QMJHL 2019-2020 Thread

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

Have you heard any news about our coaching situation? or about Torchetti?

There are a lot of wild, baseless and potentially slanderous allegations flying around on the hockey boards, which I will not deign to repeat here.

The only thing I will say is that it appears RKI is not at fault here. The issue is with Torchetti, although it should be noted (given the current climate regarding coaching in hockey), that there are no rumours of him being abusive to players. For the time being, I will stick with the rumour of the "sick family member".

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

There are a lot of wild, baseless and potentially slanderous allegations flying around on the hockey boards, which I will not deign to repeat here.

The only thing I will say is that it appears RKI is not at fault here. The issue is with Torchetti, although it should be noted (given the current climate regarding coaching in hockey), that there are no rumours of him being abusive to players. For the time being, I will stick with the rumour of the "sick family member".

Thanks.

[MonctonRad]

Well, my concerns over the post-Torchetti Wildcats are beginning to abate.

Wildcats defeat the Titan today by a score of 3-0.

This was Lavallee's second consecutive shutout victory.

It wasn't so much the fact they won the game but the manner in which they won the game.

The team was tight, disciplined, positional in their play and covered each other extremely well. They were also effective defensively and gave Lavallee a lot of help in their own end. The Titan just couldn't get on track.

The Cats finish the first half of the season with a 24-9-0-0 record, good for 48 points and third place in the QMJHL.

As for Torchetti. This press release was issued immediately following the game:

For Immediate Release

December 14, 2019

Moncton – The Moncton Wildcats have released Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations John Torchetti effective immediately. A decision was made for internal reasons that the change was required.

Assistant Coach Darryl Boyce has been named interim Head Coach. The search for a new head coach will begin immediately. Ritchie Thibeau, Assistant Director of Hockey Operations will oversee hockey operations.

As this is a personnel-related matter, the organization will have no further comment.

This pretty much confirms that Torchetti was released from his position for cause. Again, the rumours as to what the reasons are are out there on the hockey boards and I will not repeat them here because they are just hearsay.

[L'homard]

I go to several games a year. I don't read the hockey boards, for just this reason. I'll leave it at that.
If this was my team, I'd abandon any plans to go whole hog for the cup this year. But it's not my team, it's big bob's team. And I'll bet he goes for it anyway, for better or worse. In other branches of this corporation, they change "coaches" like they change toilet paper after using the facilities.
Hold on to your hats, fans.

[MonctonRad]

And now the trade period is upon us. It will be interesting to see how recognizable the team will be in three weeks time once the dust is settled..........

There are strong rumours (as lirette previously posted) that Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jared McIsaac will be traded to Moncton from the Halifax Mooseheads. Since one (and possibly both) of them might be on Team Canada in the WJHC, this will not be confirmed until the tournament is over. It will be interesting to see how many pounds of flesh the Mooseheads will demand from the Wildcats in return for this trade. It had better not include Zachary l'Heureux.........

Also, despite Lavallee's back to back shutout performance in the last two games, word on the street is that he is being traded to Shawinigan for a couple of draft picks, and he may be replaced on the roster with a (more experienced) Dakota Lund-Cornish from Baie Comeau. No word as to the price of this trade. Lund-Cornish would be Rodrigue's back up.

[habs33]

Dakota Lund-Cornish has been traded to the Cats
Wildcats open trade period with addition of veteran netminder

[habs33]

And Charles-Antoine Lavallee has been traded to Shawinigan

Originally Posted by habs33

Dakota Lund-Cornish has been traded to the Cats
Wildcats open trade period with addition of veteran netminder

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by habs33

And Charles-Antoine Lavallee has been traded to Shawinigan

And Shawinigan get Lavallee on the cheap:

Wildcats netminder Charles-Antoine Lavallée has been traded to the Shawinigan Cataractes in exchange for a 3rd round pick in 2020 and a 4th round pick in 2021.

