Sea Dogs make several roster moves

SAINT JOHN - A few significant roster moves were made by the Saint John Sea Dogs on Monday.

The Sea Dogs reassigned 10 players from training camp - including 20-year-olds Kyle Ward and Alex Bernier. With Chase Stewart being traded on Sunday, the team has gone quickly from five overagers to just two. Defenceman Bailey Webster and forward Cole Reginato remain.

Ward spent two seasons with the Sea Dogs, registering nine goals and 11 assists in 112 regular season games along with four goals and an assist in 35 playoff matches.

Bernier spent parts of two seasons with Saint John, recording four goals and 23 points in 82 regular season games along with four assists in 18 playoff matches.

The full list of players reassigned on Monday were: C Max-Antoine Melancon, C Aiden MacIntosh, RW Jeremie Jacob, RW Kyle Ward, D Alexandre Bernier, D Jack Greenberg, D Bennett Lawrick, D Tristan Mercure, G Stewart Bagnell and G Joel Goguen.

The Goguen and Bagnell reassignments seems to indicate the Sea Dogs will go with Alex D'Orio and Matthew Williams in net to start the season.

The Sea Dogs also announced a couple of trades. Saint John sent a 2018 second-round pick (acquired from Rimouski), a 2019 third-round pick (acquired from Gatineau) and a 2020 sixth-round pick to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in exchange for defenceman Nathan Larose, who will turn 17 next month.

A second-round pick of the Sagueneens in 2016, Larose played in just seven games with Chicoutimi last year, recording one assist. In 36 games with the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League's Saint-Eustache Vikings, Larose recorded four goals and 23 points.

“Nathan is a young defenceman with NHL tools,” said Sea Dogs President and General Manager Trevor Georgie in a press release. “His skating and offensive ability stand out. He was regarded highly by our scouting staff at the 2016 draft.

“A young blueliner like this does not get moved once he plays a full season in the QMJHL, which he will this year in front of our fans here in Saint John. We are preaching patience with him. Our coaching staff will work closely with him to help him develop.”

The other trade saw the Sea Dogs deal Jack McGovern, a eighth-round pick in 2016, to the Halifax Mooseheads in exchange for a 10th-round pick in the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft.

There are now 30 players remaining at Sea Dogs camp: two goalies, ten defencemen and 18 forwards.