Cape Breton Eagles

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Template:Short description Template:Use Canadian English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox hockey team

The Cape Breton Eagles is a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. They are members of the Maritimes Division, and play their home games at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

History

File:Centre 200.JPG
Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia

The franchise was originally granted to the Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks) for the 1969–70 season. They then moved from Sorel to Verdun in 1977 to become the Verdun Éperviers. In 1979, they played in both Sorel and Verdun before moving back to Sorel for the next season. In 1981, they moved to Granby to become the Granby Bisons, and in 1995 changed their names to the Granby Prédateurs. In 1996, the Prédateurs won the Memorial Cup. In 1997, the franchise was relocated to Sydney to become the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Prior to the Eagles' arrival, Sydney played host to the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Cape Breton Oilers from 1988 to 1996.Template:Citation needed

Early years in Cape Breton (1997–1999)

The Screaming Eagles' first captain was Daniel Payette under coach Dany Dubé.Template:Citation needed

The Vincent era (1999–2008)

In 1999, Pascal Vincent was promoted as the new head coach following the dismissal of Bruce Campbell.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Screaming Eagles attempted to strengthen the club by drafting future National Hockey League (NHL) star Ilya Kovalchuk tenth overall in the 2000 CHL Import Draft. However, Kovalchuk declined to report to the team. Along with star players Marc-André Fleury, Dominic Noel, Stuart MacRae and Stephen Dixon, the Screaming Eagles reached the QMJHL's conference final in 2002, only to lose in five games to Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Fleury's number 29 jersey went on to be retired by the Screaming Eagles in 2008. Kovalchuk's number 71 was retired in 2014, as an April Fools' Day prank.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Vincent stacked the Screaming Eagles lineup with many NHL prospects for the 2003–04 season in hopes of bringing a league title to Cape Breton.Template:Citation needed After the Screaming Eagles won 49 games and captured a division title, with Fleury also returning from the Pittsburgh Penguins before the playoffs, but the Screaming Eagles lost in the second round to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.Template:Citation needed

At the 2004 QMJHL Draft, the Screaming Eagles chose James Sheppard with the first overall pick. In 2006–07, along with star players Luc Bourdon, Ondrej Pavelec and Oskars Bartulis, Sheppard led the Screaming Eagles to the league semifinals, only to lose in seven games to the Val-d'Or Foreurs.Template:Citation needed

The 2007–08 season saw 16-year-old goaltender Olivier Roy rise to prominence. The Screaming Eagles finished fourth in their division and won their first round playoff series despite having a roster that normally dressed at least ten rookies. Vincent went on to be named the 2008 QMJHL Coach of the Year. Following the end of the season, Vincent became the head coach and general manager of the Montreal Junior Hockey Club.Template:Citation needed

2010s history (2008–2019)

File:Screaming eagles 2014.JPG
The team returned to the playoffs in 2014.

Following Vincent's departure, assistant coach Mario Durocher took over the role of head coach and general manager. In a bid to host the Memorial Cup in 2012, Durocher added former NHL players Mike McPhee and Guy Chouinard, former NHL coach Pierre Creamer and Michel Boucher to the hockey staff in consulting roles in 2010. Durocher was relieved of his duties on April 12, 2011, after a lackluster season in which the team finished 16th in the league and last in the Atlantic Division with just 41 points.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The team's then-head coach Ron Choules replaced Durocher as general manager in April 2011, though the team failed to improve on the ice. After a poor start to the 2012–13 season, Choules himself was fired on December 3, 2012, with former Val-d'Or head coach Marc-André Dumont announced as his replacement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Screaming Eagles failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in the 2012–13 season.<ref>Eagles will miss QMJHL playoff for first time in franchise history http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/Hockey/2013-03-03/article-3191562/Eagles-will-miss-QMJHL-playoff-for-first-time-in-franchise-history/1 Template:Webarchive</ref> At season's end, assistant coach Jean-François David was fired.<ref>Screaming Eagles assistant coach David not returning http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/Hockey/2013-03-21/article-3205258/Screaming-Eagles-assistant-coach-David-not-returning/1 Template:Webarchive</ref>

