‘We’re going to be young, but quick’Published Sep 18, 2025Last updated 2 minutes ago9 minute readLewis Gendron will be one of two 20-year-old players up front for the Cape Breton Eagles this season. Gendron was acquired by the Eagles in a trade with the Sherbrooke Phoenix last season. Photo by Jeremy Fraser /Cape Breton PostArticle contentIn recent years, fans of the Cape Breton Eagles knew the type of team the club would be icing in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.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 contentArticle contentThe Eagles had been identified as a bigger team that played a more grinding style of play, which proved to be successful in the team’s run to the league semifinal in 2024 and at times during the 2024-25 campaign.Article contentArticle contentThis year, the Eagles have turned a new page and have begun the next chapter in the Sydney-based franchise’s history and with that will come a different identity.Article contentThe Cape Breton roster, sitting at an average age of 18.12, will have a little bit of everything in it this year with several talented young forwards along with a veteran defence and an older duo between the pipes.Article contentCape Breton will have 14 forwards, eight defencemen and three goaltenders on its roster to begin the season including four 20-year-olds, seven 19-year-olds, six 18-year-olds, seven 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old.Article contentEagles general manager Sylvain Couturier believes his club will be an exciting team to watch throughout the 2025-26 campaign.Article content“We’re excited about what we have – we’re going to be young, but quick,” said Couturier. “We have a mix of veterans and young players. It’s a really good mix and we’re very excited about the future of this team. We have a lot of 17-year-olds and a lot of quality ones up front and that’s where we’re going to build around.”Article contentArticle contentAlthough Couturier is looking forward to seeing what the new faces in the lineup can do up front, he believes the team’s strength is on the backend.Article contentArticle content“We have experience and size on our defensive core, but it really starts with the goalies,” said Couturier. “Félix Hamel has proven to be a good goaltender in this league, and he’s done it for the last three years. We like what we’re seeing out of Connor Towle and even Sam Berthiaume has looked pretty good all camp.”Article contentExpectation-wise for the club, Couturier acknowledged the difficulty in predicting what to expect within the league, given the influx of American-born players, especially in the Eastern Conference.Article content“We don’t know how the Americans are going to influence the whole thing,” said Couturier. “How they’re going to adjust to the league, it’s something to be seen, but it’s definitely going to be different and it’s probably harder this year than ever to predict what’s going to happen because we don’t know the players.”Article contentOne thing Couturier knows for sure is that his club will be a hard-working team under the new coaching staff of Jason Clarke, Josh Dubinsky, Adam Pilotte and Bill McDougall.Article content“Jason Clarke’s teams always work hard, and they’re always recognized as being one of the hardest working teams and I can tell that we’re going to be a hard-working team by the practices that we’re going through right now,” said Couturier. “It’s all about details and it’s all about quickness and the fast-pace that we’re going to play, so it’s the kind of team that we’re going to be.Article content“We’re going to be a different team than the past where we were bigger and played a more grinding game. We’re going to be more on the fast-paced side of the game and have a good transition team and a lot more skill up front.”Article contentLast season, Cape Breton finished fifth overall in the Eastern Conference – ninth in the league – with a 34-23-4-3 record. The team scored the fifth-most goals (212) and allowed the seventh-most goals against (195) in the conference.Article contentArticle content Romain Litalien will enter his second season with the Cape Breton Eagles in 2025-26. He was the club’s first-round pick in 2024. Photo by Jeremy Fraser /Cape Breton PostArticle contentTALENTED YOUNG FORWARD COREArticle contentWhile most of the club’s young players will come at the forward position, the team expects to have plenty of talent and creativity up front, especially with rookies Samuel Boyer, Jacob Hartlin and Samuel Rocca.Article contentAll three of those players won the most valuable player awards in their respective under-18 major leagues