Notebook: CHL TV but without the WHL?

WHL

The future of CHL TV is very much in question following an announcement by the Western Hockey League this week.

The WHL announced Thursday that all of its playoff games and the full 2025-26 regular season will be streamed for free on Victory+. The streaming service has been making some noise of late, broadcasting Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks and Texas Rangers games.

From the WHL:

The WHL Playoffs will be available on Victory+ without geo-restrictions, giving fans the opportunity to follow their favorite teams and players on the road to the championship. With Victory+ offering a free, ad-supported streaming service, this ensures that the game is accessible to everyone, no matter where they are or what devices they use, including Samsung and Vizio smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, Android and web browser.

Making all games available for free is a big move – and one that you have to wonder if the OHL and QMJHL may follow. Following junior hockey isn't easy in this era of dwindling media coverage. It's even harder to follow at a cheap price.

All three leagues have been streamed on the subscription based CHL TV since 2021.

LOTTERY TALK

The Saint John Sea Dogs finished 17th in the 18-team QMJHL, giving them the second best odds of winning the league's draft lottery.

The QMJHL's bottom five teams will all be entered into the lottery.

18. Victoriaville - 9 balls

17. Saint John - 6 balls

16. Halifax - 3 balls

15. Newfoundland - 2 balls

14. Quebec - 1 ball

The Acadie-Bathurst Titan/Newfoundland Regiment own the Gatineau Olympiques' pick.

The Sea Dogs also currently own Cape Breton's first-round pick, which will be 10th overall. We'll see what picks Saint John ends up with on draft day, which will be June 6-7 in Quebec City.

The playoffs are set

Embed from Getty Images

 

The first round of the QMJHL playoffs are locked in.

Saturday was the final day of regular season play. With all games completed, we now know who will be playing who in the opening round of the Gilles Courteau Trophy Playoffs.

Here's a rundown:

Eastern Conference

1) Moncton vs 8) Quebec

2) Rimouski vs 7) Charlottetown

3) Chicoutimi vs 6) Bathurst

4) Baie-Comeau vs 5) Cape Breton

Western Conference

1) Drummondville vs 8) Halifax

2) Rouyn-Noranda vs 7) Gatineau

3) Shawinigan vs 6) Val-d'Or

4) Blainville-Boisbriand vs 5) Sherbrooke

The Halifax Mooseheads crossed over to the Western Conference.

The only series that will be 2-2-1-1-1 formats will be Rouyn-Noranda/Gatineau and Blainville-Boisbriand/Sherbrooke. The others will be 2-3-2.

The Moncton Wildcats, with an impressive 53-9-2-0 record and riding a 15-game winning streak, will be the No. 1 seed through the playoffs.

The Saint John Sea Dogs and Victoriaville Tigres were the lone teams to miss the playoffs.

The playoffs officially begin Thursday with the Sherbrooke Phoenix visiting the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. The rest of the series begin Friday.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-3

FINAL: Cape Breton 5, Saint John 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs ended their season on a losing note on Saturday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs got off to a great start, grabbing a 2-0 first period lead over the Cape Breton Eagles. But the Eagles quickly took momentum, scoring four times in the second period en route to 5-3 win.

Cam Squires scored a hat trick for Cape Breton while Tomas Lavoie and Cole Burbidge added singles. Jakub Milota made 34 stops in the win.

Olivier Groulx scored twice for Saint John while William Yared added a solo marker. Eric Young made 41 saves in the loss.

This was Saint John's final game of the season after being eliminated from post-season contention on Friday night. The Eagles, meanwhile, have a first round playoff date with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

It was all Saint John in the opening half of the first period on Saturday. Groulx opened the scoring at 6:36 and then, just over two minutes later, Yared connected to make it 2-0 in favour of the Sea Dogs.

Shots were 16-4 Saint John at one point but Cape Breton really turned it around late in the frame, pressuring in the final few minutes and keeping Young busy. Shots ended 18-15 in favour of the Dogs.

The Eagles carried that momentum into the second period. Squires got Cape Breton on the board at 5:34 and then, just 38 seconds later, a low Lavoie point shot went through some traffic and past Young to make it a 2-2 game.

Cape Breton took their first lead at 11:01 when Burbidge scored shorthanded. Then, at 15:50, Squires netted his second to make it 4-2 after two. Shots in the middle frame were 20-7 in favour of the Eagles.

Squires completed his hat trick at 11:17 of the third period to make it 5-2. Groulx rounded out the scoring with 3:51 remaining.

Season ends today for Sea Dogs

Micheal Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The 2024-25 Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League season will come to an end for the Saint John Sea Dogs today.

The Sea Dogs were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Friday night when they fell 4-1 to the Cape Breton Eagles. It's the first time since 2018-19 that the Sea Dogs have missed the playoffs.

Saint John will play its final game of the season on home ice today, hosting the Eagles at 4 p.m.

This will be the final junior game for Saint John's two overage players: defensemen Nate Tivey and Matteo Mann. 

Some other news and notes from Friday...

• With Saint John's loss last night, the Gatineau Olympiques have qualified for the QMJHL playoffs for a 40th straight season. Crazy.
• It wasn't the AUS' year at the University Cup. A day after the UNB Reds were eliminated by the Ottawa Gee-Gees, the Universite de Moncton Aigles Bleus fell 4-2 to the Concordia Stingers in quarterfinal play. Former Sea Dogs forwards Charles Savoie and Nicholas Girouard scored for Concordia while Nikolas Hurtubise made 22 stops in the win.
• Hurtubise, Savoie, Girouard, Christopher Inniss, Isiah Campbell and the Stingers will face the Saskatchewan Huskies in Saturday night's semifinal. The afternoon semi will see Kevin Gursoy, Joseph Ianniello and the TMU Bold take on the Gee-Gees. The semifinal losers will play in the bronze medal game on Sunday at noon while the winners will battle in the championship game at 6 p.m.
• In the MHL playoffs, Charles-Antoine Lavallee scored in double overtime to give the Amherst Ramblers a 4-3 win over the Truro Bearcats. Amherst leads that series 2-1. The West Kent Steamers defeated the Campbellton Tigers 7-3 in Friday's other game. The Tigers lead that series 2-1.

  Scenes from OT pic.twitter.com/GlXEjxx6vi

  — X - Amherst JrA Ramblers (@AmherstRamblers) March 22, 2025

• The Maine Black Bears are Hockey East champions for the first time since 2004. The Black Bears defeated the UConn Huskies 5-2 in Friday's championship game at TD Garden. New Brunswick's Lynden Breen and Josh Nadeau both scored in the victory. Maine had already qualified for the NCAA tournament, but this win secures them as the No. 3 ranked team heading in.

  2️⃣7️⃣ with the five-hole go-ahead!
  
  💻: https://t.co/Lytu79Yma6 | @ESPNPlus https://t.co/5MJnvoWheZ pic.twitter.com/W1qjJWnU32

  — Maine Men’s Ice Hockey (@MaineIceHockey) March 22, 2025

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Cape Breton 4, Saint John 1

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs' playoff hopes are over.

The Sea Dogs were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Friday, falling 4-1 to the Cape Breton Eagles at TD Station. The team will play its final game of the season – also against the Eagles – on Saturday afternoon on home ice.

It's the first time since the 2018-19 season that the Sea Dogs have missed the playoffs. They'll finish 17th overall in the 18-team QMJHL, joining the last-place Victoriaville Tigres outside the playoff picture.

The Sea Dogs entered the weekend three points back of the Gatineau Olympiques for the final playoff spot. With one game to play, there is no way for Saint John to catch Gatineau.

Saint John once again struggled to create scoring chances in Friday's loss but really turned it on in the third period. You can't say the Sea Dogs mailed this game in even when behind, which was good to see.

The Sea Dogs entered the game having been shutout in each of their past two games and averaging a league worst 2.39 goals per game. Matthew Krayer scored the team's lone goal, which came with 2:20 to play in the third period and Saint John trailing 4-0.

Luke Patterson, Brayden Schmitt, Alexis Toussaint and Cam Squires scored for Cape Breton. Alexis Cournoyer made 32 saves in the win.

Justin Robinson made 38 stops in the loss.

Game Day 63 & 64: vs Eagles

SAINT JOHN - It all comes down to this.

The Saint John Sea Dogs enter the final weekend of the regular season outside the playoff picture – but they still have a chance to get in. With two games to play, Saint John is three points back of the Gatineau Olympiques, who own the 16th and final playoff spot.

The Sea Dogs will host the Cape Breton Eagles tonight at 7 p.m. and again on Saturday at 4 p.m. Saint John must at least equal Gatineau in points to get into the playoffs (the Sea Dogs own the tie breaker).

While it's not impossible for the Sea Dogs to get into the playoffs, it certainly feels like a long shot. The team has won just five games since Christmas and haven't won back-to-back matches since mid-December.

Gatineau, meanwhile, travels to Victoriaville to play the last-place Tigres tonight before hosting the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Saturday.  

Saying the Sea Dogs need a miracle here would be a stretch, but they do need a few things to fall their way if they want to keep their season alive.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/Sea Dogs Radio/CHL TV

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 21-41-0-0 for 40 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Eagles are 32-23-4-3 for 71 points (second Maritimes/fifth Eastern/10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-0 loss in Charlottetown on Sunday. Eric Young made 30 saves in the loss. The Eagles are coming off a 5-3 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Sunday. Jacob Newcombe, Luke Patterson and Cam Squires scored for Cape Breton. Jakub Milota made 30 stops in the loss.