Game played on 9/29/2024.
The Halifax Mooseheads delivered a commanding 4-1 victory over the Moncton Wildcats on the road. Halifax controlled the game with a balanced attack, strong puck movement, and solid goaltending. Moncton struggled to generate consistent offensive pressure, and despite their efforts to rally, Halifax’s dominance throughout the game left little room for a comeback. A well-rounded performance from the Mooseheads secured the win. Scout: Craig Eagles
Carlos Handel (D, R, 6’1″, 168, Halifax Mooseheads, 03/31/2007)
Grade: A-
Comments: Smooth operator on the backend, type of player that can skate for days, at certain times he looked very composed, other times he rushed things or was caught flatfooted because of positioning, angling and spacing which is quite common for import defencemen in their first foray in the Q. He defended well and didn’t backdown, his skating ability and edge control is fantastic, he just needs more time and reps and he will be a top tier D-man for the Mooseheads and beyond. At 6’2, he has a great frame in which to build, he thinks the game well and has solid puck skills, he will have to determine his identity and the way in which he wants to play here before scouts really start taking notice. He has great instincts for the position and game, but I don’t think he will bring a ton of offence, so that means he will have to get nastier to play against if he wants to play at the next level. He will have to get stronger from an upper body perspective to ensure he wins puck battles at the pro level, but there’s definitely something there. At times he needed to move the puck quicker and needed to change the angle of the shot or be more mobile on the offensive blueline to get shot opportunities through, again that comes with time and experience. Handel is definitely a player to watch as the season progresses, he has tons of potential.
Liam Kilfoil (C, L, 5’11”, 170, Halifax Mooseheads, 03/21/2007)
Grade: B+
Comments: Strong skating forward with great offensive instincts, plays a solid two way game, good on the half boards, great speed to the outside, has the ability to play both forward positions, looks a lot more comfortable on the wing this season than last, Active stick in all three zones, good vision and solid passer, solid puck skills in traffic, but needs to get a stronger and touch more engaged at certain sequences of the game.
Logan Crosby (RW, R, 6’2″, 197, Halifax Mooseheads, 12/14/2005)
Grade: B+
Comments: Crosby has speed for days, his stride and agility continues to improve, he got to the net on frequent occasions and really pushed the pace of the game when he had the puck on his stick. Crosby’s puck skills and play in traffic is impressive, he just needs to execute and bury his chances more especially on the inside of the ice. For Crosby to reach his full potential, he will need to find more consistency in his overall game, he has a great foundational skill set, he generated tons of offensive opportunities and made a lot of good things happen vs the Cats, Consistency is the key for Crosby if he wants to continue to move forward in the game and reach the pro ranks.
Patrick McNab (C, L, 5’11”, 182, Halifax Mooseheads, 08/29/2007)
Grade: C+
Comments: He didn’t see a ton of ice time, but was noticeable when he was out there, skates well, plays with an edge and has solid puck skills, isn’t afraid to go into traffic with or without the puck, takes good routes to pucks on regroups and really understands how to play the position and game. North/South type winger who has solid offensive processing and instincts. Given more time and reps in the league, he could definitely play a valuable role in the Mooseheads bottom six. He’s talented enough to play up and down the lineup, but he brings high compete level every time over the boards, he plays bigger than his 5’11 stature.
