Halifax Mooseheads facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Halifax Mooseheads |
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| City | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| League | Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League |
| Division | Maritimes |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Home arena | Scotiabank Centre |
| Colours | Green, white, red |
| Owner(s) | Simon Sports |
| General manager | Cam Russell |
| Head coach | Andrew Lord |
| Championships | 2013 Memorial Cup Champions 2013 QMJHL Champions |
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Website www.halifaxmooseheads.ca |
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The Halifax Mooseheads are a junior ice hockey team from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They play in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The team started in 1994 and quickly became a big part of the league.
The Mooseheads play their home games at the Scotiabank Centre. They have reached the President's Cup Finals five times, winning the championship in 2013. They also hosted the Memorial Cup tournament in 2000 and 2019. In 2013, they won the Memorial Cup, which is a huge achievement for a junior hockey team!
The Mooseheads were the very first team from Atlantic Canada to join the QMJHL. Their success helped the league grow and add more teams in other East Coast cities. This expansion has helped many talented hockey players from the region improve their skills and get chances to play in bigger leagues, like the National Hockey League (NHL).
Team History and Achievements
Starting the Team: 1994–1997
Before the Mooseheads, Halifax had professional hockey teams. But in 1993, the Halifax Citadels team decided to move. To keep major hockey in the city, a man named Harold MacKay suggested bringing a QMJHL team to Halifax.
At first, the QMJHL thought it would be too expensive to have a team so far east. Most of their teams were in Quebec. But on March 17, 1994, the league decided to let Halifax join!
Harold MacKay got financial help from Moosehead Breweries. The company paid the $500,000 fee to start the team and got to name them the "Mooseheads." Some famous hockey players, like Wendell Young and Cam Russell, were also part owners.
The new team had less than six months to get ready. They hired Clément Jodoin as head coach and general manager. He used to play in Halifax and was an assistant coach for the Quebec Nordiques.
In their first season (1994–95), the Mooseheads won 24 games and lost 42. Even though they finished 11th in the league, they made the playoffs! They lost in the first round but played very well against the top team, the Beauport Harfangs.
Over the next two seasons, the team got better. By their third season (1996–97), they had a winning record and finished third in their division. Fans loved the team, with over 5,300 people coming to games on average. They even reached the semi-finals of the President's Cup for the first time in 1997. The team also drafted Alex Tanguay, who later became an NHL All-Star and Stanley Cup winner.
First Memorial Cup Appearance: 1997–2003
Before the 1997–98 season, the team saw some big changes. Coach Clément Jodoin left to join the Montreal Canadiens. Harold MacKay, the team's founder, also stepped down. The team hired Denis Leblanc as general manager and Danny Grant as the new coach.
The team had a tough season, finishing fifth in their division. But with new players like goalies Pascal Leclaire and Aleksei Volkov, and forward Ladislav Nagy, they improved. They finished second in their division in 1999 and 2000.
Even though they didn't win a championship yet, the Mooseheads had amazing fan support. In 1999, over one million fans had attended their games! Because of this strong support, Halifax was chosen to host the 2000 Memorial Cup tournament.
Just before the 2000 Memorial Cup, the team changed coaches again, bringing in Shawn Mackenzie. The Mooseheads played well in the tournament, winning two games. But they lost in the semi-final to the Barrie Colts.
After the Memorial Cup, Mackenzie became the full-time coach. The team improved, finishing first in their division in the 2000–01 season.
In 2002, a young hockey star named Sidney Crosby from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, wanted to play for the Mooseheads. He was only 14, but the team asked the league if he could join early. The league said no.
The 2002–03 season was the team's best yet! They won 44 games and finished first in their division. They swept their first playoff series and then won two tough seven-game series to reach the President's Cup final for the first time. They played against the Hull Olympiques and lost in a close seven-game series.
In 2003, the original owners, Moosehead Breweries, decided to sell their share of the team. Before the next season, Bobby Smith, a former NHL player and general manager from Nova Scotia, became the new owner. The team kept its name and logo.
