Canadian universities have completed their regular season in late February. The Usports postseason was filled with excitement and heartbreak as champions were crowned in all three divisions: Calgary, (Canada West), UNB, (AUS), and Trois Rivieres (OUA). Usports league championships have been awarded, and now the next step: Nationals.
USports Nations seeding
This year Usports men’s hockey nationals is hosted out of Mattamy Athletic Center, which is the old Maple Leaf Gardens for those old-school NHL fans.
Here is a breakdown of the seeding for the first round:
- UNB
- UQTR
- UBC
- TMU
- Calgary
- McGill
- Moncton
- Brock
So what do you need to know about each of the teams?
UNB (30–0–0)
Head Coach: Gardiner Macdougall
Assistant Coach(es): Brad Good, Cam Braes, Charlie Cameron, Rob Hennigar (Associate).
The Fredericton New Brunswick-based Varsity Reds are regular threats to the national championship. Led by Gardiner MacDougall, they have won nine national titles with eight of them coming since 2006–07. So far they have gone undefeated all year, going a perfect 30–0–0 in the regular season and swept all playoff games against Saint Mary’s and Moncton on the way to a AUS championship.
UNB plays a fast, complete pro-style game. As a matter of fact, the UNB program regularly graduates players to the AHL and various other high-level professional leagues. Expect tons of pressure in both zones and quick transition play. Their players have a knack for creating space for themselves in the O-zone, quick seamless passes, good vision, and deadly shots. Defensively they they have one of the strongest D-corps in the entire league, which allows them to greatly reduce opposing shot quality and minimize threats. Over their entire regular season, they gave up only 47 goals in a thirty-game span.
Anything short of a championship would be a disappointment for the Varsity Reds.
Round One: Brock University March 14, 4–0 W
Round Two: Toronto Metropolitan University, March 16, 7-0 W
Championship Finals: vs UQTR, March 17, 4-0 W
Moncton (16–11–1)
Head Coach: Derek Cormier
Assistant Coach(es):
Moncton enters Usports 2024-Nationals in the second AUS seed, seventh overall. In a division controlled by UNB, they were able to make a name for themselves with quality offensive creativity, and hustle. Director of hockey operations, Luc Michard really praised his team’s ability to create offence from the forecheck, off of turnovers, and in the neutral zone leading to a true two-hundred-foot effort from their every game.
As for the culture of the team, there is a huge element of excitement spurred by community pride,
“Our program has come a long way in the last few years and the players want to make the most of this opportunity. We represent not only our university, and our community but also the francophone part of the population. With a mix of Quebec- and New Brunswick-born players, they know the importance of shining on the national stage.”
With nationals being held in the prestigious Maple Leafs Gardens, Michard acknowledges the iconicity of the stage but also believes in Moncton’s ability to execute on the national stage: “When the puck drops, the guys will answer the bell.”
Moncton wants to have a solid showing on the national stage and they could go deep if they stick to their style of play, stay disciplined, and show both physical and mental fortitude as the tournament style can be unpredictable.
Eliminated Round One: vs Trois-Riveres, March 15, 5-1 L
UBC (22–4–2)
Head Coach: Sven Buterschon
Assistant Coach(es): Kevin Seibel, Matt Revel,
The Canada West Champion Thunderbirds look to carry forward their momentum from their conference play to the national stage. The Vancouver-based team is led by a strong core of former CHLers including lots of offensive upside and contributions from defencemen Jake Lee and Jonathan Smart. The forward lineup is equally formidable with the likes of former CHLers Samuel Huo, Liam Kindree, and former Colorado Avalanche prospect Sasha Mutala. Expect games to be won and lost in transition.
As the number three seed, the expectation is to pose a threat to the national championship and bring the gold back to the west coast.
Eliminated Round One: vs McGill 3-2 L
University of Calgary (21–5–2):
Head Coach: Mark Howell
Assistant Coach(es): Brad Werenka, Sean Robertson, Lane Zablocki
The University of Calgary are looking for redemption after a disappointing 2023 Nationals in Charlottetown where they got upset in the first round by host UPEI.
The Dinos are fueled by transitional play off of the rush, with quick agility, offensive instincts, and deceptive playmaking. They are also staunch defenders who prioritize strong defensive positioning, tie-ups, and box-outs, which all contribute to limiting chances against. They are a threat whenever and wherever they are on the ice.
Dinos head coach, Mark Howell, also wants to articulate just how professional the players are on his team as they hold themselves and their teammates to become better people every day. All in all, they are:
“A very tight knot team, with high standards. Our guys are a very competitive group with high expectations of themselves and the team. The DINOS strive for excellence in everything we do and push one another to be their best each and every day.”
The sole Albertan team these nationals hope to bring consistency to their game as they prove beyond a doubt that they are one of the top teams in the country. Howell believes that in order to go deep this year, “[Calgary’s] speed and ability to check will be paramount in [the] team having success in 2024.”
