Moncton Wildcats’ Taylor MacDougall in the running for GM of the yearPublished May 09, 2025 • Last updated 47 minutes ago • 1 minute readCharlottetown Islanders forward Matthew Butler, 13, carries the puck during a Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League game at Eastlink Centre during the 2024-25 season. Butler is one of three finalists for the league’s most sportsmanlike player award. Photo by Jason Simmonds /The GuardianA player and administrator with P.E.I. connections have been nominated for Golden Pucks Awards in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).Charlottetown Islanders forward Matt Butler is a finalist for the David Desharnais Trophy as most sportsmanlike player.The Moncton Wildcats Taylor MacDougall, who has strong family connections to P.E.I., has been nominated for the Maurice Filion Trophy for general manager of the year.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe 18-year-old Butler recorded a team-leading 65 points – 19 goals and 46 assists – while accumulating only 20 minutes in penalties. Butler, from St. John’s, earned 23 of his assists on the power play.The Islanders drafted Butler with the 81st overall pick in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft.Moncton Wildcats forward Julius Sumpf (24 penalty minutes) and Val-d’Or Foreurs forward Philippe Veilleux (16 penalty minutes) are also nominated for the award. Taylor MacDougall speaks at a media conference at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B., in May 2024, after being introduced as the general manager of the Moncton Wildcats. MacDougall, who has family connections to P.E.I., is a finalist for Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League general manager of the year. Photo by Jason Simmonds /The GuardianMacDougallIn his first season as a QMJHL general manager, MacDougall built a Wildcats’ team that recorded a franchise-record 53 wins and 108 points.MacDougall’s father, Gardiner, is the Wildcats head coach and grew up in Bedeque. The father-son team has several family members living in P.E.I.The 2024-25 season marked the first time the Wildcats finished first atop the regular-season standings in the 18-team league since 2006.A number of moves made by Taylor MacDougall helped shape a roster that has gone 12-1 in the playoffs. The Wildcats open the QMJHL championship series against the Rimouski Oceanic in Moncton, N.B., on May 10.With the Oceanic hosting the Memorial Cup, the Wildcats are now guaranteed a berth in the Canadian major junior hockey championship tournament as the QMJHL representative.The Memorial Cup also includes the champions of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL).Danny Dupont of the Rimouski Océanic and Olivier Picard of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada are also finalists for general manager of the year.Jason Simmonds is the sports editor at The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at jsimmonds@postmedia.com and followed on X @JpsportsJason.Article content
Charlottetown Islanders Matthew Butler nominated for QMJHL award