I have been hard on Lavallee in the past, but he has been showing improvement this year, and I think in the long run we may regret this trade. I understand the desire for a veteran goaltender (Lund-Cornish) for the Memorial Cup run, but after this year we may be left with a highly unstable goaltender situation..........

[lirette]

Lavallee is a better goaltender today than Lund-Cornish regardless of age.

This isn't a trade that will cripple the franchise but is just bad asset management overall.

Seems like the Cats are always negotiating from a position of weakness. If there were no better offers they should have just kept Lavallee. He would have taken the reigns over full time next season. He won't even be the starter in Shawinigan as they currently own the best 17 year old goalie in the Q. At best he'll split time but probably closer to 60/40

[Blue Blazer]

Originally Posted by lirette

Some huge trades already announced (unofficially) days before the trade period begun

Moncton will be adding Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jared McIsaac from Halifax. Both are currently at the WJHC Team Canada Selection Camp. McIsaac is a sure bet to make the team and Groulx is likely as well.

Raphael Lavoie is heading to Chicoutimi, as well as Newfoundlander Dawson Mercer. Last night Chicoutimi added top 20 year old Felix Bibeau. Chicoutimi is going to have a pretty terrifying offense after adding 3 1st line talent players.

Moncton adding MacIssac gives them the best top 3 D in the league in MacIsaac, Spence & Andersson.

I'm quite sure Moncton is not yet done as there's plenty of other rumors floating out there including that they were in on Bibeau last night, that would lead you to believe they may upgrade on Christian Huntley.

Expect that these deals wont be announced until after the WJHC.

Looks like Mr Irving wants to go all in. Love to see a Championship but not looking forward to depleting the cupboards

[Philbilly]

MONCTON WILDCAT TRADE

The Wildcats are excited to announce the acquisition of star forward Benoit-Olivier Groulx. The trade made between the Mooseheads and Wildcats has Halifax receiving a 1st round pick in the 2021 draft, a 2nd in 2020 and a 2nd in 2022.

[habs33]

Per twitter, Daniel Lacroix will be named the Wildcats head coach today

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Philbilly

MONCTON WILDCAT TRADE

The Wildcats are excited to announce the acquisition of star forward Benoit-Olivier Groulx. The trade made between the Mooseheads and Wildcats has Halifax receiving a 1st round pick in the 2021 draft, a 2nd in 2020 and a 2nd in 2022.

We won't hear about McIsaac until the WJHC are finished in the new year. I imagine he is on his way to the Wildcats too. The price for Groulx was pretty steep. The cost for McIsaac may be similar (although reports that he would only agree to be traded to the Wildcats might have reduced his trade value).

Rumour on the street is that the Cats may get those first and second round draft picks (for Groulx) back after the season is over, and that Pelletier and Spence will be sent to the Mooseheads instead. It is possible that l'Heureux could be a "future consideration" as part of the McIsaac trade.

No matter how you cut it, next year will likely be a very lean one for the Wildcats. We will likely be bottom dwellers for the next two years..........

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by habs33

Per twitter, Daniel Lacroix will be named the Wildcats head coach today

And Josh Hepditch is back as an assistant coach too. Let's hope the transition to the new coaching situation goes as seamlessly as possible.

Cats play the Islanders this afternoon at the Avenir Centre.. This will be our first chance to see Lund-Cornish in net. Groulx will not be playing. Apparently his first game will be December 31st.

[MonctonRad]

Wildcats begin the second half of the season with a 3-2 OT win over the Charlottetown Islanders. Eliot Desnoyers scored the overtime winner.

The Wildcats dominated the game play, especially in the first period. Lund-Cornish, our new goalie wasn't really tested. The two goals he let in were both close in shots, and I'm not sure he could be faulted or not.

Attendance was a healthy 7,104.

[lirette]

Wildcats will be adding forward Gabriel Fortier to the lineup (2nd round pick of TB, 40+ goal scorer last season). The return is unknown at this point but rumored to involve prospect Julian Hebert & draft picks with a potential of Desnoyers heading to BC at the draft.

