The Cape Breton Eagles is a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. They are members of the Maritimes Division, and play their home games at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
History
The franchise was originally granted to the Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks) for the 1969–70 season. They then moved from Sorel to Verdun in 1977 to become the Verdun Éperviers. In 1979, they played in both Sorel and Verdun before moving back to Sorel for the next season. In 1981, they moved to Granby to become the Granby Bisons, and in 1995 changed their names to the Granby Prédateurs. In 1996, the Prédateurs won the Memorial Cup. In 1997, the franchise was relocated to Sydney to become the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Prior to the Eagles' arrival, Sydney played host to the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Cape Breton Oilers from 1988 to 1996.
Early years in Cape Breton (1997–1999) The Screaming Eagles' first captain was Daniel Payette under coach Dany Dubé.
The Vincent era (1999–2008) In 1999, Pascal Vincent was promoted as the new head coach following the dismissal of Bruce Campbell. The Screaming Eagles attempted to strengthen the club by drafting future National Hockey League (NHL) star Ilya Kovalchuk tenth overall in the 2000 CHL Import Draft. However, Kovalchuk declined to report to the team. Along with star players Marc-André Fleury, Dominic Noel, Stuart MacRae and Stephen Dixon, the Screaming Eagles reached the QMJHL's conference final in 2002, only to lose in five games to Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Fleury's number 29 jersey went on to be retired by the Screaming Eagles in 2008. Kovalchuk's number 71 was retired in 2014, as an April Fools' Day prank.
Vincent stacked the Screaming Eagles lineup with many NHL prospects for the 2003–04 season in hopes of bringing a league title to Cape Breton. After the Screaming Eagles won 49 games and captured a division title, with Fleury also returning from the Pittsburgh Penguins before the playoffs, but the Screaming Eagles lost in the second round to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
At the 2004 QMJHL Draft, the Screaming Eagles chose James Sheppard with the first overall pick. In 2006–07, along with star players Luc Bourdon, Ondrej Pavelec and Oskars Bartulis, Sheppard led the Screaming Eagles to the league semifinals, only to lose in seven games to the Val-d'Or Foreurs.
The 2007–08 season saw 16-year-old goaltender Olivier Roy rise to prominence. The Screaming Eagles finished fourth in their division and won their first round playoff series despite having a roster that normally dressed at least ten rookies. Vincent went on to be named the 2008 QMJHL Coach of the Year. Following the end of the season, Vincent became the head coach and general manager of the Montreal Junior Hockey Club.
2010s history (2008–2019)
Following Vincent's departure, assistant coach Mario Durocher took over the role of head coach and general manager. In a bid to host the Memorial Cup in 2012, Durocher added former NHL players Mike McPhee and Guy Chouinard, former NHL coach Pierre Creamer and Michel Boucher to the hockey staff in consulting roles in 2010. Durocher was relieved of his duties on April 12, 2011, after a lackluster season in which the team finished 16th in the league and last in the Atlantic Division with just 41 points.
The team's then-head coach Ron Choules replaced Durocher as general manager in April 2011, though the team failed to improve on the ice. After a poor start to the 2012–13 season, Choules himself was fired on December 3, 2012, with former Val-d'Or head coach Marc-André Dumont announced as his replacement. The Screaming Eagles failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in the 2012–13 season.Eagles will miss QMJHL playoff for first time in franchise history http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/Hockey/2013-03-03/article-3191562/Eagles-will-miss-QMJHL-playoff-for-first-time-in-franchise-history/1 At season's end, assistant coach Jean-François David was fired.Screaming Eagles assistant coach David not returning http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/Hockey/2013-03-21/article-3205258/Screaming-Eagles-assistant-coach-David-not-returning/1
After being eliminated in the second round of the 2019 playoffs, the Screaming Eagles fired their coaching staff. Dumont was replaced with Nova Scotia native, Jake Grimes, along with former Eagles alumni Chris Culligan as assistant coach.
The team mascot is an eagle named Screech.
Cape Breton Eagles (2019–present) On August 14, 2019, the team rebranded itself as the Cape Breton Eagles.
On November 30, 2021, head coach Jake Grimes resigned as head coach citing personal reasons. He finished with a winning record overall with the club, at 46–34–0–7 record over one-and-a-half seasons but had started the 2021–22 season with a 6–14–0–4 record. The Eagles spent approximately two months with an interim head coach before hiring Chadd Cassidy on January 7, 2022.
