Alternate History Sports » Eastern Canada Hockey Organization

Kingsfan11 · 2/04/2024 8:32 pm

1954 ECHO League Meetings

Phillipe St-Arnaud named ECHO president
During discussions around the upcoming 10th season of the ECHO, the topic of a league president was raised. After deliberations, all the owners agreed on appointing Montréal Métros owner Phillipe St-Arnaud as the first league president. It was unanimously agreed that St-Arnaud's tireless efforts were the reason behind the ECHO's existence, and he was the ideal candidate for the role. As a part of the discussions, St-Arnaud sought clarification on whether he could continue as the owner of the Métros while serving as league president. Without any objections from the other owners, his request was granted, and he was made the first league president of the ECHO.

Expansion on the horizon?
Immediately after taking office as the president, St-Arnaud began discussing expanding the league with the other ECHO owners. With Trois-Rivières and Fredericton's teams running successfully, St-Arnaud was eager to bring more teams on board. He had his eyes set on Saint John as he wanted to give them an ECHO team back, but unfortunately, the city was not quite ready for it yet. However, St-Arnaud remained optimistic and revealed his plan to add more teams to the league every five years, depending on the success of the new franchises. This meant an expansion in 1955 was on the cards, but no prospective owners have come forward yet.

Unrest in Quebec?
The Reds have had another disappointing season, leaving fans and media clamouring for changes at the top. Many called for the ousting of head coach Thomas Lane and owner Jonah Roberts. However, Roberts had other ideas. Despite the public outcry, he announced that Lane would remain head coach. But tensions between the two men are running high. Rumours are swirling after the pair were reportedly seen arguing at a bar in Quebec City. Witnesses say Lane was overheard saying, "Come on, Red (Owner Jonah Roberts). You can't expect me to win with a roster like this, and you know I told you before you "hired" me that I've only ever coached my kids' hockey teams, right?" It seems that the situation in the Reds' camp is anything but calm, and fans are left wondering what the future holds for their beloved team.

The World at Large
OEHL
The OEHL had been considering expansion to attract more fans and broaden its outreach. However, their expansion plans were met with an unfortunate setback when a prospective ownership group from Buffalo, New York, unexpectedly withdrew from the deal under mysterious circumstances. As a result, the OEHL has had to postpone its expansion plans and concentrate on its current operations for the time being.

Last edited by Kingsfan11 (2/04/2024 8:36 pm)

Burmy87 · 2/04/2024 11:46 pm

Oooo...you gotta love it when the "e" word is dropped.

Any plans for an "expansion committee" where folks can create characters and do a ranked-choice vote on their top expansion choices? (Be it for ECHO's expansion or the possible OEHL future expansion?)

Here's hoping Saint John can get their ducks in a row, and also that the Reds can avoid the Admirals' fate.

FC Macbeth · 2/05/2024 6:07 am

Yup, my questions have now been answered! Well, only one of them, that is.

However, Quebec is now heading to the same fate as St. John's. Let's prevent this from happening.

Kingsfan11 · 2/06/2024 5:26 pm

1954 ECHO Brand Changes

Montréal Métros
The defending champions slightly adjusted their logo, increasing the size of the white border.

On the away jersey, the new logo would replace the old one, and a colour-flipped version would be put on the home jersey. They would also add red outlines to the numbers on both jerseys.

Let me know what you think of these small changes. Comments and criticisms are appreciated. Oh, and you can start sending me prospects for the upcoming draft and send me goalies again.

Last edited by Kingsfan11 (2/06/2024 5:35 pm)

Kingsfan11 · 2/09/2024 3:46 pm

1954 ECHO Retirements

C Jermaine Thompson
Teams: Charlottetown Monarchs (1945-47), Halifax Highlanders (1947-1952)
Sound Cups: 4 (1947, 1948, 1950, 1951)
Awards: None

Throughout seven remarkable seasons in the ECHO, Thompson left his mark on the league, earning an impressive 345 points in 360 games. However, despite his incredible performances, Thompson was never recognized with formal awards or accolades. Nonetheless, he retires co-holding the title of having won more championships than any other player in the league's history, boasting an impressive four championship wins. At 36, he decided to retire from the sport he loved.

C Faith Hebert
Teams: Moncton Generals (1945-54)
Sound Cups: 2 (1952, 1953)
Awards: None

Hebert was a prominent figure for the Moncton Generals. Throughout nine seasons and 441 games, he accumulated 305 points, all while playing for the Generals. Despite a gradual decline in performance towards the end of his career, Hebert demonstrated exemplary leadership and determination, playing a crucial role in helping the Generals secure consecutive Sound Cup victories. At the age of 38, Hebert made the tough decision to retire, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and success that will be remembered by fans and teammates alike.

