Truro Bearcats (junior)

This article is about the Junior "A" team. For the Allan Cup-winning Senior team, see: Truro Bearcats or for the Junior team from the 1930's, see Truro Bearcats (original junior)

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Truro Bearcats
City:	Truro, Nova Scotia
League:	Maritime Junior A Hockey League
Division:	Bent
Founded:	1997
Home Arena:	Rath Eastlink Community Centre
Colors:	Black, Red and White
Owner(s):	Stu Rath
General Manager:	Shawn Evans
Head Coach:	Shawn Evans
Affiliates:	Brookfield Elks (NSJHL)

The Truro Bearcats are a Junior "A" team based out of Truro, Nova Scotia. The Bearcats are one of six Nova Scotian teams in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League.

History

The Truro Bearcats were formed in 1997 as a member of the Maritime Jr A Hockey League. The Bearcats have stayed competitive over their franchise history, they have never had a losing record, and have never missed the playoffs. The new Bearcat franchise of 1997 marked the return of junior hockey to Truro and the Bearcats return to the Maritime Junior A Hockey League.

When the Maritime Junior A Hockey League was known as the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League, the Bearcats would win five championships. Three back to back from 1969-70 to 1971-72. The Bearcats would win two more in 1973-74 and 1975-76. In 1977 the league became a Junior "A" league and the Bearcats left the league in 1983. In total the Bearcats have won seven league championships. Five with the former Junior "B" franchise and two with the 1997 franchise.

In 2002 the Truro Bearcats played in their first Fred Page Cup as the host squad, They made two other appearances as MJAHL champions, one in 2005, at a tournament hosted in Yarmouth Nova Scotia, and one in 2007 Saint-Jérôme Quebec. The Bearcats have never played in a Fred Page Cup final.

The season of 2008/09 saw the Bearcats take their third Division Championship and third Provincial Championship in five seasons. The Bearcats would be defeated by the Summerside Western Capitals in the league final four games to one.

Logo and Jersey

The Truro Bearcats primary logo is large T representing the history of sports in the town. Their secondary logo features a bearcat jumping.

2009-present

This new jersey unveiled in the 2009-10 season features a large T on the front and the design of the Boston Bruins from 1995-2007.

1997-2009

The logo is similar to that of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. The Bearcats' old jersey is that of the Buffalo Sabres from 1996/97 - 2005/06.

Seasons and Franchise Records

Season-By-Season results

Season	GP	W	L	T	OL/ SL	GF	GA	P	Results (Division)	Results (League)	Playoffs
1997-98	51	27	18	4	2	253	207	60	2nd Maurice Bent	4th MJAHL	Lost Division Final
1998-99	48	31	16	1	-	222	154	63	3rd Maurice Bent	4th MJAHL
1999-00	52	32	17	3	0	231	180	67	3rd Maurice Bent	4th MJAHL
2000-01	52	22	21	7	2	202	201	53	3rd Maurice Bent	6th MJAHL
2001-02	52	28	16	6	2	195	155	64	2nd Maurice Bent	3rd MJAHL
2002-03	52	34	14	2	2	211	164	72	1st Maurice Bent	2nd MJAHL
2003-04	52	33	10	7	2	193	146	75	2nd Maurice Bent	2nd MJAHL
2004-05	56	24	15	12	5	183	159	65	2nd Maurice Bent	4th MJAHL	Won League, Lost at Fred Page Cup
2005-06	56	28	20	0	8	193	166	64	4th Maurice Bent	7th MJAHL	Lost Preliminary
2006-07	58	42	12	0	4	257	138	88	1st Maurice Bent	1st MJAHL	Won League, 4th at Fred Page Cup
2007-08	58	37	11	-	10	210	138	84	2nd Maurice Bent	4th MJAHL	Lost 1st Round
2008-09	54	36	12	-	6	212	127	78	1st Maurice Bent	2nd MJAHL	Lost Final
2009-10	50	37	7	-	6	214	104	80	1st Maurice Bent	2nd MJAHL	Lost Division Final
2011-12	52	29	20	-	3	190	155	61	3rd Maurice Bent	4th MHL	Lost Quarter-final
2012-13	52	38	9	-	5	226	124	81	1st Eastlink	2nd MHL	Lost final, Won Fred Page Cup, 5th at Royal Bank Cup
2013-14	52	38	11	-	3	243	131	79	1st Eastlink	1st MHL	Won league, 3rd at Fred Page Cup
2014-15	48	25	19	-	4	180	154	54	4th Eastlink	8th MHL	Lost League Final
2015-16	48	25	15	-	8	134	116	58	1st South	4th MHL	Lost South semifinal
Season	GP	W	L	OL	SL	GF	GA	P	Results (Division)	Results (League)	Playoffs
2016-17	50	35	13	1	1	196	154	72	2nd South	3rd MJAHL	League Playoff Champions Eliminated in Round Robin 2017 FPC
2017-18	50	28	20	1	1	150	130	58	4th South	6th MJAHL	L, DSF 3-4, (Mariners)
2018-19	50	24	21	2	3	135	158	53	4th South	7th MJAHL	L, DSF 0-4, (Mariners)
2019-20	52	26	18	8	-	170	166	60	4th South	T-7th MJAHL	Playoffs cancelled before start
2020-21	32	21	10	1	0	125	94	.672	2nd South	2nd MJAHL	Playoffs suspended
2021-22	36	19	15	2	0	116	111	40	3rd South	7th MJAHL	W, DSF 4-1 (Ramblers W, DF 4-3 (Wildcats) L, F 1-4 (Capitals)
2022-23	52	33	16	1	2	214	174	69	2nd South	4th MJAHL	W, DSF 4-2 (Wildcats) L, DF 0-4 (Mariners)
2023-24	52	25	21	4	2	212	193	56	5th South	9th MJAHL	Did not qualify

