Around the rinks: catching up with all things hockey in Glengarry and beyond
A review of hockey seasons for local teams and skaters plying their skills on pro rinks
With spring conditions having arrived in Glengarry County, it’s time to look back on the 2024-25 hockey season for teams and skaters with links to our region.
Junior B league: EOJHL
The Barkley Cup Championship is currently underway, with the Ottawa Jr Canadians and the Carleton Place Jr Canadians knotted at two games apiece. The Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League final series is a best-of-seven affair, with games five and six set for tomorrow and Sunday, respectively. Should a seventh contest be needed, it will be played next Tuesday.
Our Glengarry Brigade, which skated through its first campaign under that banner, qualified for the Junior B playoffs, going the distance in the five-game Martin Division wild card series. The finale, played on February 28, saw the Brigade edge the statistically favoured Embrun Panthers 2-1 to advance.
Glengarry fell behind in the first period, battling back in the second stanza on goals from Kale Grant (assisted by Manny Benoit and Reid Cunning) and Nolan MacMillan (Matheason Cameron and Edouard Ranger).
The boys next tangled with the defending champion Casselman Vikings in the Martin Division semifinal round, and it was a quick one, as the Brigade went down in four straight games. Scores were 5-1, 5-2, 4-2, and 4-1. Tallying the Glengarry markers were Connor MacDonald with two, Declan McDonald, Cameron, Derek Larocque, and Grant.
For more Glengarry Brigade news, scroll further down in this post.
The Vikings advanced to the division finals, facing off against the Ottawa Jr Canadians who took Casselman down in seven games.
Senior A league: EOSHL
The North Dundas Rockets, based in Chesterville, won the 2025 Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League (senior A) championship over the Smith Falls Rideaus, capping off the triumph on April 6 with a 7-6 victory in the Rideaus’ home barn.
Playing in front of over 1300 fans, the Rockets snagged their third title in the last four seasons, having also won in 2022 and 2023.
Our county entrant in the senior A loop is the Glengarry Pipers, whose home base is Alexandria. The Pipers won just 4 of their 20 games during the 2024-25 season, the second fewest in the league. Glengarry finished the regular season fourth in the Seaway Division, which includes the Rockets and the South Stormont Mustangs who formerly played out of Maxville but now call Long Sault home.
The Pipers were quickly bounced in the opening round of the EOSHL playoffs by the North Dundas squad.
Junior C league: NCJHL
The National Capital Junior Hockey League (junior C) season concluded on April 4 when the Gatineau Hull Volant beat the Vankleek Hill Cougars 6-1 to snag the championship.
The Cougars had a stellar regular season, amassing 23 victories from 34 games played, good for third place overall in the league. Only Gatineau (30) and the Westport Rideaus (24) had more.
To advance to the championship series, Vankleek Hill got past the Metcalfe Jets (5-0, 6-2, 5-3, 5-3) and the Westport Rideaus (4-3, 3-4, 4-3, 4-6, 7-4, 3-4, 4-1).
The finals lasted five games, with the Cougars’ lone victory coming in the second match, 5-4. The other results, all losses for Vankleek Hill, were 4-1, 3-2, 4-1, and 6-1.
North Dundas’ playoff run lasted two series, with the Rockets eventually bounced by the Volant. The Rockets won their playoff-opening series over the St. Isidore Eagles in seven games, before Gatineau made it quick, finishing off North Dundas in four.
Spink twins
South Glengarry twins Tylor Spink and Tyson Spink have been plying their trade in Europe for several seasons, most recently with Schwenninger Wild Wings in the DEL, Germany’s top league.
The 32-year-old brothers, who hail from South Glengarry, recently completed their fifth season with the Wild Wings.
Tyson recorded 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 52 regular-season games during the 2024-25 campaign.
Tylor notched 38 (13 goals, 25 assists) points in 47 regular-season games, adding one assist in the playoffs.
Earlier this month, the Wild Wings announced that the dynamic twin duo has been re-signed for the 2025-26 season.
The team’s news release notes that the twins topped the team in scoring. Tylor is described as a “playmaker” while Tyson is characterized as a “shooter” and “closing player.” Together, the Spinks “have developed an almost blind understanding on the ice over the time together and complement each other excellently in their playing characteristics” (English translation of the original German text).
Tylor is quoted as saying, “I am so happy to be back in the jersey I can call my home. My wife and I are overjoyed to be here again in Schwenningen and creating lasting memories. As far as ice hockey is concerned, I will continue to do everything to be successful as a team. I can't wait to be back for another unforgettable season in August.”
His brother added, “It is a great feeling that I was able to sign my contract extension ... The last five years have been fantastic and my wife and I consider this place to be our second home. My team colleagues, employees, sponsors, and the great fans here in Schwenninger made the decision easy for me and it is an honour for me to wear the jersey for a sixth year. I will now have a great offseason with training and prepare for the coming season.”
The team’s managing director, Stefan Wagner, commented, “Knowing our two top scorers [are returning] next year is a good building block in our overall planning. We trust that the boys will keep their level and consistently play at the top [of their game.”
The twins began their junior hockey careers in Williamstown, playing for the Char-Lan Rebels (junior B) in the 2008-09 season, before moving up to skate at the junior A level with the Cornwall Colts. Their skills earned them scholarships to Colgate University in New Yorks, where they played four years with the NCAA Raiders.