last season while Boyer became the first player since Montreal Canadiens prospect Joshua Roy to record an 80-point season in the Quebec Under-18 AAA Hockey League.Article contentCape Breton also welcomed European forwards Maxime Sauthier and Adam Klaus, both of whom the team has been impressed with throughout training camp. Sauthier represented Switzerland last month at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Czechia and Slovakia.Article contentOther new faces to the forward group include Derek Andrews, Hugo Charron and Blake Burke as well as veterans Eliot Litalien and Reece Peitzsche, both of which were acquired via offseason trades from Blainville-Boisbriand and Shawinigan respectively.Article contentArticle content“Eliot Litalien has had a really good camp, and we hope that he’ll continue to perform the way he has since he’s been here,” said Couturier. “Reece is in his fourth year in the league and we really believe that the sky is the limit for him offensively and he’s going to have the opportunity to prove it.”Article contentMeanwhile, returning players from last season include overagers Lucas Romeo and Lewis Gendron, who Couturier said will be leaned upon to show the young players the way early on. Other veteran forwards are Romain Litalien and Rory Pilling.Article content“Our young group of forwards have been impressive,” said Couturier. “A guy like Rory Pilling, we can see that he took a step this year and we’re expecting good things out of Rory this year.”Article contentThe Eagles offence will be without four of their top five point producers from last year with the departure of Cam Squires, Jacob Newcombe, Joseph Henneberry and Cole Burbidge.Article content Tomas Lavoie will be among five returning defencemen for the Cape Breton Eagles this season. The 19-year-old will also serve as the club’s captain. Photo by Jeremy Fraser /Cape Breton PostArticle contentOLDER ON THE BLUELINEArticle contentCape Breton will have five returning defencemen from last year’s team including Aiden McCullough, Xavier Daigle, Logan Quinn, Will Murphy and captain Tomas Lavoie.Article contentThe team also acquired veteran blueliners Samuel Kupec and Jacob De Ladurantaye through trades last month. The club also added Noah Jettelson through the American free agent market.Article contentLavoie and Murphy are not expected to be in the lineup when the Eagles open the regular season on Friday and Saturday against Saint John. Lavoie and Murphy will both attend the main NHL training camps with Utah and Detroit respectively.Article contentLavoie, the first overall pick by Cape Breton in 2022, will be a player to watch this year for many reasons. He finished fourth in league scoring among defencemen with 15 goals and 55 points in 60 games last season and is likely to be a hot commodity at the Christmas trade period.Article contentArticle contentAs for Murphy and Quinn, both would like to add to their offensive game. Murphy had two goals and 10 points in 54 games last season and played solid defensively, while Quinn is still seeking his first career QMJHL point after 27 games last year.Article contentDaigle will look to secure one of the 20-year-old spots on the team, while De Ladurantaye will use Cape Breton as a fresh start after playing his rookie season last year with his hometown Gatineau Olympiques, posting a goal and nine points in 47 games.Article contentCape Breton’s blueline has no player under six-foot or 170-pounds to date.Article content Félix Hamel was acquired by the Eagles in a trade with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada last month. He’s expected to be the club’s No. 1 goaltender this season. Photo by Jeremy Fraser /Cape Breton PostArticle contentSTRENGTH IN THE NETArticle contentBetween the pipes, the Eagles will have some experience with overager Hamel as well as American free agent Towle.Article contentHamel was acquired as part of a trade in early August that sent goaltender Jakub Milota to Blainville-Boisbriand.Article contentThe Trois-Rivières, Que., product was the starting goaltender for both the Shawinigan Cataractes and Armada last season. He was acquired by Blainville-Boisbriand at the Christmas trade period and finished the season fourth overall in the league in goals-against average (2.53). He had a 30-11-1-0 record with a .914 save percentage.Article contentArticle contentMeanwhile, the six-foot-two Towle spent most of last season with Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. While the 19-year-old’s record was not made public, he did have a .920 save percentage in 25 games.Article contentRookie Sam Berthiaume is still with the team