Shawn Carrier (LW, L, 5’9″, 161, Moncton Wildcats, 03/14/2007)
Grade: A-
Comments: great skater and solid edge control, will have to get even more explosive to ensure he wins races at the pro level, that will come though as he matures and gets stronger. He’s a smart player, has good hockey sense, solid playmaker and possesses solid individual puck skills, This kid is relentless in on the forecheck and in all three zones, he hunts pucks, he’s very accountable and a solid two-way presence, He over backchecked on the Cats 1st goal, again those mistakes are rare because he thinks the game so well, obviously he was a little nervous and wanted to have a great first game back to the Avenir Centre after his rookie campaign with the Cats. He’s good in the face-off dot, and can play both positions up front, but there’s no question he’s a natural winger. He has good escapability and puck skills in traffic, and very hard accurate shot, Shawn needs to get stronger from an upper body perspective to ensure he gets to the next level and wins puck battles, Again the knock on this kid will always be his size, it’s very noticeable he’s gotten stronger and quicker, he will need to get even more explosive if he wants to get drafted. Shawn Carrier plays a lot bigger than his 5’10 frame, he’s a character, heart and soul player who competes like hell every time he steps on the ice. Carrier struggled to gain traction in the Wildcats lineup last year, but doesn’t mean he’s struggled. Every time the tenacious gritty skilled forward stepped on the ice in whatever role he was given, he seemed to always impress. From a scouting perspective as a player Shawn Carrier doesn’t leave you wanting more, but actually the complete opposite. From a scouting perspective last year, I just didn’t see enough of him. When given an opportunity Carrier not only showcased his tenacity, character and compete level he showed his breakaway speed and skill. Carrier has the potential to be a future game breaker in the league and beyond. There’s no question, he’s the type of player that can drive offence, but is also the type of player that would do anything to help the team win. We didn’t get a chance to see Shawn Carrier’s best hockey as of yet, but he’s definitely going to have an opportunity this year with the Mooseheads. Clearly it’s hard to see someone’s best hockey in a limited role, especially on a deep team like the Cats were a season ago. Carrier is a hard working throwback type of player that works hard with and without the puck. There’s no backdown in Shawn Carrier. He has tremendous trajectory, obviously, scouts will point to his size and stature as being a potential hit on his path to the pros. There’s a lot of similarities between Shawn Carrier and another former Wildcat forward who just so happened to be a 17 yr old on a championship team which happened to be Brad Marchand. Comparisons and comparable’s aren’t always fair, but in Shawn Carrier’s case the sky is the limit, he’s going to be an impact player at the Q level and I feel could definitely contribute at the pro level.
Caleb Desnoyers (C, L, 6’2″, 178, Moncton Wildcats, 04/11/2007)
Grade: A
Comments: Caleb was outstanding and really controlled and dictated the pace of play with and without the puck, he was creative and accountable, he made things happen out there in his first few shifts of the game before sustaining an upper body injury, in typical Desnoyers fashion, the kid tried to play through it until coming out of the game early in the 2nd period, Again this kid is worth the price of admission, he plays the game and position the right way every time out, There’s no question he’s a 1st rounder, but the main questions that remain is how high will he go and his skating ability and quickness, he’s more than capable of playing both forward positions with relative ease, personally I think his skating will progress enough to play through the middle at the pro level, but some teams might disagree with that.
Riley Sampson (C, L, 6’2″, 195, Moncton Wildcats, 05/23/2006)
Grade: B+
Comments: Sampson has had a very impressive start to the 2024 season, he scored two goals vs Sea Dogs, but this game vs the Titan really revealed and showcased his versatility and compete level, he skates very well, and is a reliable and accountable two-way forward. He skates well enough to play through the middle and didn’t look out of place playing there for the bulk of two and half periods. They moved him to the wing and his play increased, every time he’s out there he makes plays, he’s all around it, he thinks the game well, and competes like hell, he’s engaged and doesn’t back down, he’s very effective on the forecheck and angles well, on the half boards he makes efficient and effective plays direct and indirect off the boards in all three zones. Here’s a kid that could have been doing this a season ago, but was never given the opportunity and found himself as a healthy scratch, when he did play he seldomly was used, It’s always great to see a kid like this who experienced what he went through excel, if he continues his inspired play which I think he will, there’s definitely a solid shot at him getting noticed by a lot of scouts. With Sampson, it’s all about the intangibles and he possesses a lot of them, perhaps his biggest challenge will be finding the consistency it takes to be contributing regular in the Wildcats lineup.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images