New player joins Mooseheads while they are red-hot, ranked top team in CHL

A new player will be in town, for the big showdown at home for the CHL’s number one ranked team.

The Halifax Mooseheads take on first-place Baie-Comeau Thursday night.

The Herd have won 10 straight entering the contest.

Joining the team on the ice will be Ontario native Ethan Larmand.

The 20-year-old, 6-foot, 185 lb, centreman from Midland has been a member of the Sudbury Wolves since 2019 since the team made him the 26th overall pick in the OHL’s Priority Selection Draft and has filled the vacant overage roster position.

Larmand served as Alternate Captain for the Sudwory Wolves for the last two seasons. He appeared in 14 games this season and added three goals and one assist. The Mooseheads say, with 934 career face-offs wins, he will imediately address an area of need for the team.

“We’re very happy to add Ethan to our lineup.  He is a character guy who plays well at both ends of the ice and will give us some extra veteran leadership in the dressing room,” said General Manager Cam Russell.

Huge momentum 

Local sports broadcaster Logan Delaney says the Mooseheads are the talk of the town.

“The buzz around hockey last year in Halifax was pretty high with the World Juniors, and with the Mooseheads going to the Quebec-league final. That has carried through. Attendance is up, north of 9,000 every night. They’ve sold a record number of season tickets too,” said Delaney.

They’re led by forward Jordan Dumais and goalie Mathis Rousseau.

Dumais set the Mooseheads franchise record for most career points earlier this month.

“Dumais coming back from the Columbus Blue Jackets kicked in a new level of buzz too. He’s a cheat code out there, he turns it on out there at will. It was only a matter of time for him to break that record, and he’s earned it.”

Last month, Rousseau became the first Mooseheads goaltender to score a goal, when he found the empty net during a game at Scotiabank Centre.

He also leads the league in wins with 15, and is near the top in goals-against-average and save percentage.

Both should get Team Canada’s consideration for next month’s World Juniors.

Delaney says captain Jake Furlong could also get a look.

He calls Thursday night’s game against the Drakkar a measuring stick, and Halifax wants to see how they stack up against the Q-league leaders.