games, with the quarterfinals scheduled for May 16, semifinals on May 17 and championship game on May 18.
Group A will include the champions from the AJHL, Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and Superior International Hockey League (SIHL).
The host Canucks and champions from the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ), Maritime Hockey League (MHL) and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) comprise Group B.
Tickets for the 2025 Centennial Cup can be purchased here.
For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Host locations selected for 2025 Esso and TELUS Cups
Alberta and British Columbia to host Canada’s U18 national club championships
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the host locations for Canada’s 2025 U18 national club championships, with the Esso Cup set for Lloydminster, Alberta, and the TELUS Cup returning west to the Fraser Valley in British Columbia.
From April 20-26, the Lloydminster Steelers of the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) will welcome five regional champions to compete for Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship at the Centennial Civic Centre, marking the fifth time the Esso Cup has been hosted in Alberta and the first in the Border City.
The Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) will make their national championship debut at the TELUS Cup from April 21-27 at the Chilliwack Coliseum, with Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship returning to British Columbia for the first time since 2017.
“Hosting a national championship is a tremendous undertaking, and we are grateful for the local organizing committees, Hockey Alberta and BC Hockey, for collaborating with our staff to host first-class events in Lloydminster and Chilliwack next spring,” said Pat McLaughlin, Hockey Canada’s chief operating officer and executive vice-president of strategy. “Canada’s U18 national club championships have seen some of the top athletes in our country compete before they’ve gone on to wear the Maple Leaf internationally, and we know hockey fans in Alberta and British Columbia will enjoy watching teams play for gold next spring.”
Fans can sign up now to receive ticket information about the 2025 Esso Cup and 2025 TELUS Cup as it becomes available, or become a Hockey Canada Insider and receive advanced access to tickets and other promotions.
“These tournaments are often once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for the participants, families and fans, and thanks to the generous support of Esso and TELUS, we are excited to build on the legacy of both events in two outstanding hockey markets,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact for Hockey Canada. “We thank all communities that expressed interest in hosting one of these national championships next season and look forward to welcoming the best under-18 clubs in the country in the spring.”
At the 2024 Esso Cup, the Regina Rebels won their first national title in Vernon, B.C., while the Cantonniers de Magog became national champions for the second time at the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia. Both gold medal games were broadcast on TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada.
To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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