Eagles Assistant Coach Matt Anthony Departs Team After Six Seasons

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QMJHL Cape Breton Eagles

Eagles Assistant Coach Matt Anthony Departs Team After Six Seasons

July 10, 2025 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release


(SYDNEY, NS) It was announced today that Eagles assistant coach Matt Anthony will be departing the team and will be joining former Eagles head coach Louis Robitaille in the All-Russian Hockey League (VHL) for the 2025-2026 season.

Anthony, 35, was the second longest tenured member of the Eagles coaching staff last season, having joined the club ahead of the 2019-2020 regular season. During his six seasons, Anthony focused primarily on the team's defence core and penalty kill, helping carry the team to 40-wins in 2019-2020 and to the league semi-final in the 2023-2024 season.

Eagles majority owner Irwin Simon said:

"We are appreciative of everything Matt has done for our team over the past six seasons. His passion and love for the game and for the Eagles was evident since the first day he stepped behind the bench at Centre 200. We are pleased to see him take the next steps in his career and we wish him the best of luck in the future. "

Eagles general manager Sylvain Couturier said:

"We are very happy for Matt that he has been given this opportunity to jump to a pro league. He has put in a lot of time and effort with our organization over the last six years so it is great that it has brought him to where he is today."

On his departure, Anthony said:

"This was a very difficult decision to make. Cape Breton has become home for me and I have built a life here over the past six years. However, the opportunity to make the jump to professional hockey with Louis is something I'm extremely excited for. I want to thank Irwin, Trevor and the entire Simon family for giving me the opportunity to coach Major Junior hockey. I also want to thank every member of both the hockey ops and business staff, both past and present, that I have had the privilege of working with over the years. To see where the organization is today is a testament to the hard work of a lot of people. I especially want to thank one guy in particular, the guy who was with me every day for all six years and has become one of my best friends, Aidan "Diesel" Rafuse. A huge thank you to all of the players, both past and present, for helping me become a better coach. And of course, thank you to the entire community and our amazing fans for taking in a mainlander and making him feel right at home on this beautiful island. It truly has been an honour to be part of this organization and community, thank you again to everyone who has helped make it such an amazing experience for me."

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from July 10, 2025


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