There's no doubt Montreal is a great hockey town and that the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in the hearts of its inhabitants. But many organizations and programs have contributed to the great hockey culture in the city and across the province.
Concordia University and its predecessors – Loyola College and Sir George Williams University - are pleased to have played a role in the success and development of the game in Quebec. And now we celebrate a new level of elite hockey coming to the university this fall. An interuniversity men’s club team will take to the ice at the Ed Meagher Arena.
The new hockey program was presented to the Concordia Student Union who supported the initiative and granted it club status.
It will offer the opportunity to compete at a high level and to hone and develop skills. The team will play an exhibition schedule versus Cégep teams and university club teams. Concordia also hopes to participate in the conversation regarding establishing a RSEQ Division 2 conference to accommodate the large number of talented university-aged players in the province.
Mathieu Chouinard will serve as head coach of the club team. Originally from Boisbriand, Que., he enjoyed a lengthy hockey career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Shawinigan Cataractes and went on to play six years of professional hockey, primarily in the American Hockey League.
He began his coaching career in 2009 and has worked with the St. Laurent Patriotes and the Lionel-Groulx Nordiques at the Cégep level and at Collège Jean-Eudes at the high school level. He also spent a season with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the QMJHL.
To find out more about joining the club team, contact Chouinard at coach.mathieuchouinard@gmail.com.
