Pictou County Scotians feel they are ready to challenge for NS Jr. Championship | NSJHL

Pictou County Scotians feel they are ready to challenge for NS Jr. Championship

Posted on August 31, 2025

By Dan Boyd

Pictou County Scotians feel they are ready to challenge for NS Jr. Championship

Pictou County Scotians Head Coach Chris Hatchard believes he has the necessary nucleus to bring home an NS Junior Championship title to Pictou County in April 2026.

Hatchard said, “if we play consistent hockey night in and night out, do plenty of forechecking while playing a physical style of hockey, I am confident we will be i it until the end. The Scotians last won a NS Junior Championship in 2016-2017 when they defeated the Liverpool Privateers.

Hatchard said, “We are feeling great with the League Scoring Champion from 23-24, Nate Supryk,a back after an injury-plagued 24-25 season.” In addition, “we have added two new players in Chris Jordan and Sam Mattison, who I feel will be an added strength with both having played high school hockey in Halifax as well as some Triple AAA Midget.”

The Scotians are losing offensive juggernaut Matt Carson, along with Kale McLaughlin, Brandon Connors, and Keegan Macumber due to age restrictions this season, but, on top of having Supryka back, Pictou will also have 7 returning defencemen led by Drew MacKinnon and Carter Hood, and the league scoring champion from 24-25, Lane Lochead. Added to the Scotians' strength this season will be the return of #1 goaltender Eli James, who played absolutely brilliantly many times last season.

The Scotians will be on the ice four times this week, which will include a pair of exhibition games against Antigonish and Brookfield.

Pictou opens the 2025-26 NSJHL Season Sept 12 against arch-rival the Antigonish Jr. Bulldogs in Antigonish before returning home to play the Brookfield Elks Sunday, Sept 14th.

In the opening two months of the season, the Scotians will play 12 games, five at home and seven on the road.

Pictou County Scotians feel they are ready to challenge for NS Jr. Championship

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