They are also adding some physical presence to the lineup aquring Liam Leonard for Mark Rumsey is a 1 for 1.

This team is built to win. The top 9 forward group is down right scary with the ability to put 2 elite forwards on the top 3 lines if they want to spread out the offense. They also have the best top 3 D in the Q and one of the best goalies in the Q. Both Groulx & Fortier are terrific for the playoffs as they are 2 way guys that play the game hard. Groulx is going to also be a huge help on faceoffs.

Time to sit back and enjoy the ride!

The only acquisition I could see would be a depth defenceman in case of injury.

[MonctonRad]

I agree. It should be an exciting second half of the season, but the next 2-3 years will be awfully painful to watch.

[lirette]

The trade is up now. As it stands this is whats going for Fortier. Very possible there is picks coming back at the draft for players but not confirmed at this point. It must be very confusing following the Q as a casual observer trying to look at trades at face value and understand them.

Hébert, Julien
(2003-07-09)
RD_2, 2020 (CHA)
RD_3, 2020 (SHA)
RD_3, 2020
RD_4, 2021 (SHA)
RD_4, 2021

[lirette]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I agree. It should be an exciting second half of the season, but the next 2-3 years will be awfully painful to watch.

If there is a positive here its that there has been rumors coming from multiple people that Zachary L'Heureux is not involved in any of these trades, and also that the 2021 & 2022 1st round picks will be coming back at the draft for Pelletier & Spence.

This obviously means next years team will be even worse, and the Cats lose out on moving those guys at Christmas to restock on picks but the 2021 & 2022 will likely be very high (and possibly lottery) picks. Having a terrible team is abit easier to stomach with the possibility of a lottery pick coming..the last 2 lottery picks gave the Cats Pelletier & L'Heureux.

Looking into the future If I were the Cats GM I would be looking to flip Zachary L'Heureux at Christmas 2020 with the trajectory he is in he could be an early 1st round NHL pick. Moving a player like him at 17 would bring back 4-5 prime assets to help restock. There would be no sense building a team around him as he will have no one to play with and he could very well be in the NHL at 18 or 19. You could then focus on building a team with those assets starting at the 2021 draft.

Unfortunately with Irving at the helm an obvious plan like this is never a gaurantee. I hope the Cats are doing their work on the Euro draft as those will be their only shots at adding some skill to the team to play next season with L'Heureux.

[tmacdougall]

I've been quietly observing the trades that the Wildcats have made over the last few weeks to build a team to compete for the Memorial Cup. I am AMAZED at how many people are angry that we are emptying the cupboards for this run. This will be the most exciting hockey team we've seen in a number of years. We should be celebrating these moves. Go Cats go!

Originally Posted by lirette

If there is a positive here its that there has been rumors coming from multiple people that Zachary L'Heureux is not involved in any of these trades, and also that the 2021 & 2022 1st round picks will be coming back at the draft for Pelletier & Spence.

This obviously means next years team will be even worse, and the Cats lose out on moving those guys at Christmas to restock on picks but the 2021 & 2022 will likely be very high (and possibly lottery) picks. Having a terrible team is abit easier to stomach with the possibility of a lottery pick coming..the last 2 lottery picks gave the Cats Pelletier & L'Heureux.

Looking into the future If I were the Cats GM I would be looking to flip Zachary L'Heureux at Christmas 2020 with the trajectory he is in he could be an early 1st round NHL pick. Moving a player like him at 17 would bring back 4-5 prime assets to help restock. There would be no sense building a team around him as he will have no one to play with and he could very well be in the NHL at 18 or 19. You could then focus on building a team with those assets starting at the 2021 draft.

Unfortunately with Irving at the helm an obvious plan like this is never a gaurantee. I hope the Cats are doing their work on the Euro draft as those will be their only shots at adding some skill to the team to play next season with L'Heureux.