C David Howard
Teams: Saint John Admirals (1945-48), Moncton Generals (1948-1952)
Sound Cups: 1 (1952)
Awards: MVP (1946)

David Howard competed in the fast-paced world of ECHO hockey for seven memorable years. His crowning achievement came in 1952 when he hoisted the prestigious Sound Cup with the Moncton Generals. A standout performer, Howard earned the title of MVP in 1946 and led the league in points during that remarkable season. Throughout his ECHO career, he showcased his talent in 350 games, tallying an impressive 78 goals, 193 assists, and 271 points. Sadly, Howard decided to hang up his skates as knee injuries began to take their toll on him, marking the end of an era for the talented athlete.

W Harry Evans
Teams: Montréal Beavers (1945-49), Moncton Generals (1949-52), Saint John Admirals (1952)
Sound Cups: 0
Awards: 0

Harry Evans had a somewhat successful seven-year career in the ECHO. Over his ECHO career, he played in 320 games and scored 83 goals, 80 assists, and 163 points, although he never lifted the Sound Cup. Evans was part of the first-ever ECHO trade, now infamous for being a catalyst for Saint John losing the Admirals. After several years of sitting as a free agent, Evans decided to retire from hockey to spend more time with his family.

Other Notable Retirements

W Stéphane Archambault
Teams: MTM (1945-46*), CHA (1946-53*)

C Charles Gosselin
Teams: OTT (1945-54*)

C Alexander Burton
Teams: MON (1945-49), STJ (1949-52)

C Renald St-Pierre
Teams: MON (1945-47), HFX (1947-49*), MON (1949-52), STJ (1952)

W Alexander Li
Teams: QUE (1945-49), MTM (1949-51), STJ/CB (1951-1953)

D Charlie Simon
Teams: MTM (1945-46), OTT (1946-49*), HFX (1949-52*)

Let me know your thoughts on these retirements. Also, if you have any draft prospects to submit, now's the time, as I will assemble the draft class in the next few days.

Last edited by Kingsfan11 (2/09/2024 4:08 pm)

Kingsfan11 · 2/12/2024 7:40 pm

1954 ECHO Coaching Changes

The Halifax Highlanders, a team that had always made it to the playoffs in the ECHO, failed to qualify this season, leading to the dismissal of their head coach, Lachlan Sinclair. The team's owner, Riley McCullough, cited the lack of championships during Sinclair's tenure as the primary reason for his dismissal. To address the coaching vacancy, McCullough conducted a thorough search and announced the appointment of Mark Fraser, a former head coach at Acadia University, as the new coach of the Highlanders.

What do you think of McCullough's decision? How will Fraser fare as Halifax's head coach? Comments and criticisms are appreciated.

FC Macbeth · 2/12/2024 11:48 pm

If the Highlanders qualified for that year's playoffs, Sinclair would live for another season. Maybe even win one title to their cabinet. Here's hoping Fraser can succeed where the latter failed.

Also, speaking of coaching changes, if the Reds boot out Roberts out of the Quebec's organisation, hopefully that means a better coach can come around and replace an inexperienced one. For now, let's see what happens once the since gets underway.

Kingsfan11 · 2/16/2024 6:25 pm

1954 ECHO Draft

Round 1

1. QUE | W Henri Tremblay | Baie-Comeau, QC - FC Macbeth
The Reds have been struggling for a while now, and they knew they had to make a big move to turn things around. So, with their 3rd consecutive first-overall pick, they went for the cream of the crop and chose the most promising playmaking winger out there, Henri Tremblay. Tremblay's addition to the team's wing core, which already boasts 1952 1st overall pick Nicolas Béland, is sure to shake things up and bring some much-needed firepower to the Reds' game.

2. MTB | D Rudy Scott | Carleton Place, ON - DireBear
The Beavers make an intriguing decision at number 2, selecting Rudy Scott, a talented and hard-hitting defenseman who ranked as the second-best defenseman in the draft.

3. CB | D Jeffery Jenkins | Marytown, NL - FC Macbeth
In an unexpected move, Cape Breton made a rather peculiar decision by selecting the 6th best defenseman of the draft class, Jeffery Jenkins, with the 3rd overall pick.

4. OTT | D Francois-Marie Humbert | Montreal, QC - Jayhawk
Ottawa was happy to see the towering top-ranked defenseman, Francois-Marie Humbert, fall to them at the 4th spot. With his impressive skills and strength, Humbert is expected to be a perfect fit for the young and dynamic defence of the Knights.

