Mercer & Fontaine Added as Affiliate Players
November 29, 2023 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Halifax Mooseheads News Release
Halifax Mooseheads General Manager Cam Russell added a pair of 19-year-old players from the Maritime Hockey League to his list of Affiliate Players on Wednesday. The Mooseheads now have the rights to forward Ben Mercer of the Pictou County Weeks Crushers and goalie Thomas Fontaine of the Yarmouth Mariners. The moves give the Mooseheads additional experience and depth on the roster and the players will be made available for call-up when needed.
"These are two players that have had a lot of success in the past couple of years and will be able to help our team this season," Russell said.
Mercer, a New Glasgow, NS native, was originally drafted by Baie-Comeau in the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft and later traded to Moncton where he suited up in three games. He was named the MHL's Rookie of the Year in 2022-23 after he led all rookies with 54 points in 48 games. He has continued at a great pace this season and is ninth in MHL scoring with 33 points in 21 games played with 16 goals and 17 assists. Mercer shoots left and is 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds.
Fontaine hails from Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, QC on the west island of Montreal. He is playing in his first year with Yarmouth after two seasons of Cégep in the QCHL in Rouyn-Noranda. He was named the MHL's Goaltender of the Month for October and is third in the league with a .925 save percentage and fifth with a 2.84 goals against average. The 6-foot-1, 181 pound Fontaine was a 12th round pick of the Gatineau Olympiques in 2021. Both Fontaine and Mercer recently represented the MHL at the Eastern Canada Cup All Star Challenge in Trenton, ON which features the top Junior "A" prospects from across Canada.
Here's a look at how all all 13 Mooseheads' official affiliates are doing this season:
NAME POS ACQUIRED TEAM GP G A PTS PIMS
Eddy Doyle D Draft: 4th RD - 75th - 2023 Kensington Wild U18 13 7 6 13 0
Jameson George* D Draft: 8th RD - 147th - 2023 Rothesay Netherwood 5 0 1 1 7
Hugo Boucher D Draft 6th RD - 101st - 2022 Cegep Outaouais Griffons 13 2 6 8 36
Ryan Hayes D Free Agent Miramichi Timberwolves MHL 19 0 1 1 21
Ryan Fletcher** D Free Agent Truro Bearcats/Valley Wildcats U18 22 0 11 11 8
Ben Wallace F Draft: 14th RD - 243rd - 2021 Valley Wildcats MHL 13 4 2 6 28
Justin Breton F Draft: 9th RD - 155th - 2022 Cegep Beauce-Appalaches Condors 19 5 11 16 8
Liam Welsh F Draft: 11th RD - 189th - 2021 Truro Bearcats MHL 20 11 11 22 6
Aidan Bent F Free Agent Valley Wildcats U18 17 11 13 24 34
Ben Mercer F Free Agent Pictou County Weeks Crushers MHL 21 16 17 33 18
NAME POS ACQUIRED TEAM GP W-L GAA SAVE % SO
Sam Madgett G Draft: 10th RD - 183rd - 2023 Halifax Macs U18 9 6-1-0 1.72 0.940 0
Olivier St-Onge G Draft: 8th RD - 134th - 2023 Fredericton Caps U18 10 4-5-0 3.20 0.906 1
Thomas Fontaine G Free Agent Yarmouth Mariners MHL 11 7-1-3 2.84 0.925 2
* Missed time with a broken wrist
** Combined numbers between U18 & MHL. Fletcher was traded to Valley Wildcats of the MHL on Wednesday
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 29, 2023
- Armada Stage Comeback in OT Defeat of Halifax - Halifax Mooseheads
- Eagles Finish Home Stand with Shootout Win Over Bathurst - Cape Breton Eagles
- Thursday Is Hockey Fights Cancer Night vs Sea Dogs - Moncton Wildcats
- Four QMJHL Officials Selected for the NHL Officials' Camp - QMJHL
- Mercer & Fontaine Added as Affiliate Players - Halifax Mooseheads
- Patrick MacNeil Celebrates 10 Years as Eagles Play-By-Play Commentator - Cape Breton Eagles
- Three-Game Quebec Road Trip Starts Tonight - Halifax Mooseheads
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