Notebook: The Telus Cup Is Coming

Via John Moore, here’s Luke Green getting selected first overall by Jonathan Huberdeau and the Sea Dogs.

TELUS CUP

If you haven’t heard, the Saint John Vito’s will host the 2016 Telus Cup at the qplex. Hockey Canada made the announcement last weekend.

The national major midget hockey championship will take place from April 18-24 in 2016. The tournament could feature plenty of future NHLers along with prospects for the 2016 QMJHL Entry Draft.

Along with the Telus Cup, the Saint John area could be hosting the Memorial Cup in 2017. Good times ahead.

THE AMERICANS

SB Nation’s college hockey blog offered some analysis on each American taken in last weekend’s QMJHL Entry Draft. The Dogs picked two Americans – forwards Monte Graham and Lincoln Griffin from Thayer Academy.

“The Hanover, Mass. native has very good vision on the ice and could be a terrific playmaker as his career progresses,” writes Jeff Cox about Graham.

“The Northeastern recruit out of Walpole, Mass. possesses great setup skills and can be an impact offensive player,” Cox notes about Griffin.

The Chronicle Herald's Willy Palov notes in his latest column that Graham and Charlie Coyle are cousins. "That connection should assure Graham’s presence in Saint John in August, and it wouldn’t even surprise me to see his Thayer Academy teammate, Lincoln Griffin, the Sea Dogs’ 14th-rounder, join him," writes Palov.

MHL

Only three Maritime Junior ‘A’ Hockey League players were selected in last weekend’s QMJHL Entry Draft. Two of them were picked by the Sea Dogs.

Valley Wildcats netminder Blade Mann-Dixon was selected in the 11^th round by the Sea Dogs while Campbellton Tigers forward Francis Theriault was taken in the 13^th round. The other MHL player picked was Woodstock Slammers forward Peter Woulds who was taken in the 11^th round by the Gatineau Olympiques.

TESSIER

The Shawinigan newspaper Le Nouvelliste has an article on the Sea Dogs picking Julien Tessier in the first round. He is compared to former Shawinigan Cataractes forward and current Montreal Canadien Michael Bournival.

Tessier had seven goals and 21 points in 38 regular season games this past season with the Trois-Rivieres Estacades of the Quebec Midget AAA League. He added four goals and nine points in five playoff games.

WARD

The Sea Dogs selected Kyle Ward in the eighth round of Saturday’s draft. The Sackville Tribune-Post notes that it is quite rare for a Sackville native to be selected in the QMJHL Entry Draft – and it happened twice this year.

EICHEL

This week in Jack Eichel news, Boston University’s regular season schedule was released. The Boston Hockey Blog has the details.

Eichel and the Terriers begin the season at home against none other than the St. Thomas Tommies in an exhibition game. Of note, BU makes their only trip to Orono to take on the University of Maine on November 14.

DACCORD

In April, SB Nation’s college hockey blog named Joel Daccord the fourth best uncommitted goaltender in New England.

Last week, The Hockey Writers called Daccord one of the late blooming goaltenders for the 2014 NHL Draft. Daccord was ranked 14^th amongst North American goalies by NHL Central Scouting for this year’s draft.

Daccord had a good 2013-14 campaign with Cushing Academy, recording a 2.58 GAA and .923 save percentage in 32 games. The North Andover, Mass. native was picked in 11^th round by Saint John in the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft. He attended camp last year but left early to maintain his NCAA eligibility. Not too sure what his status is heading into the fall, but I guess we’ll find out.

GALLERY

The Sea Dogs website has a photo gallery featuring images from draft weekend.

DESPRES
Simon Despres and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had their season come to an end in the AHL's Eastern Conference Finals. The Penguins were eliminated in six games by the St. John's IceCaps

Despres finished the post-season with two goals and seven assists in 17 games.