Gabriel Bugeaud joined the Dauphin Kings as an 18-year-old after three years with the Notre Dame Hounds.
His first year with Notre Dame saw him notch 36 regular season points in 33 games before collecting three goals and five points in three playoff games, all of which came with the U-17 team. Gabriel also played two games with the U-18 Prep team that season before joining the U-18 AAA team last year that plays in the Saskatchewan U-18 AAA Hockey League.
Ending that regular season with 22 wins in 44 games, Gabriel finished second in team scoring with 11 goals and 33 points across 40 games. The only player on his team that scored more was Joby Baumuller, who was drafted by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2022 draft, and is well into his second season in the Western Hockey League.
It was a great year for Gabriel and a sign of things to come. Bugeaud enjoyed a solid rookie season with the Kings last year, posting 17 goals and 34 points in 57 regular-season games. He was sixth in team scoring and what set him apart from so many players around the league was his blistering speed. Gabriel added two assists as Dauphin played in one of the longest playoff series in Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) history.
It was one for the history books as Dauphin forced game seven with a five-overtime victory in game six. Dauphin's season ended after falling in triple overtime in game seven and while it was a tough pill to swallow, Gabriel will always cherish the memories gained of digging in deep and being a part of a series like that.
"It was crazy. Probably some of the best memories of my hockey career," said Bugeaud. "It was an incredible process to be a part of it with my teammates. Living in the moment and knowing that this will be a part of history in the MJHL, it was a crazy series and a ton of fun."
As was the case for many of the team's top players, opportunities to join different teams were available this season. Gabriel was talking to teams in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and while that was an exciting thought for Bugeaud, he wanted to be back in Dauphin. He knew there was unfinished business and he wants to finish it.
"It comes back to the guys that were coming back. Cole Sheffield and I were going to the same place, but then he decided to come back," said Bugeaud. "I knew we were going to have a great team this year and I felt there was a better opportunity for me to get more minutes here. Doug Hedley puts a lot of trust in me, I'm very glad that I returned."
All was good. Gabriel had 13 points in his first 22 games and was feeling good about how he was playing. Then in a 4-2 loss against Waywayseecappo on November 21, Bugeaud left early after taking a hit and missed the next four games with a lower-body injury. He returned on December 7 against Steinbach and posted a goal and one assist three days later against the Wolverines. He was then shut down for the remainder of 2024 after that game and missed the team's final two games before the Christmas break, both of which came against division-rival Northern Manitoba Blizzard.
"That was tough, it's never fun to be injured. You feel like you're missing out on helping your teammates," continued Bugeaud. "It was a challenge getting over that, I'm just glad that it wasn't too long. With that said, it also provided me a chance to take a step back and look at the game from another angle."
Gabriel came out of the gates flying in 2025 posting two assists in the team's first game against the Blues. In 10 games so far in 2025, Gabriel has points in six of them. He was held off the scoresheet last Friday in the team's 8-0 loss against Virden.
Despite the tough loss for the team, it was a special game for Gabriel. His parents Ron and Maryse along with his younger brother Joshua flew to Manitoba and made their way to Virden to watch Gabriel in action.
"It's always super fun to see them. I don't get to spend as much time with them as I would like," said Bugeaud. "I'm so grateful for their support, they have been by my side every step of the way. It's always nice when they get to watch me live."
Gabriel also saw his family earlier this year when Dauphin was on a road trip in Selkirk. His other brother Benjamin was in Manitoba playing with the Notre Dame Hounds U-18 Prep team. He has 11 points in 20 games and Gabriel is very proud of him.
Following Friday's tough loss against the Oil Capitals, Dauphin returned home to the friendly confines of Credit Union Place to play the Northern Manitoba Blizzard this past Saturday. Gabriel had a goal and four penalty minutes as the Kings responded with a solid 3-1 win. Good teams lose hockey teams, great teams can bounce back, which is exactly what Dauphin did.
"I think that loss against Virden was a wake-up call for us. Many teams are battling for playoff spots during the second half of the season and it showed us that no game is going to be easy," offered Bugeaud. "We had a very good bounce back against the Blizzard. It shows the character we have in our room. It motivates us to come ready to compete every night."
Bugeaud was back on the scoresheet earlier this week scoring a gorgeous goal in Tuesday's 5-3 victory against Selkirk. Dauphin has won two straight games and is six points ahead of the Blizzard for first place in the West Division. Dauphin is also in a heated race as they look to chase down the powers in the East Division, Portage Terriers, Steinbach Pistons, and Winkler Flyers.
"We have a special group here. From top to bottom, our lineup is super competitive," commented Bugeaud. "When we all buy in and play to our identity, we're a tough team to play against. We have outstanding speed and we're all playing for each other."
Dauphin returns to the ice on Friday when they continue a very busy February. They play Steinbach on Friday, are in Niverville on Saturday, and wrap up the weekend on Sunday in Winkler. Dauphin then plays Swan Valley next Wednesday, Neepawa next Friday, and Niverville next Sunday. In all, Dauphin plays 13 games this month as the push to the Turnbull Cup playoffs is heating up.
It's a daunting schedule, but for players, game action is where it's at.
"I love it. I love playing games that are close together," said Bugeaud. "If you have a game that you didn't like that much, you don't have to wait long to bounce back. It allows guys to get into a groove and that's what we're trying to do, fire on all cylinders."
Gabriel will enter the team's busy stretch on fire. He has six goals and 10 points in his last 11 games. He's tied for sixth in team scoring with 23 points and his 12 goals are tied for the third most on the team.
The second-year King is starting to hit his stride and that's bad news for the team's opponents. When Gabriel can pair his outstanding speed with his wicked release, he's almost unstoppable and he's looking to carry that momentum into this weekend.
"I've been getting chances all year, so it's really nice to see them going in right now, and I'm looking to keep it going," ended Bugeaud. "The coaches have been telling me all year to shoot more, so I'm doing that. It's always nice to contribute offensively. I'm working on getting more pucks on the net and hopefully, the goals keep coming."
Don't forget to tune into the Dauphin Kings Power Play Show on Friday to hear Gabriel's full chat with Darnell Duff. That airs after the 4:00 p.m. news, weather, business, and sports.
