Players movement among the Blizzard team

Gabriel Vanier, on the left, has already played two games with the powerful Blanville-Boisbriand Armada. Liam Leonard, on the right, will be in uniform tonight with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Photo Digiphoto archives

EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – The Blizzard players were back on the ice this week for some training. And it came with some movements of players. Forward Mathieu Blanchard is back in Edmundston after making a great impression with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QJMHL, collecting three points in as many games. Now it’s Liam Leonard’s turn to be recalled by the Titan. He will be in uniform on Thursday and for both weekend’s games.

“I got the call when I was in Newfoundland a couple of days before I left to head back to Edmundston. I spoke with the general manager of the team (Sylvain Couturier) and he told me I would be going for the week with the team and I was pretty excited to go up and meet everyone and see what it was like there and get to play some games, “said Leonard who dominates the MHL with 28 points (13-15) in 29 games.

The 17-year-old is expected to return with the Blizzard for the home games on Wednesday, January 10.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old forward Gabriel Vanier (5g, 3a in 12 games) actually plays as an invited player with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, his home region. He collected a pass and three shots on goal during his first QMJHL game on December 29 in an Armada’s loss to the Val-d’Or Foreurs. He played a second game on December 31st. Vanier is also expected to return to Edmundston on January 10.

To make up for Leonard and Vanier’s absence this weekend, the Blizzard recalled Caleb Kean, the team’s first territorial choice in the MHL draft in June 2017. Kean is a 16-year-old with impressive stats with the Saint John Vitos. He outrageously dominates the NBPEI Midget AAA Hockey League scoring column with 47 points (23-24) in 23 games. Kean will be in uniform Saturday in Pictou County. The Blizzard will also add the name of Malcolm MacEachern Friday and Saturday. A native of Long Pond, Nova Scotia, MacEachern, a 17-year-old forward, has five points (3-2) in 12 games with the Cape Breton West Islanders of the NSMMHL.

Veteran defenseman Nolan Alward will be out of the lineup until the end of January. He had surgery on December 22nd.

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