Alex Rivet is spending the rest of the season up in Canada.

The former Lewiston High School standout, who was released last Friday by the Maine Nordiques, has joined Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League — one of the 10 Junior “A” Hockey Leagues under the Hockey Canada umbrella. Waywayseecappo is three-and-half hours west of Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba. He is expected to suit up Saturday night when the Wolverines host the Winnipeg Blues.

The 19-year-old forward had five goals and three assists in 27 games with the Nordiques. Prior to joining the Maine Nordiques, where he signed a tender with the team last spring, he helped lead the L/A Nordiques to the NA3HL Fraser Cup Final where he had 10 goals and an assist in eight games after his season at Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts ended. He spent two years (2017-19) at Middlesex where he repeated his junior year — a common practice for kids moving from high school to a prep school — before graduating in 2019. He amassed 32 goals and 26 assists in 47 games at Middlesex.

He started his high school career with Lewiston in 2014 and  played three seasons, helping lead the Blue Devils to Class A state championships in 2016 and 2017. Over three years with Lewiston, he had 24 goals and 32 assists in 53 games.

“I am going to Canada, I am going to gain confidence, I am going to play on the power play,” Rivet said. “That was one of the most important things when I was talking to (Waywayseecappo) coach (Taylor Harnett), I would come in as a top-six forward, run the power play on the left side where I played at my time with (Middlesex). I never got to play the power play with the Nordiques, I think I am going to a place where it will help me to develop for next season.”

Rivet and his adviser, Patrick Schafer, spent the past weekend talking to different teams across North America. There was a time crunch to find a team as roster deadline to add players is on Friday at the Junior “A” level in Canada. He had an offer with the Brockville Braves of the Central Canadian Hockey League in Ontario but the Braves wanted a commitment from him for next season as well. But Rivet wants another chance in the North American Hockey League or even in the British Columbia Hockey League which is considered the top Junior “A” League in Canada next year.

Just like the NAHL, the MJHL is a good steppingstone for players to advance to stronger Junior “A” leagues like the BCHL and USHL as well as NCAA opportunities.

Rivet said a handful of NCAA Division I schools have showed some interest in him since prep hockey, but there have been no serious talks on that front after his slow start to this season. He hopes next season, which is his final season of junior hockey eligibility, the recruitment process will pick up.

Rivet said he did not reach out to the Twin City Thunder after his release from the Nordiques because the style of the league isn’t suited for him.

“I wanted to stay away from the (National Collegiate Development Conference).  It’s a little too skilled and my strength is my size and body,” Rivet said. “We believe if I would go to Canada it’s just a physical game up there. It’s a game of big bodies, crashing the net. It’s similar to the NAHL.”

Rivet confirmed he did have a tender offer from the Thunder last spring but decided on the Nordiques’ tender offer. Rivet said while he didn’t end up signing with the Thunder, his conversations with the organization ended on good terms.

The Wolverines are currently in fifth place in the MJHL with a record of 21-15-5. Last year, Nordiques defenseman Kylar Fenton played for the Wolverines who lost in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

Going to Manitoba will allow Rivet just to focus on hockey like his former teammate.

“(Fenton) said he loved his time there,” Rivet said. “He said it allowed him to find his game and not worry about anything. I think for me, I need to be at a place where I can focus on hockey and develop for next season.”

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