#1 Wildcats & #4 Armada Ready to Battle in Q Semifinal
Published on April 21, 2026 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Moncton Wildcats News Release
And then there were 4! The QMJHL final four has gone pretty much as expected with a few twists & turns. The Wildcats & Chicoutimi have come thru relatively unscathed with 8-0 records, while Rouyn-Noranda (8-3) & Blainville-Boisbriand (8-2) have overcome some speed bumps to arrive in the semifinals. The top 4 regular season clubs are now set to do battle for a chance in the Final.
Moncton will face the Armada in a clash of high-level talent. The ONLY 3 NHL 1st Round picks in the QMJHL will square off as Caleb Desnoyers (UTA, 4th overall) battles BLB's Justin Carbonneau (STL, 19th overall) & Bill Zonnon (PIT, 22nd overall).
Each team will feature 6 NHL draft picks. The Cats have:
F Gabe Smith (UTA, Rd 4, #103)
F Teddy Mutryn (SJS, Rd 3, #95)
F Caleb Desnoyers (UTA, Rd 1, #4)
F Grayden Robertson-Palmer (DET, Rd 7, #204)
D Eerik Wallenius (OTT, Rd 5, #136)
G Rudy Guimond (DET, Rd 6, #169
Blainville-Boisbriand counter with 6 of their own NHL draft picks:
F Justin Carbonneau (STL, Rd 1, #19)
F Bill Zonnon (PIT, Rd 1, #22)
F Mateo Nobert (VGK, Rd 3, #85)
Riverview native D Spencer Gill (PHI, Rd 2, #59)
D Jan Golicic (TBL, Rd 4, #118)
Injured G Jakub Milota (NAS, Rd 4, #99)
Added to the mix are players on the NHL radar for the upcoming 2026 NHL draft. The Cats feature game-changer Tommy Bleyl (Ranked 17th), power forward Rian Chudzinski (63rd), sniper Niko Tournas (72nd) and big keeper Jacoby Weiner (20th). The Armada feature Xavier Villeneuve (18th), a slick-skating defender drawing comparisons to Canadiens' star Lane Hutson, and goalie William Lacelle (7th) turning NHL heads.
The scouts in the building - and hockey fans - will be busy watching these 18 stars show their stuff!
In their only 2 meetings this season, the Cats got the better of the Armada with a 6-1 and 4-1 results. Veteran Alex Mercier (2G, 2A) & Teddy Mutyrn (1G, 3A) led the way with 4 points over both games.
Former Wildcat forward & 2025 Gilles-Courteau Trophy champ Vincent Collard will return to the Avenir Centre. The 20 year-old Collard is captain of the Armada and has 10 points (2G, 8A) through 10 playoff games. The Cats defence will need to deal with his strong presence down low.
Full series schedule:
Thursday, April 23, 7pm @ Moncton
Saturday, April 25, 7pm @ Moncton
Monday, April 27, 8pm AT @ Blainville-Boisbriand
Tueday, April 28, 8pm AT @ Blainville-Boisbriand
Friday, May 1, 7pm @ Moncton *
Sunday, May 3, 4pm AT @ Blainville-Boisbriand *
Tuesday, May 5, 7pm @ Moncton *
It's Playoff season and we're ready to REPEAT THE ROAR! This year's team has been as good - or even better - than last years Championship squad & it's time to secure your seat for another Cup run. Save with Flex Tickets - more info here: 2026 Wildcats Playoff Ticket Packages.
Arrive early & take advantage of 30 Minute Powerplay pricing at the Avenir Centre - $4 hot dogs, $3 Aquafina bottles of water, and $5 Moosehead Light & Alpine (355mL cans), taxes not included. The Avenir Centre doors open at 6pm - prices are in effect for 30 minutes after doors open for the game.
Our 50/50 raffle has a $15,000 jackpot guarantee.
The Moose Light Ice Level Bar is open to the public (ages 19+) and anyone with a ticket to the game can access it through section 107. Non-alcoholic beverages are available in the Ice Bar.
THINGS TO KNOW FOR THURSDAY:
The 50/50 raffle has an $15,000 Jackpot guarantee. Don't forget to buy your raffle tickets online now or at the game. We accept cash, debit, Visa or Mastercard at the arena.
Access your season seats or flex tickets through your Ticketmaster Wildcats Account Manager.
Group tickets are available for every home game - Call 506-382-5555. Great seats at our best ticket prices for your group of 10+.
Celebrate your child's birthday with Wild Willie & the Wildcats and take advantage of special group rates.
The jersey raffle is for a white game-worn & autographed #22 CHUDZINSKI
The Rogers Item of the Game is 2 Bardown hoodies - Save 20!
The Moose Light Ice Bar will be open.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from April 21, 2026
- Huskies to Pick First Overall - QMJHL
- Mooseheads to Pick 3rd in QMJHL Entry Draft - Halifax Mooseheads
- #1 Wildcats & #4 Armada Ready to Battle in Q Semifinal - Moncton Wildcats
- Sylvain Favreau Named Coach of the Year - QMJHL
- Mooseheads Add American Free Agent Forward Evan Nee - Halifax Mooseheads
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