Eliminated Round one: vs TMU, March 2-1 OTL.
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (21–6–1)
Head Coach: Marc-Etienne Hubert
Assistant Coach(es): Marc-Andre Ronda, Alexandre Melancon
The home of the best Francophone players in all of Canada, the UQTR Patriotes once again represent the OUA East division at the national showcase. Speed, puck skills, and play anticipation are the focal points of their game, and they’re three elements they excel at. Offensive spark plugs of Simon and Felix Lafrance, and quality defensive rear guard David Noel to do what they do best by generating speed, and chances. The team bodes plenty of high-skill players so to slow the game down would be to their detriment.
As one of the strongest teams from the province of Quebec in recent history and off of back to back Queens Cup wins the expectations are high for them too perform well on the national stage.
Round One: vs Moncton, March 15, 5-1 W
Round Two: vs McGill, March 16, 5-4 W
Championship Finals vs UNB, March 17, 4-0 L
McGill (21–5–2)
Head Coach: David Urquhart
Assistant Coach(es): Peter Smith, Patrick Delisle-Houde (Associate)
The Montreal-based McGill Redbirds want to follow up their OUA bronze medal with a national championship. The OUA East team excels in fast paced games with quick zone entries and clean transition play, while also remaining energized and connected as they thrive off of odd man rushes, defensive mistakes, and passing lane creation.The Redbirds often find openings off the rush and in-zone with quality passing, creativity, and vision. On the forecheck they can certainly make teams regret decisions.
McGill has plenty of firepower on both ends of the rink, led by a plethora of former CHL standouts like William Rouleau, Eric Uba, and Scott Walford they look to leave a mark with a deep run at nationals. Every season there is at least one upset, and it could be caused by McGill this year.
To leave their mark this means excelling on and off the ice as coach Urquhart states:
“The Redbird’s goal is to be the best student-athletes in the country. In our quest for that goal our team is committed to excellence in both academics and athletics. The team is focused on daily improvement, relentless work ethic, being good teammates and enjoying the journey.”
Ultimately the Montreal based school believes in their team, their ability, and their focus. All it takes in McGill’s eyes? What does it take for this team? Living in the moment, “Being focused on one shift at a time.” Urquhart concluded.
Round One: vs UBC, March 15, 3-2 W
Round Two: vs UQTR March 16, 5-4 L
Consolation Final: vs TMU 3-2 W
Brock University (21–7–0)
Head Coach: T.J Manastersky
Assistant Coach(es): Rob Bentivegna, Ryan Hunter
One of the dark horses of the tournament the Badgers are looking to surprise scouts and students alike as they look to upset the powerhouse of UNB. The St. Catharines-based team excels at changing the tempo of games. The Badgers don’t mind slowing games down with heavy forechecks and physicality, which players like Tyler Burnie, Christopher Cote, and others shine at.
The Niagara-based team also loves speeding the game up with quality breakouts and quick zone entries as exemplified by OUA MVP Jacob Roach. They play a defensively sound game that prioritizes blocking shots and limiting turnovers. Their penalty kill is another focal point to their game and to winning a one-game series against UNB. For the 2023–24 season, their penalty kill sits at a strong 86.2% and it is expected to continue.
A large portion of their success hinges on the Badgers Usports Rookie of the year, Connor Ungar, who with his movement agility, and tracking is entirely capable of stealing a game for his team. Entering in as the eighth seed and facing UNB Brock has low pressure and is looking to put on a good showing at nationals.
Eliminated Round One: March 14, 1PM EDT vs UNB. 4–0 Loss
Toronto Metropolitan University (19–8–1)
Head Coach: Johnny Duco
Assistant Coach(es): Matt Mistele, Luke Peressini, Michael Fine (Associate)
The Toronto Metropolitan Bold grabbed the fourth seed with a OUA Queen’s Cup loss to UQTR in an overtime thriller. After that loss and as the host for nationals this year the Bold are simply looking for redemption this year. TMU has a solid all-around lineup from OUA standout forward Kyle Bollers, to goaltender Kai Edmonds, and Arizona Coyotes defence prospect Artyom Duda.
Toronto plays a solid transitional game led predominantly by their offensive-minded defencemen of Duda and Aaron Hyman leading to quick zone entries, zone cycles, and offensive pressure in-zone and chances off the rush.
To bring home a medal would be a success for the steadily improving team and organization, proving to Canada there can be deep runs from a Toronto-based team.
Round One: vs University of Calgary, March 14th, 2-1 OTW.
Round Two: vs UNB, March 16, 7-0 L
Consolation Final: vs McGill, March 17, 3-2 L
Let the games begin
This third week of March is the primetime of University hockey in Canada. In the past twenty years there has been proven to be an an avenue to pro-hockey and the nationals are the perfect stage to showcase the talent of these college players to future pro teams.
Will you be paying attention to Usport nationals this year?
