TELUS Cup, Take Two: Jody Sick returns to Canada’s National Midget Championship, this time with his hometown Chiefs
Jody Sick is making his second straight appearance at the TELUS Cup, and this one seems just a touch better to him.
Last season the Red Deer native played with the host Leduc Oil Kings and was in the stands when the Red Deer Chiefs hoisted the trophy after a thrilling double overtime win in the gold medal game.
“Last year I got my feet wet, so I know what to expect this year and it’s cool to be able to do it for my hometown team,” said Sick, who said it was bittersweet to see the Chiefs win the title.
“Of course I wanted to win, but I had a lot of my friends on the team, so it was good to see them celebrate. This year I’m hoping to be part of that.”
Prior to last season, Sick was battling a spleen injury which prevented him from trying out with the Chiefs early in their camp.
“Because of the spleen injury he missed most of the training camp and by the time we got a chance to really see him we had picked our team,” explained Chiefs head coach Doug Quinn. “It really wasn’t fair to Jody as he couldn’t be with us, but we had to make the decision.”
Sick understood.
“It was the way it worked out,” the six-foot-three, 200-pound winger said. “After I was let go my dad called Leduc and I was able to practice a couple of times with them and they liked what they saw. It worked out and it was good to get a chance to play in the TELUS Cup.”
This year there was nothing to prevent Sick from earning a spot with the Chiefs. He worked extra hard during the offseason on his skating and came into camp in top condition.
“Last summer I worked hard on my skating and it’s still something I focus on in practice and in games,” he said. “It’s come along and it’s something I’ll continue to focus on if I want to move up to the next level.”
Quinn liked what he saw from Sick in camp.
“He had a year of playing time in the league and understood it. He gives us more size and scoring and has been a positive role model. He worked on his skating and quickness and has made changes to his game. He came in as an offensive player, who needed to work a bit on his all-round game and he’s done that, working on his forechecking and defence.”
Sick admitted he didn’t spend a lot of time concentrating on defence before this season.
“As this season progressed I’ve turned more into a two-way forward … I can do more at both ends of the ice. Defence is something Doug stresses.”
Playing against the Chiefs last season, Sick got an idea of Quinn’s philosophy.
“The hardest part about playing Red Deer was that they never seemed to be in their zone,” he said. “As soon as the puck’s in their end it’s out. Being part of it I see that Doug wants us to focus on moving up as fast as we can and forecheck hard.
“I know (from experience) that’s hard to play against.”
Despite his size and good hands, Sick wasn’t selected in the Western Hockey League bantam draft, but hopes to play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League next season.
“I would like to play junior for a couple of years then get a scholarship,” he said. “I’ve talked with a few junior teams, but right now I’m concentrating on the TELUS Cup and when it’s over then I’ll look at my future.”
Sick plays with Jacob Schofield and Ryker Leer and while they’re one of the team’s leading offensive units, they’re not called the No. 1 line.
“We don’t have a No. 1 line,” said Sick. “We take pride in having four lines and six defencemen that contribute and in a tournament where you could play seven games in seven days you need that depth. That’s a major reason why Red Deer was successful last year.
The Chiefs also come into the tournament with their regular lineup after struggling with injuries in the playoffs. Both defenceman Colton Bobyk (appendix) and forward Garrett Engert (shoulder) are back.
“Everyone is back and healthy, which makes it exciting in that we get to go in with our original team,” said Sick. “But we won the province and then the Pacific (region) with the injuries. That showed a lot about the character of this team, which we’ll need at the TELUS Cup.”
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Okanagan Rockets
The Pacific Region champions were giant killers en route to their first trip to the national stage in 11 years
Of the five teams that won regional titles to advance to the 2025 TELUS Cup, three – the Regina Pat Canadians, Elgin Middlesex Canucks and Chevaliers de Lévis – finished atop their respective leagues in the regular season, and another – the Moncton Flyers – finished level on points but lost out on first place on a tiebreaker.
And then there’s the Okanagan Rockets, who had to beat ‘em to join ‘em.
The Rockets – the third-place team in the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) – had to go on the road to beat the best in the BCEHL, the Cariboo Cougars, winning the best-of-three final on an overtime goal from Hudson Getzlaf in Game 3.
Then they had to travel to Alberta and outlast the Alberta Elite Hockey League champion Calgary Flames in another three-game thriller, getting 28 saves from Finn McKiernan in a 1-0 victory in the deciding game.
Now Okanagan will make the 290-kilometre journey to Chilliwack for Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship, 11 years after NHL first-rounder Tyson Jost helped it to bronze at the 2014 TELUS Cup.
Dion Schraeder paced the offence with a BCEHL-high 39 goals in 36 games, and his 62 points were second best in the league (and 21 more than any other Rocket).
It has been 43 years since the Burnaby Winter Club claimed B.C.’s lone national title, and the Rockets’ bronze is the only medal won by a West Coast team since then. This year’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship is the first ever to feature a pair of teams from British Columbia, with Okanagan joining the host Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
British Columbia Elite Hockey League 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)
Pacific Regional Final: defeated Calgary Flames 2-1 (4-1, 0-4, 1-0)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL-T): 21-12-1-2 (3rd in BCEHL) Goals for: 149 (5th in BCEHL) Goals against: 121 (3rd in BCEHL) Longest winning streak: 6 (Jan. 11-26) Top 3 scorers: - Dion Schraeder – 39G 23A 62P (2nd in BCEHL) - Gavin Wood – 11G 30A 41P (19th in BCEHL) - Nathan Juch – 10G 27A 37P (25th in BCEHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 8-2 Goals for: 32 Goals against: 17 Top 3 scorers: - Gavin Wood – 4G 8A 12P - Brayden Westman – 5G 6A 11P - Hayden Laing – 3G 8A 11P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2014 – Okanagan Rockets | bronze medal | 2-2-3 | 28GF 22GA
WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Hudson Getzlaf – Vancouver Giants 2023 (5th round, 108th overall) Von Lakovic – Kelowna Rockets 2024 (6th round, 113th overall) Logan Jugnauth – Prince George Cougars 2023 (6th round, 125th overall) Kylen Martens – Tri-City Americans 2023 (9th round, 189th overall) Hayden Laing – Tri-City Americans 2023 (9th round, 191st overall) Elijah Henson – Edmonton Oil Kings 2022 (9th round, 197th overall) Carter Rebman – Edmonton Oil Kings 2024 (11th round, 226th overall)
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Regina Pat Canadians
The West Region champions have scored (and scored and scored and scored) their way to a 10th trip to the national championship
As the old adage goes – defence wins championships.
And the Regina Pat Canadians are awfully good in their own end – across 58 regular-season and playoff games, the Pat Canadians have allowed just 147 goals (an average of 2.54 per game).
To drive that point home? In their four-game romp through the West Regional, Regina gave up just two goals.
But this team can score. A lot. The Pat Canadians potted 233 goals in 44 regular-season games in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League (SMU18AAAHL), added 38 in 10 postseason games en route to the SMU18AAAHL title and had 25 in its four games at the regional tournament.
Add ‘em up, and Regina will bring an average of more than five goals a game (296 in 58 games) to the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack.
The straw that stirs the drink is phenom forward Maddox Schultz; the 15-year-old (he turned 15 on March 15) led the SMU18AAAHL with 93 points (43-50—93) in 44 games in the regular season and added 32 (15-17—32) in 14 postseason contests, capped off by a hat trick in the regional final win over the Winnipeg Wild.
Schultz, the pre-emptive first overall pick in the WHL Prospects Draft next month, has recorded points in 54 of 58 games and each the last 22 dating back to early February, and only twice during that streak has he failed to record multiple points.
In total, six Pat Canadians passed the 50-point mark, averaging at least a point per game.
This will be the 10th appearance for Regina at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship, making it one of just seven programs to reach double digits. Four-time national champions (1983, 1988, 1994, 1999), victory in the Fraser Valley would bring the Pat Canadians even with Notre Dame and Séminaire Saint-François for the most ever.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League 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)
West Regional Preliminary round: 1st place (3-0) – defeated Winnipeg Wild 5-1, defeated Kenora Thistles 5-0, defeated Thunder Bay Kings 8-0 Final: defeated Winnipeg Wild 7-1
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 35-7-2 (1st in SMU18AAAHL) Goals for: 233 (1st in SMU18AAAHL) Goals against: 128 (1st in SMU18AAAHL) Longest winning streak: 14 (Jan. 18-Feb. 23) Top 3 scorers: - Maddox Schultz – 43G 50A 93P (1st in SMU18AAAHL) - Jonah Sivertson – 32G 45A 77P (2nd in SMU18AAAHL) - Chase Surkan – 28G 45A 73P (3rd in SMU18AAAHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 13-1 Goals for: 63 Goals against: 19 Top 3 scorers: - Maddox Schultz – 15G 17A 32P - Eli Johnson – 6G 18A 24P - Jonah Sivertson – 11G 11A 22P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
1978 – Regina Pat Canadians | 10th place | 1-4-0 | 19GF 27GA 1983 – Regina Pat Canadians | gold medal | 6-2-0 | 37GF 26GA 1985 – Regina Pat Canadians | silver medal | 5-2-0 | 21GF 18GA 1988 – Regina Pat Canadians | gold medal | 5-1-1 | 38GF 24 GA 1989 – Regina Pat Canadians | silver medal | 4-3-0 | 28GF 19GA 1994 – Regina Pat Canadians | gold medal | 5-2-0 | 23GF 17GA 1999 – Regina Pat Canadians | gold medal | 6-1-0 | 39GF 15GA 2015 – Regina Pat Canadians | bronze medal | 5-1-1 | 32GF 16GA 2017 – Regina Pat Canadians | 4th place | 2-4-1 | 22GF 25GA
WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Boston Tait – Wenatchee Wild 2024 (1st round, 12th overall) Chase Surkan – Brandon Wheat Kings 2024 (1st round, 14th overall) Cooper Bratton – Prince George Cougars 2024 (2nd round, 41st overall) Jonah Sivertson – Prince Albert Raiders 2023 (4th round, 71st overall) Cash Lanigan – Portland Winterhawks 2023 (4th round, 83rd overall) Ethan Young – Brandon Wheat Kings 2024 (4th round, 85th overall) Nathan Gardiner – Calgary Hitmen 2024 (6th round, 117th overall) Taylor Tabashnuik – Red Deer Rebels 2022 (6th round, 127th overall) Ethan Dundas – Calgary Hitmen 2023 (7th round, 133rd overall) Ryan Ulmer – Seattle Thunderbirds 2022 (7th round, 153rd overall) Eli Johnson – Prince George Cougars 2023 (7th round, 154th overall) Adam Muntain – Spokane Chiefs 2024 (8th round, 162nd overall) Logan Mehl – Kelowna Rockets 2022 (9th round, 191st overall) Cruz Klapak – Winnipeg Ice 2022 (10th round, 220th overall)
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Elgin Middlesex Canucks
After a first taste of adversity in the playoffs, the Central Region champions are taking plenty of momentum into their first national championship
There can be an argument made that no U18 team in Canada had a more successful regular season than the Elgin Middlesex Canucks.
The Canucks turned the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario into their own personal playground, finishing with 32 wins, two overtime losses and a shootout defeat, and outscoring teams by an almost unfathomable 191-42. (For those keeping track at home, that’s a goal differential of +149. The next best in the Alliance was +35).
But the postseason brought with it a few moments of adversity that seemingly every elite team faces on its road to glory.
After sweeping aside Brantford (outscoring the 99ers 13-4 in two games) and London (a 13-1 differential in three games), the Canucks were tested by the Waterloo Wolves in the Alliance final, losing their first two games of the season in regulation time in a series that went to the maximum five games.
At the Central Regional, Elgin Middlesex dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Markham Waxers and fell 4-2 to the Vaughan Kings in the preliminary round, and needed an overtime winner from Lucas Van Steensel (after erasing an early 2-0 deficit) to down the Kings in the regional final and punch its ticket to Chilliwack for the 2025 TELUS Cup.
The Canucks were balanced in the offensive end; Chase Pettipiece (26-22—48), Nash Jacobs (29-18—47), Parker Graham (12-35—47) and Morgan Paine (18-23—41) all cracked the 40-point barrier, with another 12 surpassing 20.
At the other end, Dylan Durno (0.83) and Brock Lane (0.95) both posted sub-1.00 goals-against averages in the regular season while sharing the netminding duties.
The Canucks will make their maiden appearance at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship as the first Alliance team to reach the national tournament since the London Jr. Knights won silver in 2011.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario 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)
Central Regional Preliminary round: 2nd place (3-2) – defeated Ottawa Automotive 7-2, lost to Markham Waxers 3-2 SO, defeated Sudbury Wolves 5-0, lost to Vaughan Kings 4-2, defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 5-1 Semifinal: defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 3-0 Final: defeated Vaughan Kings 3-2 OT
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 32-0-3 (1st in Alliance) Goals for: 191 (1st in Alliance) Goals against: 42 (1st in Alliance) Longest winning streak: 18 (Oct. 25-Jan. 10) Top 3 scorers: - Chase Pettipiece – 26G 22A 48P (1st in Alliance) - Nash Jacobs – 29G 18A 47P (2nd in Alliance) - Parker Graham – 12G 35A 47P (3rd in Alliance)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 13-4 Goals for: 68 Goals against: 23 Top 3 scorers: - Ty Lawson – 12G 8A 20P - Morgan Paine – 10G 7A 17P - Parker Graham – 5G 12A 17P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
First appearance
OHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Chase Pettipiece – Flint Firebirds 2025 U18 (1st round, 8th overall) Parker Graham – London Knights 2025 U18 (2nd round, 40th overall) Cole Edmunson – Sarnia Sting 2025 U18 (3rd round, 42nd overall) Dylan Durno – Owen Sound Attack 2024 (8th round, 153rd overall) Lucas Van Steensel – North Bay Battalion 2024 (8th round, 158th overall) Nash Jacobs – Saginaw Spirit 2024 (8th round, 161st overall) James MacGregor – Owen Sound Attack 2024 (10th round, 189th overall) Luke Wachowiak – Niagara IceDogs 2024 (11th round, 219th overall) Tyson Ackerman – Saginaw Spirit 2024 (12th round, 241st overall) George Matsos – Windsor Spitfires 2024 (14th round, 264th overall)
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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