1951/52 Preseason Preview

Power Rankings

1-Halifax Highlanders
The Highlanders have a solid roster with experienced veterans and young players. Goaltending is strong, Stanley Blackwood anchors the defence, and Sean Fontana and William MacDougall lead the offence. The team has promising young prospects like Pierre Tremblay and Adelard Deraspe. They have a strong roster and can defend their title with proper management and hard work.

Best Player: G Alex Davis
Best Rookie: C Pierre Tremblay

2-Montréal Métros
The Montréal Métros have an experienced roster led by Yvan Roy, with Thierry Rousseau and Tristan Loubier providing offensive and defensive contributions. The team has talented young prospects in Edward Cho and Gérard Moisan, while Robert Leblanc and Arthur MacDonald anchor the defence. The Métros have a solid trio of Louis Giroux, Jalen Knevel, and Phillip Myorca in goal. The team has the potential to compete at the highest level and reclaim the Sound Cup.

Best Player: D Robert Leblanc
Best Rookie: W Edward Cho

3- Moncton Generals
The Moncton Generals have a decent roster led by Allan Wilson and Rick Murray. Their offence includes talented wingers such as Ted Gagne and Mark Ndahiro. On defence, the team has promising young prospects in Glen Wallace and Bruce MacIntyre. In goal, the Generals have a trio that includes Emmett O'Leary, William Parker, and Peter Anderson. Overall, the Generals have a decent roster, but they will have to work hard to compete with the top teams in the league.

Best Player: G Emmett O'Leary
Best Rookie: W Terry Gemmill

4- Ottawa Knights
.The Ottawa Knights are a talented team led by experienced players Doug Fournier and Gilbert Houle. Their wingers, Joe Djogo and Robert Gill, are known for their speed and scoring abilities. Vincent Lambton, Wayne MacEachern, and Gabriel Caron are promising young players on defence. The Knights have three talented goalkeepers: David Moreau, Tom Mullings, and Anthony Brown, with Moreau expected to be the primary goalie. The team has a well-balanced roster of promising young talents, but they must continue to work hard to compete with the top teams.

Best Player: D Gilbert Houle
Best Rookie: D Vincent Lambton

5- Charlottetown Monarchs
The Charlottetown Monarchs have a good mix of experienced and young talented players. Jacques Tremblay leads the team with excellent skills. Timmy Overton, Alex Yamaoka, Jack Dawes, and Richard Jenkins are promising young prospects. Tony Mitchell is a valuable addition to the team. In goal, the Monarchs have two good players, Stanley Fraser and Peter Chiasson. Overall, the Monarchs have a decent roster, but they will need to work hard to compete with the top teams in the league.

Best Player: W Ken Chang
Best Rookie: C Timmy Overton

6- Quebec Reds
The Quebec Reds have a talented roster of experienced players like James Stewart, Kevin Taylor, and Andrew Mike and promising young prospects like Alex Fortin and Hector Richard. On the defensive side, they have a solid group with potential stars like Émile Leblanc. Patrick Bell, Ray Young, and Jacques Turgeon make up the goaltending trio. With a mix of experienced and young talent, the Reds have the potential to compete with the top teams, but they'll need to work on team chemistry and performance to make the playoffs.

Best Player: D Kevin Taylor
Best Rookie: C Hector Richard

7- Montreal Beavers
The Montreal Beavers have a promising team made up of a blend of experienced and young players. Among the young talents are Henry Potvin, Maverick Gauvin, Larry Crawford, William Henderson, and Maxime LeBlanc, who have shown great potential. Meanwhile, Jock Stewart, Gordie Silver, and Chris King are experienced players who can provide leadership and stability for the team. The team's goaltenders are Glen Lloyd, William Steeves, and Dave LaRoche, who offer a potent combination of talent, depth, and experience. While the Beavers have a decent roster, they will need to work hard to compete with the top teams in the league and make it to the playoffs. Overall, the team has the potential to develop into future stars, but they need to focus on building strong team chemistry and improving their performances.

