Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
| Cape Breton Screaming Eagles | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| League | Quebec Major Junior Hockey League |
| Conference | Telus |
| Division | Telus Maritimes |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Home arena | Centre 200 |
| Colours | Black, white, gold and grey |
| General manager | Marc-André Dumont |
| Head coach | Marc-André Dumont |
| Website | www.capebretoneagles.com |
| Franchise history | |
| 1969–1977 | Sorel Éperviers |
| 1977–1979 | Verdun Éperviers |
| 1979–1980 | Sorel/Verdun Éperviers |
| 1980–1981 | Sorel Éperviers |
| 1981–1995 | Granby Bisons |
| 1995–1997 | Granby Prédateurs |
| 1997–present | Cape Breton Screaming Eagles |
The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Their home rink is Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
The franchise was granted to the Sorel Eperviers (Black Hawks) for the 1969–70 season. They then moved from Sorel to Verdun in 1977 to become the Verdun Eperviers. In 1979, they played in both Sorel and Verdun before moving back to Sorel for the next season. In 1981, they moved to Granby to become the Granby Bisons, and in 1995 changed their names to the Granby Prédateurs. In 1996, the Prédateurs won the Memorial Cup. In 1997, they moved to Sydney to become the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Prior to the Eagles' arrival, Sydney played host to the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Cape Breton Oilers from 1988 to 1996.
The Screaming Eagles' very first captain was Daniel Payette under coach Dany Dubé. They had very poor success in their first few seasons and often had difficulty earning respect around the League, with some players not wanting to come to Cape Breton or complaining while they were there. As enforcers were more common in the League at the time, the Screaming Eagles often made up for lack of skill by having an abundance of fighters.
The turn of the new millennium brought some hope to the Screaming Eagles franchise, as new Head Coach and General Manager Pascal Vincent was able to slowly turn things around. Some hardship continued when the Screaming Eagles attempted to strengthen the club by drafting future National Hockey League (NHL) star Ilya Kovalchuk tenth overall in the 2000 CHL Import Draft. Kovalchuk, however, declined to report to the team. Along with star players Marc-André Fleury, Dominic Noel, Stuart MacRae, and Stephen Dixon, the Screaming Eagles reached the QMJHL's conference final in 2002, only to lose in five games to Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Fleury's number 29 jersey went on to be retired by the Screaming Eagles in 2008. Kovalchuk's number 71 was retired in 2014, though it was soon revealed to be an April Fool's joke.
...
Wikipedia