PORT HAWKESBURY: The Cabot Highlanders, a new Minor Midget AAA team being established in the Strait area, could be on the ice as early as this fall.
“I was approached about three months ago by Brian MacInnis [president of the Cape Breton West Major Midget Islanders] and Mike Stewart [president of the Nova Major Bantams] and we feel like there’s a void in the development of players who’ve played a high level of hockey,” said Danny Demone, the newly-minted president of the Highlanders.
“There are some Bantam AAA players and some Midget players who never got recognized because they fell through the cracks their first year of Midget Major.”
The 2017-18 hockey year was the first season for the provincial Minor Midget league, and six players from the local area played on that level – but they didn’t do so locally. They traveled to Pictou to play with that community’s Minor Midget squad. That franchise hasn’t been renewed for 2018-19.
This season, it looks like a Minor Midget AAA in the local area would be competitive. A total of 14 players are graduating from the Novas but only six are graduating from the Islanders. In other words, there are only so many openings for Major Bantams looking to join the Major Midget squad.
“This will provide an opportunity for players to develop at an elite level,” said Islander President, Brian MacInnis. “This will enhance and complement our program similar to how the Major Bantams contribute to our on-ice product.”
While still in the planning stages, the Highlanders have an executive dedicated to making the team a reality. Demone is serving as president, Brian Tracey has joined on as general manager, and Heather Brophy-Brennan has signed on in a media relations role.
“I’m exciting to have the chance to help develop some of our talented hockey players,” Tracey said. “Over the years I’ve seen many of our athletes mature from Novice and Atom programs into leaders in the Major Midget and Junior divisions and beyond.”
Tracey said he’s happy to announce the man who’ll be coaching the Highlanders. It’s a former Islander player who Tracey coached, when he was a member of the bench staff of Major Midget team.
“Donnie Grant will be the head coach, and we’re pretty firmed-up on the guys who’ll be working with him,” Tracey said. “We’re excited about Donnie coming on board. He has a great pedigree and background in hockey and coaching.”
The team’s name is meant to reflect the geography from Cape Breton to Antigonish. The squad will welcome players (15 and 16-year-olds) from the hockey associations of Strait-Richmond, Cape Breton West, Antigonish, and Canso.
The team will host an ID Camp on April 28-29 in the Antigonish Arena. The Islanders coaching staff will assist with the camp. All players who fall into the appropriate age range are invited to attend. The fee will be $50 for the two days, with the camp running from 6:30-8:30pm each day.
Tracey said he’s happy to have the Islander coaches helping out.
“They’re invested in this team as a feeder system,” Tracey said. “I think it’ll be really beneficial to the people going through.”
For information on the upcoming ID Camp, parents/guardians are invited to email cabot.highlanders@gmail.com.