Five Blizzard players will play at the Eastern Canada Cup Challenge

Francis Asselin. Photo Digiphoto

EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – Today, the Maritime Hockey League announced its roster for the 7th Eastern Canada Cup Challenge, set to take place in the city of Quinte West, Ontario from November 13-15. This season, MHL’s Team Eastlink will feature two goaltenders, six defensemen and 12 forwards from around the league.

The Blizzard will be the team that will have the largest number of MHL representatives with five, goalkeeper Francis Asselin, defenseman Alexandre Bernier and forwards Kyle Ward, Logan Johnston and Liam Leonard. At age 17, Leonard will be the MHL’s youngest hockey player at this hockey challenge, which is known to be one of the premier Junior A hockey events in the country and provides tremendous exposure for the top prospects of the Central Canada Junior Hockey League (CCHL – 2 teams), MHL (1 team), Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL – 1 team), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL – 4 teams) and the Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL – 2 teams) to play in front of scouts from all over the hockey world – including the NHL, NCAA, CHL and Canadian universities and colleges.

Ten rosters fro a total of 200 players will take part in the competition. The teams will be divided into two groups and will play a round robin against the other teams in their group. The teams will play four games each in the round robin. The semi-finals and final will be held on Wednesday, November 15th.

Here is the MHL’s roster at the Eastern Canada Cup Challenge:

1. Jacob Stewart, goaltender, June 22, 1999 (Valley Wildcats)
30. Francis Asselin, goaltender, August 31, 1998 (Edmundston Blizzard)
2. Denis Toner, defenseman, September 22, 1999 (Woodstock Slammers)
3. François Thibeault, defenseman, July 1st, 1998 (Campbellton Tigers)
4. Pierre-Luc Lurette, defenseman, August 16, 1998 (Campbellton Tigers)
5. Alexandre Bernier, defenseman, May 26, 1997 (Edmundston Blizzard)
6. Noah McMullin, defenseman, June 15, 1998 (Yarmouth Mariners)
7. Jesse Annear, defenseman, March 25, 1998 (Summerside Western Capitals)
8. Logan Johnston, forward, November 21, 1998 (Edmundston Blizzard)
9. Logan O’Neill, forward, May 13, 1999 (South Shore Lumberjacks)
10. Kyle Ward, forward, December 29, 1997 (Edmundston Blizzard)
11. Campbell Pickard, forward, June 26, 1997 (Truro Bearcats)
12. Jordan King, forward, September 25, 1997 (Amherst Ramblers)
14. Liam Leonard, forward, March 28, 2000 (Edmundston Blizzard)
15. Jacob Hickey, forward, May 15, 1998 (Pictou County Crushers)
16. Matt Barron, forward, March 25, 1999 (Yarmouth Mariners)
17. Dylan Burton, forward, December 31, 1998 (Truro Bearcats)
18. Dylan Riley, forward, May 1st, 1998 (Pictou County Crushers)
19. Brodie MacArthur, forward, April 23, 1999 (Summerside Western Capitals)
20. Michael Dill, forward, September 7, 1997 (Pictou County Crushers)

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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone