St. Francis Xavier University has announced that Pictou County Weeks Crushers forward Lucas Canning has committed to their program.
The 20-year-old from Stellarton, N.S. was drafted in the 8th Round, 113th overall, in the 2020 MHL Entry Draft by the Truro Bearcats. After a little over two seasons in the QMJHL with the Cape Breton Eagles and Quebec Remparts, Canning joined Truro early in the 2022-23 season. In 42 games he had 23 goals and seventeen assists to finish fifth in team scoring with 40 points for the Bearcats. In the Metalfab MHL Cup Playoffs, Canning had four goals and three assists in ten games. He was twice named to the Eastlink South Team of the Week.
In 2023-24, Canning lead the Bearcats with 33 goals. He was third in team scoring with 54 points in 51 games. Canning also posted the second-longest goal streak in the league, finding the back of the net in seven straight games. He was again named to the Eastlink South Team of the Week on two occasions.
On draft day in 2024, Canning was traded to the Crushers. He won the regular season scoring title in 2024-25 with 87 points in 48 games and had an MHL-best 53 goals, the most in a single season since 2006-07 when Summerside’s Mike MacIsaac had 54 goals and Amherst’s Andrew Sweetland had 56. He had the longest goal streak in the league at twelve games from December 5th to January 25th, during which he scored an amazing 22 goals. In the playoffs, Canning had eleven goals and seven assists in twelve games.
He was second to Summerside’s Dominik Godin with fourteen powerplay goals and was tied for the third-most shorthanded points this season with five. Canning was named to the Eastlink South Team of the Week six times and was the Honourable Mention for Top Forward in February/March. He was also named an Eastlink South All-Star Forward.
The MHL congratulates Canning on his post-secondary commitment.