It’s been a busy offseason for the Rockland Nationals organization, as the junior A hockey club looks to build on what was a promising 2023-2024 season.
The team has seen some fresh faces, both on the ice and behind the bench, as the Nats hope to take the next step towards becoming a contender for the Bogart Cup.
The club made a splash recently, sending prospects Ricky Wilson, Justin Brown and Kian Gauthier to the Carleton Place Canadians in exchange for forward Ryder Dagenais.
“We would like to wish all three players the best of luck with their new organization,” the Nationals said in a release posted to Facebook on July 5.
Last season, Dagenais split time with the Canadians and the Ottawa Junior A Senators.
He played 15 games with the Sens, amassing two goals and six assists. In his short stint with Carleton Place, Dagenais tallied three goals and one assist in 14 games.
Days after the trade with the Canadians was complete, Nationals head coach Justin Pereira said the Nats newest addition is a great fit for the organization and is the type of player that will help Rockland have a shot at competing for the CCHL championship.
“He brings great energy to the ice, brings some grit and can score goals,” said Pereira. “Any time you can make this kind of trade for a player like that, I think it’s a great addition to our club. This is the kind of player that will help us get where we want to be right now.”
The Nationals are fresh off their most successful campaign in quite some time. Led by Pereira instilling a new culture and a system that everyone in the organization, on the ice and off the ice personnel, bought into.
And the results were there. The team made the CCHL playoffs, and even won their first-round matchup against the Renfrew Wolves. The team’s quest for Bogart Cup came a halt after a second-round loss to the Navan Grads.
Despite the loss, Pereria said he was thrilled with what the team was able to achieve, and it was a special time to be part of a community that was enjoying playoff hockey for the first time in a long time.
And now, he believes he has a winning team that can take that next step.
“There’s no rest for me as a coach,” said Pereira. “We are always looking at how we can get better, and our general manager has done a good job of stock piling prospects. Our future looks good, too.”
