Maritime Division

Acadie-Bathurst Titan

Last year: 25-37-3-3

Key players: Olivier Roy (G), Gabriel Levesque (F), Olivier Hotte (F), David Gilbert (F), Jeremie Blain (D)

What to expect: If there was ever a team in need of a solid run and a chance at a title more than Lewiston this is it. The Titan are floundering financially, but have assembled a team worthy of being watched by a lot of people on a regular basis. Acquiring Roy from Lewiston in a big swap at the draft was the biggest piece of the puzzle, and it shouldn’t be long before people realize just how string this team can be, especially in the division in which it plays this season.

Saint John Sea Dogs

Last year: 53-12-1-2

Key players: Steven Anthony (F), Simon Despres (D), Stanislav Galiev (F), Stephen MacAuley (F), Mike Thomas (F)

What to expect: The Sea Dogs have built a team that can not only make a serious run at the top two years running, but maybe even three. The balance on this team is solid, and if the Pups can solve their goaltending issue at some point this season, they could give the Titan a run for their money in the division. The offensive firepower here is amazing, and the defense is solid at the top end.

Moncton Wildcats

Last year: 48-14-2-4

Key players: Simon Jodoin (D), Brandon Gormley (D), Kirill Kabanov (F), Alex Saulnier (F), Allain Saulnier (F)

What to expect: There are a lot of pieces missing from the team that made a run to the Memorial Cup last season, but enough remain who are fully aware of the winning tradition this team has built that the fall won’t be too drastic. This ranking may be a bit high, though, if the team goes into sell-mode at the holiday break, but if this group stays intact, they are as good a second-tier team as you get in this league. Goaltending is a question mark here, but the defense is absolutely rock solid.

PEI Rocket

Last year: 35-25-2-6

Key players: Evan Mosher (G), Andrej Nestrasil (F), Philippe Paradis (D), Adam Polasek (D), Brad Yetman (D)

What to expect: For a team with as many vets and as much talent, it’s a shame I haven’t put them higher, but at the same time, the expectations surrounding the Rocket every year need to be tempered a bit, because every time the team has had a “go” year, it has fizzled. Put this squad into the “I’ll believe it when I see it” category, although the pieces are slowly starting to fall into place. Maybe.

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

Last year: 41-22-2-3

Key players: Pier-Antoine Dion (F), Viktor Hertzberg (F), Taylor MacDougall (F), Morgan Ellis (D), Stephen Woodworth (D)

What to expect: From experience, Lewiston fans know that Mario Durocher likes to play his veterans. By that philosophy, this team will be run down in a month. The test here will be to see how much Durocher lets his kids play. This is a truly important development year for this team if it hopes to be in the serious running to host the next QMJHL-hosted Memorial Cup in 2012.

Halifax Mooseheads

Last year: 13-48-3-4

Key players: Mathieu Corbeil (G), Konrad Abeltshauser (D), Sawyer Hanney (D), Garrett Clarke (D), Martin Frk (F), Darcy Ashley (F)

What to expect: It may be too much of a doomsday attitude to think that the Herd can actually finish at the bottom again, but the lineup truly is an untested one. Halifax has to eventually break through, and it may be this season, especially with the addition of Frk, who joined the club late, and with the defense finally maturing a bit. But there are a lot of good teams in the division and around the league, and until the team proves it can climb out of the basement, this is as safe a prediction as any.