CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Brent Andrews is pumped his former junior team will host next year’s Mastercard Memorial Cup.
The Hunter River native watched the Facebook Live video Thursday where the Halifax Mooseheads were awarded the 2019 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) championship.
“It’s absolutely just fantastic to see that group of ownership and management with Bobby Smith and Cam Russell rewarded with a Mem Cup,” Andrews said. “And the fans in Halifax – it’s certainly extremely well-deserved – you’re not going to find any better fans across the country.”
The event will take place at the Scotiabank Centre from May 17-26, 2019. Moncton, which has a new arena opening next season, was the other team to submit a bid to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Nancy Orr, P.E.I. chief provincial judge, and Patrick Sinnott, chairman of the UPEI board of governors, were two members of the five-person selection committee. The tournament rotates through the CHL’s three leagues.
“I am extremely pleased that the Halifax Mooseheads will be hosting the 2019 Memorial Cup," majority owner Bobby Smith said in a release. "Our team and our fans look forward to showcasing one of Canada’s great sporting events in beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia. We are ready.”
RELATED: Click here for the full release.
Andrews played five seasons for the Herd from 2009-10 to 2013-14. He and Brooklyn, P.E.I., native Darcy Ashley were key members of the Mooseheads 2013 Memorial Cup-winning squad in Saskatoon, Sask.
The duo completed their junior careers in 2014 and have played the past four seasons with the UPEI Panthers but have remained in contact with Mooseheads officials.
In fact, Ashley and Andrews were on the stage in June 2016 when Halifax drafted forward Benoit-Olivier Groulx first overall at the Eastlink Centre. The Mooseheads then swapped picks in order to move back up and take defenceman Jared McIsaac second overall.
“It’s extremely neat to see McIsaac and Groulx, the guys we were there (to) see get drafted, the success they’ve had and how they’re anticipated to go fairly early in the draft this year and now the opportunity to be in the Mem Cup next year,” Andrews said. “I’m excited get over myself and watch some games.”
Halifax hosted the event in 2000 when Brad Richards and Thatcher Bell won the title with the Rimouski Oceanic.
Click here for a look at Rimouski's roster from that season.
Click here for a look at Halifax's roster from that season.
Moncton hosted the competition in 2006 when the Quebec Remparts defeated the Wildcats in the final.
Click here for Moncton's roster.
Click here for Quebec's roster.
The last time the event was hosted by the QMJHL was in 2015 when Oshawa won in Quebec City while the Shawinigan Cataractes, with Island defencemen Brandon Gormley and Morgan Ellis, are the last QMJHL team to win the national title on home ice, accomplishing the feat in 2012.
The Charlottetown Islanders play Game 1 of their second-round series with the Mooseheads tonight at the Scotiabank Centre.
Isles head coach Jim Hulton said Thursday morning, before the Memorial Cup announcement, he was expecting a loud building for the opener. Asked if he thought that would change if Halifax was awarded the 2019 championship, he said: “I would think there would be a ton of excitement in their fan base and probably others jumping on board too, just with the anticipation of what's coming a year from now.
