Acadia Hockey Showcase Recap
Acadia Hockey Showcase Schedule
2002 GROUP SCHEDULE
THURSDAY
11:15am: REGISTRATION
11:45-12:15pm: SUMMER CONDITIONING/SUPPLEMENTS PRESENTATION
12:45-2:15pm: ON-ICE (GREENWOOD LEAD)
3-4pm: OFF-ICE
5:30-7pm: ON-ICE (GUITE LEAD)
FRIDAY
8:30-9:30am: NCAA PRESENTATION
10-11:30am: ON-ICE (GREENWOOD LEAD)
11:30-12:30pm: LUNCH/REST
12:30-1:30pm: MAJOR JUNIOR PRESENTATION
1:45-2:45pm: ON-ICE (MIDGLEY LEAD)
3-4pm: ACADIA CAMPUS TOUR
4:45-6:15pm: ON-ICE SKILL STATIONS SESSION (GUITE LEAD)
SATURDAY
8:45-9:45am: ON-ICE (YOUNG LEAD)
10-11am: BREAK
11:15-12:15pm: ON-ICE (Scrimmage/3vs3/Small area games)
2003/2004 GROUP SCHEDULE
THURSDAY
10:30am: REGISTRATION
11-12:30pm: ON-ICE (GREENWOOD LEAD)
1-1:30pm: SUMMER CONDITIONING/SUPPLEMENTS PRESENTATION
2-3pm: OFF-ICE
3:45-5:15pm: ON-ICE (GUITE LEAD)
FRIDAY
8-9:30am: ON-ICE (GREENWOOD LEAD)
10-11am: NCAA PRESENTATION
11-12pm: REST/LUNCH
12:15-1:15pm: ON-ICE (MIDGLEY LEAD)
1:45-2:45pm: MAJOR JUNIOR PRESENTATION
3-4:30pm: ON-ICE SKILL STATIONS SESSION (GUITE LEAD)
SATURDAY
7:30-8:30am: ON-ICE (YOUNG LEAD)
8:45-9:45am: BREAK
10-11am: ON-ICE (Scrimmage/3vs3/small area games)
Mooseheads Coach Added to Acadia Showdown
Jim Midgley named a guest coach for Acadia hockey camp
Acadia hockey announced today that they have added Halifax Mooseheads newly named head coach Jim Midgley as a guest coach to the Acadia Showdown hockey camp which runs from Thursday July 27th – Saturday, July 29th for age groups born 2002-2004. Midgley joins a star studded group of guest coaches including his Halifax Assistant Coach Jon Greenwood, Valley Wildcats Jr A Head Coach Travis Young, University of Maine Coach Ben Guite, Goaltending coach Charles Grant, with off-ice training led by Acadia’s Elliott Richardson.
Acadia Axemen head coach Darren Burns welcomed his former Axemen assistant coach to the event saying, “We are so pleased to be able to have Jim here for the showcase. Having a coach of his caliber coming in to work with the kids is going to be an exceptional opportunity for the players.”
Midgley becomes the Mooseheads 10th coach in franchise history as he enters his seventh season on the Halifax bench after serving as an Assistant Coach under Dominique Ducharme from 2011-2016 and Andre Tourigny last season. The Cole Harbour resident has also worked as an Assistant Coach with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Acadia Axemen and has held multiple roles with Hockey Canada and Hockey Nova Scotia. Jim had a very successful junior hockey career in the OHL before starring for the Saint Mary’s Huskies in the AUS.
Coach Burns summed his thoughts on the announcement up saying, “Jim was hired by one of the most prestigious franchises in the CHL for a reason. To have him coming to Acadia to help guide the kids over the weekend is very exciting for our program.”
The Acadia Showcase camp runs from Thursday July 27th – Saturday, July 29th for age groups born 2002-2004.
To register please click the following link:
https://central2.acadiau.ca/my/camps?step=1
For any questions please contact:
Kris MacDonald – Asst. Coach
E-mail: kris.macdonald@acadiau.ca
Cell #: (306)-216-1079
Register Now, Bantam/Midget Camp!
ACADIA HIGH PERFORMANCE BANTAM/MIDGET PREP TRAINING CAMP
The Program:
This program is aimed at providing Bantam & Midget players an opportunity to train together in a very competitive environment; and help prepare players for their training camps. This high performance camp will consist of six sessions that will be 75 minutes long. The sessions will include flow drills, battle drills & scrimmaging.
Session will be lead by:
Darren Burns – Head Coach Acadia Axemen
Kris MacDonald – Asst. Coach Acadia Axemen
Dates and Times
**All ice times at Acadia Arena
Tues July 25th – 6:00pm-7:15pm
Mon July 31st – 10:45am-12:00pm
Tues Aug 1st – 10:45am-12:00pm
Wed Aug 2nd – 10:45am-12:00pm
Thurs Aug 3rd – 10:45am-12:00pm
Friday Aug 4th – 10:45am-12:00pm
**We can also add more sessions after August 4th if there is interest
Cost: $150 (Cheques payable to Acadia Hockey Camps)
To register please e-mail Kris MacDonald – kris.macdonald@acadiau.ca
Axemen great sets sights on Denmark
Thompson signs with Herlev Eagles
He came, he saw, he dominated. And now he heads to Denmark to likely do the same for the Herlev Eagles.
Axemen coach Darren Burns expressed his excitement for Thompson saying, “We are extremely excited for Brett to have earned this contract. He has had a tremendous five years here for our our program. His statistics over the five years speak for itself and I believe he has earned a spot among the all time Acadia greats. His big game performances will always stand out in my memories of Brett as a player. He has developed into an excellent leader. There are many of our current players who chose our program because of their time they spent with Thomper when visiting Acadia. To me that speaks volumes about a players impact and what their peers think of him.”
Brett Thompson skated the past 5 seasons as an Acadia Axemen and he was a dominant force in University hockey. In 141 regular season games Thompson put up 151 points, including 60 goals. The 5’8” sniper was not only a regular season threat, in 30 post season games, Brett put up 29 points including 9 goals over his CIS career.
After a successful junior career in the OHL, the Sault Ste. Marie native came into the CIS with a bang, earning AUS All Rookie Team honors in 2012/13 with 26 points in 28 games. 2013-14 saw Thompson skate on arguably the most dominant line in CIS hockey with Liam Heelis and Mike Cazzola. The trio put up 117 points in the regular season, with Heelis taking home awards for top player in the nation. Acadia won the AUS championship for the season. 2014-15 was Thomper’s time to shine, scoring 19 goals and 38 points in 28 regular season games for the Axemen, and being named an AUS first all-star team member and a CIS All-Canadian second team member.Read more »
McFarland joins NHL ranks as Florida Panthers Assistant Coach
Axemen Alumnus & Former Captain hired in Florida
Acadia alumnus Paul McFarland, who suited up for the Axemen from 2006-2010, has been named assistant coach with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.
Axemen coach Darren Burns reflected on the Panthers hiring and his time coaching McFarland saying, “We are absolutely ecstatic about his new position with the Florida Panthers. It couldn’t have happened to a better person. We all knew at Acadia that Paul was destined to coach in the NHL, but to see it happen at such a young age shows what he has already accomplished in his short coaching career. He is arguably the best leader I have encountered in sports.
In spending 1 hour with him as a 20 year old when he played for the Windsor Spitfires, I knew he was a guy we needed to lead our program. His work ethic, passion, and integrity, make everyone around him better everyday. “
Paul was the captain of Acadia for three years and shared his thoughts on his time at Acadia back in 2010 in this clip:
After an impressive 3 years as head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, McFarland joins the Panthers coaching staff with head coach Bob Boughner.
Congratulations to Paul on behalf of Acadia hockey!
Below is the media release from the Florida Panthers website.
Read more »
Alumnus Cazzola signs with EIHL’s Edinburgh
Capitals sign prolific forward Mike Cazzola
A big #AcadiaU congratulations to alumnus Mike Cazzola who has signed a 2 year deal to play overseas with the EIHL’s Edinburgh Capitals!
Even more impressive, Mike has enrolled at the Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh in the highly regarded MSc Physiotherapy program for the next 2 years. Back to being a student athlete Mike!
Axemen Coach Darren Burns had the following to say about Cazzola, “Mike is an extremely dynamic and cerebral player. His hockey IQ is very high which enables him to be an excellent play maker. Mike’s creativity will instantly make players around him better. He also possesses a strong competitive nature which will contribute to the team’s overall success.”
23 June 2017 – Story below courtesy of edcapitals.com
Prolific Canadian point scorer Mike Cazzola has signed up for the Edinburgh Capitals On a 2 year deal.
