Notebook: More Scouting Changes

More changes are coming to the Sea Dogs’ scouting staff.

Marc-Andre Roussel, one of Saint John’s Montreal area scouts, tweeted last Friday that he was leaving the club.

“Not easy to leave such a first class organization,” tweeted Roussel about the Sea Dogs.

Francois Parenteau of La Presse reported last week that Roussel will be joining Christian Vermette’s Quebec Remparts as a scout. Yesterday, Roussel tweeted that Andre Germain, also a Montreal area scout for the Sea Dogs, will be joining the Remparts as well.

Along with Vermette, Roussel, and Germain joining the Remparts, the Dogs also lost New Brunswick scout Stephane Leblanc who, according to the Telegraph-Journal a few weeks ago, wanted to pursue other options (Leblanc is director of recruiting at UdeM).

LEBLANC

The Hockey Writers have a brief draft profile on Sea Dogs defenseman Olivier LeBlanc.

“He’s brisk on his skates and can accelerate with little effort,” writes Shawn Reznik. “His speed leads to rushes up the ice and scoring chances in the offensive zone. He’s poised with the puck and can set up plays easily.”

SMITH

The Antigonish newspaper The Casket has an article on Sea Dogs fourth round pick Declan Smith and 11^th round selection Blade Mann-Dixon.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Smith. “I was told by the hockey staff that the opportunity is there for me – it’s not an unmakable team. I will work hard this summer and hopefully have a good outcome at the end of camp.”

Smith had 12 goals and nine assists in 30 games with the Cape Breton West Islanders last season.

On Mann-Dixon, Sea Dogs general manager Darrell Young said the “he definitely has a chance to win a spot” on this year’s roster. Valley Wildcats general manager Nick Greenough told The Kings County Register/Advertiser that the Sea Dogs are “very high” on Mann-Dixon. The ‘Cats acquired another goaltender just in case they lose the netminder to Saint John.

MAYER

After years of speculation, the Geneve-Servette Hockey Club officially signed former Sea Dogs goaltender Robert Mayer this week. The 24-year old signed a deal that will see him play for the club until the end of the 2016-17 season.

Mayer spent two seasons with the Sea Dogs from 2007 to 2009. In 89 career games with the Dogs, the Swiss goaltender posted a 42-39 record with a 3.41 goals against average and a .893 save percentage.

Mayer was signed by the Montreal Canadiens as a free agent and has spent the past several years in their system. Last season in AHL Hamilton he had a 2.80 GAA and .909 SV% in 29 games.

TSOGKAS

Former Sea Dogs forward Andreas Tsogkas will play for the Ryerson University Rams men’s hockey team next season, the Ontario Junior Hockey League announced this week.

Tsogkas played in 57 games with Saint John in 2012-13, recording three goals and eight assists. He played with the OJHL’s Toronto Lakeshore Patriots this past season where he recorded 31 goals and 26 assists in 53 regular season games and another seven goals and nine assists in 19 playoff games.

Tsogkas helped the Patriots reach the RBC Cup but they did not make the playoff round. The release notes that he won a $500 RBC Cup Legacy Scholarship at the tournament’s awards banquet.

GAUTHIER

Bolt Prospects has named former Sea Dogs forward Danick Gauthier the 25^th best prospect in the Tampa Bay Lightning system.

“Gauthier is a bit of an enigma,” writes the website. “He's got decent size, but isn't overly physical. He's got decent hands, but outside his final season with Saint John in the QMJHL, when he had 47 goals and was subsequently signed as an attractive free agent, he's never posted big numbers anywhere he's been. The final season of Gauthier's entry-level deal is next year, meaning it's about to be now or never for the Quebec native.”

Gauthier had five goals and 12 assists in 30 games with ECHL Florida last season. In 19 games with AHL Syracuse he recorded three goals and four assists.

PORTER

Goaltender Kyle Porter, who spent some time with the Sea Dogs last season, was selected by the St. Stephen County Aces in Tuesday’s MHL Expansion Draft. Porter’s rights were previously held by the Woodstock Slammers.

Porter, a St. Andrews native, posted a 14-4 record with the NB/PEI Major Midget Hockey League’s Saint John Vito’s last season to go along with a 3.09 GAA and .886 SV%. In the playoffs he went 7-2-2 with a 2.34 GAA and .911 SV%.