Best Player: D Chris King
Best Rookie: W Ernest Kessler

8- Saint John Admirals
The Saint John Admirals have a mix of skilled players, veterans, and young prospects. Guy Morrison, Harold Sullivan, and Robert Davis are some skilled players. Alexander Burton and Andy Boudreau are solid players who can help on the offence. On the defence, the Admirals have some young prospects, such as Dewey Nichols, Léonce Dupond, and Elias MacNeil, who have displayed potential. In the goalie department, the Admirals have Andy Fox as the primary goaltender, Bruce Lavoie provides depth, and Alain Lévesque is a young prospect. However, the Admirals must improve their performance to avoid finishing at the bottom of the standings again.

However, most folks in Saint John weren't focused on the roster of the Admirals but rather on the ownership situation. Cassius Griffiths' health is not improving, and his son Ethan has shown no interest in permanently taking over as the team's owner. As a result, rumours are flying left and right about the future of the franchise built and kept alive by Cassius Griffiths.

Best Player: C Robert Davis
Best Rookie: W Andrew Postl

9- Trois-Rivières Tigres
The Trois-Rivières Tigres have a talented young roster that shows excellent potential. Earl Baker and Michael MacKenzie provide leadership and skill in the faceoff circle, while Ephraim Gauthier and Benoit Archambault are valuable contributors on the wing. Dawson Newton is a promising young defenseman expected to impact the team's defence significantly. Homer Rodgers is outstanding in goal and is expected to be the team's primary goaltender. Overall, the Tigres have a bright future if they can develop their chemistry and skills.

Best Player: W Ephraim Gauthier
Best Rookie: D Dawson Newton

10- Fredericton Stars
The Fredericton Stars have a young and inexperienced roster. They must develop their skills and chemistry to compete in the league. However, there are some valuable assets in players like Justin Manojlovic, Les Conner, and Jean Tremblay, who could be key players for the team in the future. Additionally, experienced players like André Dufresne and Martin Lindsay can provide leadership and skill. In goal, the Stars have two young prospects, Victor Carbonneau and Carol Blanchard, with great potential. The Stars could become a force with hard work and dedication.

Best Player: D Simon St-Pierre
Best Rookie: D Jean Tremblay

Let me know what you think. Comments and criticisms are appreciated, as always.

Last edited by Kingsfan11 (10/26/2023 5:31 pm)

St. John might just be the first team to be folded in the ECHO, and they end it with a sad note.

1952 Sound Cup Playoffs

Montreal Beavers vs Montréal Métros
The first game of the in-city playoff series between the Beavers and Métros started slowly, with both teams trading scoring chances until late in the first period. Beavers defenseman Jack Galloway's wrist shot made it past Métros goalie Louis Giroux to give the Beavers the opening lead. Early in the second period, Métros winger Tristan Loubier took a costly penalty, and a minute later, Beavers winger Paul Marchand fired a shot into the back of the net, putting his team up by 2. A few minutes later, another penalty by the Métros resulted in the Beavers increasing their lead to 3-0 thanks to a quick wrist shot from winger Edward MacAllister. Beavers center Henry Potvin made it 4-0 minutes later. A few minutes after that, Beavers defenseman Randall Clarke made a hit on Métros defenseman Robert Leblanc, causing Leblanc to leave the game with an injury and Clarke to leave for misconduct. This penalty allowed the Métros to score their first goal, with winger Thierry Rousseau scoring a wrist shot past Beavers goalie Glen Lloyd. Unfortunately for the Métros, the Beavers responded with another goal midway through the third period, with Edward MacAllister scoring his second of the night, putting his team up by four again. The Métros got into penalty trouble again, and the Beavers took advantage, with winger Jacob Cox making it 6-1. Later, the Métros' Tristan Loubier scored, but the Beavers' John Peters countered with a goal of his own. The Métros' Ronald Miller scored with a powerful slapshot, followed by Edouard Lefebvre punching in his rebound, bringing the score to 7-4. Late in the third period, the Métros managed to score twice, thanks to Tristan Loubier deflecting Jean Sirois' slapshot past Beavers goaltender Glen Lloyd, followed by George Héroux firing a slapshot into the back of the net, bringing them one goal away from tying it. Unfortunately, the comeback fell short, and the Beavers won 7-6. The next day, it was announced that the Métros' Robert Leblanc (due to injury) and the Beavers' Randall Clarke (due to suspension) would miss the rest of the playoffs.

