Axemen add SJHL’s two time leading scorer

The Acadia Axemen are proud to welcome forward Kian Bell to the hockey program.

Bell, standing at 5’11” hailing from Fall River, NS, has been the top scorer in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) the past two seasons with the Battlefords North Stars. In 2022-23 Bell and his North Stars were the Canterra Seeds Cup SJHL champions, and represented the SJHL at the Centennial Cup where they would advance to the tournament final, losing 4-0 to the Brooks Bandits. Kian had 7 points in 6 games in the national tournament.

We asked Bell what made him choose Acadia, he said “I chose Acadia because I love the town of Wolfville and the campus. I know that Acadia historically has one of the best hockey programs in the country, and is also a great school academically, so to me it seems like a perfect fit.”

He began his junior career in 2020-21, after being called up from the Steele Subaru’s U18 where he had 45 points in 27 games, he suited up for the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Eagles, with 2 points in 9 games. He was named the NSU18MHL Most Valuable Player for the season of 2020-21.

In 2021-22 he would spend the full season in the QMJHL with the Eagles, registering 14 points in 55 games. The following season he joined Battlefords of the SJHL and would register a league best 102 points in 51 games, including 54 goals. Bell would be named the SJHL’s Player of the Year and League MVP. Kian would begin the 2023-24 season in the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings, where he had 1 goal in 8 games, before re-joining the North Stars where he would score 94 points in just 41 games and was named a finalist for the CJHL’s most valuable player.

Acadia Axemen Head Coach Darren Burns likes what Bell brings to his squad, saying, “Throughout our conversations with Kian there were a couple of key things that continued to be evident; how much he wanted to be at Acadia and how much he loves hockey. Obviously, these are crucial components of what you look for in a player. His past has shown that offence is a big part of his game and this is an area where we wanted to improve. We feel once he gets acclimatized to our league he can be a player who can provide offence to our lineup.”

As for Bell, he describes his play as “…a creative, pass first offensive player, who likes to shoot the puck as well, but also as a player who can be relied on in all situations, all over the ice.”

The Axemen continue to fill out their roster for the upcoming season, as Bell joins fellow recruits, goalie Nicholas Sheehan, defencemen Conor Shortall and Keagan Slaney, along with forward Marc Boudreau. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!

#GoAcadiaGo

Story by Chris Richards

Former Mississauga Steelheads forward to join Acadia

The Acadia Axemen are proud to welcome forward Marc Boudreau to the hockey program. Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Boudreau was an assistant captain this past season with the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL.

We asked Marc about committing to Acadia for his next chapter on and off the ice, he said, “What made me want to pick Acadia is the unique experience it offers! There’s not many places in USports that offer what Acadia offers! The small town university setting, a well supported hockey program, and a great school. That’s why I picked Acadia.”

The 6’2″ winger broke into the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds back in 2019-20, playing in 59 games adding 12 points in his rookie campaign. With the 2020-21 season cancelled due to the pandemic, he returned to the Soo in 2021-22, scoring 10 points in 32 games before being moved to the Sudbury Wolves where he would add another 22 points in 39 games. In 2022-23, he put up 28 points in 67 games with the Wolves, before moving to Mississauga where he scored 23 points in 64 games this past season.

Acadia Axemen head coach Darren Burns likes the style of play Boudreau brings to the lineup, saying, “Marc is a very important piece for our program. We have graduated a couple of big bodies who were a strong physical presence for us. He is a very tough player who skates well and plays a very rugged style. He plays with an edge and plays with energy and a vibration to his game.

We really liked what he brought to a very young but successful Mississauga team this past season. We believe that he is a big skilled player who has the smarts and the attributes to play with offensive players.

He will go to the net to help create offence and is very dominant down below the circles in the offensive zone. We feel he has a huge upside to continue to progress at the AUS level.”

As for Boudreau, he says, “Fans can expect a big power forward who can provide offensively, play physical, and provide a 200 foot game.”

