Mooseheads Make Cuts, Finalize Roster

(Free agent addition Max Lindsay is an example of the free agent talent added this off-season)

The Halifax Mooseheads announced their final cuts today, finishing the roster shaping that has been ongoing since August 16th.

The Mooseheads cut overage forward Brad Cuzner and 19 year old defenseman Josh Desmond today, leaving only 13 forwards, 8 defensemen and 3 goalies. Here is a look at who remains for the Mooseheads, in the form of projected lines:

Drouin-Mackinnon-Fournier

Ciampini-Boudreau-Frk

Ashley-Andrews-Ryan

Falkenham-Lindsay-Beauchemin

Alcade

 

Abeltshauser-Lewis

Gillard-Lewis

Hardie-Weegar

Lovell-Gazzola

 

Fucale

Terenzio

Clarke

 

Up front, there were a couple surprises, including free agents Dominic Beauchemin and Max Lindsay making the team. Beauchemin impressed offensively and was a favourite of coach Dominic Ducharme throughout training camp. Lindsay was invited to camp as a free agent and brang a strong physical presence and even chipped in a few goals as a grinder to solidify his spot. Liam Alcade seemed to be likely to make the team, and beat out energy players Jonathan Lacroix-Courville and Brandon Pye for the 13th forward spot. The Mooseheads top 3 lines were already secure, but to see it in finalized form, with no injuries to date is a pleasure to see as a Mooseheads season ticket holder!

 

On defense, the main surprise was Ontario free agent Randy Gazzola beating out veteran Josh Desmond for the 8th defenseman spot. Gazzola is 6'3 defenseman who can move the puck and play sound positional defense. He put up 41 points in 41 games in the competitive OJHL last year, and big men that can put up points as well do not simply grow on trees. Mackenzie Weegar and Brian Lovell top off the new faces on the Mooseheads blueline, two more players who played in Ontario last season who are sure to be steady puck movers for the Mooseheads bottom pairing.

 

The goaltending situation appeared to be well in place heading into this season, with last years starter Zach Fucale and 2010-11 starter Anthony Terenzio both ready to go. However, former Gatineau Olympiques back-up and Halifax native Chris Clarke has impressed at Mooseheads camp, allowing only three goals throughout 6 periods of work in the pre-season. Ducharme has openly praised him this pre-season, but it is difficult to envision the Mooseheads cutting Terenzio after how hard he fought to come back from his concussion woes last year.

 

All in all, it is clear GM Cam Russell and Coach Dominic Ducharme were going for more grit in the bottom 6 forward corps and better puck moving on the backend when picking this team, and I am excited to see the results of all the free talent the Mooseheads have received this off-season.