The tension was high between the city rivals as they took the ice for Game 2. A few minutes into the game, the Beavers would take a penalty, which cost them as the Métros' Yvan Roy would blast the puck past Beavers goaltender Glen Lloyd to open the scoring just a minute later. Of course, the Beavers didn't take it well, and a couple of minutes later, winger Eric Russell would capitalize on a Métros penalty, sending the puck into the back of the net to tie the game at one apiece. The powerplay goal fest continued as the Métros' Thierry Rousseau would restore his team's lead with a well-placed shot a few minutes after the Beavers goals, then the Beavers would tie it up again thanks to Eric Russell's second goal of the night at even strength this time. Not even a minute later, Beavers center Gordie Silver would give his team their first lead of the night with a quick wrist shot past Métros goalie Louis Giroux; then, almost midway through the second period, Beavers winger Ernest Kessler would send a shot that would rebound off of the goalie's pads right to his teammate center Norman Campbell, who would double the Beavers lead a few seconds later. Of course, the Métros hadn't said their last words and 30 seconds of play later, winger Todd Mayala would flip the puck over the outstretched Beavers goalie's right pad to bring the score to 4-3. After that, the two teams would continue to play rough with each other, causing a few scuffles to take place over the next period and a half until, with 4 minutes left in the 3rd period, Beavers winger Jacob Cox sent the puck into the back of the net with a quick wrist shot to put his team up by two once more. The Métros didn't take it well, and a few minutes later, center Thierry Rousseau would bring his team within one again with a well-placed wrist shot, but unfortunately, Beavers defenseman Brett Laleye would close out the game with an empty net goal as the Beavers took a 2-0 series lead with a 6-4 win and looked to send their city rivals home with a sweep in the next game.

All hell broke loose in Game 3 when Métros star center Yvan Roy found the back of the net less than 1 minute into the game, then a few minutes later, winger Georges Héroux made it 2-0 for the Métros with a quick shot past Beavers goaltender Glen Lloyd. The Beavers didn't take that lightly, however, and later in the first period, winger Paul Marchand would score on the powerplay to cut the Métros lead in half, but then the Métros' Edouard Lefebvre would restore his team's lead with a powerful slapshot late in the first period. The Beavers weren't done scoring, and rookie Ernest Kessler would score to bring the score to 3-2 after 20 minutes. The goal fest would continue in the second as the Métros' Tristan Loubier would find the back of the net early to give the Métros their 2-goal lead back, but the Beavers would be quick to respond with defenseman Chris King blasting one past Métros goalie Jalen Knevel just a minute later. The scuffles throughout the entire series continued in this game with a big hit from the Métros defenseman Arthur MacDonald on the Beavers' top defenseman, Chris King, resulting in King leaving the game injured. The Beavers would try and get back at the Métros for that, and eventually, later in the second period, winger John Peters would tie the game at 4 with a quick shot. Of course, the Métros didn't take losing their lead lightly, and in the dying minutes of the middle frame, center Yvan Roy would score on the powerplay to give the Métros the lead back. Early in the third period, Beavers center Henry Potvin would tie it at 5 with a great slapshot. The rest of the third period would consist of both teams trying to score but failing, interspersed with some fights and scuffles. When the clock hit all zeros at the end of the third period, the two teams were still tied at five and would need overtime. The scuffles and rough play from both teams would continue in overtime until 5 minutes into the extra-time period, Beavers winger Edward McAllister would weave through the Métros defence before lodging the puck past Métros goalie Jalen Knevel to send the Métros home with a sweep. (MTB wins 3-0)

The next day, the Beavers learned that defenseman Chris King would miss the rest of the rest of the playoffs with a fractured foot.


