The 59th MHL season gets underway on two fronts on Thursday, September 11.
The Bearcats home-opener will see the North’s Campbellton Tigers at the RECC to open their respective seasons.
Fans always look to the returnees to see how they respond to increased responsibility and the leadership they are expected to provide.
There will be plenty of new faces in the mix to complement those who feel they have unfinished business as they advance their junior career.
Not often does a Bearcat season begin with a brand-new goaltending tandem. Brandon Lavoie (19, Lower Sackville) and Louca Connolly (18, Mercier, QC) assume that role. Lavoie, a 2022 Bearcat pick from the NS U18 Subaru Steele, played with the Cape Breton Eagles last year, before being traded to the Victoriaville Tigres.
Connolly’s rights were acquired by Cape Breton from the Quebec Remparts. He played CEGEP hockey last year with the Outaouais Griffins. Both bring size and strong credentials to the position.
Offence has been a focus coming into this season. The acquisition of Samuel Vachon (20, Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, QC) will help address that. He was a 2021 Drummondville draft pick who now enters his fourth junior season. He’s spent time with Chicoutimi and Victoriaville as well.
Nathan Curson (18, Mallorytown, ON) was one of the first off-season acquisitions. He was Rookie-of-the-Year in the Eastern Ontario Junior “B” League last year, picking up 39 goals and 30 assists in 48 games with the Athens Aeros. The 2025 Carlton Place Canadiens (CCHL) got his feet wet at the Junior “A” level last year with the Brockville Braves.
Rylan Sutherland (18, Brookfield) was a 2024 Bearcat pick. Following a year with the Fundy Thunder, he suited up for a pair of years with the Weeks U18 Majors. Last year, his 29 goals were tops in NS U-18 hockey, earning him an All-Star spot.
The Bearcats are back in action, again at the RECC, Saturday, September 13th when they host the Pictou County Crushers.
This is Truro’s 29th season since returning to the junior ranks. This marks the 22nd season the Bible Hill Kinsmen sponsor the Truro Junior “A” Powerplay Partnership. To date, the organization has provided $98,700.00 to local charities.