Boudreau, joins a recruiting class that includes goaltender Nicholas Sheehan and defencemen Conor Shortall and Keagan Slaney. Stay tuned for more updates!

#GoAcadiaGo

Story by Chris Richards

Axemen add physical defenceman to lineup

The Acadia Axemen are proud to welcome Airdrie, Alberta native Keagan Slaney to the hockey program. The 5’9” 185lbs defenceman played five seasons in the WHL, with this past season with the Regina Pats.

We asked Keagan, what made him choose Acadia for his schooling and his next chapter in his hockey career, he said, “Since I have grown up in Alberta, I have always wanted to experience life on the other side of the country. Finally being given the opportunity to decide for myself where I get to play, I knew right away I was going to lean towards somewhere out east. All the knowledge I had about Acadia made it very clear that this was a top quality school, for both hockey and academics, which made the decision pretty easy. With that I also get the bonus of being closer to my extended family as they live in Newfoundland.”

Slaney was originally drafted into the WHL in 2018 in the 1st round, 20th overall by the Edmonton Oil Kings. After his season with Edge School Prep, he would go on to finish that season with the Oil Kings playing in 5 regular season games.

He would earn a regular spot on the Oil Kings blue line in 2019-20, playing in 48 games, prior to the pandemic, and then 20 games in the shortened 2020-21 season.

In 2021-22, after 5 games with the Oil Kings, he was dealt to the Calgary Hitmen, which was essentially like going home for the Airdrie native. He would go on to play 37 games with the Hitmen that season, before suiting up in 60 games in 2022-23 putting up a career-high, 5 goals and 13 points and 94 PIMs, and wearing an ‘A’ as an assistant captain for the team.

He was picked up by the Regina Pats in 2023-24, where he would play in 62 games, scoring 11 points and adding 57 PIMs.

For his junior career in the WHL, Slaney played in 237 regular season games, notching 45 points and adding 314 PIMs.

Acadia Axemen Head Coach Darren Burns is pleased to add Slaney to his defence corps saying, “Keagan is a player we feel will bring energy and grit to our lineup. He’s a good skater who makes a good first pass and likes to be physical. We feel he is a player who will make the opposition aware of when he’s on the ice and be able to bring a competitive daily edge to practice. He is well regarded as a teammate and a player who will look after his teammates. He will definitely add to a couple of key intangibles that we want to make sure are a staple for our team this coming season.”

As for what to look for from Keagan this fall, he says, “I think Axemen fans can expect a very solid defensive game from me. I’ve always liked to play a physical game and make it difficult for the other teams offensive players to enter the defensive zone. I have always and will continue to prioritize my position of defence, but I am hoping to have the opportunity to contribute a little bit more offensively than I have my previous years in the WHL. I’ve been taking some big strides on my skill work this summer and am really looking forward to being apart of the Axemen’s success this season.”

Slaney joins 2 previous announced new recruits for Acadia, defenceman Conor Shortall and goaltender Nicholas Sheehan. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more announcements! #GoAcadiaGo

Story by Chris Richards

Acadia netminder continues to rehab injured knee

On November 4^th of this past season, 1^st year Axemen goaltender Brayden Peters, was off to an impressive start to the season, playing in his 5th regular season game, after going 2 and 2 in his first 4 games of the season, when one play changed his trajectory for the year. The Axemen were hosting the Dalhousie Tigers in Wolfville, when midway through the 2^nd period, Peters made a highlight reel save, but tore his ACL and fractured his tibilar plateau in his left knee on the play.

Peters, a Business Administration major, described the moment saying, “It was a bit of a scramble in front of the net when the puck went to an open player back door. I slid to my left and extended my leg straight to try to get over in time, but I caught the heel of my skate on the post and didn’t slip off either in front of the post or into the net like it normally does. My body continued overtop of my knee and I felt a big pop behind my kneecap and had a wave of pain rush into my knee. It was just an unlucky injury, I probably did the same play 10+ times in practice, but this time my leg didn’t slip off the post and led to the injury.”

