Proxi Playoff Preview – Eastern Conference 

After a regular season that saw races for most positions in the standings come down to the wire, the 2026 Gilles-Courteau Trophy playoffs start tonight. Let’s take a look at what the Eastern Conference teams have to offer this spring.

By Will MacLaren 

 

Moncton Wildcats – 50-10-2-2, 104 Pts – 1st in East, 1st overall

The Wildcats put together another season to remember, posting its second consecutive 50-win campaign and becoming just the third team in the 21^st century to capture two consecutive Jean-Rougeau Trophies as regular season champions.

It was a team with a different feel this year; 16 players on the current roster were not donning the Cats’ crest 12 months ago. Different doesn’t necessarily mean downgraded, though.

With eight 20-goal scorers in the lineup, including Niko Tournas’ team-leading 43, the dynamics of Utah Mammoth draftees Caleb Desnoyers and Gabe Smith, league-leading defensive scorer Tommy Bleyl and speed to burn on every shift, the Wildcats appear poised to defend their 2025 playoff title with the ability to match line for line and pairing for pairing with virtually anyone.

Between the pipes, Head Coach Gardiner MacDougall has relied heavily on overage star Rudy Guimond (2.27 and .922), who has responded brilliantly despite a much heavier workload compared to last season.

The message from Moncton is simple; if you want the title, you’re going to have to earn it off us.

 

Chicoutimi Saguenéens – 49-10-3-2, 103 Pts – 2nd in East, 2nd overall 

If you want to escape with two points from the Saguenéens – a feat few teams accomplished this year, especially in the season’s second half – teams have better be ready every single shift. And even then, there’s no guarantees.

The Sags, a culmination of Head Coach/GM Yanick Jean’s long, methodical building process, have been as relentless as they’ve been merciless. The league leaders in goals scored, fewest goals allowed, powerplay and penalty kill efficiency can play to any opponent’s strengths.

Leading the way is 2024 Anaheim Ducks draft pick Maxim Massé, whose late season rhythm (22 points in 9 games in March!) earned him the QMJHL scoring title and a share of the league goal scoring lead. He’s not alone on the star-studded Sags, however. With seven point-per-game players in the lineup, including Thomas Desruisseaux, Alex Huang, Emmanuel Vermette and Émile Guité.

Just as impressive is a stifling defense, led not only by Huang but featuring the two-way play of Jordan Tourigny, Tomas Lavoie and Peteris Bulans. The team also went all-in over the holidays as well, picking up Tourigny, Lavoie, Alexis Bernier, Maverick Lachance, Liam Lefebvre and Lucas Beckman to bolster all positions.

They say anything can happen in the playoffs. The Sags have truly built a team that’s ready for anything… like a first title since 1994.

 

Newfoundland Regiment – 38-22-3-1, 80 Pts – 3rd in East, 6th overall 

The first season for the newly relocated Newfoundland Regiment can best be summed up in two words: rock solid. The group of experienced players that landed in St. John’s from Bathurst, NB achieved, if not exceeded at times, the level of progression expected.

Forwards Dawson Sharkey, Louis-François Bélanger and Tyson Goguen, as well as blueline Noah Laberge, all Titan holdovers, were just part of that impressive returning core.

But Head Coach/GM Gordie Dwyer and the Regiment ownership group intended to give the fans on the rock a little more bang for their buck. First, there was the acquisition of Justin Larose, who found himself in the Top 5 among all ‘Q’ point scorers. At the Import Draft, Marek Danicek was selected and repaid the league’s newest team with a 33-goal campaign, tied with Sharkey for the team lead. Additional deals at Christmas brought stability between the pipes in the person of Louis-Antoine Denault, grit in Ryan Dwyer and veteran poise in forward Alexis Michaud and defenceman Alexis Mathieu. It’s a combination that led not only to success but to a heavy style of game that opponents are wary of.

Those opponents are even warier thanks to the tremendous support of the fans in St. John’s, who regularly numbered greater than 5000 for home clashes in the Regiment’s maiden voyage. It’s a combination of tangibles and intangibles that could lead to an extended postseason party on George Street this Spring.

 

Charlottetown Islanders – 33-23-2-6, 74 Pts – 4th in East, 8th overall 

It’s been four seasons since the Islanders reached the league Final and the progress back to the top has been steady. However, expectations that have been set over the years with Jim Hulton coached and managed squads are always elevated, which was a fact in the back of every Isles fan’s mind this year.

Emerging as a game breaker was overager Nathan Leek, whose 47 goals included 13 on the powerplay and 7 game winners. Defenceman Markus Kearsey took another step towards rounding out his game, while the veteran presence of Matthew Butler and William Shields was a stabilizing force. In nets, Donald Hickey added another chapter to the long list of successful Charlottetown goaltenders, taking on number one duties and running with the assignment all year.

However, a pair of newcomers may have had the biggest change to the team’s dynamic. Defenceman Brady Peddle, a Pittsburgh Penguin draftee, was counted upon in all situations in his first season on the Island while the mid-season arrival of Carolina Hurricanes prospect Ivan Ryabkin changed the offensive complexion of the team thanks to a two point-per-game pace down the stretch. It was a welcome addition for a squad that spent two months near the top of the standings before encountering a mid-season swoon.

In the end, it certainly was a step in the right direction for an Islanders squad know for its hard working, responsible way of play. With more depth and flash in the lineup, will this squad be poised to offer up a surprise of two this postseason?

 

Québec Remparts – 32-25-6-1, 71 Pts – 5th in East, 9th overall

Another year, another satisfying progression up the standings for the Remparts. The club who played the Champion Wildcats very tough despite a four-game sweep in last year’s first round has ran with that experience, finding ways to win on a more consistent basis.

Although goals remain hard to come by, Éric Veilleux’s squad nonetheless boasted a pair of 30-goal scorers in Nathan Quinn and Maddox Dagenais. The team also had a knack for generating key plays up and down the lineup, whether it was from the raw skill of Nikita Ovcharov, the two-way play of Xavier Lebel or the grit of Andreas Straka. The most intriguing player on the roster might be Egan Beveridge, who stepped onto the Remparts powerplay following a trade with Saint John and picked up 11 goals in 27 games.

Defensively, the Remparts could hang with many of the top teams in the league. Led by overager Cal Uens, 2026 NHL Draft prospect Charlie Morrison and a strong rookie contribution from Thomas Charbonneau, the back end helped reinforce an overall dedication team defence that made the Remparts a tough opponent. In net, rookie Patrick Deniger ran with the starter’s role in the season’s second half, turning heads throughout the league (2.33 GAA!).

Well coached, edgy and with a strong netminder; that’s a recipe that would make any playoff opponent stand up and take notice. This year, the Remparts aren’t content with merely being invited to the dance.

 

Cape Breton Eagles – 28-23-4-9, 69 Pts – 6th in East, 11th overall 

With seven of the club’s top nine scorers plus its starting netminder gone from last year’s roster, plus a new coach in town, expectations in Cape Breton could best be described at the start of the year with a shrug emoji. Sixty-four games later, the club enters the postseason following an up and down campaign which realized most of its success through hard work.

Jason Clarke returned to coaching duties in the ‘Q’ with a roster that leaned more towards a rebuilding project. At Christmas, his good friend, GM Sylvain Couturier, saw short term potential. The result was a club that grinded for goals, led by the likes of Lewis Gendron, Reece Peitzsche and brothers Romain and Eliot Litalien. Raoul Boilard came over in a mid-season deal with Shawinigan. On the back end, Noah Jettleson elected to spend his overage season in the ‘Q’ and provided a substantial, minute eating defensive presence. Detroit Red Wings draftee Will Murphy continued to refine his shutdown role. Perhaps most impressive was how solid the overall group remained despite the trade that sent star blueline Tomas Lavoie to Chicoutimi over the holidays. In nets, Félix Hamel and Connor Towle formed a good tandem.

Much like in the regular season, who can predict what the Eagles will bring to the table during the playoffs. When the one guaranteed factor is work ethic, all bets could be off.

 

Halifax Mooseheads – 29-29-3-3, 64 Pts – 7th in East, 12th overall 

It’s hard to believe that, despite jumping four places in the standings and earning 16 more points, most believe it’ll actually be hard to top what last year’s Mooseheads achieved in the postseason. However, that’s exactly where things lie for this group.

After becoming the first 16th place team in QMJHL history – and the youngest in 50 years – to win a playoff round in 2025, expectations grew larger than first expected in the Nova Scotia capital this season. The results were mixed.

Under new Head Coach Brad MacKenzie, the team did improve in the standings. Shawn Carrier joined Quinn Kennedy and newcomer Oleg Kulebiakin for the nucleus of an improved offensive group. An influx of depth was achieved with rookie Jasu Mensonen and the mid-season pickup of overager Samuel Rousseau. Daniel Walters took another step in his progression as a gritty, two-way force. Defensively, the group led by Owen Phillips, Carlos Handel and Eddy Doyle was given a boost by rookie Malik L’Italien. In nets, Owen Bresson will miss the first two games of the series due to suspension. Nicholas Cirka will be looked upon to carry the load.

Some nights the Mooseheads looked like world beaters, others they just looked beat. Whatever comes out of this year’s playoff run in Moose Country, it’s the additional experience that’ll count the most.

 

Saint John Sea Dogs – 23-36-5-0, 51 Pts – 7th in East, T-15th overall 

It hasn’t been easy for the Dogs since its 2022 Memorial Cup victory. This year’s revamped roster looked to be a step in the right direction. That did in fact happen; it just took a few extra steps.

Offensively, the club accounted itself well with 11 players hitting double digit goal totals. The 2025 first overall QMJHL pick Alexis Joseph made a strong first impression on the Port City faithful while veteran Olivier Groulx led the charge in all situations. Sophomore Dylan Rozzi showed his usual jump, leading the team in game winning goals while overager Angelo Fullerton was given a new home in Saint John and repaid the favour with a team leading 27 goals.

Americans Everett Baldwin and Alexander Donovan made an impact while 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Cameron Chartrand turned in an effective rookie campaign. Arseni Radkov stabilized the situation between the pipes, though suspension will keep him out of the lineup until game three of the first round.

Perhaps the biggest change in the room occured late in the season as Brian Casey was named the clubs latest Head Coach on February 26th, stepping in for Travis Crickard.

The Dogs are vying for a series win for the first time in nine years. Regardless of what takes place in the upcoming weeks, it appears as if the ship may have found its course in Saint John harbour for the next few years.

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First-round matchups

1. Moncton vs 8. Saint John
2. Chicoutimi vs 7. Halifax
3. Newfoundland vs 6. Cape Breton
4. Charlottetown vs 5. Québec