From Guelph, Ontario Mike Cazzola joins the Capitals straight from a hugely successful rookie season in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The forward was the top point scorer for his club the Fort Wayne Komets, and was also the top point scoring rookie in the ECHL with 76 points (30 goals and 46 assists) in just 67 games. Voted on to the ECHL All Rookie All Star team, Cazzola ranked joint 11th overall in the league for point scoring in his first season in the highly competitive league.
Cazzola’s junior career saw him score 225 points in 219 games, the majority with the Erie Otters from 2008-2012.
He then attended Acadia University from 2012 to 2016 and continued to post impressive numbers scoring 133 points in just 107 games for his University. He was voted Rookie of the Year in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS AUS) league in 2012-2013, and followed this up the following year by being voted onto the First All Star team. He then followed this up with two Second All-Star team awards in his final two seasons with Acadia. Over his four seasons attending the University he was never out of the top two in scoring and was top scorer twice.
Read more »
Midgley named Head Coach of the Halifax Mooseheads
Acadia Hockey ecstatic with selection
The QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads announced today their new head coach, Jim Midgley. Valley hockey fans will remember Midgley from his days as an assistant coach with the Acadia Axemen from 2003-2007, along with the countless Valley hockey school programs he has taken part in for the area.
Axemen head coach Darren Burns reflected on Midgley’s new opportunity saying, “There was never any doubt that Midge was born to be a coach. He was a natural leader and had a tremendous hockey IQ as a player and he had a tremendous impact on our program here at Acadia as a coach.
He was a natural on the bench at the university level, but he can also carry the same abilities to help impact youth. To me that’s what will make him an excellent major junior head coach. A great hockey mind, but even more so, someone who cares about the kids development on and off the ice. That’s what Midge does.”
Burns concluded with a heartfelt thought shared by many in the hockey community saying, “To me it’s exceptional to see someone who has worked hard to achieve his goal and he has done it with hard work and integrity. There’s not a person in the game of hockey who isn’t ecstatic about Jim’s appointment today. The skies the limit for him.”
From everyone at Acadia Hockey, congratulations Midge!
Below is the press release from the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads:
Halifax Mooseheads General Manager Cam Russell announced today that Jim Midgley has been named the 10th Head Coach of the franchise.
“I’m very excited to be able to name Jim as the Head Coach today. He has been with the team for a long time and has put together an impressive resume. I think he is the perfect fit to take over behind the bench for the Mooseheads,” Russell stated.
Midgley is entering his seventh season on the Mooseheads bench after serving as an Assistant Coach under Dominique Ducharme from 2011-2016 and Andre Tourigny last season. He has also worked as an Assistant Coach with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Acadia Axemen and has held multiple roles with Hockey Canada and Hockey Nova Scotia.Read more »
Charles Grant added to Acadia Hockey Showcase
We are very happy to announce that Charles Grant will be a guest coach at our Acadia Hockey Showcase this summer at the Andrew H. McCain Arena in Wolfville, NS from July 27th-29th.
“We are very excited to add Charles to our Coaching Team for the 2017 Acadia Hockey Showcase. He is an excellent goaltending instructor and has recently worked with FinnGoalie Training which is Atlantic Canada’s number one goaltending company. He is just freshly removed from his playing career and will be able to help prepare the goalies at camp with the essential components of the game. He has had an excellent Junior and University Career and we would like to take this opportunity to welcome him.”
Charles has many years of professional goaltending and coaching experience. Most recently, he played for the Rapid City Rush in the ECHL- an affiliate team of the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL. Growing up in Berwick Nova Scotia, Charles was drafted by the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL and played his junior hockey with the Yarmouth Mariners, where he was a two time MHL All-Star and shut out leader. From the MHL, Charles advanced to playing four seasons of NCAA Division 1 hockey for Dartmouth College, where he received numerous goaltending awards and was named to the Second Team All-Ivy in his second year and was named Academic All-American all four years. Charles has held goalie coaching positions with FinnGoalie Training, Andrew’s Hockey (PEI) and the Valley Wildcats Jr. A, and knows what it takes to play and coach at a highly competitive level.
To register please click the following link:
https://central2.acadiau.ca/my/camps?step=1
For any questions please contact:
Kris MacDonald – Asst. Coach
E-mail: kris.macdonald@acadiau.ca
Cell #: (306)-216-1079