Cape Breton West Blackstone Knights

06/16/2026

⚔️PAID THE COST TO BE THE BOSS⚔️

The Blackstone Knights are proud to announce the re-signing of fan favourite Michael "Boss" Cremo for the upcoming NSSHL season.
When opponents look at the Blackstone lineup, one name immediately jumps off the page…and for good reason.

Widely regarded as one of the most feared players in the entire NSSHL, Mike has built his reputation the hard way. Every shift is played with intensity, every hit is finished, and every trip into the corner comes with a decision: go get the puck, or risk running into the Boss.

A relentless physical force, Cremo consistently delivers bone crushing hits that can change the momentum of a game in an instant. His presence alone forces opposing teams to keep their heads up and think twice before venturing into dangerous areas of the ice.

But Cremo's impact isn't limited to throwing thunderous body checks. He currently holds "The Belt" as the NSSHL's premier fighter, delivering a few one punch knockdowns to some tough opponents. He is yet to suffer a loss when the gloves get shed.

Boss has earned himself a lot of free space to move the puck, or fire his heavy shot simply because nobody is in a rush to get to him. He can clear the net in the D-zone with the best in the league and he is giving 110% every shift. Don’t sleep on his hockey skill, this man’s an all around hockey player.

Earned through toughness, heart, and a willingness to answer any challenge that comes his way. In an era where intimidation is rare, Boss remains one of the league's true enforcers. A player capable of protecting his teammates and shifting the energy of an entire arena.

The message to the rest of the NSSHL is simple:
Boss is back in black.
Tell your friends.

06/16/2026

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06/12/2026

⚔️ ANOTHER NIGHT, ANOTHER KNIGHT ⚔️

The Blackstone Knights are proud to announce the re-signing of Judique native Keenan Gillis for the upcoming season.

Fresh off another championship campaign, Keenan returns to the Knights after adding yet another title to an already impressive hockey résumé. Phil Herrit Cup Champ, Telus Cup Champ, Metalfab MHL Cup champ, and Vince Ryan Cup Champ.
Remarkable stuff.

Recently named Head Coach of the U18 AAA Cape Breton West Islanders, Keenan continues to demonstrate a winning mentality and strong leadership at every level.

As the Knights set their sights on defending their title, Keenan will be a key piece in the team's pursuit of another championship.

Welcome back, Soch. Let's run it back. 🏆⚔️

06/11/2026

⚔️ THE WALL RETURNS ⚔️🥅

The BlackStone Knights are excited to announce the re-signing of our division’s top goaltender, Playoff MVP, and Vince Ryan Cup Champ, Kenzie MacPhail!

A brick wall all season long, MacPhail was a cornerstone of our success, making timely saves, stealing games, and giving our team confidence every time he stepped onto the ice.

When the stakes were highest last season, Kenzie (somehow) elevated his game. That takes confidence, that takes skill, and that takes heart. MacPhail has proved time and time again he has
what it takes to shine in the big moments.

We look forward to another season with one of the leagues very best guarding our crease!

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more and more signings!

04/22/2026

⚔️YEAR END REFLECTION⚔️

It’s hard to put this season into words.

A year ago, this was all uncertainty. We were answering questions about a team that didn’t even exist yet, with no real answers to give. When Bret first reached out to me (Dixon) about partnering to submit an application for a Senior team in a brand new league, it felt like we were just kicking tires. We didn’t expect to be chosen. Truthfully, we weren’t even sure the league itself would fully come together.
And then, it did.
The email came. Everything changed overnight. Suddenly, we were scrambling to build something from nothing: securing funding, recruiting players and coaches, finding sponsors, ordering jerseys, booking ice times, organizing meetings, and rallying volunteers. We had no experience, no money, and no blueprint. What we did have was a relentless belief that the west side of the island deserved a Senior team again. A team players could be proud of, playing in front of a loud, passionate crowd, for something that truly mattered.
There were plenty of doubters. We heard it all. “It’ll never happen,” “You’ll fold in a year,” “don’t see it lasting” and much, much more.
If anything, that only fueled us.
And now… here we are.
From all those question marks to building a championship team. It still feels surreal.
This doesn’t happen without the incredible support around us. To our sponsors, coaches, players, fans, and volunteers, thank you. The Cape Breton West Blackstone Knights exist because you believed in something before it was proven.
A special thank you to Dwayne from Blackstone Construction. Your commitment, your time, your resources, your presence at games, your constant support for our players, it truly went far beyond what anyone could expect. You’ve been the backbone of this organization, and we can’t thank you enough for being the best title sponsor we could have asked for.