Moncton Generals vs Halifax Highlanders

The first game of the Atlantic Division final started slowly. The opening goal came early in the second period when Moncton center David Howard scored a goal past Halifax's Alex Davis to give the Generals the lead. A few minutes later, Moncton winger Daniel Hebert added to the lead with a powerplay goal. However, shortly after, the Highlanders' Antony Sinclair scored a powerplay goal of his own, cutting the lead in half. Later in the second period, the Generals scored again on the powerplay, with Craig Therrien's shot getting past Halifax's Alex Davis, putting Moncton up by two again. However, Halifax didn't give up, and a few minutes later, Sean Fontana's slap shot found the back of the net, bringing Halifax closer. In the third period, the Generals continued their powerplay success. Daniel Hebert scored again, restoring Moncton's two-goal lead, which held until the final horn, as Moncton won the opening game of the series with a score of 4-2.

Game 2 between the Highlanders and Generals started slowly, with both teams trading scoring chances until late in the first period when Halifax center William MacDougall would break the metaphorical ice with a quick wrist shot past Moncton goalie Emmett O'Leary on the powerplay. Early in the second period, the Generals would reply with winger Daniel Hebert deflecting center Allan Wilson's shot into the back of the net to tie the game at 1, but a few minutes later, Highlanders winger Antony Sinclair would restore his team's lead with a quick shot. Later in the second period, Sinclair would score again on the powerplay to give Halifax a 2-goal lead, then almost an entire period later, Moncton's Craig Therrien would blast the puck past Halifax goaltender Alex Davis to cut that lead in half. A couple of minutes later, the Highlanders' William MacDougall would score his second of the night to restore the 2-goal lead, but the Generals hadn't drawn their last breath and center Allan Wilson would score on the powerplay to bring Moncton with one goal again. Unfortunately for them, Halifax had other plans, and Joseph Drouin would score an empty-netter to bring the score to 5-3. Despite another Moncton goal coming from winger Tim Lisle's stick in the dying seconds, the Highlanders held on and tied the series at 1 with a 5-4 win.

Game 3 wouldn't see a first goal scored until late in the second period when Moncton winger Tim Lisle beat Halifax goalie Alex Davis with a quick shot to give the Generals the opening lead. This lead would be doubled early in the 3rd period by another powerplay goal, coming from the stick of winger Steve Wetherell. A few minutes later, Moncton center Richard Tardif would give his team a 3-0 lead with a well-placed shot. Rough play between the two teams would start to emerge down the stretch of the 3rd period as a hit from Moncton defenseman Leonard Lefèvre on Halifax defenseman Clark Brodhead would see Brodhead leave the game injured. A few minutes later, the Highlanders, determined to get back at the Generals, would get their first goal thanks to a quick wrist shot from winger Antony Sinclair. Moncton's defence would hold firm for the rest of the game, and the Generals would retake the lead in the series with a 3-1 win. The next day, Halifax would learn that Clark Brodhead wouldn't miss any time.

The crucial game 4 got off to a quick start with Moncton winger Daniel Hebert taking a rebound from his teammate Allan Wilson and converting it into a goal to put the Generals in the lead a few minutes into the game. After that goal, both teams tried to score to no avail, which upped the intensity of this already tight game, with both teams exchanging big hits and a few scuffles happening after whistles. Early in the second period, Halifax would finally get a goal, with winger Steven Martin putting the puck past Moncton goalie Emmett O'Leary to tie the game at 1. The Generals didn't take it lightly, and later in the second period, winger Daniel Hebert would restore Moncton's lead with a quick shot past Highlanders goalie Alex Davis. Despite a lot of scoring chances from both sides, no other goal would be scored, and Moncton would send the 2-time defending champs home with a 2-1 win in Game 4 (MON wins 3-1)




1952 Sound Cup Final Preview
Moncton Generals vs Montreal Beavers

The 1952 Sound Cup Final will be played between two teams looking for their first title in the ECHO. The Beavers swept their in-city rivals, the Métros, in three games, but not without some intense back-and-forth action and a few injuries and suspensions. The Generals, on the other hand, faced the two-time defending champions Halifax Highlanders in a tight four-game series in which the Generals came out on top despite rough play and injuries on both sides. It's shaping up to be an intense and physical Sound Cup Finals as both teams look to come out on top and add their names to the Sound Cup. Despite having played one more game than the Beavers and more exhausted as a result, Moncton should still be the better of the two teams and will become the third team from the Atlantic Division to win it all.
Pick: Moncton