After being eliminated in the second round of the 2019 playoffs, the Screaming Eagles fired their coaching staff. Dumont was replaced with Nova Scotia native, Jake Grimes, along with former Eagles alumni Chris Culligan as assistant coach.Template:Citation needed

The team mascot is an eagle named Screech.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} </ref>

Cape Breton Eagles (2019–present)

On August 14, 2019, the team rebranded itself as the Cape Breton Eagles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On November 30, 2021, head coach Jake Grimes resigned as head coach citing personal reasons. He finished with a winning record overall with the club, at 46–34–0–7 record over one-and-a-half seasons but had started the 2021–22 season with a 6–14–0–4 record.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Eagles spent approximately two months with an interim head coach before hiring Chadd Cassidy on January 7, 2022.<ref name = "2022coach">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Players

Retired numbers

  • 7 Chris Culligan (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, 2004–2009)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • 29 Marc-André Fleury (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, 2000–2004)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

NHL alumni

The following players have played in at least one National Hockey League (NHL) game as of the 2023-24 season:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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NHL first round draft picks

List of first round selections in the NHL Entry Draft:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Year # Player Nationality NHL team
2003 1 Marc-André Fleury (G) Template:Flagicon Canada Pittsburgh Penguins
2006 9 James Sheppard (C) Template:Flagicon Canada Minnesota Wild
2015 19 Evgeny Svechnikov (LW) Template:Flagicon Russia Detroit Red Wings
2016 3 Pierre-Luc Dubois (C) Template:Flagicon Canada Columbus Blue Jackets

Award winners

List of award winners:Template:Citation needed

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break CHL Scholastic Player of the Year

QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year

  • 2009–10: Nick MacNeil
  • 2022–23: Cam Squires

Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy

Kevin Lowe Trophy

  • 2019–20: Adam McCormick

Luc Robitaille Trophy

  • 2006–07: Cape Breton (308)

Marcel Robert Trophy

  • 2004–05: Guillaume Demers
  • 2007–08: Robert Slaney

Maurice Filion Trophy

Mike Bossy Trophy

Template:Col-break Philips Plaque

  • 2001–02: Pierre-Luc Emond

Raymond Lagacé Trophy

RDS Cup

  • 2005–06: Ondrej Pavelec
  • 2007–08: Olivier Roy

Robert Lebel Trophy

  • 2003–04: Cape Breton (2.33)

Ron Lapointe Trophy

  • 2007–08: Pascal Vincent

Telus Cup – Defensive

  • 2002–03: Marc-André Fleury
  • 2004–05: Martin Houle

Template:Col-end

Season-by-season results

Regular season

QMJHL season standings.<ref>Cape Breton Screaming Eagles season-by-season record on www.hockeydb.com</ref>
OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss

Season Games Won Lost Tied OL SL Points Pct Goals
for		 Goals
against		 Standing
1997–98 70 19 46 5 — — 43 0.307 211 295 6th, Dilio
1998–99 70 22 44 4 — — 48 0.343 226 272 6th, Dilio
1999–00 72 24 39 3 6 — 57 0.396 230 302 3rd, Maritimes
2000–01 72 30 37 4 1 — 65 0.451 270 292 2nd, Maritimes
2001–02 72 38 20 10 4 — 90 0.625 286 224 3rd, Maritimes
2002–03 72 21 37 9 5 — 56 0.389 200 268 4th, Maritimes
2003–04 70 49 16 2 3 — 103 0.736 273 164 1st, Atlantic
2004–05 70 32 27 8 3 — 75 0.536 206 195 3rd, Atlantic
2005–06 70 40 23 — 3 4 87 0.621 236 206 3rd, Eastern
2006–07 70 46 22 — 2 0 94 0.671 308 200 2nd, Eastern
2007–08 70 40 24 — 3 3 86 0.614 242 230 4th, Eastern
2008–09 68 46 18 — 3 1 96 0.676 252 201 2nd, Atlantic
2009–10 68 41 22 — 2 3 87 0.603 238 185 3rd, Atlantic
2010–11 68 18 45 — 1 4 41 0.301 154 246 5th, Maritimes
2011–12 68 23 42 — 1 2 49 0.360 219 306 5th, Maritimes
2012–13 68 14 46 — 3 5 36 0.265 161 308 6th,
Telus Maritimes
2013–14 68 37 27 — 1 3 78 0.574 260 260 2nd,
Telus Maritimes
2014–15 68 31 31 — 3 3 68 0.500 258 246 5th, Maritimes
2015–16 68 38 24 — 5 1 82 0.603 286 237 3rd, Maritimes
2016–17 68 39 25 — 2 2 82 0.603 270 230 4th, Maritimes
2017–18 68 32 28 — 6 2 72 0.529 235 259 4th, Maritimes
2018–19 68 40 22 — 1 5 86 0.632 267 214 3rd, Maritimes
2019–20 63 40 20 — 2 1 83 0.659 269 194 2nd, Maritimes
2020–21 38 12 25 — 1 0 25 0.329 113 186 6th, Maritimes
2021–22 68 14 47 — 4 3 35 0.257 183 335 6th, Maritimes
2022–23 68 30 34 — 3 1 64 0.471 224 275 3rd, Maritimes
2023–24 68 39 26 — 1 2 81 0.596 216 194 3rd, Maritimes

Playoffs

Season 1st round 2nd round 3rd round Finals
1997–98 L, 0–4, Quebec – – –
1998–99 L, 1–4, Acadie–Bathurst – – –
1999–2000 L, 0–4, Quebec – – –
2000–01 W, 4–3, Chicoutimi L, 1–4, Acadie–Bathurst – –
2001–02 W, 4–1, Baie-Comeau W, 4–2, Halifax L, 1–4, Acadie–Bathurst –
2002–03 L, 0–4, Halifax – – –
2003–04 Bye L, 1–4, Chicoutimi – –
2004–05 L, 1–4, Gatineau – – –
2005–06 W, 4–1, St. John's L, 0–4, Acadie–Bathurst – –
2006–07 W, 4–0, St. John's W, 4–1, Acadie–Bathurst L, 3–4, Val-d'Or –
2007–08 W, 4–2, Lewiston L, 1–4, Halifax – –
2008–09 W, 4–0, Saint John L, 3–4, Quebec – –
2009–10 L, 1–4, Moncton – – –
2010–11 L, 0–4, Saint John – – –
2011–12 L, 0–4, Saint John – – –
2012–13 Did not qualify
2013–14 L, 0–4, Gatineau – – –
2014–15 L, 3–4, Quebec – – –
2015–16 W, 4–2, Chicoutimi L, 3–4, Saint John – –
2016–17 W, 4–3, Gatineau L, 0–4, Charlottetown – –
2017–18 L, 1–4, Drummondville – – –
2018–19 W, 4–2, Charlottetown L, 1–4, Rimouski – –
2019–20 QMJHL playoffs cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Did not qualifyTemplate:Note label
2021–22 Did not qualify
2022–23 L, 0–4, Halifax – – –
2023–24 W, 4–1, Rimouski W, 4–0, Chicoutimi L, 1–4, Baie-Comeau –
2024–25 L, 2–4, Baie-Comeau – – –

Template:Notelist Template:Note labelDue to local travel restrictions, all Nova Scotia-based teams were deemed ineligible to compete in the playoffs. Three New Brunswick-based teams competed in a six-game round-robin tournament to determine who would face the Charlottetown Islanders in the Maritimes Division final.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

References

Template:Reflist

Template:Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Template:Cape Breton Regional Municipality Template:QMJHL Template:Nova Scotia Sports

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