The Truro Bearcats are a junior ice hockey franchise of the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) based in Truro, Nova Scotia. The team plays its home games at the 3,100-seat Rath Eastlink Community Centre which opened in 2013.
History
Metro Valley League years Originally, Truro was a member of the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League. The Bearcats won five championships in the MVJHL. Three back to back from 1969-70 to 1971-72. Truro won two more championships in 1973-74 and 1975-76. In 1977 the MVJHL became a Junior "A" league and the Bearcats folded mid season in 1983.
Return of junior hockey The new franchise of 1997 marked the return of junior hockey to Truro, and the Bearcats return to the MJAHL. The Truro Bearcats were formed in 1997 as a member of the Maritime Jr A Hockey League. The Bearcats have stayed competitive over their franchise history, they have never had a losing record, and have never missed the playoffs.
During the 2001 MJAHL Draft, the Bearcats picked 13-year-old minor hockey phenom Sidney CrosbyReyno, Jim. Bearcats scoop up 13-year-old Crosby: [DAILY Edition]. Daily News [Halifax, N.S] 17 June 2001: 77.Fleming, Carl. Rotating Atlantic Bowl was predictable move: [DAILY Edition]. Daily News [Halifax, N.S] 19 June 2001: 47.Van Horne, Ryan. Crosby adapting very well: [DAILY Edition]. Daily News [Halifax, N.S] 10 Sep 2001: 32. During the 2001-02 season, as a call-up, Crosby played a two-game call-up stint with the Bearcats.Van Horne, Ryan. Mooseheads unbeaten in six: [DAILY Edition]. Daily News [Halifax, N.S] 17 Oct 2001: 51.Capitals' sniper among leaders: [Final Edition]. Guardian [Charlottetown, P.E.I] 24 Oct 2001: B4. Despite minimal playing time, Crosby still managed an assist.
In 2002, the Truro Bearcats played in their first Fred Page Cup as the host squad, They made four other appearances three as MJAHL champions, one in 2005, at a tournament hosted in Yarmouth Nova Scotia, and one in 2007 Saint-Jérôme Quebec. In 2013 the Bearcats hosted the tournament for a second time and a first time at their new home Rath Eastlink Community Centre winning the Final 3-2 in double Overtime against the Summerside Western Capitals. In 2014 The Bearcats made a second consecutive appearance in the Fred Page Cup tournament hosted by Saint-Jérôme
Truro captured their third Division Championship and third Provincial Championship in five seasons in 2008/09. The Bearcats would be defeated by the Summerside Western Capitals in the league final four games to one.
The 2011-12 season was the Bearcats final full season at the Colchester Legion Stadium.
A new home The town of Truro and County of Colchester are constructing the new Central Nova Scotia Civic Centre, a rink that is supposed to seat 2600+ spectators. The rink will be the new home of the Bearcats upon completion. The Bearcats will kick off their inaugural season in the new building by hosting the Fred Page Cup for the second time in franchise history (The first being in 2002) .
On February 13, 2013 officials from the Rath Eastlink Community Centre confirmed the first home game for the Bearcats would be held on March 2, 2013, and would coincide with the opening of the new facility. The Bearcats are not charging any admission fee to their inaugural game in the community centre, but will be accepting donations to local a charity. Management is hoping for a large crowd in anticipation of the arena finally opening after many delays.
Logo and uniforms
The Truro Bearcats primary logo is large red or black T while their secondary logo features a bearcat jumping. In print, or other media the Bearcats logo consists of a large red T with a small jumping bearcat to the lower right.
2015–present
These home and away jerseys were first introduced for use in the 2015-16 season. They are a similar but updated version of the previous design. They keep the history of the team while modernizing the look of the jersey.
2009–2015
This jersey unveiled in the 2009-10 season features a large T on the front and the design of the Boston Bruins from 1995-2007. The jersey design is similar to the uniform the Bearcats would have worn in the 1920s and was implemented to bring back some tradition to the community.
1997-2009
The logo is similar to that of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. The Bearcats' old jersey is that of the Buffalo Sabres from 1996/97 - 2005/06.