New Ownership and Rebuilding: 2003–2011
After a great 2002–03 season, the team had many older players leave. The 2003–04 team was younger and less experienced. They missed the playoffs for the first time in their history.
The 2004–05 season saw a much-improved Mooseheads team. They finished first in their division and made it to the league final again. However, they lost to the Rimouski Océanic, led by Sidney Crosby.
Cam Russell, a former NHL player and part-owner, became the head coach in 2006. His best season as coach was in 2007–08, when the team reached the semi-finals.
The next two seasons were tough, with the team finishing last in their division. The 2009–10 season was the worst in team history, with only 13 wins. But Cam Russell said this was part of a plan to rebuild the team. They focused on getting many early draft picks in 2010 and 2011 to find new young talent.
In 2010, Russell became the full-time general manager, and Bobby Smith took over as head coach.
Championship Glory: 2011–2017
In 2011, another young star from Nova Scotia, Nathan MacKinnon, was getting a lot of attention. He was a fast-skating forward from Dartmouth and a lifelong Mooseheads fan. The team really wanted him, especially after missing out on Sidney Crosby years before.
MacKinnon was drafted first overall by the Baie Comeau Drakkar. But he said he would play in the United States instead of signing with them. Five weeks later, the Drakkar traded MacKinnon to Halifax! The Mooseheads gave up two top forwards and three first-round draft picks to get him.
The team's rebuilding plan started to pay off in the 2011–12 season with new coach Dominique Ducharme. They also traded for the second overall pick in the 2011 draft, which they used to pick talented center Jonathan Drouin. With their own pick, they chose goalie Zachary Fucale. They also added Czech forward Martin Frk.
The 2012–13 season was the most successful in the team's history! They finished as the top team in the entire Canadian Hockey League, with only six losses. They scored 347 goals and only allowed 176. Led by Drouin and MacKinnon, the team was incredibly strong.
In the playoffs, they were almost perfect, sweeping three rounds. They lost only one game in the final against Baie Comeau, winning the President's Cup on home ice!
The Mooseheads then went to the 2013 Memorial Cup in Saskatoon. They finished the round-robin with two wins and one loss. In the final game, they defeated the Portland Winterhawks 6–4 to win the Memorial Cup! Nathan MacKinnon was amazing, scoring two hat-tricks in the tournament, including one in the championship game. This was the third Memorial Cup win in a row for a QMJHL team.
After this amazing season, four Mooseheads players were picked in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Nathan MacKinnon was picked first overall, Jonathan Drouin was picked third, and Zachary Fucale was the top goalie picked at 36th overall.
The 2013–14 season was also successful. Even though MacKinnon joined the Colorado Avalanche, Drouin and Fucale returned. The team also added star forwards Nikolaj Ehlers and Timo Meier.
The team went into another rebuilding phase in the 2014–15 season. After more veterans left, Ehlers and Meier became the team leaders. They made it to the second round of the playoffs.
The next season was tough, and the team missed the playoffs. Coach Dominique Ducharme left, and Andre Tourigny became the new head coach. The team improved in 2016–17 but lost in the first round of the playoffs. Tourigny then left the team.
In the 2016 QMJHL draft, the Mooseheads made history by having the first and second overall picks! They chose highly talented players Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jared McIsaac.
Recent Years: 2017–Present
As the 2017–18 season began, the team was looking forward to their 25th anniversary. They also wanted to host the 2019 Memorial Cup and be strong contenders for another national title. In May 2018, Halifax won the bid to host the event! They promised to keep ticket prices affordable for fans.
The team also moved their offices and training facilities to the RBC Centre, a new arena in Dartmouth.
Assistant coach Jim Midgley took over as head coach for the 2017–18 season. The team had good players like Olivier-Groulx, McIsaac, goalie Alexis Gravel, and veteran Max Fortier. Even though star player Nico Hischier (who was drafted first overall by the New Jersey Devils) had left, the team signed another top player, Filip Zadina.
For their 25th anniversary season (2018–19), the Mooseheads had another coaching change. Éric Veilleux, a former NHL player and successful junior coach, took over.