Players Retired numbers 7 Chris Culligan (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, 2004–2009) 29 Marc-André Fleury (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, 2000–2004)
NHL alumni The following players have played in at least one National Hockey League (NHL) game as of the 2023-24 season:
Luke Adam Mark Barberio Oskars Bartulis Drake Batherson Clark Bishop Luc Bourdon William Carrier Jean-Philippe Côté Pierre-Luc Dubois Giovanni Fiore Marc-André Fleury Ryan Flinn Martin Houle Raman Hrabarenka Ivan Ivan Tomas Kloucek Maxime Lagacé Guillaume Lefebvre Kevin Mandolese Adam Pardy Ondrej Pavelec Alexandre R. Picard Tim Ramholt Logan Shaw James Sheppard Egor Sokolov Evgeny Svechnikov
NHL first round draft picks List of first round selections in the NHL entry draft:
Year # Player Nationality NHL team 2003 1 Marc-André Fleury (G) Canada Pittsburgh Penguins 2006 9 James Sheppard (C) Canada Minnesota Wild 2015 19 Evgeny Svechnikov (LW) Russia Detroit Red Wings 2016 3 Pierre-Luc Dubois (C) Canada Columbus Blue Jackets
Award winners List of award winners:
CHL Scholastic Player of the Year 2007–08: Robert Slaney
QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year 2009–10: Nick MacNeil 2022–23: Cam Squires
Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy 2003–04: Martin Houle (2.32) 2005–06: Ondrej Pavelec (2.51) 2006–07: Ondrej Pavelec (2.52)
Kevin Lowe Trophy 2019–20: Adam McCormick
Luc Robitaille Trophy 2006–07: Cape Breton (308)
Marcel Robert Trophy 2004–05: Guillaume Demers 2007–08: Robert Slaney
Maurice Filion Trophy 2006–07: Pascal Vincent
Mike Bossy Trophy 2002–03: Marc-André Fleury
Philips Plaque 2001–02: Pierre-Luc Emond
Raymond Lagacé Trophy 2005–06: Ondrej Pavelec 2007–08: Olivier Roy
RDS Cup 2005–06: Ondrej Pavelec 2007–08: Olivier Roy
Robert Lebel Trophy 2003–04: Cape Breton (2.33)
Ron Lapointe Trophy 2007–08: Pascal Vincent
Telus Cup – Defensive 2002–03: Marc-André Fleury 2004–05: Martin Houle
Season-by-season results Regular season QMJHL season standings.Cape Breton Screaming Eagles season-by-season record on www.hockeydb.comOTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss
Season Games WonLostTiedOLSLPointsPct Goalsfor Goalsagainst Standing 1997–98 701946 5—— 430.3072112956th, Dilio 1998–99 702244 4—— 480.3432262726th, Dilio 1999–00 72243936— 570.3962303023rd, Maritimes 2000–01 723037 4 1— 650.4512702922nd, Maritimes 2001–02 72382010 4— 900.6252862243rd, Maritimes 2002–03 722137 9 5— 560.3892002684th, Maritimes 2003–04 704916 2 3—1030.7362731641st, Atlantic 2004–05 703227 8 3— 750.5362061953rd, Atlantic 2005–06 704023— 34 870.6212362063rd, Eastern 2006–07 704622— 20 940.6713082002nd, Eastern 2007–08 704024— 33 860.6142422304th, Eastern 2008–09 684618— 31 960.6762522012nd, Atlantic 2009–10 684122— 23 870.6032381853rd, Atlantic 2010–11 681845— 14 410.3011542465th, Maritimes 2011–12 682342— 12 490.3602193065th, Maritimes 2012–13 681446— 35 360.2651613086th,Telus Maritimes 2013–14 683727— 13 780.5742602602nd,Telus Maritimes 2014–15 683131— 33 680.5002582465th, Maritimes 2015–16 683824— 51 820.6032862373rd, Maritimes 2016–17 683925— 22 820.6032702304th, Maritimes 2017–18 683228— 62 720.5292352594th, Maritimes 2018–19 684022— 15 860.6322672143rd, Maritimes 2019–20 634020— 21 830.6592691942nd, Maritimes 2020–21 381225— 10 250.3291131866th, Maritimes 2021–22 681447— 43 350.2571833356th, Maritimes 2022–23 683034— 31 640.4712242753rd, Maritimes 2023–24 683926— 12 810.5962161943rd, Maritimes 2024–25 643423— 43 750.5862121952nd, Maritimes 2025–26 642823— 49 690.5391711986th, Eastern Conference
Playoffs
Season1st round2nd round3rd roundFinals1997–98 L, 0–4, Quebec –––1998–99 L, 1–4, Acadie–Bathurst –––1999–2000 L, 0–4, Quebec –––2000–01 W, 4–3, Chicoutimi L, 1–4, Acadie–Bathurst ––2001–02 W, 4–1, Baie-Comeau W, 4–2, Halifax L, 1–4, Acadie–Bathurst –2002–03 L, 0–4, Halifax –––2003–04 Bye L, 1–4, Chicoutimi ––2004–05 L, 1–4, Gatineau –––2005–06 W, 4–1, St. John's L, 0–4, Acadie–Bathurst ––2006–07 W, 4–0, St. John's W, 4–1, Acadie–Bathurst L, 3–4, Val-d'Or –2007–08 W, 4–2, Lewiston L, 1–4, Halifax ––2008–09 W, 4–0, Saint John L, 3–4, Quebec ––2009–10 L, 1–4, Moncton –––2010–11 L, 0–4, Saint John –––2011–12 L, 0–4, Saint John –––2012–13 Did not qualify2013–14 L, 0–4, Gatineau –––2014–15 L, 3–4, Quebec –––2015–16 W, 4–2, Chicoutimi L, 3–4, Saint John ––2016–17 W, 4–3, Gatineau L, 0–4, Charlottetown ––2017–18 L, 1–4, Drummondville –––2018–19 W, 4–2, Charlottetown L, 1–4, Rimouski ––2019–20 QMJHL playoffs cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic2020–21 Did not qualify2021–22 Did not qualify2022–23 L, 0–4, Halifax –––2023–24 W, 4–1, Rimouski W, 4–0, Chicoutimi L, 1–4, Baie-Comeau –2024–25 L, 2–4, Baie-Comeau –––2025–26 L, 2–4, Newfoundland –––
Due to local travel restrictions, all Nova Scotia-based teams were deemed ineligible to compete in the playoffs. Three New Brunswick-based teams competed in a six-game round-robin tournament to determine who would face the Charlottetown Islanders in the Maritimes Division final.
See also List of ice hockey teams in Nova Scotia
References
External links Official site