Seasons and records
Season-by-season results
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Season GP W L T OTL/SOL GF GA P Results(Division) Results(League) Playoffs1997-98 51 27 19 4 2 253 207 60 2nd Maurice Bent4th MJAHL Lost Division-Final1998-99 48 31 16 1 2 222 154 63 3rd Maurice Bent4th MJAHL Lost quarter-final1999-00 52 32 17 3 0 231 180 67 3rd Maurice Bent4th MJAHL Lost quarter-final2000-01 52 22 21 7 2 202 201 53 3rd Maurice Bent6th MJAHL Lost quarter-final2001-02 52 28 16 6 2 195 155 64 2nd Maurice Bent3rd MJAHL Lost quarter-final 4th at Fred Page Cup2002-03 52 34 14 2 2 211 164 72 1st Maurice Bent2nd MJAHL Lost Division-Final2003-04 52 33 10 7 2 193 146 75 2nd Maurice Bent2nd MJAHL Lost Division-Final2004-05 56 24 15 12 5 183 159 65 2nd Maurice Bent4th MJAHLWon League 4th at Fred Page Cup2005-06 56 28 20 0 8 193 166 64 4th Maurice Bent7th MJAHLLost Preliminary2006-07 58 42 12 0 4 257 138 88 1st Maurice Bent1st MJAHLWon League 4th at Fred Page Cup2007-08 58 37 11 - 10 210 138 84 2nd Maurice Bent4th MJAHLLost quarter-final2008-09 54 36 12 - 6 212 127 78 1st Maurice Bent2nd MJAHLLost final2009-10 50 37 7 - 6 214 104 80 1st Maurice Bent2nd MJAHLLost quarter-final2010-11 52 30 18 - 4 166 128 64 2nd Maurice Bent4th MHL Lost quarter-final2011-12 52 29 20 - 3 190 155 61 3rd Maurice Bent4th MHL Lost quarter-final2012-13 52 38 9 - 5 226 124 81 1st Eastlink2nd MHL Lost final Won Fred Page Cup 5th at Royal Bank Cup2013-14 52 38 11 - 3 243 131 79 1st Eastlink1st MHL Won league 3rd at Fred Page Cup2014-15 48 25 19 - 4 180 154 54 4th Eastlink8th MHL Lost League Final2015-16 48 25 15 - 8 134 116 58 1st South4th MHL Lost quarter-final2016-17 50 35 13 - 2 196 154 72 2nd South3rd MHL Won Div. Semifinal 4-1 (Mariners)Won Div. Finals 4-1 (Ramblers)Won League Finals 4-3 (Timberwolves)MJAHL Champions2017-18 50 28 20 - 2 150 130 58 4th South6th MHL Lost div. semi-final 3-4 (Mariners)2018-19 50 24 21 - 5 135 158 53 4th South 7th MHL Lost div. semi-final 0-4 (Mariners)2019-20 52 28 18 - 8 170 166 60 4th South 8th MHL Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2020-21 32 21 10 - 1 125 94 43 3rd South 3rd MHL MHL Round Robin Play-in(3-1-0)Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021-22 36 19 15 - 2 116 111 40 3rd South 7th MHL Won Div. Semifinal 4-1 (Ramblers)Won Div. Finals 4-3 (Wildcats)Lost League Finals 4-1 (Western Capitals)2022-23 52 33 16 1 2 214 174 69 2nd South 4th MHL Won Div. Semifinal 4-2 (Wildcats)Lost Div. Finals 0-4 (Western Capitals)2023-24 52 25 21 4 2 212 193 56 5th South 8th MHL Did Not Qualify for Post Season2024-25 52 28 22 1 1 170 148 58 3rd of 6 South 6thof 12 MHL Won Div Semifinals 4-2 (Ramblers) Lost Div Finals (Crushers) 2025–26 52 34 14 0 4 194 145 72 1st in division 2nd overall Won quarterfinal against Pictou County (4:1)
Source:
Fred Page Cup Eastern Canada Championships MHL - QAAAJHL - CCHL - Host Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semi-final to advance against 1st in the finals. Year Round Robin Record Standing Semifinal Gold Medal Game 2002HOST L, Halifax Oland Exports 0-5L, Ottawa Jr. Senators 0-6W, Valleyfield Braves 4-0 1-2-0 4th of 4 did not qualify for playoffs 2005 L, Vaudreuil Mustangs 1-3L, Hawkesbury Hawks 1-2L, Yarmouth Mariners 2-3 OT 0-3-0 4th of 4 did not qualify for playoffs 2007 L, Joliette Action 2-3L, St. Jerome Panthers 3-5W, Pembroke Lumber Kings 3-2 1-2-0 4th of 4 did not qualify for playoffs 2013HOST W, Collège Français de Longueuil 4-1W, Cornwall Colts 6-2W, Summerside Western Capitals 3-2 3-0-0 1st of 4 Semi-final bye Won 3-2 2OTSummerside Western Capitalsadvance to Royal Bank Cup 2014 W, Granby Inouk 5-4 OTL, St. Jerome Panthers 6-7 OTL, Carleton Place Canadians 1-2 1-1-1 3rd of 4 Lost 2-5St. Jerome Panthers Did not qualify 2017 L, Terrebonne Cobras 2-8L, Collège Français de Longueuil 4-6L, Carleton Place Canadians 1-3 0-3-0 4th of 4 did not qualify for playoffs
