DOGS MAKE SPLASH ON OPENING DAY

The Saint John Sea Dogs wasted no time in switching things up on the blue line. Director of Hockey Operations Mike Kelly announced today that the Dogs have acquired Christian Morin from the Val-d’Or Foreurs in exchange for Benjamin Lecomte.

Morin will bring physicality and size to the Sea Dogs’ blue line as well as help Saint John’s penalty kill – ranked second last in the QMJHL. In 25 games with the Foreurs this season, Morin has five goals and four assists in 25 games to go along with 44 penalty minutes.

He was drafted by Val-d’Or in the 2006 QMJHL entry draft in the fourth round, 64th overall. In 119 games he has 11 goals, 16 assists, and 164 penalty minutes. He was named the Foreurs’ Scholastic Player of the Month last February. In four career playoff games, he has no points and two penalty minutes.

The 19-year-old Dartmouth native is 6’0” tall and 191 pounds.

Benjamin Lecomte was expected to be traded after he did not travel with the club to Halifax last night. The 19-year-old defenseman was acquired by Saint John on December 22, 2008 in a trade that sent a sixth round entry draft pick to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He was originally drafted by the Quebec Remparts, 99th overall, in 2006.

In 25 games this season, he has two goals and nine assists in 25 games. In 130 career games played with three clubs, he has 14 goals and 34 assists to go along with 132 penalty minutes.

Lecomte has been switching with Gabriel Bourret as the sixth defenseman on the Dogs bench and has played the majority of the time.

Today’s trade was the first deal on the opening day of the trading period. The window closes on January 7, 2010 at 1:00 pm AST.