Prior to attending Acadia, Brayden had an impressive junior career in the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen going 64-58-9 in 138 regular season games over 5 years and took part in the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche prospect camp last September.

Due to the seriousness of the injury, surgery was necessary on February 8^th in Yarmouth. He said, “The surgery went really good. I had my mom fly out from Alberta to help for the first week of recovery. So far, the ACL graft has been feeling really good and progressing on schedule. Now it’s a bit of a waiting game until the graft is able to fuse properly. The main thing for me now is to make sure I stay focused on my rehab timeline and make sure I don’t push it too far and cause any setbacks.”

It is a long road to recovery for the Axemen netminder, saying, “the first three months of rehab were mainly focused on retraining my left leg to get all my range of motion and balance back. Over the summer it will mainly be focused on jogging and running again and getting used to putting force into my knee again. So hopefully, by the time we come back together as a team I will be able to get on the ice and skate around, at that time we’ll be able to judge more accurately when I can get back in the net and join team practices. But my return date is still up in the air. Generally, it will be between 10-12 months of recovery post-surgery.”

Acadia Axemen Head Coach Darren Burns has nothing but praise for his netminder and his determination to return to action, saying “You hate to see any kid go through an injury and the process of getting back to playing like Petey has had to do. First things first, he is an incredible human and his attitude through all this has been outstanding. He is an excellent role model of team first and perseverance.

Our team will benefit from having first year players come in and see his dedication to the game. He’s an outstanding goalie who will no doubt play a huge role in the success of our program. His passion for making this team better through recruiting other players here and his day-to-day approach creates positive energy in our building.”

Despite the injury, the Taber, Alberta native has been happy with his time in the Valley, saying, “My experience here in Wolfville has been amazing. Everyone in the community and at the school have been incredibly welcoming and really made my adjustment moving out here from Alberta as easy as possible. It’s been a year of new and unexpected challenges, but I’m happy I’ve been able to experience it and grow from it out here.”

Peters concluded saying, “I just want to say thank you to the Axemen fans for all your support for both myself and for the team. It was awesome getting to talk to a bunch of you in the stands after I got injured and the support from everyone was amazing. I’m excited to see all of you at the rink again next year and excited to see what we can accomplish as a team.”

Story by Chris Richards

Cape Breton Eagles defenceman will suit up with Axemen in the fall

The Acadia Axemen are proud to welcome defenceman Conor Shortall to the hockey program.

The St. John’s, Newfoundland born defenceman has played his junior career in the QMJHL, starting out in 2020-21 with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, before joining the Cape Breton Eagles for the last 3 seasons.  This season, the defensive blueliner has 9 points in 65 games, and in 231 regular season QMJHL games over his career, the 5’9” defenceman has 59 points and 147 penalty minutes.

We asked Conor, why he chose Acadia for hockey and schooling, he said, “For many years I had thought that attending Acadia University and playing hockey as an Axemen would be an awesome, life changing experience and opportunity for me. Growing up in Newfoundland and playing hockey within the province, many kids have a dream of playing in the QMJHL and then being recruited by a university within Atlantic Canada. Fortunately, that path has led me to Acadia and the Axemen hockey program. I have played with and against some of the existing players at Acadia and every single one of them talked about how much they have been enjoying their experience and how great both the university and the hockey program are.

I am not overly familiar with Wolfville myself, but my mother played university soccer and volleyball for Memorial University in Newfoundland, and she has told me numerous times what a great campus and close-knit community is offered by Acadia and the Wolfville area. Additionally, when pursuing the next step in my hockey and education journey, it was important for me to be a little closer to home and Wolfville’s easy access offers that as well. However, the final decision came down to the comfort that I felt with head coach Darren Burns and some of the other coaching staff. In a number of conversations, it became apparent to me that there was a special place for me here with the Axemen and Darren really seemed to know the player that I am and what I can offer and contribute and that was important to me. I truly have already felt welcomed into the program and I have not even stepped onto the ice yet.”

Shortall was an assistant captain with the Eagles this season, and brings a physical presence to the Axemen blueline. With the Axemen graduating physical rearguards Morgan Nauss and Hudson Wilson, Shortall will look to help fill that void in the lineup.

Acadia Axemen head coach Darren Burns is excited about the addition of Shortall saying, “Conor is a very energetic and gritty defenceman. He keeps his game simple and plays hard every shift. His physical approach to the game makes opponents aware when he’s on the ice. He is an extremely well liked and respected teammate.”

As for Conor, he describes his game this way “I think and hope the Axemen fans are going to like my style of play and they can expect to see a physical, defensive defenceman, but also someone that has some offensive potential given the right situation. Over the last 3 years playing for the Cape Breton Eagles, it seemed that the fan base there enjoyed what I offered, and I am confident the Axemen fans will as well. I feel honored to play university hockey and certainly take nothing for granted, and that shows on the ice every game. I have been described by some people as a guy that never takes a night off and works hard every shift, every minute that I get to play. I honestly believe and feel that I must earn the respect of the coaches and fans and therefore I will always work hard to ensure and gain that respect. Additionally, I am very much a team focused player, always put the team and the success of the team ahead of my own individual success. I believe I can bring some positive energy and I take pride in parts of the game that may not always get noticed by some, like killing penalties, blocking shots, and playing in the key situations when the game is on the line. I love the roar of a packed arena and I cannot wait to get started this coming season.”

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more news on the Acadia for the 2024-25 season. #GoAcadiaGo

Story by Chris Richards

Sign up before May 27th for Early Bird Pricing!

Tickets go on sale today at noon for the event on June 13th 

The Acadia Axemen hockey program is proud to announce Doug Gilmour as this year’s featured guest at the 23^rd edition of the Acadia Hockey Celebrity Dinner. This year’s dinner takes place on Thursday, June 13^th at the Andrew H. McCain Arena in Wolfville, and tickets are now available for individual tickets, half table, and full table purchases at the Acadia Box Office or online at acadiau.universitytickets.com

Gilmour joins a long list of hockey greats to have taken the stage at the Celebrity Dinner, including the likes of Gordie Howe, Jean Beliveau, Darryl Sittler, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Marcel Dionne, Denis Potvin, Brian Trottier, and most recently Guy Carbonneau, at last year’s event.

The event includes a buffet dinner, a large silent auction with something of interest for everyone, including plenty of hockey memorabilia, a celebration of Annapolis Valley hockey, and a chance to meet the hockey greats.

This year’s featured guest is a Memorial Cup Winner in 1981 with the Cornwall Royals, a Stanley Cup Winner in 1989 with the Calgary Flames, a Selke Trophy award winner with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1993, and a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee in 2011. He was also a member of the 1987 Canada Cup winning team, famous for their thrilling victory over Russia in the best on best tournament.

Likely best known for his time as a Toronto Maple Leaf, “Killer”, as he was nicknamed, led the Leafs to within one game of the Stanley Cup finals in 1993, losing to Wayne Gretzky and his LA Kings in game 7 of the conference finals. That season saw Gilmour post 127 points for the Maple Leafs, followed by an 111 point campaign in 1993-94.

Gilmour would score 1414 points in 1474 regular season games in the NHL, and likely even more impressive, in 182 career playoff games, the gritty offensive forward would put up 188 points, to average over a point per game. He would play with 7 teams over his NHL career, including the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, and the Montreal Canadiens.

Stay tuned as we make further announcements in the coming weeks about the Acadia Hockey Celebrity Dinner, and get your tickets today as we prepare to welcome the great Doug Gilmour to the Annapolis Valley!

Plenty to look forward to with off-season events & growth for next season

The Acadia Axemen season came to an end last weekend after a pair of thrilling games against StFX that saw the Axemen come out on the wrong side of both a 3OT game in Antigonish, followed by a 4OT game in Wolfville. A series that could very easily have seen a pair of wins for Acadia to win the series.

