It’s the beginning of a new year filled with man changes for the Rapids’ organization. Mathieu Martin has taken over duties as general manager while some important moves have been made to the team roster before the end of the trade deadline.
These changes reflect the direction the team intends to move forward in the short term and long term. It also shows that without pressing on the reset button, the organization has decided to take a different path towards the intention of building a winning team in Grand Falls.
Mathieu Martin, 31-years-old, replaces Danny Braun who had been with the Rapids since their arrival in Grand Falls. As a former MHL assistant coach with Amherst and Edmundston, Martin brings experience to the organization as he knows many of the young promising players coming up in the junior ranks. He is currently coach of the Moncton Flyers AAA U-18 team. He is also a former player, suiting up for the Dieppe Commandos of the MHL, the University of Moncton Blue Eagles and the St.Basile As at the senior level.
Martin is excited about the challenge and is looking forward to building a strong team while keeping the young core of players intact.
“We have a good structure in place here in Grand Falls and great personnel which should help us climb up the standings in the next few seasons”, mentions Martin.
“Our goal is to keep the 17, 18 and 19-year-old players and add players that can help the team. I do believe that we have a good culture. Players show that they can compete hard during every game, and they want to win and play in Grand Falls. Once we start winning, players will want to come and play for us”.
As for changes that were made to the lineup, they were quite significant. Jeremy D’Astousand Raphael Denis were the two most productive players at their position with the team this season, both accumulating points on a regular basis. They will both be missed, but a reminder that they were also 20-year-olds who were not returning to the team next season. The Rapids acquire in return from the Blizzard19-year-old forward Nathan Plamondon-Michaud, the rights to Aiden McCullough as well as 20-year-old defensemen Paul Slivca.The Rapids also signed defenseman Anton Topilnyckyj, an Oromocto native.
On Tuesday, the Rapids sent to the Valley Wildcats Caleb MacDonald, Ethan Kane, Dawson Grandy, Brody Harnum and two first round picks in the 2025 draft. The Rapids get in return the services of Liam Dutcher and the rights to Spencer Caines (traded afterwards to West Kent) and Noah Larochelle.
Then the latest trade involves the acquisitions of forwards Mederic Allard and Simon Bourque and defenseman Isaac Allard from the West Kent Steamers.
The Rapids started out the new year with an impressive home win against the Fredericton Red Wings on Friday night. And despite a hard-fought battle against the MiramichiTimberwolves on Saturday, the Rapids came up short after taking the lead in the game on three occasions.
It will be a busy week as the team travels to Nova Scotia to play Pictou County on Thursday and Truro the following night before ending their three-game trip in Fredericton on Sunday afternoon as they clash with the Red Wings one more time.
RAPIDS’ UPCOMING GAMES
Thursday January 9: Rapids vs Pictou County (7 pm)
Friday January 10: Rapids vs Truro (7 pm)
Sunday January 12: Rapids vs Fredericton (2 pm)
Patrick Thibault
TEAM STATS AFTER 32 GAMES (UPDATED)
*Overall record: 9-17-6 (24 points)
*Home record: 5-7-4 (14 points)
*Away record: 4-10-2 (10 points)
*Goals scored: 117 (8th in the league)
*Goals against: 139 (4th most in the league)
*Power play goals: 26 (3rd in Eastlink North)
*Shorthanded goals: 1
*Power play efficiency: 19.1% (7th in the league)
*Penalty kill: 75.5% (ranked 9th in the league)
*Penalty minutes: 606 (10th in the league)
INDIVIDUAL STATS AFTER 32 GAMES
*Points leader: Jonah Leard (46)
*Goals: Jonah Leard (20)
*Assists: Jonah Leard (26)
*Power play goals: Jonah Leard (7)
*Shorthanded goals: Patrick Baxter (1)
*Winning goals: Nathan Rhodes and Jonah Leard (3)
*Goals against averages by goaltenders:
Adam Lecours (3.99) / Loic Nadeau (3.83)
LEAGUE STANDINGS:
EASTLINK NORTH:
EASTLINK SOUTH:
Leading scorer: Dominik Godin (SWC) 31g 28a 59pts
Best Goals against average: Austin Caley(TRU) 2.18