Pictou County Weeks Crushers happy with new additions to roster
WESTVILLE ROAD – Staff of the Pictou County Weeks Crushers Jr. A hockey team are feeling optimistic about the rest of the 2023-2024 season after acquiring new players to compliment their line up.
With the trade deadline passed for the Maritime Hockey League this season, the team is hoping for a deep run in the playoffs.
Last year, the Weeks Crushers made the playoffs, but lost in the first round to Yarmouth Mariners.
“Last season, we took the jump we were hoping to take. A few years ago we started with this rebuilding process and last year just wanted to make the playoffs and see where we would get to,” said Willie MacDonald, the general manager of the Weeks Crushers.
‘Building block season’
This season they are trying to build off that success, and MacDonald said the organization is pleased with the progress the team is making so far.
“Our run last year was a good experience for the core guys that we`ve had for a couple years at that point and still have for the most part,” said MacDonald.
“It was a great building block season and that led us into this year, which has been really successful in the way of hopefully having a long playoff run. That’s been the plan for a few years now and we’d like to see it come to fruition.”
The trade deadline for this season was Jan. 10. The Weeks Crushers were able to add six new players to the team before the deadline.
Those players are Jack Campbell, Drew Bailey, Clint MacLaughlin, Phil Trepanier, Gio Dimattia, and Drew Maddigain.
Acquisitions
MacDonald said all of the new players add something to the team.
Clint MacLaughlin, right wing, who is the Weeks Crushers most recent acquisition, is a younger player who MacDonald said the team has had their eyes on for some time.
“MacLaughlin is a local boy, seventeen years old, in grade twelve. We`ve been trying to get Clint for a couple years now. We had hoped to get him in his draft year. We weren`t able to at the time so we`ve sort of been knocking at the door hoping to get him and sure enough at the last minute of this season’s deadline we were able to make a move for him.
“We see him as a guy who could be super impactful in this league as it goes along and he fits well with the group. You need young guys to push the older guys to make sure they are staying on their toes and playing as well as they possibly can,” said MacDonald.
Drew Maddigan, defence, who has played in the QMJHL, joined the team in December and is also helping the Weeks Crushers compete in their division.
“Maddigan is a good defenceman. He`s really good skater and moves the puck well. He`s a guy we really needed to get serious about a run and he solidified our back end,” said MacDonald.
Phil Trepanier and Gio DiMattia were also picked up as goalies.
“DiMattia, we got just before the deadline. He adds to our one, two punch in goal. With Phil Trepanier, we feel like it`s a great tandem,” said MacDonald.
“We think that we have two of the best goalies in the division, if not the whole league, with Gio and Phil, so we`re definitely happy to have them.”
Another addition is Drew Bailley, defence, who MacDonald describes as another strong choice to help the Weeks Crushers win games.
“Bailley was a subtle add that most people probably wouldn`t talk about but he dramatically has steadied our back end. He has a smart right shot. He plays a smooth game, defends well and just a very stabilizing presence.”
The last new face to the team this season is Jack Cambpell, centre.
“Campbell came out of Summerside and has some QMJHL experience. He`s a really good two way player. He absolutely filled a need in our line up to add some sandpaper to our front end,” said MacDonald.
“He plays with a lot of energy and really drags guys into battle and he`s very consistent like that.”
A good direction
MacDonald went on to say this season didn`t start as well as they would have liked, but they`re confident they are going in the right direction now, especially since acquiring Phil Trepanier in goal in November.
“As a group, we had a slow start this year, and in our opinion we really under achieved up until Trepanier showed up. It also wasn`t just him, a lot of other players stepped up around that time,” said MacDonald.
“All of these new guys really showed up and kick started our season. They all synced in with our core guys and that`s what really turned things around for us this season.”
MacDonald said he’s proud of what the coaching staff and players have accomplished with the new members of the team so far this season.
“I’m happy to see the moves the team has made to build itself up, including what the staff has been able to do with new players and what our core guys have done in terms of making these guys comfortable and really adding them into the core of our team,” said MacDonald.
“I have the easy job in a way because I get to watch and spitball ideas with the staff. We feel really good about our direction right now.”
So far this season, the Pictou County Weeks Crushers are fourth place in the Eastlink South division, with a record of 21 wins and 16 losses.
Their next game is 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, against the Summerside Western Capitals.
