EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – With the regular season opening game closing in on Friday, the Edmundston Blizzard made three transactions over the weekend, including a major one with the West Kent Steamers involving four players. The Blizzard traded forward Alexis Daniel (2003) and defenseman Aiden Diamond (2006) for forwards Justin Hébert (2004) and Noah Breau (2006), the first picks in the 2024 and 2025 drafts.
Originally from Shippagan (NB), Justin Hébert played the entire 2022-2023 season with the South Shore Lumberjacks (relocated to West Kent), collecting 13 goals and 15 assists in 48 games. He was the Lumberjacks’ third-highest scorer. In three pre-season games with West Kent, Hébert recorded one goal and two assists. Noah Breau, a native of Aldouane, NB, played in two games with the Grand Falls Rapids last season. He collected a goal and an assist in an exhibition game this month with West Kent. Breau is a product of the Northern Moose (midget AAA), with whom he tallied 12 goals and 12 assists in 65 games over the past two seasons.
After playing seven games with the Blizzard in 2019-2020, Alexis Daniel of Dieppe, NB, made the jump to the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats, the team with which he was captain last year. He totaled 40 points (14g, 26a) in 65 games with the Wildcats in 2022-2023. As for Aiden Diamond, from Stratford (PEI), he was a ninth-round pick of the Blizzard in the 2022 MHL draft. He amassed 12 goals and 7 assists in 25 games with the Mount Academy Saints last year.
Other trades
The Blizzard also traded goaltender Will Hodgson (2005) to the Valley Wildcats in return for a 5th-round pick in the 2024 draft and future considerations. A native of Fredericton, NB, Hodgson played one full game last season, allowing just one goal. In exhibition games with the Blizzard this September, he was credited with two wins in two games with a 4.71 goals-against average.
Meanwhile, the Blizzard have acquired 6’4″ giant defenseman Michael McQuaid (2003) from the Amherst Ramblers in return for future considerations. A native of Meadowbank (PEI), McQuaid is an experienced defenseman with 96 games in the MHL. After two seasons with the Yarmouth Mariners, he lined up with the Miramichi Timberwolves and Ramblers last season, totaling 2 goals and 14 assists in 32 contests. He also played 8 games with the Cape Breton Eagles in the QMJHL during the 2020-2021 campaign. He is a defenseman who particularly likes to play tough.
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Photos
Justin Hébert (photo South Shore Lumberjacks), Noah Breau (photo Northern Moose) et Michael McQuaid (photo Yarmouth Mariners).
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone