Our 20’s – Moncton Wildcats
Throughout the summer, we’ll be looking back at the QMJHL careers of our 20-year-old players, who will be moving on to new opportunities next season. Today, we feature the graduating players of the Moncton Wildcats.
Rudy Guimond
Guimond’s time in Moncton and the QMJHL lasted only two seasons, but what an impact he made. The Pointe-Claire native was playing for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the USHL when he decided to join the Wildcats early in the 2024-25 season. He posted a perfect 16-0 regular-season record (1.73 GAA, .940 SV%), then won eight of his nine playoff starts—serving as Mathis Rousseau’s backup—to help the Wildcats capture the Gilles-Courteau Trophy. He was even better in 2025-26, finishing with a 40-7-3 record, a 2.27 goals-against average, and a .922 save percentage to earn the Patrick-Roy Trophy as the QMJHL’s Goaltender of the Year. Once again, the Wildcats advanced to the league final, this time falling to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. Guimond’s 56 wins in just two seasons rank fifth in Wildcats history, while his .927 career save percentage and 2.14 goals-against average are franchise records. He will continue both his academic and hockey career at Harvard University next season.
Preston Lounsbury
A fourth-round selection by the Wildcats in 2021, Lounsbury spent his entire junior career in Moncton, appearing in 262 games. Only Alex Mercier, Devon MacAusland, Simon Laliberté, and Steve Bernier have played more games in franchise history. A Moncton area native, Lounsbury spent most of his 16-year-old season with the Moncton Flyers U18 AAA before earning a full-time role with the Wildcats. He followed that with seasons of 28, 57, 44, and 42 points, highlighted by winning the Frank-J.-Selke Trophy (now the David-Desharnais Trophy) as the QMJHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player in 2023-24. The following season, he played a key role in the Wildcats’ Gilles-Courteau Trophy championship, recording 14 points, including eight goals, in 19 playoff games. He also returned to the league final in 2026, where Moncton fell to Chicoutimi. Wearing No. 20, Lounsbury finished his Wildcats career ranked 20th in franchise scoring with 172 points (67 goals, 105 assists) in 262 games. He will attend College of the Holy Cross next season.
Alex Mercier
Mercier is another player who etched his name into Wildcats history, setting franchise records with 284 regular-season games and 59 playoff appearances. He was playing for Séminaire Saint-François U18 AAA when Moncton selected him in the second round of the 2021 QMJHL Draft. After returning to SSF for 19 more games, he made the jump to the Wildcats full-time. His offensive breakout began during his 18-year-old season, as he produced 44, 64, and 63 points over his final three campaigns. His 213 career points rank 12th in franchise history. Like Guimond and Lounsbury, Mercier played a vital role in the Wildcats’ 2025 championship run, contributing nine points in 19 playoff games while providing smart, hard-nosed play. He delivered another outstanding postseason in 2026, recording 11 points in 21 playoff contests as the Wildcats once again reached the league final. Mercier will continue his career at Merrimack College next season.
