Article content Halifax Mooseheads goalie Nick Cirka takes a drink of water during training camp at the RBC Centre in Dartmouth on Aug. 18. Photo by Tim Krochak /Chronicle HeraldArticle content“It was really good for me to come in last Christmas,” he added. “My whole plan was to come in at the beginning of this year anyway but I think just having that extra couple of months last year is definitely a good transition. Obviously, now I already know everybody from last year so I think it really helped transitioning. Also, just knowing what the speed of play is and what to expect helps a lot, too.”Article contentBresson also chose the NCAA route as a young teen, leaving home for prep school hockey in the States as a 15-year-old. He informed all QMJHL teams at that time he would be playing tier 2 junior hockey after that while he pursued a scholarship to an American university so he wasn’t drafted until the Cataractes took a ninth-round flyer on him in 2022.Article contentBresson then spent parts of two seasons with the Victoria Grizzlies and Chilliwack Chiefs in the British Columbia Hockey League while he waited on college offers. Like Cirka, he jumped to the QMJHL soon after the eligibility road blocks cleared.Article contentArticle content“When I heard about the change, it was a week or two before I made my decision to go to Shawinigan and it’s worked out great for me so far,” said Bresson, who played in 18 games for the Cataractes last year. “Now I’ve ended up in Halifax so this is perfect.Article content“Moving close to home is awesome. I’m from Cape (Breton) so that was good. And I know this is a great organization so I was really happy to be traded here.”Article contentCirka is still 17 and only has 443 career minutes in the league so, in a way, he’s still working his way through the transition and apprenticeship phase. But the Mooseheads are high on his potential and he and Bresson both say they get along well so they should form a good partnership.Article content“He’s older and he has more experience in the league so I’m just going to work every day and we’ll see what happens. And he’s a great guy,” Cirka said.Article content“I definitely want to step up and be the guy one day. Obviously, I know it takes a lot and I’m willing to work but that’s my goal.”Article contentAdded Bresson: “We’re good friends and he’s a great goalie so I think we’ll have a good tandem this year.”Article contentThe Mooseheads return to the ice on Friday with the first of back-to-back home games against the Saint John Sea Dogs. The teams also play on Saturday night at the Scotiabank Centre.Article contentThe team is now at full strength after the Detroit Red Wings reassigned centre Liam Kilfoil earlier in the week. He had been at the NHL team’s training camp on a free-agent invitation.Article content
Owen Bresson, Nick Cirka work to fill legendary skates in Halifax Mooseheads goal: ‘I think we’ll have a good tandem this year’