As we reflect back on the 2023-24 season, the Acadia fans were treated to a hard-working team that played to the final buzzer every night, with 15 of 30 regular season games being decided by 2 goals or less.

After a challenging first half that saw the team finish with a record of 4-11-3, the Axemen rebounded with a 5-5-2 record in the 2^nd half, good for a 9-16-5 record overall, earning the final playoff spot in the AUS conference.

Head Coach Darren Burns is pleased with the direction of the team saying, “We were very proud of how our team competed right through to the end of the season. Clearly, losing in the first round is not the bar we want for our program; however, it was a year where our players had to compete heavily understaffed from day one. We felt they continually worked and emptied their tanks. In the big picture, we feel the pieces are in place for this team to take big steps next year. There were valuable lessons learned and we feel we have the returning core to be able to translate these lessons into success in the standings.”

The team excelled from the crease out, with Thomas Couture and Brayden Peters seeing equal time in net in the first 10 games of the season, before the injury to Peters. Couture picked up the gauntlet and would go on to be a standout throughout the season, being named to the AUS 1^st team all-star and All-Rookie team member. On top of his sparkling .915 save percentage and 2.76 goals against average, he made highlight reel saves almost on a nightly basis and gave the Axemen a chance to win every game. The deep Axemen defense core put forward a strong body of work, giving up on average just 2.97 goals against per game on the season.

The Axemen struggles came on offense, where they scored on average 2.33 goals per game. Certainly, a portion of this could be attributed to player injuries as Acadia lost 125-man games due to injuries this season. The injury bug led to the team dressing 4 goalies over the course of the season and for one home game the team was forced to dress 10 defenceman and just 8 forwards, due to injuries up front.

The special teams saw improvement over the previous season; the powerplay was just 11% effective in 2022-23 and improved to 17.9% in 2023-24, and the penalty kill improved from 73.8% in 2022-23 to being 80% effective in 2023-24.

Many of the freshmen, who were seeing their 1^st AUS action, stepped-in to play key roles and minutes with the team, including Brady Burns who led the team in scoring with 21 points in 24 games, and Ethan Ernst, who tied Bailey Peach for the team lead in goals with 8. The blueline was bolstered with 1^st year players Charlie Desroches, Tyler Deline, and Cam Whynot all playing key minutes, and as mentioned, the crease was in good hands with 1^st year star Thomas Couture, and Brayden Peters.

2^nd year forwards Bailey Peach and Liam Kidney maintained their consistent offense with 18 and 16 points offensively this season, and Brendan Sellan’s 16 points on the campaign were highlighted by scoring 8 points over an 8-game stretch in the 2^nd half of the season.

The Axemen have 4 players graduating from the program in assistant captains Reilly Webb, Nick Deakin-Poot, and Hudson Wilson, as well as team captain Morgan Nauss. The Acadia coaching staff now turns their attention to off-season recruiting for the 2024-25 season, where they will look to replace the size they are losing from the graduating players, while also adding offense to the lineup.

The support from the Valley community continues to be a high point for the hockey program. The support of the fan base, Valley community, alumni, and corporate sponsorships is crucial for the program and very much appreciated.

Coach Burns also expressed his gratitude to the fans and local community saying, “I would also like to thank the businesses, fans, and families who supported our extensive and integral fundraisers this past year. People in this community continually step up, whether it’s fundraising events, partaking in our hockey camps or attending our games. Our increase in attendance at home games this season is not the norm for many sporting teams these days. This loyalty to our hockey team is certainly vital to our team’s success. We do not take it for granted.”

Planning for off-season events such as the Axemen Celebrity Hockey Dinner in June, youth hockey camps throughout the summer, and the Friends of Acadia Hockey Golf Scramble in September are well underway. Stay connected with our social media accounts for more information to be released in the coming weeks on those events.