5. HFX | C Robert Richelieu | Sherbrooke, QC - FC Macbeth
The fifth draft pick saw the Highlanders making a strategic move to reinvigorate their chances of making it to the playoffs. They selected center Robert Richelieu, who is expected to bring a much-needed boost to their offensive unit. With his impressive skills, he is likely to impact the team's performance immediately.

6. FRE | C Charles Bruneau | Quebec City, QC - Kingsfan11
With the 6th overall pick, Fredericton selected Charles Bruneau, the top center prospect of the class. Bruneau, known for his impressive playmaking abilities and ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates, should add to an already excellent center depth.

7. MON | G Michael Bisson | Ottawa, ON - Kingsfan11
Ultimately, Moncton's decision to stick with just one goalie on their roster proved costly. As a result, the Generals decided to bring in reinforcements, opting for Michael Bisson with the 7th overall pick in the draft. This move will undoubtedly strengthen the team's goaltending department and provide them more options and flexibility.

8. TRV | C David Olson | Halifax, NS - Kingsfan11
The Tigres addressed their need for center depth by selecting David Olson with the 8th pick. As a playmaking center, Olson is expected to impact the team immediately.

9. CHA | D Arlo Richotti | Quispamsis, NB - Dan O'Mac
Charlottetown then made a bold move by selecting defenseman Arlo Richotti with the 9th pick to bring youthful energy to an aging Monarchs backline.

10. MTM | W Rhys Simpson | Cape Breton, NS - Burmy87
The defending champions would then get a steal with the 10th pick by taking winger Rhys Simpson, who entered the draft as the third-best prospect on the board and should help Montréal on their quest to defend their title.

Round 2
In the second round, the Reds addressed their most significant need by selecting goalie Loic Saint-Denis despite some concerns that his skills were raw. The Beavers took winger Joseph Vachon, who happened to be the younger brother of Ottawa defenseman James Vachon, to reinforce their depth at the wing position. Cape Breton followed that by also selecting a winger, opting for the third-best winger of the class in Ward Wilkerson. Ottawa then took a winger, selecting the first of the Lalonde twins, Philippe Lalonde. Meanwhile, Halifax took another center with their second-round pick, opting for the scoring center Zach Middleton. The two New Brunswick teams then took defensemen, with Fredericton selecting the goon Loic Méthot and Moncton picking the two-way defenseman Daniel Camden. Following those two picks, Trois-Rivières took a great passing winger in Hervé Clément, and Charlottetown went for the workhorse winger Noah Pierre. Finally, Montréal ended the round by selecting hard-hitting defenseman Martin Rose.

11. QUE | G Loic Saint-Denis | Montmagny, QC - DireBear
12. MTB | W Joseph Vachon | Sydney Mines, NS - DireBear
13. CB | W Ward Wilkerson | Cardigan, PEI - Dan O'Mac
14. OTT | W Philippe Lalonde | Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
15. HFX | C Zach Middleton | Wawa, ON - Dan O'Mac
16. FRE | D Loic Méthot | Gatineau, QC - Burmy87
17. MON | D Daniel Camden | St. Lawrence, NL - FC Macbeth
18. TRV | W Hervé Clement | Quebec City, QC - idm
19. CHA | W Noah Pierre | Brossard, QC - Burmy87
20. MTM | D Martin Rose | St. John’s, NL - Kingsfan11

Round 3
Quebec kicked off the third round by snagging Jules Henry, a winger with a knack for finding the back of the net. Then the Beavers brought in Noah Cliffe, a towering center who could change the game on both ends of the ice. After that, Cape Breton chose Matt Hood, a winger with great potential. Ottawa then picked up center Cirénius Turgeon, who was supposed to go a round earlier. Things got interesting as Halifax chose the polarizing defenseman Will Mayo. Fredericton then selected the quick, flashy winger Egidus "the Kid" Provencher. Moncton kept the winger streak going by taking Duane Clark, who was born in New Brunswick. Trois-Rivières went with Louis-Phillipe Garand, a speedy center. Charlottetown followed that by choosing center Dominic "the Animal" Major. The Métros closed the round by selecting Easton Ward, a winger with much upside.