Royal Bank Cup CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Dudley Hewitt Champions - Central, Fred Page Champions - Eastern, Western Canada Cup Champions - Western, Trenton Golden HawksWestern Canada Cup - Runners Up and Host Round robin play with top 4 in semi-final and winners to finals. Year Round Robin RecordW-OTW-OTL-L Standing Semifinal Gold Medal Game 2013 L, Brooks Bandits 1-7L, Surrey Eagles 0-7L, Minnesota Wilderness 3-5W, Summerside Western Capitals 4-2 1-0-3-0 4th of 5 did not qualify for playoffs
Franchise records
These are franchise records held by previous team rosters. Figures are updated after each completed MHL regular season.
Team Records for a single seasonStatisticTotalSeasonMost Points88 2006–07Most Wins422006–07Most Goals For2572006–07Fewest Goals For1802014–15Fewest Goals Against1042009–10Most Goals Against2012000–01
Franchise individual records
Franchise scoring leaders These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed MHL regular season.
Note: G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; Season(s) = Seasons played with franchise
Name G A PTS Season(s) Stephen Horyl 79121 200 2006–2009, 2010–11Dana Fraser 69 124 1932007–2010 Jon Reid 50 1391892006–2009 T.J. Smith 97 84 181 2004–2007 David MacBurnie 66 103 169 2003–2007Derek Field 57 108 165 1998–2001Josh Boulton 85 79 164 1997–2000 Glenn Frazee 76 83 159 2001–2005K.C. Brown 68 88 1562005–2009Jordan Mock 57 88 145 2009–2012
Records – skaters Career Most seasons: 5, Travis Moore Most goals: 97, T.J. Smith Most assists: 139, Jon Reid Most points: 200, Stephen Horyl Most penalty minutes: 675, Donald Johnstone
Season Most goals in a season: 47, Kyle Tibbo (2016–17) Most assists in a season: 63, Dana Fraser (2009–10) Most points in a season: 90, Dana Fraser (2009–10) Most penalty minutes in a season: 348, Vincent Muller (2002–03)
Leaders
Team captains Robbie Dickson, 1997-1999 Todd Kennedy, 1999-00 Alan Dwyer, 2000–01 Bryant Fraser, 2001–02 Joel Isenor, 2002–03 Jim White, 2003–04 Glenn Frazee, 2004–05 Matt Beaver, 2005-2007 Rodi Short, 2007–08 Sam Hounsell, 2008–09 Ben MacAskill, 2009–10 Evan Watts, 2010–11 Matt English, 2011–12 Travis Moore, 2012–13 Phillip Fife, 2013–14 Brandon Pye (home) and Jake Primeau (road), 2014-2015 Jimmy Soper, 2015-2016 Kyle Tibbo, 2016-2017 Campbell Pickard, 2017-2018 Dylan Burton, 2018-2019 Ben Higgins, 2019-2020 Leon Denny, 2020-2021 Holden Kodak, 2021-2022
Head coaches Steve Crowell, 1997-2001 Dave Barett, 2001 Shawn Evans, 2001
Honoured members David Brine, 2002–03, jersey retired May 3, 2013 Matt Climie, 2002-2004, jersey retired May 3, 2013 Zach Sill, 2005-2007, jersey retired April 17, 2015
League awards
Team awards Team Trophies and AwardsAwardDescriptionTimes WonSeasonsKent CupLeague Champions42004–05, 2006–07, 2013–14, 2016–17 Nova Scotia Jr. "A" Provincial ChampionsBent/Eastlink Division Champions82004–05, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016-2017, 2021-2022MHL President's CupRegular Season Champions22006–07, 2013–14Fred Page CupEastern Canadian Champions12012–13Executive of the Year AwardTop Executive Team of the MHL12012–13
Individual awards