“It’s crazy how much that will benefit hockey here,” says Hockey NL’s Manager of Development Marcus PowerPublished Sep 26, 20257 minute readThe new QMJHL team located in Newfoundland and Labrador is expected to be a boon for youth hockey development in the province. Photo by Joseph Gibbons /joe gibbonsArticle contentAs Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League commissioner Mario Cecchini stood in the shadows of the Mary Browns Centre press box just moments before the Newfoundland Regiment made their league debut, he took a brief moment to think about the countless new memories that would soon be minted in front of his very eyes.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 contentOf the thousands of fans, dozens of players and numerous staff members who would be in attendance to witness the birth of a new era of hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador, Cecchini couldn’t help but contemplate just how impactful these moments could be for the province’s next crop of hockey players as they find themselves inspired by the incredible athletes playing before them, just as he was when he was younger.Article contentArticle contentArticle content“I’m old enough to remember when the Olympics came to Montreal in 1976,” Cecchini told The Telegram.Article content“None of us were jogging or doing any athletic sports that were linked to the Olympics, but it exploded. Now we had new role models and new heroes. That’s what kids look up to. That’s what they want to see.”Article contentWith a new major junior hockey team returning to Newfoundland and Labrador for the first time since 2008, Cecchini sees nothing but incredible potential in what the QMJHL can do to elevate grassroots hockey in the province and provide more opportunities for local players. Article content“Every kid that’s going to be here tonight is going to want to be on this ice in three, four or five years time,” Cecchini said confidently. Article content“Now they will have a legitimate shot. It’s huge what it does for the community. Sports brings people together. That’s been said a thousand times. This is one of those moments.”Article contentArticle content‘Kids are seeing what high-level hockey really looks like’Article content Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League commissioner Mario Cecchini was in St. John’s for the debut of the Newfoundland Regiment and sees plenty of upside for the local hockey community with the Regiment taking up shop in Newfoundland and Labrador. Photo by Jeremy FraserArticle contentArticle contentWhile some critics may question the real-world community impact of a new hockey team in the capital city, Hockey NL’s manager of development and high performance, Marcus Power, isn’t among them. Article contentA veteran of 204 QMJHL games himself as a member of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies between 2010 and 2014, Power has absorbed as much high-level hockey as almost anyone in the province, including four seasons of professional hockey and additional scouting experience around the QMJHL. Article contentPower says Ceccini isn’t just paying the province lip service and agrees that the impact of witnessing the country’s top young players skating on their hometown ice goes far beyond the simple act of watching a hockey game. Article content“I think kids are seeing what high-level hockey really looks like first-hand and they are seeing the speed, work ethic, and commitment that it takes to play major junior hockey,” Power told The Telegram. Article content“They are also seeing Newfoundland players out there. For these young players, the goal of playing at that higher level starts to become much more achievable. It’s motivating for them.” Article contentInstead of watching second-tier pros and lower-level prospects, fans will be treated to some of the hockey world’s brightest up-and-coming stars and bona fide blue-chip prospects the likes of which were rarely found on Mary Brown’s Centre ice in recent history. Article content“When pro hockey was here, you saw a lot of players who were kind of at the highest level they were going to play,” he said.Article content“You were seeing some AHL and NHL prospects, but you were seeing a lot of players that were at the beginning or end of their pro careers. Now, you’re going to see the progression of players, as we’re seeing now with some of the local talent on the team. I think it’s great for the overall community.” Article contentArticle content‘It will increase opportunities to play’Article content Pictured here as a member of his former hometown team, the now-defunct Newfoundland Growlers, Marcus Power is now Hockey NL’s manager of development and high performance and believes local players will see more major junior opportunities with the Regiment playing at the Mary Brown’s Centre. Photo by Jeff Parsons/Newfoundland GrowlersArticle contentBeyond providing intangible inspiration for the province’s next crop of hockey stars, Power says having one of the world’s top junior leagues in our collective backyard will serve to increase the number of playing opportunities afforded to high-achieving local players. Article contentIf the Regiment is on a homestand and a player gets injured, it may not be practical or timely to fly in a call-up to take his place, and Power believes more and more of these roster spots will be filled by local players as the franchise steams ahead.Article content“It will increase opportunities to play (major junior) for players from NL,” Power said.Article content“It will give the local players a chance to get a major junior game or attend a training