Acadia 2024-25 Season Preview

The exhiliration of last spring feels like a lifetime ago as the start of another new season begins. It was an unexpected run to the SICHL Championship Series for the Acadia Grizzly Bears but despite surviving a gauntlet of contenders in their own conference and pushing the defending champions to seven games, a 5th title of their own wasn't meant to be. One has to wonder if those days are gone for Saint John.

Even though the Bears have been an annual playoff participant since 2011, all good things come to an end and with league expansion and the rise of other franchises, life has gotten a lot harder. 

For Acadia, it feels like a tipping point between eras as the team still has some of its talented, yet aging, core while others have moved on. A new crop of rookies will join the fray and as always, they bring with them a sense of optimism as they just begin their SICHL careers.

"It's been an interesting training camp and exhibition season for us," said head coach Dave Hakstol, "You certainly notice that Ryan O'Reilly and Ryan McDonagh aren't here any more. Those were two giants for us that even the veterans looked to at times let alone the kids breaking into the league. We still have guys like Colton Parayko and Chris Kreider, they will wear letters for us this year, and of course Claude Giroux might outlive us all with this organization."

As players retire or are relocated, the door of opportunity swings open for new blood and the Bears will have their share of youth on the roster this season. Top prospects Brock Faber, Logan Stankoven and Jake Neighbours are all expected to begin in prominent roster positions. 22-year-old Philip Tomasino has appeared in 21 SICHL games thus far in his career but hopes to lock down a full time spot. Alexandre Texier is back with the club after a season overseas. 

"I liked what I saw in all of those guys during training camp," said forward Brock Boeser, "the kids have skill and you can never have enough of that in your lineup."

Line Combinations

While head coach Dave Hakstol was reluctant to say how much is still to be decided, the opening night roster for the Bears appears to be in place. The top line is intact from last season with Giroux centering playoff MVP candidate Mikko Rantanen and sniper Brandon Hagel.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Hakstol smiled.

Chris Kreider and Brock Boeser are back on the 2nd line but their middle pivot is TBD. Shane Pinto was expected to claim the spot but was injured early during exhibition play and will be sidelined for the first week of the season.

"We have our home opener against Vancouver and then we have a stupid schedule," said Hakstol, "Honestly, I don't know how they come up with this schedule but the league has us in Montreal one day, flying through the night to Regina to play the Bisons, then getting back on that same plane and flying back to Montreal for another game against the Millionaires. Like, three games in three days is terrible but to include cross country travel between each of them is just...criminal. Guys are going to be exhausted a week into the season with that kind of scheduling so I expect we'll play a few guys during that stretch and we sure hope that Pinto is able to play by the end of it."

For now it appears that Adam Lowry will slide into Pinto's spot but he's likely expected to anchor the 3rd line for the most part this season. To begin with, that 3rd line will be centered by Ryan Poehling with Neighbours and Daniel Sprong. Acadia's 4th line will feature Stankoven, Tomasino and and either Texier or Noah Cates. 

On the blueline, veterans Colton Parayko and Jacob Trouba will make up the first pairing with Mario Ferraro riding shotgun with top rookie Brock Faber. Scott Mayfield, in his final season before potentially becoming an unrestricted free agent, will partner with Mikey Anderson. Waiting for opportunities will be both Andrew Peeke and rookie Dylan Samberg who both make too much money to be sent to the GHA.

Of course both Tristan Jarry and Logan Thompson return to man the crease and both are expected to share the workload almost evenly like last year. 

"We're ready to get things going again," said captain Claude Giroux, "It's going to be a tough year once again, as it always is in the Canadian Conference, but we proved last year that we can compete and we plan on doing that again."

Bear Tracks

• Acadia has submitted their dates to the league for their 10 games during which they will wear their alternate uniforms. As always, the Bears will don their thirds against their six divisional opponents and four other random teams; this year those will be Okanagan, Regina, Whitehorse and Vancouver. 
• Prospect defenceman Sam Rinzel (2nd round, 2022) currently leads all NCAA defencemen in scoring with 19 points which includes 8 goals.
• Prospect forward Ryan Walsh (7th round, 2024) has 10 points through 11 games with Cornell, his second season with the Big Red.
• Prospect Blake Biondi (3rd round, 2020) has rediscovered his offence after using the transfer portal and landing with Notre Dame. The former Duluth Bulldog has 13 points in 16 games for the Fighting Irish.
• Prospect defenceman Abram Wiebe (6th round, 2022) has already blown passed his rookie production from a season ago. Wiebe has racked up 12 points though 17 games for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks after registering 10 in 40 games as a freshman. 
• Prospects Calum Ritchie (24th overall, 2023), Tanner Howe (2nd round, 2024) and Ethan Gauthier (30th overall, 2023) were all invited to 2025 World Junior selection camp by Hockey Canada. Ritchie currently has 34 points in 18 games for the OHL's Oshawa Generals. Gauthier has 35 points in 24 games for the defending QMJHL champion Drummondville Voltigeurs. Howe, who was recently traded by Regina to Calgary, has 7 points in 10 outings as a member of the Hitmen.
• Prospect Blake Montgomery (5th round, 2024) left the USHL's Lincoln Stars to join the OHL's London Knights. In Lincoln, the speedy power forward had 10 points in 10 games. In London, he's managed to keep the point-per-game pace with 12 points in as many contests. 
• Prospect defenceman Etienne Morin (2nd round, 2023) remains an option for Hockey Canada should injuries occur. The Moncton Wildcats star has 27 points in 27 games.
• Speaking of the USHL, prospect William Zellers has 15 goals and 21 points for the Green Bay Gamblers through 17 games. His CHL rights are currently held by the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds.