NHL season underway for ex-Sea Dogs

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The first Stanley Cup champion in Saint John Sea Dogs history got his 2021 season off to a strong start on Wednesday night.

Mathieu Joseph scored and was a +2 in the Tampa Bay Lightning's season opening 5-1 win over the retooling Chicago Blackhawks. Matthew Highmore was held off the scoresheet for the Blackhawks in just under 11 minutes of ice time.

Malcolm Subban can’t absorb the shot and Mathieu Joseph capitalizes. Tough goal to give up. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/fM6tGjzER2

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 14, 2021

Mike Hoffman did not make his St. Louis Blues debut on Wednesday due to a work visa issue.

Hoffman, Joseph and Highmore are just a few of the Sea Dogs alumni that are starting this bizarre hockey season in the NHL. Here's a breakdown:

Boston: Charlie Coyle and Jakub Zboril

Florida: Jonathan Huberdeau

Pittsburgh: Alex D'Orio (taxi squad)

Ottawa: Thomas Chabot

Tampa Bay: Mathieu Joseph

New York Rangers: Julien Gauthier

Chicago: Matthew Highmore

St. Louis: Mike Hoffman

Vegas: Tomas Jurco (taxi squad? Not official)

Winnipeg: Nathan Beaulieu

Spencer Smallman (Chicago Wolves), Luke Green (Manitoba Moose) and Boko Imama (Ontario Reign) were all assigned to the American Hockey League following time at NHL camps. AHL training camps begin this week with a shortened regular season expected to begin on Feb. 5.

The status of Callum Booth, who had been attending Boston Bruins training camp, is unclear.