and attending the club’s practices. The 16-year-old will not be with the team for opening weekend, instead he will see action in the Maritime Junior Hockey League in Truro.Article contentWhile it’s unknown if Berthiaume will see any games in the QMJHL this season, Couturier made it clear that the Stellarton product is the goaltender of the future for the Eagles organization.Article content“Sam will be our No. 1 guy sooner rather than later,” said Couturier. “Sam is a heck of a prospect, he’s an NHL goalie of the future and we really like Sam. For me, you have to put the 16-year-olds, especially a goaltender, in the right situation and that’s what we’re attempting to do.”Article contentOPENING WEEKENDArticle contentCape Breton will kick off the regular season on Friday and Saturday when they travel to New Brunswick to face the Saint John Sea Dogs. Puck drop for both games is at 7 p.m., at TD Station in Saint John.Article contentFriday’s game will mark the first time the Eagles have opened the season against Saint John. The team began the 2024-25 campaign against the former Acadie-Bathurst Titan in Bathurst, N.B., last September.Article contentThe Sea Dogs have four first-round picks in their lineup including this year’s first overall pick in forward Alexis Joseph. Other high draft picks include five second round picks.Article contentLike other teams in the league, Saint John has also dipped into the American pool with the additions of Alexander Donovan, Egan Beveridge, Everett Baldwin and Oskar Drabczynski.Article contentSaint John (21-43-0-0) will look to improve on their 17th place finish in the league last season and return to the playoffs later this season. Last year, the Sea Dogs allowed the second-most goals against (262) and scored the fewest goals (154).Article contentArticle contentThe Sea Dogs will also have former Eagles forward Angelo Fullerton in their lineup. The 20-year-old was officially traded to Saint John last month after being loaned to the team in July.Article contentAfter this weekend, Cape Breton will return to the comforts of Centre 200 for their home-opening weekend when they host the Moncton Wildcats on Sept. 26-27. Puck drop for both contests are at 7 p.m., in Sydney.Article contentThe Cape Breton Post contacted head coach Jason Clarke, but he couldn’t be immediately reached at publication time.Article contentArticle content2025-26 Cape Breton Eagles RosterArticle contentGoaltendersArticle contentFélix Hamel – Trois-Rivières, Que. Connor Towle – Fairfield, Conn. Sam Berthiaume – Stellarton, N.S.Article contentDefencemenArticle contentTomas Lavoie – Repentigny, Que. Logan Quinn – Truro, N.S. Jacob De Ladurantaye – Gatineau, Que. Xavier Daigle – Lévis, Que. Noah Jettelson – Mount Kisco, N.Y. Will Murphy – Summerside, P.E.I. Aiden McCullough – Saint John, N.B. Samuel Kupec – Michalovce, SlovakiaArticle contentArticle contentForwardsArticle contentRory Pilling – Glace Bay, N.S. Derek Andrews – Hunter River, P.E.I. Samuel Boyer – Châteauguay, Que. Blake Burke – Trumbull, Conn. Lucas Romeo – Oakville, Ont. Eliot Litalien – Amqui, Que. Reece Peitzsche – Beaver Bank, N.S. Jacob Hartlin – Halifax, N.S. Romain Litalien – Amqui, Que. Adam Klaus – Kladno, Czechia Hugo Charron – Montreal, Que. Samuel Rocca – Fredericton, N.B. Maxime Sauthier – Sion, Switzerland Lewis Gendron – Sherbrooke, Que.Article contentStaffArticle contentPresident: Joey Haddad General Manager: Sylvain Couturier Assistant General Manager: John Hanna Senior Advisor, Hockey Operations: Fabian Joseph Head Coach: Jason Clarke Assistant Coach: Josh Dubinsky Assistant Coach: Adam Pilotte Assistant Coach: Bill McDougall Goaltender/Video Coach: Blade Man-Dixon Athletic Therapist: Colton Reiley Equipment Manager: Aidan Rafuse Assistant Equipment Manager: Noah Lévesque Strength and Conditioning Coach: Scott Gouthro Head Scouts: Jonathan Murphy and Olivier BélangerArticle contentArticle contentROSTER BREAKDOWN BY AGEArticle content20-year-old: Four19-year-old: Seven18-year-old: Six17-year-old: Seven16-year-old: OneArticle contentNote: 14 forwards, eight defencemen and three goaltendersArticle contentArticle contentFAST FACTSArticle contentOverall season opener record: 12 wins, 14 losses and two overtime lossesFirst-ever season opener: Sept. 20, 1997 – 5-4 win over Rouyn-NorandaLast season opener: Sept. 20, 2024 – 4-2 loss to Acadie-Bathurst2025 season opener: Sept. 19, 2025, 7 p.m., versus Saint John at TD Station, Saint John, N.B.The Eagles have never opened the regular season against Saint John until this yearArticle content
Cape Breton Eagles roster brings new identity of speed, skill into QMJHL season
