Yahoo Sports 
Halifax Mooseheads’ Cam Russell looks to load up at QMJHL meetings
Picture Halifax Mooseheads GM Cam Russell as a pivotal figure in the Quebec League this week.
The QMJHL is unique with how its June entry draft is essentially the unofficial kickoff for the following season, with the league's trade window opening on Friday, the eve of the draft itself. The Mooseheads, along with the Quebec Remparts, who they came back to beat in the playoffs after going down 3-0 in the series, have the league's best young roster. While Russell has said their goal is to be a top-tier team for several seasons, the 2012-13 year will be a golden opportunity for the Mooseheads since there's no certainly of whether phenom Nathan MacKinnon will return to junior after next summer's NHL draft. On top of that, there is often a power vacuum the season after the league hosts the MasterCard Memorial Cup since some teams have to rebuild or retool. So yes, Halifax is probably looking to add an overager.
From Matthew Wuest:
Among the names rumoured to be available are Ben Duffy of the P.E.I. Rocket, Stephen MacAulay, Kevin Gagne and Pierre Durepos of the Saint John Sea Dogs and Stefan Fournier and Brandon Hynes of the Victoriaville Tigres.
Russell, however, isn't naming any names, saying only that he is looking for someone who "can come in and help us up front" and that he's "very close on one deal and there are a few others we're working on."
But one thing is crystal clear. With the stinging loss of do-everything captain Cameron Critchlow, Russell covets grit, leadership and all-around play more than skill and scoring ability.
"If you look at the Memorial Cup, some of the best players were guys like Critchlow," Russell said. "Character, hard-working guys who were able to get the job done. Some of the skilled guys struggled." (Metro Halifax)
Not saying it will happen, but it would be something if Duffy or MacAulay ended up in Halifax. MacAulay fits the above description much better, for what it is worth. Duffy has earned his 'great junior scorer' badge with back-to-back 80-point seasons for the P.E.I. Rocket.
Each veteran forward hails from the Halifax area, so there's an obvious storyline if either joins the oldest Maritime franchise as it guns for its first league championship. The Mooseheads have been close twice. In 2003, they lost the QMJHL final to Hull and lost again two seasons later to the Sidney Crosby-led Rimouski Océanic.
For Russell, this is a culmination of a rebuilding that began at the 2009 draft. He told Wuest some QMJHL GMs are asking an arm and a leg — "I think they think the Cup is in Quebec again next year with what they're asking for their guys" — but the Mooseheads are well-stocked to swing a big deal.
From Willy Palov:
Because of the groundwork he laid during the building years, Russell has the assets to sacrifice to improve his team's position. He seemed confident he would add a veteran winger with size and skill this weekend for an affordable price because of the strength of his bargaining position. After that, he is open to just about anything.
"Like anything, you have to give up some good hockey players or some high draft picks to get pieces that you want," Russell said. "We've got a first-round pick and some good hockey players so we do have the assets if we want to make some moves. We're prepared to do that but we also feel like we don't have to make a deal we're not comfortable with." (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)
No doubt a few QMJHL teams' rosters will look radically different by around 3 p.m. on Saturday. Along with the Mooseheads, the Remparts and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have been cast as early favourites to contend next season.
Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.