camp. Obviously, you will see it throughout an entire season; teams like to have some local players in case of injuries. I think there’s an opportunity there. Moving forward, I think we’re going to start to see that even more.”Article contentArticle contentWhile Power says it may take some time for the new major junior team to form relationships and become ingrained in the province’s U18 leagues and its players, he is confident that new opportunities will be born for these local players, which wouldn’t have been available without the presence of a major junior team in the province.Article content“When it comes to training camps, there are certain rules in place, and I think some of them might start to change and benefit the players that are in your local U18 leagues,” he said.Article content“Players are going to get injured. If you have some connections with the U18 league here when it comes to players coming in, that’s a way for Newfoundland and Labrador-based players to get into some games. They wouldn’t get that if there wasn’t a team here.”Article contentAnd it’s not just the players who stand to benefit from increased opportunities. Article contentWhether they’re in the minor hockey stream or Hockey Canada’s high-performance stream, Power says the province’s coaches and hockey support staff will be afforded similar additional opportunities and will not have to leave the province in order to chase them.Article content“That’s another door that opens that we would not have had otherwise,” Power said. Article content“Look at some of the other branches across the country. They have junior-A leagues and major junior leagues and other leagues in and around their province. The fact that we have one here now bodes well for the future of coaching development in the province.”Article content‘Local players will get more exposure’Article content Before becoming the Newfoundland Regiment’s first-ever draft pick, St. John’s native Ben Veitch decided to spend a year on the mainland to further his hockey skills. With a new QMJHL team in town, Hockey NL’s Marcus Power can’t help but wonder if more players will choose to stay home to chose down the growing number of local opportunities. Photo by Jeff Parsons/Newfoundland RegimentArticle contentRegiment rookies Ben Veitch and Quinn Norman have a lot in common. Article contentArticle contentThey are both native Newfoundlanders. They are the two youngest players on the team. They are both 2025 QMJHL first-round picks, and they both chose to leave the province at a young age to pursue the best opportunities to grow their game. Article contentWith the Regiment hoping to put down long-term roots in St. John’s and bring a permanent stop the ever-rotating carousel of teams that have come and gone from Newfoundland and Labrador in the last 30 years, Power believes that having a major junior team in the province will create more opportunities for young players to develop NHL-level hockey skills right here at home instead of having to leave the province for greener hockey pastures.Article content“Local players will get more exposure and they will be better evaluated,” he said. Article content“It’s going to help with having players stay in the province longer because they might feel they will get more exposure at home now with the team here. I think personally it will definitely help with enhancing players being scouted here.”Article contentArticle contentCalling on his scouting background, Power feels the province’s U15 and U18 age groups may stand to benefit the most from the Regiment’s presence in St. John’s and says it’s not out of the question to expect to see a growing number of scouts popping up at rinks across the province in between Regiment game days.Article content“Let’s say there’s a tournament on the go and the times don’t clash with the ‘Q’ games,” Power said.Article content“A lot of staff and scouts would take in a local Newfoundland game and talk to the administrators of the teams and leagues at the under-15 level and maybe the under-18 level.”Article content‘Just look at how active the team is in the community’Article content Fans clamour for high-fives at the Newfoundland Regiment’s open practice on Sept. 6. Hockey NL’s Marcus Power believes that community activations like this one carry a lot of weight in the local hockey community. Photo by Jeff Parsons/Newfoundland RegimentArticle contentApart from the on-ice benefits, Power believes the Regiment’s early community presence is a promising sign that the team is committed to growing its fanbase for the long run and believes that the meaningful community connections that are being made in year one will continue to pay off as the franchise continues its growth.Article content“Just look at how active the team is in the community already and how active they will be moving forward,” Power said.Article content“When it comes to school visits or helping out with minor hockey associations, that will build excitement for grassroots programs and for hockey development in Newfoundland. It’s crazy how much that will benefit hockey here.”Article contentHaving attended community events as both a major junior player and as a professional, Power believes the younger major junior players have the potential to make the greatest impact in the community compared to older professional players.Article content“You might see more energy and engagement from some of the players in the community,” Power said. “You might not see that as much at the pro level with the players being older with other responsibilities.” Article content
Does having a QMJHL team in St. Johns actually advance grassroots hockey in NL?