The team also traded for experienced players like Antoine Morand, Samuel Asselin, and Keith Getson. They had their second-best season ever, with 49 wins! They finished first in the Maritimes Division. In the playoffs, they won some tough series, including a comeback win against Quebec. Star player Raphaël Lavoie led the league in playoff scoring.
In the final, the Mooseheads faced the top team, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The Huskies had won 59 games in the regular season. The Huskies won the final series in six games.
The two teams met again in the Memorial Cup tournament. The Huskies were the QMJHL champions, and the Mooseheads were the hosts. The Mooseheads played well, earning a direct spot in the championship game. But in the final, the Huskies defeated the Mooseheads again, 4–2. After the season, coach Veilleux left the team.
Team Coaches
Here is a list of the head coaches who have led the Halifax Mooseheads:
- Clément Jodoin – 1994–1997
- Shawn MacKenzie – 1996–97*, 2000–2005
- Danny Grant – 1997–1998
- Bob Mongrain – 1998–2000
- Cam Russell – 2000–01 season*
- Chris Donnelly – 2003–04 season*
- Marcel Patenaude – 2004–05 season*
- Al MacAdam – 2004–2006
- Cam Russell – 2006–2010
- Bobby Smith – 2010–2011
- Dominique Ducharme – 2011–2016
- Andre Tourigny – 2016–2017
- Jim Midgley – 2017–2018
- Éric Veilleux – 2018–2019
- J. J. Daigneault – 2019–2021
- Sylvain Favreau – 2021–2023
- Jim Midgley – 2023–2024
- Andrew Lord – 2024–present
* = Interim head coach
Mooseheads Players
Retired Numbers
The Mooseheads honor special players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team can wear that number again.
- 18 Alex Tanguay (1996–1999)
- 22 Nathan MacKinnon (2011–2013)
- 25 Jody Shelley (1994–1997)
- 47 Jean-Sébastien Giguère (1994–1997)
Honorary
- Pat Connolly (broadcaster)
NHL Alumni
Many players who played for the Halifax Mooseheads have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL), the top professional hockey league in North America. Here are some of them:
- Ramzi Abid
- Justin Barron
- Andrew Bodnarchuk
- David Brine
- Frédéric Cassivi
- Marc Chouinard
- Elliot Desnoyers
- Joe DiPenta
- Jonathan Drouin
- Jeremy Duchesne
- Arnaud Durandeau
- Benoit Dusablon
- Nikolaj Ehlers
- Ryan Flinn
- Martin Frk
- Zachary Fucale
- Jean-Sébastien Giguère
- Alexandre Grenier
- Benoit-Olivier Groulx
- Nico Hischier
- Éric Houde
- Milan Jurcina
- Jason King
- Raphaël Lavoie
- Pascal Leclaire
- Joey MacDonald
- Nathan MacKinnon
- Brad Marchand
- Timo Meier
- Ladislav Nagy
- Alexandre Picard
- Brandon Reid
- Jody Shelley
- Alex Tanguay
- Jakub Voracek
- Petr Vrana
- MacKenzie Weegar
- Filip Zadina
NHL First Round Draft Picks
These Mooseheads players were chosen in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, which means they were considered some of the best young players in the world.
| Year | # | Player | Nationality | NHL team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 13 | Jean-Sébastien Giguère (G) |  Canada |
Hartford Whalers |
| 1998 | 12 | Alex Tanguay (C) | Canada |
Colorado Avalanche |
| 2001 | 8 | Pascal Leclaire (G) | Canada |
Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 2007 | 7 | Jakub Voracek (RW) |  Czech Republic |
Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 2007 | 19 | Logan MacMillan (C) | Canada |
Anaheim Ducks |
| 2013 | 1 | Nathan MacKinnon (C) |  Canada |
Colorado Avalanche |
| 2013 | 3 | Jonathan Drouin (LW) | Canada |
Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2014 | 9 | Nikolaj Ehlers (LW) |  Denmark |
Winnipeg Jets |
| 2015 | 9 | Timo Meier (RW) |  Switzerland |
San Jose Sharks |
| 2017 | 1 | Nico Hischier (C) |  Switzerland |
New Jersey Devils |
| 2018 | 6 | Filip Zadina (RW) |  Czech Republic |
Detroit Red Wings |
| 2020 | 25 | Justin Barron (D) | Canada |
Colorado Avalanche |
| 2021 | 27 | Zachary L'Heureux (LW) | Canada |
Nashville Predators |
All-25 Team
To celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2018–19, the Mooseheads named their all-time best team. Fans voted for their favorite players from a list of 100 names.