The brothers, who typically play on a forward line together, got their first taste of professional hockey following the completion of the 2015-16 collegiate season, joining the Toledo (Ohio) Walleye of the ECHL for a handful of spring 2016 games. Tylor was also loaned to the AHL Toronto Marlies for two matches.
They continued to be members of the Walleye during the 2016-17 season, which would end up being their last in North America. That winter saw Tylor loaned to the AHL again, this time for five games (Milwaukee Admirals 1, Albany Devils 3, and Grand Rapids Griffins 1).
The fall of 2017 saw the twins relocate to Sweden, where they played for two season. They followed that with one winter in Finland, before moving on to join the Wild Wings in Germany.
Remi Elie in Sweden
Green Valley’s Remi Elie grew up playing hockey in the Alexandria Minor Hockey Association, and found himself last season playing in Sweden as a member of the Linköping HC. The 29-year-old forward recorded 26 points through 49 games in Sweden’s top ice hockey league. It was his third winter in the Nordic country, and it was announced last month that he inked a new deal for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.
Elie’s professional hockey career started in 2015 when he was a member of the AHL Texas Stars, Dallas’ farm team. He toiled in the American Hockey League for seven seasons, with stops in Rochester and Syracuse. In all, he played 287 games in the AHL.
The power forward also suited up for 107 NHL games with the Dallas Stars, Buffalo Sabres, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
His first season in Sweden was the 2022-23 campaign, when he was a member of the Färjestad BK.
Quoted in the press release announcing his re-signing, Elie stated, “Of course I’m very happy and excited to extend with Linköping Hockey Club. The city means a lot to me and my family, not least when we had our first child here. [Last season was] not been the best year for the team, but I have strong confidence in the future that we can do something good here.”
France welcomes Mathieu Desautels
Meanwhile, another former resident of Green Valley found himself in France last season. Mathieu Desautels, a 30-year-old defenceman, was a member of Brest in the country’s second tier pro league. He dressed for 36 games (regular and post season) during the 2024-25 season, recording 26 points.
For Desautels, last season was his fourth playing professional hockey in Europe and beyond. Aside from his time in France, he has also skated in Italy, Germany, and Australia.
His pro career followed four years of U-Sports hockey as a member of the Concordia University Stingers for whom he played in 78 games.
Prior to that, Desautels competed in Quebec’s top junior hockey league for two seasons with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
Joe Vrbetic
Goaltender Joe Vrbetic spent his formative years in North Glengarry, going on to a stellar 96-game career in the OHL with the North Bay Battalion.
Prior to the 2022-23 hockey season, he was signed into the Montreal Canadiens development system, beginning his professional career that fall. One the course of that winter, Vrbetic suited up for 4 AHL games with the Laval Rocket and 28 with the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL.
The following season he continued his netminding duties with the Lions, dressing for 33 games while recording 0.891 save percentage.
Last season, as a free agent, he signed with the ECHL Indy Fuel for whom he played 12 games before being traded back to the Lions
The highlight of his pro career came during the 2023-24 season when he nabbed ECHL goaltender of the week honours for the week ending November 5.
Glengarry Brigade news
The Glengarry Brigade has been busy already through the early portion of the off-season. First, the team bid adieu to general manager and head coach Grant Cooper who has accepted a new role in the CCHL.
For the 2025-26 season, the club’s second following amalgamation of the Alexandria Glens and Char-Lan Rebels, the Glengarry Brigade will have a new head coach behind the bench. He is Glen Denney who will draw on his more than 20 years of coaching experience.
From the team’s announcement, Denney “believes in a high-tempo, disciplined game where every player contributes to both offence and defence.”
On March 29, the team held its first ever awards banquet, at the Char-Lan Rec Centre in Williamstown.
Connor MacDonald, who had previously been named the EOJHL Defenceman of the Year, nabbed team honours as Most Valuable Player, as Best Defenceman, and for Most Points.
The Rookie of the Year trophy was presented to Kale Grant. Mike Fournier was recognized as Most Improved, and Declan McDonald was honoured as MVP of the Playoffs. Derek Larocque earned the award for Sportsmanship and Playing Ability.
The Hunter MacPherson Award for Most Effective & Dedicated Player went to Nolan MacMillan, and the Top Defensive Forward trophy was presented to Tyler Sauvé.
The Brigade organization expressed “a heartfelt thanks” to the group of graduating players: Tyler Sauvé, Connor Macdonald, Declan McDonald, Cedric Mailloux and Nolan MacMillan. Club staff thanked the veterans for their “hard work, dedication, and unforgettable contributions to the team.”
Tyler Sauve played 4 seasons in the EOJHL with the Alexandria Glens and the Glengarry Brigade.
Connor Macdonald played 5 seasons in the EOJHL, skating for the Embrun Panthers, Glens, and Brigade.
Declan McDonald played 3 and a half seasons in the EOJHL as a member of the Char-Lan Rebels and Brigade. He also skated for half a season in the LHJAAA (Quebec).
Cedric Mailloux played 1 season of junior hockey in Quebec followed by 2 seasons in the EOJHL with the Glens and Brigade.
Nolan MacMillan played 5 years in the EOJHL, suiting up for the Rebels and Brigade.
Looking ahead, now that a new head coach has been nabbed, the team has scheduled a summer pre-camp event in Cornwall. The skating sessions are slated for June 13 and 14. More details are available on the Brigade website.