Sunday, June 1, 2014

Notebook: Huberdeau Was In The House

SHERBROOKE, Que. – The Sea Dogs had a special guest announce their first overall pick at yesterday’s QMJHL Entry Draft.

Former Sea Dogs captain and current Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau attended the draft and took the stage with his old junior club. Wearing a 10th anniversary Sea Dogs golf shirt, Huberdeau announced the picking of Luke Green.

“The Sea Dogs always took such good care of me throughout my junior career. Today was a chance for me to give something back to them,” explained Huberdeau in an article on the QMJHL website. “When they reached out to me to welcome their picks at their table today, I was happy to accept especially since this is so close to my home.”
There were a number of other current NHLers at the draft, including Sean Couturier and Mathieu Perreault with the Titan.

THE TWINS
According to Eastlink’s Dan Robertson, Matt Green is the older of the Green twins.

GOLFING
Turns out the Green twins are good at golfing as well. The Nova Scotia Golf Association had an article about the two posted on their website Friday.

“I would like to be selected by a Maritime team, but at the end of the day I would be just excited to get drafted by any organization,” said Luke Green. They also mentioned that they are/were considering NCAA options, but that is unlikely to be an issue now.

Newbridge Academy assistant coach Matt Anthony compared Matt to Anze Kopitar and Luke to Erik Karlsson.

YOUNG SPEAKS
In a press release, here is what Sea Dogs general manager Darrell Young had to say about Luke Green.

“Luke Green is a dynamic, offensive-minded defender who has NHL skating ability. When you look around the QMJHL, there are only two or three right-handed defencemen with a high-end offensive skill set, and we wanted to add one that would make our power play hard to defend. 
"He plays with some bite to his game, and he wants to be a difference-maker when he is on the ice. He wants the puck. He wants to push the offensive envelope. Offence starts from the back end, and we have a defence that can move the puck efficiently - players who should be here when we make our run for the Memorial Cup."

VIDEO
The Sea Dogs website has a few videos featuring Luke Green and Julien Tessier – the team’s first round picks.

LINKS
As the Chronicle Herald explains, Luke Green joins an exclusive club featuring Sidney Crosby, James Sheppard, Alex Grant, and Nathan MacKinnon.

“It was a definitely a special feeling I’ll never forget,” Green told Metro Halifax.

FIRST ROUND
MCKENZIE SPEAKS
The QMJHL Entry Draft is all kinds of awesome sauce. Even the great Bob McKenzie of TSN couldn’t stay away from yesterday’s hoopla.
McKenzie the best.

DEFENSE FIRST
For the fourth time in team history, the Sea Dogs picked first overall. And just like the previous three times, the Sea Dogs chose a defenseman.

The club took Alex Grant first overall in 2005, Yann Sauve in 2006, Simon Despres in 2008, and Luke Green yesterday. Grant, Sauve, and Despres all had successful careers with the Sea Dogs and each has played in the NHL.

F AND D
This was the third straight year and fifth time ever that Saint John had two first round picks. Each previous time they selected both a forward and a defenseman and that trend continued on Saturday.

In 2007 the Dogs drafted Simon Despres and Steven Anthony, Pierre Durepos and Jonathan Huberdeau in 2009, Matthew Highmore and Olivier LeBlanc in 2012, Nathan Noel and Will Thompson last year, and Luke Green and Julien Tessier this year.

NEW BRUNSWICK
It wasn’t a spectacular year for New Brunswick at the QMJHL Entry Draft but it wasn’t terrible, either. Defenseman Elijah Francis was the first NBer taken as the Titan drafted him the second round, 29th overall. Forward Ryan Kenny of the Miramichi Rivermen was the second New Brunswick player taken when the Sea Dogs selected him in the fourth round.

TESINK SAGA
The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada had the 20th overall pick as compensation for the Ryan Tesink trade saga. They were also given Saint John’s third-round pick, 41st overall.

The Armada traded the 20th overall pick in a package to Victoriaville. The Tigres went on to draft big defenseman Olivier Huot. With the 41st overall pick, the Armada took Cole Harbour goaltender Mark Grametbauer.

YOUNGER TESINK
Speaking of Tesink, the latest one was taken in yesterday’s draft. Marcus Tesink was drafted in the fifth round, 82nd overall by the Moncton Wildcats.

Marcus Tesink, a defenseman, recorded a goal and nine assists in 33 games with the Saint John Vitos this past season.

TRADING
The Sea Dogs were certainly much more active on the trade front this draft weekend compared to the past few years. In total, the Sea Dogs made eight transactions with six of them involving players. The team made two minor deals yesterday, swapping draft picks in order to move up.

In 2013, the Dogs made two trades during draft weekend. They made one in 2012 and three in 2011.

WELCOME PACKS
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