Alex Mercier Is Living the Dream
Published on September 22, 2025 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Moncton Wildcats News Release
When he was just a kid growing up in Quebec City, his family held season tickets to watch the hometown Remparts. As a 12-year-old, he wore a Quebec Junior Nordiques jersey and played before a crowd of 15,000 in the Videotron Centre at the prestigious Quebec International Peewee tournament.
Now 20 years old - today (September 22) in fact - he's a stalwart and a leader with the reigning Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champion Moncton Wildcats.
"Making the Q was always a dream for me," said the five-foot ten inch, 185 pound centre/left winger.
He opened the 2025-26 season by scoring a pair of goals in each game as the Wildcats suffered a pair of losses to the new Newfoundland Regiment in St. John's on the weekend, falling 7-5 in the season opener before a sellout crowd Friday night and 5-4 in overtime Saturday.
Fourteen players made their debut as Wildcats on the weekend.
"Honestly, it's a new season, lots of new guys....we're obviously a younger group than last year. We have a few guys coming back (from NHL training camps) this week and next, so I don't think we should overthink it."
"Two close games," surmised Wildcats coach Gardiner MacDougall. "I think we showed good resilience and grit in coming back from 5-2 to tie it 5-5 (in the opener). Our second game was better...we did some things better defensively and we had a one-goal lead....but lots of positives, that's for sure, as a group."
For Mercier, who scored 30 goals and 34 assists in helping the Cats win the QMJHL championship last season, it's a strong start to what he expects will be another strong season for the Wildcats.
"We still have a good group of leaders," he said, noting that, while captain Caleb Desnoyers is still recovering from offseason wrist surgery, veterans like Preston Lounsbury, Gabe Smith and Adam Fortier-Gendron return. Mercier is wearing a letter as an alternate captain too, as a veteran with now 223 games of Q-league experience.
"He's a terrific pulse of the team," said MacDougall. "He can bring a lot of energy in the dressing room and on the ice. He's got an infectious personality....very enthusiastic, high energy. He's got a really good skill set as well. This year, you just want to continue the maturation of his game. Even on the weekend, we saw another level in his performance. I thought he played very well for us."
"Part of my role is scoring goals and production, so I'll try to keep it going," Mercier said. The Wildcats play a pair of games in Cape Breton Friday and Saturday against the Eagles before they return for their October 4 home opener against the Saint John Sea Dogs at the Avenir Centre. Mercier was one of nine Wildcats who attended NHL rookie camps this year, invited by the Ottawa Senators, before being returned to Moncton on the eve of the season opener. But he had a chance to play at Montreal's Bell Centre, another childhood dream realized.
"It was amazing, just being around the pros...I actually had the chance to meet (Senators captain) Brady Tkachuk, so that was pretty cool. Practicing, seeing how it works, the habits of the pros...it was a great experience overall."
Last season's run to the QMJHL championship and the Memorial Cup tournament in Rimouski was another memorable experience.
"Last season was amazing, honestly," he said. "The enthusiasm Gardiner brings, and the bonding last year with the guys was amazing. The playoffs were good and the Mem Cup was just a great experience overall. Obviously it was a tough result overall, but looking back at it, I think we should be proud that we won our league. But this year, the goal is to go to Kelowna (B.C.), the site of the 2026 Memorial Cup tournament) and win the whole thing. I think with the winning culture we have, the winning group that are coming back...if we keep pushing in the same way with the new guys and lots of enthusiasm again with the coaching staff, we'll be in the mix for sure."
It would be a fine finale to Mercier's five-year career in the QMJHL that began when he was drafted by the Wildcats 23rd overall in 2021. He was just a teenager then. Now, he's a grizzled veteran of 20.,
"I think it's a great life lesson, being in the Q. You have coaches, you've got to perform, you have stress, you're away from home...I think it's a great experience to start as a young man."
Article by Bill Hunt
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from September 22, 2025
- Team of the Week Named for Week 1 - QMJHL
- Alex Mercier Is Living the Dream - Moncton Wildcats
- Matt Gosselin Named Vidéotron Player of the Week - QMJHL
- Will Murphy Reassigned to Cape Breton - Cape Breton Eagles
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.