| Head coach | Nationality | Seasons | Career notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominique Ducharme | Canada |
2011–2016 | Won 2013 President's Cup and Memorial Cup | |
| Position | Player | Nationality | Seasons | Career notes |
| D | Konrad Abeltshauser |  Germany |
2009–2013 | Drafted by San Jose Sharks in 2010 |
| D | Andrew Bodnarchuk | Canada |
2005–2008 | Drafted by Boston Bruins in 2006 |
| LW | Jonathan Drouin | Canada |
2011–2014 | Drafted by Tampa Bay Lightning in 2013 |
| LW | Nikolaj Ehlers |  Denmark |
2013–2015 | Drafted by Winnipeg Jets in 2014 |
| RW | Maxime Fortier | Canada |
2014–2018 | |
| G | Zachary Fucale | Canada |
2011–2014 | Drafted by Montreal Canadiens in 2013 |
| G | Jean-Sébastien Giguère | Canada |
1994–1997 | Drafted by Hartford Whalers in 1995 |
| C | Nico Hischier |  Switzerland |
2016–2017 | Drafted first overall by New Jersey Devils in 2017 |
| D | Trey Lewis | Canada |
2010–2013 | |
| D | Ali MacEachern | Canada |
1997–2001 | |
| C | Nathan MacKinnon | Canada |
2011–2013 | Drafted first overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2013 |
| D | Jared McIsaac | Canada |
2016–2020 | Drafted by Detroit Red Wings in 2018 |
| C | Ladislav Nagy |  Slovakia |
1998–1999 | Drafted by St. Louis Blues in 1997 |
| C | Alex Tanguay | Canada |
1996–1999 | Drafted by Colorado Avalanche in 1998 |
| RW | Jakub Voráček | Czech Republic |
2006–2008 | Drafted by Columbus Blue Jackets in 2007 |
| D | MacKenzie Weegar | Canada |
2012–2014 | Drafted by Florida Panthers in 2013 |
Season Results
Here are the Halifax Mooseheads' results for each season they have played.
Regular Season Standings
This table shows how the Mooseheads performed in the regular season each year. OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss
| Season | GP | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | SOL | Points | Pts % | GF | GA | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 72 | 24 | 42 | 6 | — | — | 54 | 0.375 | 257 | 317 | 6th in Dilio Division |
| 1995–96 | 70 | 32 | 36 | 2 | — | — | 66 | 0.471 | 258 | 262 | 4th in Dilio Division |
| 1996–97 | 70 | 37 | 29 | 4 | — | — | 78 | 0.557 | 267 | 255 | 3rd in Dilio Division |
| 1997–98 | 70 | 24 | 41 | 5 | — | — | 53 | 0.379 | 263 | 316 | 5th in Dilio Division |
| 1998–99 | 70 | 46 | 20 | 4 | — | — | 96 | 0.686 | 298 | 206 | 2nd in Dilio Division |
| 1999–2000 | 72 | 41 | 20 | 6 | 5 | — | 93 | 0.611 | 316 | 259 | 2nd in Maritimes Division |