Senior hockey is back and it’s here to stay.
We can’t wait to see what next season brings.

Thank you,
Bret Walker
Dixon Gillis
Co-Owners
🏆 2025–2026 Vince Ryan Cup Champions
Cape Breton West Blackstone Knights ⚔️

04/19/2026

All this guy has ever done is win. The best man for the job! Congrats to the Islanders and to Keenan.
The Knights will be cheering you on ⚔️

The Cape Breton Islanders U18 Major Hockey Club is proud to announce the hiring of Keenan Gillis as their new Head Coach.

Keenan is no stranger to our program. Over the past five seasons as an Assistant Coach, he has earned the respect of our players, staff, and community through his work ethic, steady presence behind the bench and his commitment to doing things the right way. He understands what it means to wear the Islanders crest and the responsibility that comes with it.

A student of the game with a passion for development, Keenan holds his High Performance 1 Certification and has been selected as one of only 12 coaches across the country to attend the Hockey Canada Skills Certification Course in Calgary this summer. This is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the regard in which he is held within the hockey community.

Keenan’s roots in our program run deep. As a player he competed for three seasons with the Islanders and was a key member of our 2017 Telus Cup Championship team. He also captured an MJAHL Championship with the Edmundston Blizzard, experiences that have shaped his understanding of what it takes to build and sustain a winning culture.

Since stepping behind the bench, Keenan has brought that same compete level and team-first mindset to his coaching. He values hard work and takes great pride in helping young players grow—both on and off the ice.

A graduate of St. Francis Xavier University with a degree in Kinesiology, Keenan continues to give back to the game in his role as Development Coordinator with Cape Breton West Minor Hockey. He and his family call Judique home, and he remains deeply connected to the local hockey community. We believe strongly in promoting from within when the right person is ready, and in Keenan, we have a coach who knows our standards, our history, and what it takes to move this program forward.

We are excited for the season ahead and confident that under Keenan’s leadership, our players will compete hard, represent this organization with pride and continue to build on the tradition of Islanders hockey.

Regards,
Brian MacInnis, President.
Cape Breton West Islanders
2017 Telus Cup Champions

04/12/2026

Can’t forget our leadership group. There’s not much these 4 wouldn’t do to win a hockey game. Whether it’s working their tail off in the d zone, putting points on the board or just being downright amazing teammates.
They breed em’ different in the west!
Junkyard dogs 🐶
(A) Malcolm MacEachern
(A) Randon MacKinnon
(C) Neil Maclean
(A) Keenan Gillis

Thank you to Krista Ryan-Maclean for presenting the Vince Ryan cup to the boys! It’s an honour to be the first on that trophy!

04/12/2026

Your Cape Breton Division Playoff MVP, to no one’s surprise was awarded to our backbone, Kenzie MacPhail.
What an incredible inaugural Senior season. After finishing as the regular season’s top goaltender, Kenzie now adds Vince Ryan Cup Champion and Playoff MVP to an already remarkable resume.

All the more impressive is how he did it. battling through lingering knee and hand injuries all season long, without ever letting it show. Night in and night out, he gave his team a chance to win. Tough, reliable, and relentless. The definition of a true competitor.

Congratulations, MacPhail. No one is more deserving of this honor. The Knights don’t bring home the Vince Ryan Cup without #29.