Mooseheads target Americans with top picks on Day 2 of QMJHL draft

Published Jun 07, 2025  •  5 minute readThe Halifax Mooseheads selected American defenceman Cameron Minella with their second-round pick on Day 2 of the QMJHL draft in Quebec City on Saturday. Photo by ContributedIt was a red, white and blue second day at the QMJHL draft for the Halifax Mooseheads in Quebec City.One day after picking cornerstone defenceman Malik L’Italien third overall, the Mooseheads targeted American players with their top two picks on Saturday. They chose defenceman Cam Minella in the second round (21st overall) and then traded up to get centre Paulo Gualberto Jr. in the third round.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 contentHalifax sacrificed a 2026 second-round pick (Shawinigan Cataractes) and this year’s fourth-rounder (59th overall) to get into the 48th slot to take the skilled scorer from Massachusetts.“Obviously, with the NCAA rule changes last year, our scouting changed a lot so we spent a little more time down in the States, especially in the second half of the season,” Mooseheads general manager Cam Russell said. “In our opinion, the two best defencemen in the draft were L’Italien and Minella so for us to get him at 21, we were thrilled. Building our team out from the blueline is important to us.“And Gualberto is such a highly skilled player. He’s another American we feel can play a good 200-foot game and score goals and contribute. We’re pretty excited about those three picks.”Minella is a five-foot-11 offensive defenceman who was at the draft and has serious intentions about playing in Halifax. The Connecticut native visited the city in early May and did extensive research on the franchise and the league so all that’s left now is to see if he can make the team in August, while keeping other options open just in case.Article content“I went up there to see all of the facilities and was really impressed and probably want to play there,” said Minella, who was also selected by the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL draft. “I’m not (committed) yet but I’m going to go to camp and then see where they want me to play and what they want me to do, then figure it out from there.”“I watched some of the Memorial Cup and the QMJHL (championship) and was really intrigued to see the kind of hockey it is,” he added. “I think the CHL is probably the best junior route and now that the rule change opened everything up, I think it’s going to be really good for Americans.”Minella said he also watched the Mooseheads’ Moose Tracks video series to get a feel for the organization and liked what he saw.“You can really see how passionate the fans are and how much they care,” he said. “It would be really cool to play in front of them one day.Article content“And when I visited, the city was so cool. It’s right on the water and I loved the rink and the practice facility. Just everything about it looks electric.”Gualberto is a five-foot-10 pivot who produced more than 100 points in each of his past two seasons at Mount Saint Charles Academy in Rhode Island. He too has intentions of making it a one-way trip to Nova Scotia in August.“It’s not like the old days,” Russell said. “They’re coming up to make the team and we’ll evaluate them in training camp and see where the chips fall. But it’s nice to know you can draft those kids knowing they’re excited to come to Halifax to make the hockey team.”The Mooseheads also picked: winger Jayden Napon, Laval-Montreal Rousseau Royal (fifth round); defenceman Brody Berard, Mount Saint Charles (sixth round); centre Nathan Ruel, Chateauguay (seventh round); centre Ylan Verpaelst, Magog Cantonniers (eighth round); defenceman Nicolas Blanchette, Amos Forestiers (eighth round); winger Sam Ryan of Dartmouth (10th round); defenceman Duncan Anderson from Antigonish (11th round) and goalie Jack Bell, Cape Breton West Islanders (12th round). Berard is also American and the nephew of former NHL defenceman Bryan Berard.Article content“Everybody left here feeling great about how it went,” Russell said. “There’s always ‘the one that got away’ but we’re thrilled. We had some good picks and I thought our scouts did a heck of a job when you consider they added the U.S. territory a third of the way into the season. It was a bit of a tough job for the scouts but they did a great job.”Roster spots are already scarce in Halifax so there are no guarantees for most of this year’s draft picks, especially since the team still has three overage openings and two import vacancies to fill.STELLARTON’S SAM BERTHIAUME FIRST GOALIE DRAFTEDIt was a banner day for Nova Scotia goalie Sam Berthiaume.The Stellarton native was the first netminder selected, going in the second round (25th overall) to the nearby Cape Breton Eagles. Berthiaume spent last season at South Kent School in Connecticut and should be a near lock to be Cape Breton’s backup as a 16-year-old. The only goalie expected to return to the Eagles this year is 19-year-old Jakub Milota.Article contentPictou County Weeks linemates Auston Hoyt (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) and Tanner Hayden (Rimouski Oceanic) both went in the fourth round, as did Sydney Rush forward Charlie MacLeod (Cape Breton). Rush teammate Tucker Sinclair (Rimouski) was the lone local taken in the fifth round.Centre Maxwell Branton is originally from Newfoundland and lives in Halifax now. He was drafted 20th overall by Rimouski.Other Nova Scotians drafted on Day 2 were: Pictou County defenceman Tyler Sullivan (sixth round, Rouyn-Noranda); Halifax McDonald’s defenceman Jax Ginnish (sixth round, Cape Breton); Dartmouth Subaru Steele winger Brendan Smith (seventh round, Baie-Comeau Drakkar); Valley Wildcats defenceman Jacob Seaman (eighth round, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada); Macs winger Evan Lyver (eighth round, Cape Breton); Cole Harbour Wolfpack centre Nathan Kydd (10th round, Shawinigan Cataractes); Cape Breton West defenceman Hunter MacDonald (11th round, Rouyn-Noranda) and winger Justin Cluett, Cole Harbour (12th round, Charlottetown).Also of note was the Charlottetown Islanders’ acquisition of Antigonish native Brady Peddle’s rights from the Gatineau Olympiques. He has a commitment to Michigan State University in the NCAA but his brother Tyler plays for the Saint John Sea Dogs and his father Brad was the longtime coach at St. Francis Xavier University so coming back to the Maritimes for a year or two before he heads to the States may carry some appeal.Article content