| 2000–01 | 72 | 32 | 24 | 10 | 6 | — | 80 | 0.514 | 235 | 253 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
| 2001–02 | 72 | 39 | 21 | 9 | 3 | — | 90 | 0.604 | 267 | 197 | 2nd in Maritimes Division |
| 2002–03 | 72 | 44 | 15 | 10 | 3 | — | 101 | 0.681 | 289 | 206 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
| 2003–04 | 70 | 17 | 43 | 7 | 3 | — | 44 | 0.293 | 194 | 274 | 4th in Atlantic Division |
| 2004–05 | 70 | 42 | 16 | 10 | 2 | — | 96 | 0.671 | 242 | 172 | 1st in Atlantic Division |
| 2005–06 | 70 | 35 | 33 | — | 1 | 1 | 72 | 0.507 | 246 | 258 | 5th in East Division |
| 2006–07 | 70 | 32 | 31 | — | 3 | 4 | 71 | 0.457 | 269 | 287 | 6th in East Division |
| 2007–08 | 70 | 42 | 23 | — | 6 | 2 | 89 | 0.600 | 278 | 241 | 1st in East Division |
| 2008–09 | 68 | 19 | 41 | — | 3 | 5 | 46 | 0.279 | 193 | 290 | 6th in Atlantic Division |
| 2009–10 | 68 | 13 | 48 | — | 3 | 4 | 33 | 0.191 | 171 | 288 | 6th in Atlantic Division |
| 2010–11 | 68 | 20 | 43 | — | 2 | 3 | 45 | 0.331 | 186 | 262 | 5th in Maritimes Division |
| 2011–12 | 68 | 39 | 22 | — | 2 | 5 | 85 | 0.625 | 250 | 238 | 2nd in Maritimes Division |
| 2012–13 | 68 | 58 | 6 | — | 3 | 1 | 120 | 0.882 | 347 | 176 | 1st in Telus Maritimes Division |
| 2013–14 | 68 | 47 | 18 | — | — | 3 | 97 | 0.713 | 292 | 182 | 1st in Telus Maritimes Division |
| 2014–15 | 68 | 32 | 30 | — | 4 | 2 | 70 | 0.515 | 227 | 242 | 4th in Maritimes Division |
| 2015–16 | 68 | 21 | 39 | — | 7 | 1 | 50 | 0.345 | 193 | 277 | 6th in Maritimes Division |
| 2016–17 | 68 | 27 | 35 | — | 3 | 3 | 60 | 0.441 | 229 | 259 | 5th in Maritimes Division |
| 2017–18 | 68 | 43 | 18 | — | 6 | 1 | 93 | 0.684 | 270 | 223 | 2nd in Maritimes Division |
| 2018–19 | 68 | 49 | 15 | — | 2 | 2 | 102 | 0.750 | 300 | 164 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
| 2019–20 | 63 | 20 | 38 | — | 3 | 2 | 45 | 0.357 | 170 | 263 | 5th in Maritimes Division |
| 2020–21 | 43 | 15 | 19 | — | 5 | 4 | 39 | 0.453 | 152 | 183 | 4th in Maritimes Division |
| 2021–22 | 68 | 38 | 28 | — | 1 | 1 | 78 | 0.574 | 272 | 272 | 4th in Maritimes Division |
| 2022–23 | 68 | 50 | 11 | — | 4 | 3 | 107 | 0.787 | 335 | 196 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
| 2023–24 | 68 | 42 | 18 | — | 7 | 1 | 92 | 0.676 | 227 | 184 | 1st in Maritimes Division |
Playoff Results
This table shows how the Mooseheads have done in the playoffs each season.
