The QMJHL has announced the Around the Maritimes Podcast, and hosts Matthew Boucher and Mavs Gillis secured a massive guest for the first episode — the head coach of the Moncton Wildcats Gardiner MacDougall.
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The three spoke about numerous topics, but Boucher was able to get the veteran head coach’s thoughts on top 2025 NHL draft prospect Caleb Desnoyers, who is ranked as high as a projected sixth overall pick by TSN’s Craig Button.
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“He’s a pro guy,” MacDougall recounts of his star forward the first time he met him at the Under-18’s in 2024.
“Little did I know at that time, that I’d have the honour and privilege to coach Caleb (in Moncton),” he said. “He’s been just fantastic here in Moncton, can’t say enough great things about him — as a person, first of all, but certainly as a player as well/”
As for what is Desnoyers’ X-factor to prospective NHL teams at the draft in June, MacDougall believes it’s his winning mentality.
“For his draft class, he may have the most winning experience, with Hockey Canada and prior to Moncton with his midget team,” he said.
With Canada’s tumultuous last two appearances at the World Juniors, MacDougall has been brought up by fans as a potential head coach option. However, MacDougall downplayed the suggestion with a smirk saying his only priority was having a better outing on Friday night against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
Related: Acadie-Bathurst Titan Goaltender Fleming Commits To NCAA’s Penn State
However, MacDougall gave his thoughts on a particular aspect of building a national team, citing his experience at coaching Team Canada at the Under-18s.
“(Desnoyers) had went there initially as an underage, and had only been promised to play a couple of exhibition games and soak in the experience,” he said. Desnoyers finished that tournament winning gold with Canada, scoring five points (1+4) across five games at the tournament.
“It’s a great opportunity that Hockey Canada provides for some of these underagers that are out of the playoffs at that time,” the coach noted.
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