21. QUE | W Jules Henry | Bathurst, NB - DireBear
22. MTB | C Noah Cliffe | Clifford, ON - idm
23. CB | W Matt Hood | Mono, ON - Dan O'Mac
24. OTT | C Cirénius Turgeon | Quebec City, QC - Burmy87
25. HFX | D Will Mayo | Lévis, QC - idm
26. FRE | W Egidus Provencher | Shawinigan, QC - Burmy87
27. MON | W Duane Clark | Edmundston, NB - FC Macbeth
28. TRV | C Louis-Phillipe Garand | Chicoutimi, QC - DireBear
29. CHA | C Dominic Major | Granby, QC - Burmy87
30. MTM | W Easton Ward | Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC - Burmy87

Round 4
In the fourth round, Quebec picked defenseman Jean Lalonde, the other Lalonde twin. Moncton then brought in center George Enfield, who is excellent at offence and defence. Cape Breton picked the last goaltender of the class, Dominic Beauvais. Two childhood friends were then selected back-to-back, with winger Jimmy Dumoulin going to Ottawa and Éloi Saint-Amour landing in Halifax. Fredericton would pick up winger Jacques Calliste, and Moncton would select center David Trudel. Trois-Rivières chose winger Julien Martin, then Charlottetown brought in center Marc Laurent, and finally, the Métros closed the draft by selecting defenseman Adam Kyle.

31. QUE | D Jean Lalonde | Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
32. MTB | C George Enfield | Kitchener, ON - FC Macbeth
33. CB | G Dominic Beauvais | Magog, QC - Burmy87
34. OTT | W Jimmy Dumoulin | Saint-Jérôme, QC - DireBear
35. HFX | W Éloi Saint-Amour | Saint-Jérôme, QC - Kingsfan11
36. FRE | W Jacques Calliste | Sainte-Marie, QC - Kingsfan11
37. MON | C David Trudel | Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
38. TRV | W Julien Martin | Saint-Bruno, QC - Kingsfan11
39. CHA | C Marc Laurent | Chicoutimi, QC - FC Macbeth
40. MTM | D Adam Kyle | Kitchener, ON - Dan O’Mac

Undrafted
W Bobby Walsh | Hamilton, ON - FC Macbeth
W Michael Johnson | Edmundston, NB - Kingsfan11
W Thomas Ouellet | Sackville, NB - Kingsfan11
C Alan Robertson | Fredericton, NB - Kingsfan11
W Sylvain Gauthier | Cowansville, QC - Kingsfan11
D David Lynch | Kentville, NS - Kingsfan11
C Benoit Lauzon | Ottawa, ON - Kingsfan11

What did you think of the draft? Comments and criticisms are appreciated.

Kingsfan11 · 2/18/2024 7:04 pm

1954 ECHO Re-signing Phase

Cape Breton's lone new contract went to winger Noah Boyd, who signed a 3-year deal worth 140k per season.

Charlottetown, on the other hand, gave center Jacques Tremblay a new 5-year, 1.14m deal and brought back winger Arthur Laroche on a new 3-year deal worth 80k per year. Additionally, the Monarchs re-signed winger Jean-Marie Ryan to a 2-year contract worth 40k per season.

Fredericton signed goalie Victor Carbonneau, their first rookie draft pick in team history, to a new three-year deal worth 310k per season, and re-signed center Anatole Grenier to a 4-year, 200k per year deal.

Halifax gave out one new contract, re-signing defenseman Adelard Deraspe to a 3-year deal worth 140k.

Moncton, meanwhile, brought defenseman Bartholomé Carpentier back on a four-year deal worth 370k per season.

The Beavers gave out several new contracts, including a 5-year deal worth 710k per year to winger John Peters, and a 3-year deal worth 50k per season to winger Ernest Kessler. They also re-signed winger Edward MacAllister to a new 3-year deal worth 80k annually, and winger Octave Marcotte to a new 2-year contract worth 40k per year.

On the other side of Montreal, the Métros were also active in signing new contracts, starting with a new 5-year, 610k per year deal to winger Jean Sirois. Additionally, they brought back winger Edward Cho on a 3-year deal worth 140k per season, re-signed winger George Héroux to a 4-year deal worth 240k per year, and gave defenseman Bob Jenkins a 40k per year deal for two years.

Ottawa gave out two new contracts, including a 4-year, 360k-per-year deal to defenseman Vincent Lambton and a 3-year, 680k-per-year deal to goalie Anthony Brown.

Quebec re-signed winger Roy Davies to a 5-year deal worth 360k per year and gave center Bill Thompson a new 3-year deal worth 170k per season.

Finally, Trois-Rivières was active in re-signing players, including defenseman Dawson Newton, who received a new 4-year deal worth 320k per year. They also brought back defenseman Tyler Thompson on a 3-year contract worth 100k per season and gave defenseman Jean-Francois Doyle a new 3-year contract worth 40k per year.

