Halifax Mooseheads look to the future after playoff exit

CTV Atlantic: Halifax Mooseheads look ahead The last Maritime team has been eliminated from the Q-League playoffs. For some Mooseheads, it was likely their last major junior game.

The last Maritime team has been eliminated from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs.

The Halifax Mooseheads suffered a 3-2 loss to the Val-d'Or Foreurs in Game 7 of the league’s semi-final series Tuesday night.

The Moose played hard right up to the dying seconds of the game, but failed to make a comeback.

“Down by one, everyone on the bench was desperate to get it,” says goalie Zach Fucale. “All in all, losing yesterday’s game was heartbreaking.”

The team gathered for a meeting Wednesday afternoon before the players head off for the summer.

“I’m just going to go home and go fishing for a couple of months and train and get ready for next season,” says Mooseheads forward Darcy Ashley.

For some of the team’s best known players, Tuesday night’s matchup was their last major junior hockey game.

“It’s definitely been a whirlwind, you know, four years goes by pretty fast,” says Ashley. “I’ve been here when we were struggling there in my first year, we only got 20 wins, to our Memorial Cup, it was special.”

Ashley says he will continue his career in university hockey.

“I’m going to UPEI to play hockey and focus on my education,” says Ashley.

“I’m also going to UPEI with Darcy, we’re committed there,” says Mooseheads forward Brent Andrews.

While Andrews has his plans set for next year, he is nostalgic when speaking about Tuesday night’s game.

“It’s the last time I will wear the Mooseheads jersey, play in front of the great crowd in the Metro Centre,” says Andrews. “I just want to cherish that moment.”

Veterans like Andrews and Ashley are familiar with the dedicated fan support, but for rookies like Nikolaj Ehlers, it was a whole new experience.

“Playing in front of the nice crowd here in Halifax has been, has been unreal, it’s been an amazing experience for me, so I can’t wait to get back in September,” says Ehlers. “It was my first year, I’ve never been away from home, and I think it was a great experience here in Halifax.”

Game 7 was most likely Jonathan Drouin’s final game with the Mooseheads. He will attend the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning training camp this fall, in hopes of securing a spot on the team.

“It was probably one of my last games at the Metro Centre yesterday and obviously great memories, the fans have been great, a good three years here and a lot of people to thank in this organization,” says Drouin. “Take the next step to Tampa Bay, that’s my goal now and hopefully make it.”

“You look at a guy like Jonathan Drouin, Jonathan’s going to the NHL next year,” says Mooseheads general manager Cam Russell. “He’ll be a player that we’ll dearly miss. It was great to have him, as it was to have Nathan MacKinnon.”

As for Montreal Canadiens draft pick Zach Fucale, he says he will be back in Halifax to play for the Mooseheads.

Rookie sensation Ehlers will also be back in Halifax next year - the big question facing him is where he will get picked in this year’s NHL draft.

“It’s my draft year this year,” says Ehlers. “Hopefully I’ll get drafted.”

“You look at a guy like Ehlers, he’ll probably be a first-round pick in the NHL, but we expect to have him back next year,” says Russell.

Russell says a loss like Tuesday’s is always disappointing, but he is putting his focus on a winning season next year.

“We’re definitely not looking at rebuilding, we’re looking at being competitive and taking a run at the championship next year,” says Russell.

“I think we’ll have a good team again next year and I hope that we are going to succeed next year,” says Ehlers.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Rick Grant