Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) announced Monday the names of the five individuals that have been selected finalists for the 2025-26 Darcy Haugan/Mark Cross Memorial Award, presented by the NHL Coaches’ Association (NHLCA), emblematic of CJHL Coach of the Year.
Presented annually by the CJHL and NHLCA, this distinguished honour serves in memory of Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) head coach Darcy Haugan and assistant Mark Cross, who were among those who sadly lost their lives following the tragic events of April 6, 2018.
Each of the finalists were determined through a voting process completed by the CJHL’s nine-member leagues, for their respective efforts during the regular season.
Justin Pereira, Head Coach of the Rockland Nationals (CCHL), has been recognized as a finalist by the CJHL following an exceptional 2025-2026 season. Under his leadership, the Nationals secured the top position in the final CJHL Top 20 rankings—fuelled by Gatorade—holding the No. 1 ranking for 12 consecutive weeks and maintaining it uninterrupted from December 15 onward.
Pereira guided Rockland to an outstanding 53-3-0-0 regular season record, culminating in a successful defense of their 2025 Bogart Cup title with a four-game sweep of the Smiths Falls Bears in the 2026 finals. The Nationals demonstrated elite performance on both sides of special teams, leading the league with a 29.9% power play efficiency while also posting the second-best penalty kill at 88%. Their dominance was further reflected in a league-best +159 goal differential.
In recognition of his leadership and consistent success, Pereira was named CCHL Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season; an honour achieved only four times in league history.
As the Nationals get set for the 2026 Centennial Cup in Summerside, PEI, Pereira has his sights set on the ultimate goal, a national Junior A championship.
Congratulations on being selected to the list of CJHL finalists!
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