Blizzard won the MHL’s Executive of the Year Award. From left to right: André Lebel (president), Ryan Salvis (head coach), Brian Whitehead (MHL president), Steve MacPherson (general manager), Daniel Gagné (hockey vice-president) and André Mercure (hockey vice-president).
Here is the MHL statement describing the award:
“The Edmundston Blizzard put together a first season for the ages in Northern New Brunswick. After relocating from Dieppe, New Brunswick, the franchise found a new lease on life, leading the league in attendance and consistently selling out their brand new arena, the Jean Daigle Centre, which opened in October, 2017. On the ice, the Blizzard were equally successful, winning the league’s regular season title with a record of 36-10-4 and 76 points; then, selling out every game during the playoffs, they went 12-5 en route to the MHL playoff championship. The Blizzard organization will also be the proud hosts of the 2019 MHL AGM and Draft in Edmundston next June. ”
The MHL’s twelve teams held their annual general meeting during the weekend in Berwick, Nova Scotia. Among the decisions, they set the number of 20-year-old players per team to a maximum of eight for the 2018-19 season. Last year, each team was allowed to use up to nine players. The Blizzard played the entire 2017-18 season with five 20-year olds before recalling a sixth during the playoffs. For the upcoming season, three returning players will play their last junior season : Francis Asselin, Gabriel Vanier and Logan Johnston.