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Mooseheads start 2026 season with two overtime nail biters

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The Halifax Mooseheads have kicked off their 2026 season, but they did so without an important part of the family.

Long time anthem singer Peter Baylis passed away last year after a battle with brain cancer.

Team President Brian Urquhart said Baylis was a familiar face and close friend to staff, players and fans alike, and that his loss left a void in the team.

“We had a special guest. Saturday night Liz Rigney sang the anthem, and she did a tremendous job,” said Urquhart. “As a tribute to Peter, she encouraged the fans to sing along, which they did, and I think we’ll carry that forward.”

Urquhart said it was a great thing having 8,000 people singing the anthem.

“We’re all proud Canadians… it’s a powerful moment,” said Uquhart.

The Mooseheads opened their season this weekend with back to back overtime games. 

The first game was a 5 to 4 win over the Cape Breton Eagles that ended in a shootout. The second game was a 6 to 5 loss against Moncton during their home opener.

Urquhart said the support of the fans was tremendous.

“We’re spoiled in Halifax, we’ve had support from day one of this franchise,” said Urquhart. “Saturday night was just more evidence of the strong junior hockey fan base in Halifax.”

The Mooseheads will play their next games on Sept. 25 and 26, when they face the Newfoundland Regiment in back to back showdowns at the Mary Brown’s Centre.

KeyBank Center

New Brunswick, Nova Scotia well-represented at NHL draft

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The NHL entry draft was held at KeyBank Center in Buffalo over the weekend, an opportunity for teams to find that next star and fans to get their first look at the next generation.

The weekend was largely about first overall pick Gavin McKenna.

The left winger from Whitehorse and playing for Penn State in the NCAA was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the top pick.

But for hockey fans in the Maritimes, there were some familiar names chosen through the weekend.

Six players who spent the 2025-26 season with a QMJHL team in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia were picked – three Moncton Wildcats, two Halifax Mooseheads and one member of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The top pick among them was defenceman Tommy Bleyl, taken 31st overall by the Nashville Predators.

Bleyl led Moncton in scoring last season, putting up 13 goals and 68 assists from the blue line.

It’s the second year in a row a Wildcat has been a first-round draft pick, after Utah chose Caleb Desnoyers fourth overall in 2025.

Halifax Mooseheads right-winger Oleg Kulebiakin was next, going in the second round, 52nd overall, to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The second Wildcat of the weekend was selected in the third round, as right-winger Rian Chudzinski went 82nd overall to the Anaheim Ducks.

The lone Sea Dog taken in the draft was centre Olivers Murnieks. He went in the fourth round, 124th overall, to the host Buffalo Sabres.

It was a few rounds before another Maritime connection, and it was left-winger Shawn Carrier of the Mooseheads going in the 7th round, 195th overall to the Colorado Avalanche.

The final Maritime pick of the day was seventh round, 218th overall, as the Lightning chose defenceman Max Vilen of the Wildcats.

Two New Brunswickers were selected over the weekend.

Fredericton native Tynan Lawrence, a centre, was picked 11th overall by the St. Louis Blues.

He’s the second-highest drafted New Brunswicker ever, behind only the late Luc Bourdon, who was taken 10th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2005.

Defenceman Charlie Morrison of Miramichi was selected in the third round, 77th overall, by the New York Rangers.

No Nova Scotians were drafted this year.