THREE QUESTIONS ON THE NEWFOUNDLAND REGIMENT

• Where will the offense be coming from?

It was a question that was asked many times over the course of last season and not always with a satisfactory answer. However, the scoring the club received in Northern New Brunswick last year was largely by committee. It’s a group that remains largely intact on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, only one year older and wiser. Winger Dawson Sharkey turned enough heads to earn a selection by the Dallas Stars at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Centermen Louis-Francois Belanger and Tyson Goguen will be key players up the middle. Three key additions to the squad include Dominic Pilote and Justin Larose, acquired from Rimouski and Drummondville, respectively, as well as dynamic Czech sniper Marek Danicek, a 2025 Import draftee who brings a scoring touch refined with the Sparta Prague U20 club. Fellow import Aleksei Zhukov has impressed early on in camp while St. John’s native and first-ever Regiment draft selection Benjamin Veitch projects to be a highly skilled power forward in the years to come.

• Who will shore up the “D” on the Rock?

The path to victory for this group last year hinged on defensive play, particularly on the penalty kill. Many key members of that squad are back for more, including top defensive scorer and two-way threat Noah Laberge, a 2025 draft choice of the Buffalo Sabres. Will Reynolds impressed with his stay-at-home play enough to hear his name called by the Seattle Kraken that same day. Overager Emile Perron will provide a steady presence and the ability to jump into the rush while Biagio Jr. Daniele will see tougher assignments in his sophomore campaign. In nets, 2024 Montreal Canadiens selection Mikus Vecvanags and 17-year-old Antoine Proulx will form what projects to be a formidable duo.

• Is the second time the charm?

The anticipation is building for the return of the ‘Q’ to Newfoundland, with both games on opening weekend trending towards sellout status. But beyond that lies the undeniable truth that the previous attempt to bring major junior hockey to Canada’s youngest province was an unsuccessful venture. A lot has taken place since the St. John’s Fog Devils moved to Montreal in the spring of 2008, just three short seasons after the franchise’s inception. The hockey landscape has certainly changed; professional hockey has returned and left the region more than once over the past 17 years. The realities of this fact prompt a key question; is it time for the QMJHL to become the premiere hockey option on the Rock? With an established team on the rise moving in, new ownership and what appears to be a welcoming audience waiting in the wings, the signs all point towards a successful second act in Newfoundland.

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2024-2025 Stats*:

*Stats compiled as Acadie-Bathurst Titan