Our 20’s – Cape Breton Eagles
Throughout the summer, the QMJHL will summarize the journey of its 20-year-old players. Today, the Cape Breton Eagles: Joseph Henneberry, Jacob Newcombe and Brayden Schmitt.
Joseph Henneberry, centre
Acquired from the Tigres in October, Henneberry had 56 points (27-29) in as many games with the Eagles, to finish his junior career with 194 points (95-99) in 256 games. He also played for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, who drafted him in the sixth round (110th) in 2020. Henneberry played two and a half years there before moving to the Tigres. His best junior season was in 2023-2024, with 69 points (34-25) in 69 games with the Titan and Tigres.
Jacob Newcombe, left wing
It’s hard to sum up Newcombe’s great junior career without mentioning that famous January 18, 2024, when he returned to the game after battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer. This courage during the 2023-2024 season earned him the Paul-Dumont Trophy given to the QMJHL’s Personality of the year, jointly with Émile Chouinard (Baie-Comeau). Returning to hockey, Newcombe had 179 points in 224 games with the Saguenéens and Eagles, who acquired him midway through the 2022-2023 season. This year, he totaled 73 points in 63 games, leading his team in goals (36), plus/minus (+27) and shots (250). Newcombe will play for the University of New Hampshire next season.
Brayden Schmitt, defenceman
Along with two teammates, Schmitt was involved in a serious car accident last fall, which caused him to miss 19 games. He returned to form to finish with 27 points in 45 games, en route to a total of 135 points in 273 games in the QMJHL, having been drafted 34th overall by the Armada in 2020. Acquired by the Eagles in December 2022, his 96 points with Cape Breton rank him sixth in franchise history among defencemen. This season, Schmitt was one of three finalists for the Marcel-Robert Trophy, awarded to the league’s most outstanding student-athlete. He will be studying and playing for Acadia University next year, which is located 90 minutes by car from his hometown of Truro, Nova Scotia.
Photos: Jamie Lee Gouthro
