MONCTON, N.B. – Jacob Arsenault is about to start a new chapter in his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League career.
The Moncton Wildcats traded the 19-year-old son of Brian and Tracy Arsenault of Richmond to the Sherbrooke Phoenix for a seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft.
“I got a call (Monday) and found out I was traded to Sherbrooke,” Arsenault told the Journal Pioneer in a phone interview. “It’s a new opportunity and hopefully it will all work out.
“I’m excited about it, and I have a couple of buddies who play in Sherbrooke. I’m just going to go there, give them what I have to offer and hopefully it’s what they want.”
Arsenault, a right-handed-shooting defenceman, signed with the Wildcats as a free agent in June 2017 after spending three seasons with the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox, Sask. He had four points and 85 penalty minutes in 60 regular-season games in his rookie campaign with the Wildcats last season.
“With our defensive depth, we were having a hard time making room for him on our roster,” Wildcats director of hockey operations Ritchie Thibeau told the Moncton Times & Transcript newspaper. “We were happy that we were able to find an opportunity for him to continue his career in this league.”
Arsenault said he was “not 100 per cent” surprised to be traded.
“I’ve been kind of told a little bit that they were looking for a trade,” said Arsenault. “Anytime something like that happens and you are used to one place and get sent 10 hours away, it’s obviously a little bit of a shock. It’s part of the hockey world, and you always have to be ready for it . . .
“It’s a game, but at the same time there are people running a business, too. They make a plan and they have to follow that plan. I guess I wasn’t part of Moncton’s plan for this year, hopefully I can be part of Sherbrooke’s plan.”
Young team
Asked what he knows about the Phoenix, Arsenault said they are a very young team.
“They have a lot of young D men, and I know they have a good coach (Stéphane Julien) and good GM (former NHL goaltender Jocelyn Thibault) as far as developing players,” continued Arsenault, who is scheduled to practise in Sherbrooke on Tuesday morning. “Jaxon Bellamy played in Moncton last year and he got traded there halfway through last season, and he says it’s the best thing that ever happened to him. He loves it there, fans are great, coaches are great, teammates are great.
“I’m really looking forward to getting there, and getting things started.”
Arsenault pointed out he has fond memories from his time with the Wildcats.
“I have nothing but respect for the Wildcats,” he said. “I had a great year. They did a good job introducing me to the league.
“I learned a lot last year and this year, they were very respectful about it. They helped me out as much as I could, and they sent me to a team they know is going to develop me.”
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