Let me know what you think, comments and criticisms are welcome as are predictions on who’s winning the finals. You can also start sending prospects for the next draft, but focus on skaters as I have enough goalie prospects at the moment

Last edited by Kingsfan11 (11/04/2023 6:41 pm)

1952 Sound Cup Finals
Moncton Generals vs Montreal Beavers

Game 1: MTB 0 @ MON 4 The game began with both teams creating scoring opportunities and delivering big hits. Late in the 1st period, Moncton's rookie winger, Andrew Postl, broke the deadlock with a quick wrist shot. The second period saw no goals, as both teams continued to be physical and prevent the other from scoring. Early in the third period, the Generals scored again, with Richard Tardif putting Moncton up by 2. Later, winger Tim Lisle made it 3-0 for the Generals by beating Beavers goalie Glen Lloyd between the legs. The Moncton onslaught continued, and a few minutes later, winger John Ducharme beat the Beavers' goaltender with a well-placed wrist shot, putting the Generals up 4-0, a score that stood until the final horn. Moncton phenom goaltender Emmett O’Leary stopped all 32 of Montreal's shots, helping his team take the opening lead in the finals.

Game 2: MTB 1 @ MON 2 The game started slowly, with both teams attempting to score but failing. This increased the intensity, and early in the second period, Rick Murray of Moncton received a roughing penalty. Unfortunately for the Generals, Montreal's Dan Dumont capitalized on the powerplay and scored the game's first goal with a rebound from his teammate, Edward MacAllister. The physical play continued, and Moncton received more penalties, but Montreal could not take advantage of them. In the middle of the third period, Ted Gagne of Generals finally equalized by scoring a goal past Montreal's goalie, Glen Lloyd. Late in the third period, center Norman Campbell of the Beavers received a roughing penalty, which proved costly as Allan Wilson of Moncton scored with a wrist shot a minute later, putting the Generals in the lead. Despite multiple attempts by Montreal, Moncton held onto their lead until the end of the game, winning 2-1 and taking a 2-0 lead.

Game 3: MON 4 @ MTB 6 As the series moved to Montreal, both teams knew that every game would be crucial from now on. The importance of each game was evident when Beavers center Henry Potvin scored just a minute into the game, giving his team an early lead. The Montreal lead was short-lived as Moncton winger Tim Lisle tied the game at one with a great slapshot a few minutes later. The next period and a half saw both sides create several scoring opportunities, big physical plays and a few scuffles here and there. Midway through the second period, the Generals took the lead when winger Ted Gagne blasted the puck past Montreal goalie Glen Lloyd. Winger Andrew Postl scored late in the second period, bringing Moncton up 3-1. Early in the third, the Beavers replied with winger Jacob Cox putting the puck past Moncton goalie Emmett O'Leary on the powerplay, reducing the lead to half. Montreal center Henry Potvin tied the game at three just a few minutes later with a powerplay goal, his second goal of the night. Montreal winger Eric Russell then put his team back in the lead with a quick wrist shot on the man advantage. Beavers winger Jack Galloway followed with a powerplay goal of his own a few minutes after Russell's goal. Montreal winger Jacob Cox scored his second powerplay goal late in the third, further widening the gap. Despite a powerplay goal from Moncton's Faith Hebert in the dying seconds of the third period, the Beavers won Game 3 by a score of 6-4, reducing the Generals' series lead to 2-1. Moncton learned the next day that defenseman Glen Wallace would miss the rest of the final with a fractured hand.