Season-by-Season leading point getters

Season	Name	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2005-06	T.J. Smith	52	41	24	65	30
2006-07	T.J. Smith	58	33	46	79	54
2007-08	Jon Reid	56	17	45	62	54
2008-09	Dana Fraser	52	24	36	60	28
2009-10	Dana Fraser	47	28	63	91	12

All-Time leading point getters

2nd All time leading scorer Jon Reid.

Name	G	A	PTS	Season(s)
Dana Fraser	69	124	193	2007-2010
Jon Reid	50	139	189	2006-2009
T.J. Smith	97	84	181	2004-2007
David MacBurnie	66	103	169	2003-2007
Derek Fields	57	108	165	1998-2001
Josh Boulton	85	79	164	1997-2000
Glenn Frazee	76	83	159	2001-2005
K.C. Brown	68	88	156	2005-2009
Stephen Horyl	56	92	148	2006-2009
Chris Ivanko	64	78	142	2007-2010
Matt Boulton	61	81	142	1997-1999

Franchise Records

Team Records for a single season
Statistic	Total	Season
Most Points	88	2006-07
Most Wins	42	2006-07
Most Goals For	257	2006-07
Least Goals For	183	2004-05
Least Goals Against	104	2009-10
Most Goals Against	201	2000-01

Franchise Individual Records

Player Records

Records Held By Players
Statistic	Record Holder	Total	Season(s)
Most Career Points	Dana Fraser	193	2007-10
Most Points (Single Season)	Dana Fraser	91	2009-10
Most Career Goals	T.J. Smith	97	2004-07
Most Goals (Single Season)	T.J. Smith	41	2005-06
Most Career Assists	Jon Reid	139	2006-09
Most Assists (Single Season)	Dana Fraser	63	2009-10
Most Career Penalized	Donald Johnstone	675	2000-03
Most Penalized (Single Season)	Jeremy Cornish	348	2002-03

Player and Staff Awards (Awarded By MJAHL)

Individual Awards won by Bearcat Players and Staff
Player	Award	Season(s)
Chris Wilcox	League MVP	1997-98
Chris Wilcox	Playoff MVP	1997-98
Mark Lynk	Most Sportsmanlike	1998-99
Josh Boulton	Most Sportsmanlike	1999-00
Donald Johnstone	Academic Achievement Award	2002-03
Matt Climie/Daniel Turner	Young/Knickle Trophy (GAA)	2003-04
Matt Climie	RBC Player of the Year	2003-04
Matt Climie	League MVP	2003-04
Matt Climie	Top goaltender	2003-04
Matt Iorianni	Playoff MVP	2004-05
Shawn Evans	Coach of the Year	2004-05, 2006-07, 2008-09
Victor Saari/Corey Chipman	Young/Knickle Trophy (GAA)	2005-06
Darcy Stewart/Kirk Rafuse	Young/Knickle Trophy (GAA)	2006-07
Jon Reid	Rookie of the Year	2006-07
Andrew Harmes	Academic Achievement Award	2006-07
Zach Sill	Playoff MVP	2006-07
Pierre Alexandre Marion/Luke Gallant	Young/Knickle Trophy (GAA)	2007-08
Stephen Horyl	Most Sportsmanlike	2007-08
Pierre Alexandre Marion	League MVP	2007-08
Pierre Alexandre Marion	Top Goaltender	2007-08
Richard Gagnon/Kirk Rafuse	Young/Knickle Trophy (GAA)	2008-09
Richard Gagnon/Kirk Rafuse/Alex Scola	Young/Knickle Trophy (GAA)	2009-10
Kirk Rafuse	Top Goaltender	2009-10
Dana Fraser	Most Sportsmanlike	2009-10

Captains

Name	Seasons
Bryant Fraser	2001-02
Captain	2002-03
Jim White	2003-04
Glenn Frazee	2004-05
Matt Beaver	2005-06, 2006-07
Rodi Short	2007-08
Sam Hounsell	2008-09
Ben MacAskill	2009-10

Notable alumni

The Truro Bearcats have had many players develop and pass through the organization. Many have gone on to play university hockey and major junior hockey. Truro has also had players move on to play in the National Hockey League or American Hockey League.

• David Brine
• Andrew MacDonald (ice hockey)
• Matt Climie
• Franklin MacDonald
• Zach Sill
• Stephen Horyl
• Sidney Crosby
• Mikael_Johansson_(ice_hockey_b._1985)

• Official Bearcats Web Site
• Town Of Truro Web Site
• Official MJAHL Web Site