Cape Breton Eagles roster begins transformation with 10 trades to open QMJHL trade period on Saturday

SYDNEY, N.S. – The transformation of the Cape Breton Eagles roster started to play out on Saturday.

The Eagles accomplished 10 trades to open the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League commerce interval, previous to the beginning of the league’s entry draft on Monday.

Cape Breton opened the commerce interval by acquired Cape Breton West Islanders captain and defenceman Ryan Hayes and a ninth-round choose in 2022, initially belonging to Chicoutimi, from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in trade for forwards Nicolas Houge and Blake Pilgrim-Edwards.

Hayes, 17, appeared in 21 common season video games with the Islanders in 2021-22, recording three targets and eight factors. He added two assists in 14 playoff video games with the Port Hood-based under-18 main staff.

Houge, 17, started the 2021-22 QMJHL season with the Eagles, showing in 19 video games and posting one assists. He later returned residence to Quebec in December.

Pilgrim-Edwards, who will flip 17-years-old on Thursday, dressed for the Steele Subaru Majors of the Nova Scotia Beneath-18 Main Hockey League final season, recording 11 targets and 32 factors in 33 video games.

2022 QMJHL ENTRY DRAFT COVERAGE:

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Shortly after, the Eagles acquired 20-year-old ahead Thomas Belgarde and a second-round choose in 2023, initially belonging to Drummondville, from the Titan in trade for 17-year-old defenceman Emile Perron and a fifth-round choose in 2024.

Perron, the membership’s eighth general choice on the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft, appeared in 54 video games in his rookie season, recording one objective and three factors with a -35 score.

Minutes later, Cape Breton traded Belgarde and a second-round choose in 2022, initially belonging to Blainville-Boisbriand, to the Victoriaville Tigres for a first-round choose in 2022, initially belonging to Saint John, and a fifth-round choose in 2024, initially belonging to Val-d’Or.

Belgarde performed 69 video games between Chicoutimi and Acadie-Bathurst final season. He had 21 targets and 59 factors in 69 video games.

In the meantime, the staff later acquired 20-year-old ahead Samuel Johnson and 19-year-old ahead Jordan Côté from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in trade for a fourth-round choose in 2022 and a seventh-round choose in 2024.

Johnson, a fourth-round choose by the Huskies in 2019, recorded 17 targets and 48 factors in 57 video games in 2021-22. As for Côté, a third-round choose in 2020, he had six targets and 12 factors in 60 video games throughout his first full season within the QMJHL.

Later, Cape Breton acquired 20-year-old ahead Zachary Gravel, 17-year-old ahead Jonah MacDonald, and a fourth-round choose in 2023 from the Quebec Remparts.

In trade, the Eagles despatched 17-year-old ahead Lucas Canning, 19-year-old ahead Charles Savoie, and a Twelfth-round choose in 2022, initially belonging to Quebec, to the Remparts.

Gravel, an Eleventh-round choice by Gatineau in 2018, had 27 targets and 45 factors in 66 video games final season. MacDonald performed for the Charlottetown Knights of the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Beneath-18 Main Hockey League, notching seven targets and 19 factors in 18 video games.

Canning, a second-round choose by Cape Breton in 2020, had two targets and 4 factors in 43 video games in 2021-22, whereas Savoie, who was acquired within the Connor Trenholm cope with Saint John on the Christmas commerce interval, had three targets and 10 factors in 49 video games between the Sea Canine and Eagles.

In one other commerce, the Eagles despatched 19-year-old defenceman Jacob Squires to the Charlottetown Islanders for a sixth-round choose in 2024. Squires is the brother of present Eagle Cam Squires.

Squires, a Charlottetown product, had 4 targets and 15 factors with a -41 score in 60 video games in Sydney final 12 months.

The roster overhaul continued with the Eagles sending 19-year-old ahead Jack Campbell in addition to a seventh-round choose and an eighth-round choose, each in 2024 and each initially belonging to Saint John, to the Sea Canine.

In return, Cape Breton acquired 20-year-old ahead Josh Lawrence, who earlier this week received a Memorial Cup with the Sea Canine. Lawrence wouldn’t keep an Eagle for lengthy.

Cape Breton then despatched Lawrence and a third-round choose in 2023 to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada for 19-year-old ahead Charles Boutin, a second-round choose in 2022, initially belonging to Saint John, and a first-round choose in 2024, initially belonging to Blainville-Boisbriand.

Boutin, a third-round choose by the Armada in 2019, posted seven targets and 35 factors in 53 video games with the Quebec-based staff final season.

Lawrence, a first-round choose in 2018 by Saint John, recorded 31 targets and 101 factors in 69 common season video games. He had one help in 5 playoff video games.

Cape Breton additionally traded 17-year-old ahead Matis Ouellet to the Val-d’Or Foreurs in trade for a third-round choose in 2022, initially belonging to Shawinigan.

Ouellet, who was acquired by the Eagles in a cope with Charlottetown for Dawson Stairs on the Christmas commerce interval, recorded three targets and 11 factors in 55 video games between the Islanders and Eagles final season.

The ultimate commerce of the day, the Eagles acquired 19-year-old ahead Julien Hébert from the Chicoutimi Saguenéens for a sixth-round choose in 2024.

Hébert, a third-round choose by Moncton in 2019, recorded 9 targets and 27 factors in 68 video games final season.

In whole, 37 trades have been made throughout the league to open the QMJHL commerce interval on Saturday. The commerce interval will shut on Saturday and reopen through the first-round of the league’s entry draft on Monday.

– Jeremy Fraser is the sports activities reporter for the Cape Breton Submit. Comply with him on Twitter @CBPost_Jeremy.