Game 4: MON 3 @ MTB 2 (F/OT) Montreal's Jack Galloway opened the scoring midway through the first period with a powerful slapshot that beat Moncton's goalie Emmett O'Leary, giving the Beavers a 1-0 lead. A few minutes later, Craig Therrien, a winger for the Generals, scored on the powerplay to level the score at 1. The intensity between the two teams ramped up, and the Beavers were penalized again early in the second period. This ended up costing them as Moncton's Craig Therrien scored a quick wrist shot past Montreal's goalie Glen Lloyd on the powerplay, putting the Generals in the lead just a minute later. The rest of the second period and most of the third saw both teams trying to score without success. However, with just four minutes left in the third period, Moncton's Richard Tardif took a penalty for slashing Montreal's Jacob Cox. The ensuing powerplay for Montreal was short-lived as Norman Campbell, a center for the Beavers, blasted the puck past Generals goaltender Emmett O'Leary to tie the game at two just 40 seconds later. The deadlock remained until the end of regulation, so the game went into overtime. The Beavers, determined to tie the series, started the overtime period by sending shot after shot on Moncton's goalie Emmett O'Leary, who saved everything and eventually froze the puck. On the ensuing face-off, Faith Hebert, a center for Moncton, plucked the puck from Montreal's Dan Dumont and headed toward the offensive zone. Hebert passed it to right winger William Woods, who sent the puck to rookie left winger Andrew Postl. Postl then weaved through the Beavers' defence before passing the puck back to Faith Hebert, who faked a slapshot before taking a quick wrist shot that beat Montreal's goalie Glen Lloyd below the glove, giving the Generals the win and a 3-1 series lead with a chance to lift the Sound Cup at home in the next game.

Game 5: MTB 1 @ MON 2 (F/OT) The atmosphere at Moncton Memorial Coliseum was tense for this crucial game. The Sound Cup was in the building, and the Generals were hoping to lift it at the end of the game while the Beavers were trying to initiate a comeback. Montreal started well on their goal when center Henry Potvin scored a goal a bit past midway through the first period to put the visitors up 1-0. The tense atmosphere intensified as minutes passed until a period later when Moncton winger Daniel Hebert tied the game at 1-1 by beating Beavers goaltender Glen Lloyd with a quick wrist shot glove-side. The two teams exchanged scoring chances, hits, and a few scuffles for the rest of the regulation time. The deadlock stood with Moncton’s Emmett O’Leary and Montreal’s Glen Lloyd stopping every puck in their tracks until the horn ending regulation as the match would go into overtime. Generals center Allan Wilson won the opening face-off in overtime and passed the puck backward to defenseman Rick Murray, who entered the offensive zone before relaying the puck back to Allan Wilson. Upon seeing winger Daniel Hebert near the net, Allan Wilson weaved around a couple of Beavers before passing the puck to Hebert, who only had to flick the puck over the outstretched pad of Montreal goalie Glen Lloyd to clinch Moncton’s first Sound Cup triumph. The Generals paraded the Sound Cup in front of an ecstatic home crowd.



1952 Sound Cup Champions: Moncton Generals (1)



Let me know what you think. Comments and criticisms are appreciated. You can also start sending prospects for the next ECHO Draft, but i do not need goalies at the moment so focus on skaters.

1952 League Meetings

The Saint John Situation
After a disastrous 1951-52 season, the Admirals were rocked by more bad news as owner Cassius Griffiths succumbed to his illness a few days after the season ended, leaving his son Ethan as the permanent owner. Ethan Griffiths had made it clear to his father that he didn’t want to own the team permanently, and mere hours after his father was buried, Ethan would put the Admirals for sale. Griffiths would sell to the highest bidder, a man from Sydney, Nova Scotia, named Henry Walsh.

Upon acquiring the Admirals, Walsh contacted the other ECHO owners to inform them of the transition. This was necessary because Ethan Griffiths had only informed his father of his plans for the team after his father’s death. As a result, the other nine owners invited Walsh to the league meeting that was taking place in Moncton this year. During the meeting, Walsh announced that he planned to move the Admirals to his hometown of Sydney, Nova Scotia. The other owners accepted the proposal but promised to find a new owner to bring the ECHO back to Saint John within a decade. Walsh also announced that the Admirals would undergo rebranding and that the team would represent the whole of Cape Breton Island.

Last edited by Kingsfan11 (11/14/2023 9:20 pm)