Top 10 Free Agents

1. D Rick Murray, MON
2. D Arthur Tremblay, CB
3. C Henry Potvin, MTB
4. D Jack Galloway, MTB
5. D Dan James, HFX
6. W Andrew Postl, MON
7. D Tony Mitchell, CHA
8. C Timmy Overton, CHA
9. C Gabriel Caron, OTT
10. C Pierre Tremblay, HFX

What do you think of these moves by the ECHO teams? Comments and criticisms are appreciated

Last edited by Kingsfan11 (2/18/2024 8:06 pm)

Kingsfan11 · 2/20/2024 9:44 pm

1954 ECHO Free Agency

On Day One of Free Agency, the Ottawa Knights made the first move by signing the top free agent, former Moncton defenseman Rick Murray, to a lucrative 5-year deal worth 1.17 million dollars per year. This deal left the Métros to secure the second-best free agent in former Cape Breton defenseman Arthur Tremblay, who was born in Montreal. They signed him to a 5-year deal, giving him 810k per season. Fredericton also made a move by signing former Beavers winger Gérard Moisan to a 4-year deal at 440k per year. Moncton followed by bringing back winger Andrew Postl on a 5-year contract worth 710k annually. Trois-Rivières signed former Cape Breton defenseman Dewey Nichols to a 3-year deal worth 500k/year, while Halifax would bring in 1951 Rookie of the Year defenseman Jean Tremblay on a 3-year, 240k per year deal. Finally, Charlottetown signed former Beavers goaltender Glen Lloyd to a four-year deal worth 450k per year.

On Day 2, the Métros signed former Cape Breton defenseman Roger Legault for three years at an annual salary of 240k. The Beavers poached goalie Louis Giroux from their city rivals and gave him a 3-year contract worth 40k per season. Fredericton ended the day by signing former Métros winger Michael Gray to a 3-year deal worth 90k annually.

Day 3 saw Charlottetown make the first move by giving former Ottawa winger Robert Gill a 3-year contract worth 250k per year. Trois-Rivières brought in former Charlottetown center Timmy Overton on a 4-year, 670k-per-year deal. Cape Breton inked former Halifax center Pierre Tremblay to a 4-year deal worth 590k per season. The Métros made the last signing of the day by signing former Halifax winger Calvin Staples to a 3-year contract that would give him 80k per season.

Day 4 saw two signings: Moncton signing former Beavers center Henry Potvin to a 5-year deal worth 520k annually, and Cape Breton bringing back winger Robert Jones on a 3-year, 190k-per-year deal.

On Day 5, Moncton would bring in former Beavers defenseman Jack Galloway on a 4-year deal worth 120k per season, then the Beavers would sign former Cape Breton goaltender Phillip Myorca to a 2-year contract at 40k annually. Trois-Rivières would ink former Fredericton defenseman Darby Averill to a 3-year deal worth 80k per year, and then Quebec would sign former Ottawa center Gabriel Caron, who had started his ECHO career in Quebec, to a 4-year deal, giving him 520k annually. Finally, Cape Breton would sign former Charlottetown defenseman Jack Dawes to a 3-year contract worth 160k per year.

Moncton would start Day 6 by signing former Beavers center Maverick Gauvin to a 3-year contract worth 340k per season. Former Halifax defenseman Dan James would ink a 3-year, 70k-per-year deal in Charlottetown, and then Trois-Rivières would snag former Charlottetown defenseman Tony Mitchell and sign him to a 3-year deal worth 90k annually. After that, the Beavers would sign former Quebec center Bobby Postl to a three-year, 70k-per-year deal, and Cape Breton would bring in former Quebec center Hector Richard on a 3-year deal worth 100k per season. The last signing of the day would be made by Fredericton, who would sign former Ottawa center Hank Rodriguez to a 2-year deal worth 50k per year.

Cape Breton made the only signing of Day 7, bringing in former MVP center Justin Manojlovic on a 3-year deal worth 190k annually.

TRADE
Near the end of Free Agency, we would see a trade go through with Halifax sending their 1957 3rd-round pick to Trois-Rivières to acquire winger Thierry Doucet.

Top 10 Free Agents
1. D Rick Murray, MON » OTT
2. D Arthur Tremblay, CB » MTM
3. C Henry Potvin, MTB » MON
4. D Jack Galloway, MTB » MON
5. D Dan James, HFX » CHA
6. W Andrew Postl, MON » MON
7. D Tony Mitchell, CHA » TRV
8. C Timmy Overton, CHA » TRV
9. C Gabriel Caron, OTT » QUE
10. C Pierre Tremblay, HFX » CB

What do you think of the moves made by the ECHO teams? Comments and criticisms are appreciated.

Last edited by Kingsfan11 (2/20/2024 10:25 pm)

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