While the new hockey season might be a few months away, the Powassan Voodoos wasted little time in locking down a key piece of the new squad.
Announced on Friday was the Voodoos inking power forward Caden Dubreuil as the team’s first signing for the 2023-24 season.
The 6’0” 192 pound forward netted 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points in 26 games with the Sudbury U18 AAA Nickel Capitals last season. He added a goal in eight games with Powassan as an affiliate last season, and suited up for a game in the playoffs, saying that experience played a key role in his decision to sign with the Voodoos.
“It is an honour, I got to play a few games with the Voodoos and it was a great experience,” said Dubreuil, who turns 17 in August.
"It was just fun playing hockey when I was playing there.”
Dubreuil says he views himself as a 200-foot player, and backing up that theory was the fact he was named the top defensive forward in the Great North U18 League in 2021-22. Former alternate captain of the Voodoos, Brett Shawana took home the award in 2017-18.
Peter Goulet, Voodoos head coach and team co-owner, was impressed with Dubreuil when he wore Voodoos green.
“Every time this young man played with us, he impressed our staff and veteran players,” said Goulet.
“We are looking forward to working with Caden in the upcoming 2023/2024 season.”
Dubreuil says Goulet is an amazing coach.
“He knows so much about the game and it was just really fun playing hockey with the Voodoos when I was there,” Dubreuil stated.
Chris Dawson, Voodoos general manager, has seen a larger sample size of Dubreuil’s hockey development and he fully agrees with the Voodoos bench bosses assessment of Caden.
“Caden is a northern player I have had the privilege to watch grow at the rink since he was 10,” explained Dawson.
“I was really impressed with his development this past season and the improvement in his skating. He is a power forward with a scoring touch and one of the top 2006 birth year forwards in the north."
Having spent his playing career in Sudbury to this point, the 2006 birth year forward is already familiar with a couple of his potential teammates.
“Every time I played in North Bay, they always had a competitive team and it was always fun to play against them, and the city is beautiful.”
Dubreuil added to the Frontline that he’s excited to play in front of a smaller community like Powassan.
“It’s going to be a change, and I think I am ready for it. I am excited to get to know new people.”
