Cole Rafuse to join the Acadia Axemen in upcoming season

Kings County native to suit up for Acadia

The Acadia Axemen are pleased to announce the commitment of Harmony, Nova Scotia’s Cole Rafuse to join the Acadia hockey program this fall for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

Cole who suited up for the Valley Wildcats Major Midget team in 2014-15 scoring 31 points in 34 regular season games, went on to be drafted in 2015 into the QMJHL as the first pick in the second round (20^th overall) by the Val-d’Or Foreurs.

After 29 games with the Foreurs, Rafuse joined the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for the next 3 ½ years, winning the 2018 QMJHL Championship & then the 2018 Memorial Cup as the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) champions.

Acadia head coach Darren Burns was happy to officially add Rafuse to the Axemen hockey program saying, “We are very excited that Cole has chosen to attend Acadia. He is a player we have always had a lot of respect for, as he has a team first attitude, thinks the game well and has won a Memorial Cup. We believe he is going to be a player who will get better every year. He exudes leadership and character and is well aware of the responsibilities that come with playing hockey at Acadia. There is no question he is the type of player that teams need to be successful in the AUS conference. I know everyone in the Valley will be so excited to have one of their own in an Axemen uniform. It’s exciting for everyone here, it’s just a perfect fit for us all.”

The 6’1, 210 lbs forward had personal bests in 2018-19 with the Titan scoring 16 goals and 31 points in 66 games. He also was named an assistant captain of the team that season.

Last season, Rafuse played his overage junior year with the Flin Flon Bombers of the SJHL, scoring an impressive 88 points in just 57 regular season games, along with 11 points in just 4 playoff games.

Cole expressed his excitement in joining the Axemen saying, “I am thrilled to be playing in the Valley, I love the community and the chance to come home and play in front of my family and friends. I am excited to be playing for the team I grew up watching as a kid.”

Rafuse joins Axemen recruit Tyler Hinam, who won a Memorial Cup in 2019 with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, as the Axemen continue to add to their recruiting class for the 2020-2021 season. We welcome both Tyler and Cole to the Acadia hockey family and we look forward to seeing them both in an Acadia Axemen uniform this fall.