Notebook: Wildcats honour Boutilier

MONCTON - Paul Boutilier was honoured before Game 5 of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League final on Friday at Avenir Centre.

The Moncton Wildcats held a moment of silence for Boutilier. It was announced on Thursday that the 63-year-old, who had been a defensive consultant with the Wildcats for the past two seasons, had passed away.

Before the game, the @monctonwildcats observed a moment of silence in memory of Paul Boutilier, who passed away yesterday. 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/pSYKUY9rAo

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 15, 2026

After the game, Wildcats head coach Gardiner MacDougall began his press conference with some words on Boutilier. The two worked together during Saint John's 2022 Memorial Cup run before teaming up again in Moncton.

''He's kind of a trailblazer for the defensive part of the game''

With his usual grace, Gardiner MacDougall paid a heartfelt tribute to the Paul Boutilier, the QMJHL and NHL Alumni who passed away 🕊️ @monctonwildcats pic.twitter.com/OTOkbaiKDT

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 16, 2026

Boutilier was an assistant coach with the Sea Dogs for two seasons, helping the club capture the 2017 QMJHL championship.

Saltwire has a story on Boutilier's death, which includes some quotes from former Sea Dogs general manager Darrell Young.

CAPITALS FALL IN FINAL

The host Summerside Western Capitals fell 4-1 to Manitoba's Niverville Nighthawks in the championship game of the Centennial Cup on Sunday.

The Nighthawks have only been around since the 2022-23 season and went 51-6-1 during the regular season. They went undefeated at the Centennial Cup, which included beating the Capitals twice.

Summerside outshot Niverville 35-20, including 12-3 in the third period.

The Capitals featured former Sea Dogs defenseman Matthew MacLean and goaltender Justin Robinson. This was the final game of junior hockey for the 20-year-old MacLean, who spent the past two seasons with the Sea Dogs.

MacLean finished the tournament with a goal and three assists in seven games. Robinson appeared in three games – including a couple minutes of Sunday's game – and allowed seven goals on 58 total shots.

Summerside was looking to win their second national championship and first since 1997 – a team that was coached by Gerard Gallant. An Atlantic Canadian team has not won the Centennial Cup since the Halifax Oland Exports in 2002.

DRAFT RANKINGS

In Cory Pronman's latest NHL Draft listings at The Athletic, Sea Dogs forward Olivers Murnieks was ranked 67th.

"Murnieks is a dependable two-way center," writes Pronman. "He's a good skater who plays with pace. His compete level is excellent; he wins a lot of battles and generates offense in the high percentage areas. Murnieks' style of play is likable, but whether he has enough pure talent is a minor question. He has some skill and vision, but it's not a selling point of his game, and he can be quite basic with the puck."

Murnieks is currently playing with Latvia at the IIHF World Championship in Switzerland.

OTHER THINGS

• Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie shared his thoughts on the passing of Paul Boutilier.

  I’m devastated by the loss of Boots. He was integral in two championships together. He was smart, funny, a great storyteller and a passionate teacher. He was a wonderful man. The world, not just the hockey world, lost an incredible person today. The Sea Dogs love you Boots. https://t.co/ihg6nG3tXY

  — Trevor Georgie (@georgietrev) May 15, 2026

• 20-year-old forward JJ Monteiro, who was a 12th-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft, is captaining the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede. The Stampede currently lead the Muskegon Lumberjacks 2-0 in the best-of-five USHL final. Monteiro has six goals and six assists in 12 playoff games, placing him second in league scoring.
• A Sunday night to forget for Maritimes sports fans: the Moncton Wildcats lost Game 6 of the QMJHL final and were eliminated; the Halifax Thunderbirds lost Game 2 of the NLL final and were eliminated; and the Summerside Western Capitals lost in the championship game of the Centennial Cup.
• According to the TSN broadcast, the Chicoutimi Saguenéens ended the QMJHL's longest championship drought on Sunday, winning their first title since 1994. The next longest championship droughts belong to the Cape Breton Eagles and Baie-Comeau Drakkar, who have never won since their franchises began in 1997-98.
• What an atmosphere inside the Georges Vezina Centre.

  Scenes from the Centre Georges-Vézina as the @SagueneensLHJMQ capture their first @QMJHL title since 1994
  
  Mon corps tremble de l'intérieur à cause du bruit!!! pic.twitter.com/gRtKiQLEua

  — Mavs Gillis (@eastlinkmavs) May 18, 2026

• Moncton Wildcats forward Gabe Smith as named QMJHL playoff MVP. He's the second straight Wildcats forward and second straight Utah Mammoth prospect to win the honour after Caleb Desnoyers won it last year.
• Long-time QMJHL fans were no doubt reminded of this by the Wildcats' plays on Sunday.

  #TBT to when Clément Jodoin and the Rimouski Oceanic made 16 straight passes in the defensive zone to make fun of the Montreal Juniors and Pascal Vincent defensive system #BecauseItsTheQ pic.twitter.com/5otdKqD6Cu

  — Jérôme Bérubé (@Jerome_Berube) March 5, 2020

• Blainville-Boisbriand Armada defenseman Xavier Villeneuve, who is expected to be picked early in this year's NHL Draft, will play at Boston University for the 2026-27 season, it was confirmed Friday.

  ‼️🚨BREAKING🚨‼️
  
  The Boston University Terriers have received a commitment from Xavier Villeneuve!
  🅱️🐾
  
  Projected 1st Rounder in the #2026NHLDraft
  
  The ‘07 born Defenseman from Laval, Quebec had 38 points in 37 GP during the 2025-26 season for @ArmadaBLB pic.twitter.com/er21KkNL3J

  — College Puck NXT (@CollegePuckNXT) May 15, 2026

• Another big blow for the WHL as defenseman Carson Carels, projected to be a top pick in this year's NHL Draft, has committed to play at the University of North Dakota next season. Carels has spent the past two seasons with the Prince George Cougars.