| Season | 1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | L, 3–4, Beauport | |||
| 1995–96 | 1–5 in round-robin | |||
| 1996–97 | W, 3–1, Beauport | W, 4–3, Shawinigan | L, 3–4, Chicoutimi | |
| 1997–98 | L, 1–4, Rimouski | |||
| 1998–99 | Bye | L, 1–4, Acadie–Bathurst | ||
| 1999–2000 | W, 4–2, Baie-Comeau | L, 0–4, Rimouski | ||
| 2000–01 | L, 2–4, Rimouski | |||
| 2001–02 | W, 4–3, Rimouski | L, 2–4, Cape Breton | ||
| 2002–03 | W, 4–0, Cape Breton | W, 4–3, Acadie–Bathurst | W, 4–3, Baie-Comeau | L, 3–4, Hull |
| 2003–04 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2004–05 | Bye | W, 4–1, Gatineau | W, 4–0, Rouyn-Noranda | L, 0–4, Rimouski |
| 2005–06 | W, 4–2, Lewiston | L, 1–4, Moncton | ||
| 2006–07 | W, 4–3, Moncton | L, 1–4, Lewiston | ||
| 2007–08 | W, 4–2, Victoriaville | W, 4–1, Cape Breton | L, 0–4, Gatineau | |
| 2008–09 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2009–10 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2010–11 | L, 0–4, Montreal | |||
| 2011–12 | W, 4–0, Moncton | W, 4–3, Quebec | L, 2–4, Rimouski | |
| 2012–13 | W, 4–0, Saint John | W, 4–0, Gatineau | W, 4–0, Rouyn-Noranda | W, 4–1, Baie-Comeau |
| 2013–14 | W, 4–0, Charlottetown | W, 4–1, Gatineau | L, 3–4, Val-d'Or | |
| 2014–15 | W, 4–3, Shawinigan | L, 3–4, Moncton | ||
| 2015–16 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2016–17 | L, 2–4, Rouyn-Noranda | |||
| 2017–18 | W, 4–1, Baie-Comeau | L, 0–4, Charlottetown | ||
| 2018–19 | W, 4–3, Quebec | W, 4–0, Moncton | W, 4–2, Drummondville | L, 2–4, Rouyn-Noranda |
| 2019–20 | QMJHL playoffs cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2020–21 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2021–22 | L, 2–3, Acadie–Bathurst | |||
| 2022–23 | W, 4–0, Cape Breton | W, 4–1, Moncton | W, 4–2, Sherbrooke | L, 2–4, Quebec |
| 2023–24 | L, 0–4, Acadie–Bathurst | |||
Memorial Cup Results
The Memorial Cup is a big tournament where the champions from three major junior hockey leagues (OHL, QMJHL, WHL) and a host team compete. Here are the Mooseheads' results in the Memorial Cup.
| Year | Round-robin | Semifinal | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | W, 5–2 Barrie Colts W, 7–1 Kootenay Ice L, 3–5 Rimouski Océanic |
L, 3–6 Barrie Colts | |
| 2013 | W, 7–4 Portland Winterhawks L, 2–5 Saskatoon Blades W, 9–2 London Knights |
Bye | W, 6–4 Portland Winterhawks |
| 2019 | W, 4–1 Prince Albert Raiders W, 4–2 Guelph Storm L, 3–4 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies |
Bye | L, 2–4 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies |
Team Records
These tables show some of the best team and individual player records in Mooseheads history.
| Team Records for a Single Season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistic | Total | Season |
| Most points | 120 | 2012–13 |
| Most wins | 58 | 2012–13 |
| Fewest points | 33 | 2009–10 |
| Fewest wins | 13 | 2009–10 |
| Most goals for | 347 | 2012–13 |
| Fewest goals for | 171 | 2009-10 |
| Fewest goals against | 164 | 2018–19 |
| Most goals against | 317 | 1994–95 |
| Highest average attendance | 8686 | 2012–13 |
| Lowest average attendance | 3768 | 1994–95 |
| Individual Player Records for a Single Season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistic | Player | Total | Season |
| Most goals | Ladislav Nagy | 71 | 1998–99 |
| Most assists | Jordan Dumais | 86 | 2022–23 |
| Most points | Jordan Dumais | 140 | 2022–23 |
| Most points, rookie | Ladislav Nagy | 126 | 1998–99 |
| Most points, defenceman | Jasmin Gelinas | 87 | 1999-2000 |
| Most goals, defenceman | Mario Dumoulin | 23 | 1998–99 |
| Most penalty minutes | Carlyle Lewis | 425 | 1998–99 |
| Best GAA, goaltender | Zachary Fucale | 2.26 | 2013–14 |
| Most shutouts, goaltender | Zachary Fucale | 6 | 2013–14 |
| Plus/Minus | Nikolaj Ehlers | +65 | 2013–14 |
