GrayJay Tournaments
It’s not very often a player can say they played their first game with a new team during the school’s most important tournament of the year.
News
Glace Bay Panthers hope success in first half of season continues with Panther Classic title
'It takes an army to be successful’
Brody Walker of the Glace Bay Panthers keeps a close eye on the play during Cape Breton High School Hockey League action at Miners Forum in Glace Bay last Sunday. Walker and the Panthers will host the Panther Classic high school hockey tournament this week in Glace Bay. JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST Jeremy Fraser
In the case of Brody Walker, the Glace Bay Panthers forward made his high school debut last December in the first game of the annual Panther Classic tournament in Glace Bay.
“It’s really hard to describe the crowd and how the whole community came together for it,” said Walker.
The Glace Bay product had just joined the Panthers program after starting the 2024-25 season with the Sydney Mitsubishi Rush of the Nova Scotia Under-18 Major Hockey League before electing to return to high school hockey.
“I remember the first game well as we won big but the highlight of the night for sure was the crowd. I knew I made the right choice coming home to play after that game.”
While this year’s Panther Classic will be his second and final host tournament, it will be extra special for the 17-year-old Walker as he was named the team’s captain last week, wearing the ‘C’ on his jersey for the first time last Friday night against Riverview.
“It means a lot to me to be named captain of the team and to be able to be a leader and a guy that the team can rely on and look for anything,” said Walker. “When you’re the captain of your high school team, it’s a lot more of a job than just your time at the rink.
“You need to be there for your guys at all times and set an example. I’m proud to represent the school and be one of many great captains Glace Bay High has had.”
PANTHER CLASSIC OPENS THURSDAY
This year’s Panther Classic will kick off on Thursday and run until Sunday at Miners Forum in Glace Bay.
Along with the host Panthers, the four-day event will feature the Sydney Academy Wildcats, Riverview Ravens, Memorial Marauders, Strait Area Education Recreation Centre Saints (SAERC) of Port Hawkesbury, Cobequid Educational Centre Cougars (CEC) of Truro, Halifax West Warriors and Avon View Avalanche of Windsor.
Halifax West, Avon View and CEC were also in the Panther Classic last December. The Warriors defeated the Cougars 5-2 in the championship game to claim the tournament title.
Halifax West is in sixth place in the Halifax Metro High School Hockey League with a 6-6-0-0 record while Avon View is in first place in the Valley High School Hockey League with a 6-0-0-0 record and are coming off winning the Birthplace of Hockey tournament title last month.
CEC is in first place in the Northern Nova Scotia High School Hockey League with a 6-1-0-0 record. SAERC, a Division 2 team, is first overall in the six-team Cape Breton West High School Hockey League with a 4-0-0-0 record.
Glace Bay will open the tournament against Sydney Academy on Thursday at 8 p.m. The Panthers and Wildcats played last Sunday at Miners Forum with Glace Bay winning the game 9-1.
Panthers head coach Ken Tracey has been pleasantly surprised with his team early in the season, given the fact that most of the players are new to the program.
“We’re relatively new and young but the guys are buying into what we’re trying to sell here in terms of structure and systems and to date we’ve had pretty good success,” said Tracey, who served as an assistant coach with the program in the early 2000s before returning to the program’s bench this year.
STRONG SEASON SO FAR
The Panthers have had plenty of success early in the 2025-26 season. The team sits in first place in the four-team Cape Breton High School Hockey League with a 7-2-1-0 record and captured the Blue and White Challenge title last month in Membertou.
Glace Bay also secured a spot in the semifinal game at the Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold Hockey Tournament in North Sydney last month, losing to the host Memorial.
The team hasn’t had a problem finding the back of the net in the first half of the year. The club leads the league with 72 goals, 22 of those scored by league leader Carson Hogan.
“Carson can certainly put the puck in the net, and Brody (Walker) is the same way,” said Tracey. “We have great leadership in the room, and these guys offensively are certainly a threat for sure.”
Going into the Panther Classic, Walker said the team’s scoring depth will be one of the keys to success.
“Last month in the Blue and White Challenge, a lot of people stepped up, and all 19 guys were going,” said Walker. “We realized that it takes an army to be successful and it’s important that we carry that into the weekend.”
‘COMPETE FOR THREE PERIODS’
Individual-wise, Walker sits second in league scoring with seven goals and 25 points in 10 games, only behind Hogan, who has 35 points in 10 regular season games.
“I try not to worry about points and individual success, but it’s always nice to know you’re doing well and being one of the top guys in the league,” said Walker, who prior to being named captain served as an assistant captain to begin the season.
“I’ve felt a lot more confident on the ice this season and I feel in much better shape as it was a hard-working offseason for me preparing for my Grade 12 year. It helps for sure that I get to play with skilled teammates who have no issues putting the puck in the net.”
After their tilt against Sydney Academy, Glace Bay will continue the round robin portion of the tournament on Friday at 8 p.m., against CEC before facing SAERC at 7 p.m., on Saturday.
“The team needs to compete for 45 minutes and really buy into our systems,” said Walker. “We are a team that has no issues putting the puck in the net, but we need to realize that we have to cover 200 feet of the ice. We need to compete just as hard in all three zones and compete for three periods.”
The tournament semifinal games are scheduled for Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. The championship game will be played later in the day at 2:30 p.m.
Glace Bay has won the Panther Classic seven times (2023, 2017, 2008, 2006, 1999, 1998 and 1997) since the tournament began in 1997.
PANTHER CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Hosted by: Glace Bay High School
Location: Miners Forum, Glace Bay
Teams: Glace Bay Panthers, Sydney Academy Wildcats, Riverview Ravens, Memorial Marauders, Strait Area Education Recreation Centre Saints, Cobequid Educational Centre Cougars, Avon View Avalanche and Halifax West Warriors
Thursday
6 p.m. – Riverview vs. Memorial
8 p.m. – Glace Bay vs. Sydney Academy
Friday
2 p.m. – Sydney Academy vs. Strait Area Education Recreation Centre
4 p.m. – Riverview vs. Halifax West
6 p.m. – Memorial vs. Avon View
8 p.m. – Glace Bay vs. Cobequid Educational Centre
Saturday
9 a.m. – Avon View vs. Halifax West
11 a.m. – Strait Area Education Recreation Centre vs. Cobequid Educational Centre
1 p.m. – Memorial vs. Halifax West
3 p.m. – Sydney Academy vs. Cobequid Educational Centre
5 p.m. – Riverview vs. Avon View
7 p.m. – Glace Bay vs. Strait Area Education Recreation Centre
Sunday
9 a.m. – Semifinal Game
11 a.m. – Semifinal Game
2:30 p.m. – Championship Game
PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS
2024 – Halifax West Warriors
2023 – Glace Bay Panthers
2022 – Cobequid Educational Centre Cougars
2021 – Halifax West Warriors
2019 – Auburn Drive Eagles
2018 – Riverview High School
2017 – Glace Bay Panthers
2015 – Memorial Marauders
2014 – Riverview High School
2013 – Riverview High School
Note: The tournament was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as 2016 due to the work-to-rule job action.
PANTHER CLASSIC COVERAGE
For daily results and pictures from the Panther Classic high school hockey tournament, visit capebretonpost.com each night.