The Moncton Wildcat No One is Talking About

The Moncton Wildcats are off to a great start to the 2022-2023 season. Sure they have dropped a few recently, and some would claim they have been punching above their weight for awhile now, but rest assured you can always count on the Wildcats to turn in a solid blue collar effort and outwork their opponent.

Obviously, everyone looks at the stats sheet to see which players are having the largest impact for the hockey club, but very few are talking about one free agent signee that could be one of most underrated and unassuming players in the entire circuit.

There are players that grow up in the limelight, and there are players that crave it. There are players that just go about their business and excel when given an opportunity. Those players shine just as bright, but very few actually see it.

The Moncton Wildcat that no one is talking about is non other than former Rockland Nationals defender Hugo Marcil.

Who is Hugo Marcil and where did he come from?

That’s a great question, I haven’t got the slightest clue. I don’t know his back story at all, I’m sure it’s very intriguing and has a lot to do about size or lack there of, or being too small to have an impact, but this kid is playing extremely well paired with highly touted 2023 NHL Draft prospect Etienne Morin.

Who would have ever thought Hugo Marcil would be logging massive #2 minutes in his first foray at the QMJHL level? Clearly the Wildcats brass knew or they wouldn’t have signed him. They have a history of signing key free agents so it shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it still does. Some players are perfect fits for their linemates or D-partners. Effective and efficient complementary players are extremely difficult to find, some would say they are “rarer than hens teeth” but Hugo Marcil is Etienne Morin’s side kick, perfect partner in crime or justice or whatever floats your boat. Simply put, they are perfect for each other. Morin is flourishing while Marcil continues to play second fiddle, but he’s been dominate in that role so far. Marcil’s grit, compete level and transitional aspects of his game are second to none. A perfect complementary player, or a budding underrated star, Marcil brings it every shift. His first game in the Q was shaky at best, but you can really tell a lot about a players character and skill by their bounce back and adaptability. Marcil possesses tremendous instincts for the game and position. He transitions and distributes pucks very well in all three zones and isn’t scared to lug it as well. Most free agent rookies are apprehensive when they have the puck on their stick for at least the first two or three months of the season, It only took one game for Marcil to get rid of any jitters.

Hugo Marcil is a player to watch, he’s the Moncton Wildcat player that tons of people have seen, but no one talks about. This 18 year old rookie free agent deserves recognition, but from a far you can tell he doesn’t give a rats ass about that. He’s a throw back player. You can tell he loves the game and takes a lot of pride in playing the position the right way. He’s playing in the shadow of Morin and that doesn’t matter one bit. As of right now, he’s an outstanding complementary player who is flying under the radar, but having a massive impact on the Cats early success.