Notebook: Old Dogs in new places

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

When the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season restarts in the coming days, there will be plenty of former Saint John Sea Dogs to keep an eye on.

Five players who suited up for Saint John in the first half of the season will begin playing in their new homes. That list includes Christopher Inniss (Chicoutimi Sagueneens), Evgeny Sapelnikov (Baie-Comeau Drakkar), Jonathan Lemieux (Moncton Wildcats), Carter McCluskey (Cape Breton Eagles) and Charles Savoie (Cape Breton Eagles).

Sea Dogs prospects that were dealt prior to the QMJHL trade deadline - Natan Grenier (Moncton) and Francis Woods (Val-d'Or) - do not appear on the rosters of their new clubs.

Other former Sea Dogs to keep an eye on when the season resumes include Joshua Roy (Sherbrooke Phoenix), Kale McCallum (Val-d'Or Foreurs), Alex Drover (Rimouski Oceanic), Dawson Stairs (Charlottetown Islanders), Nicholas Girouard (Cape Breton Eagles), Simon Hughes (Drummondville Voltigeurs) and Leighton Carruthers (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies).

LONG ON GRANT

Current Saint John MP and former Sea Dogs president Wayne Long released a short statement on Facebook regarding Alex Grant being named to Canada's Olympic hockey team.

From Facebook:

I remember that day in 2005 with Scott McCain up on the stage in Chicoutimi calling out Alex Grant’s name.

Our choice was never in doubt. He was a true leader for our team in those expansion building years! 

Congratulations from all of us involved in those early years for being selected to Team Canada for the Olympics in Beijing. What an honour. This whole community is so proud of you!

SCHEDULING

A couple of potential scheduling issues/problems for a pushed back Memorial Cup: there is a Dallas Smith concert scheduled for TD Station on June 17 and the Acadian Games begin on June 29 in Saint John and Quispamsis. The Acadian Games is likely more of an accommodations issue than facilities.

The QMJHL announced Friday that the President Cup playoffs could go as late as June 15. The Memorial Cup is currently scheduled for June 4-13. Pushing the event back a week, following the same scheduling format, would place it June 11-20. Pushing it two weeks would mean a June 18-27 tournament.

There's also some uncertainty about the World Under-18 Hockey Championship, which is currently scheduled for April 21 - May 1 in Germany. The Canadian roster is made mostly of CHL players whose teams have been eliminated from the playoffs but, with the QMJHL regular season (and you have to think the OHL and WHL may follow) extended to May 1, that could be tricky.

Sea Dogs return to play Friday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will return to game action on Friday at TD Station.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League unveiled this weekend's schedule on Sunday afternoon. The Sea Dogs will host the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Friday at 7 p.m. before taking on the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday at 3 p.m. at TD Station.

The new schedule for this weekend is only slightly different than the original. The original 2021-22 season schedule had the Sea Dogs hosting the Armada on Saturday night instead on Friday.

The Armada will visit all three New Brunswick teams on this trip while the Oceanic will play in Moncton and Saint John.

New Brunswick is currently the only QMJHL jurisdiction that will allow up to 50% capacity. The Quebec clubs will play home games in empty arenas this weekend (up to 500 fans will be able to attend games beginning Feb. 7) while the Nova Scotia clubs and Charlottetown Islanders are expected to return to action with an extended stretch of road games.

The QMJHL has not played a game since Dec. 18. The league still plans on playing its full 68-game schedule, which will run now until May 1.

"The Commissioner’s office will continue to work on the regular season schedule in the upcoming days," the QMJHL's news release stated. "The rescheduled games will be communicated to media and fans as soon as possible."

The Sea Dogs and their revamped roster left the province and practiced in Riviere-du-Loup last week and will have another few days of practice before Friday's game.

Saint John had 15 games postponed during the pause. They have a total of 38 games remaining.

The Sea Dogs sit 11th overall in the QMJHL standings with a 15-12-0-3 record for 33 points. With the first two rounds of the President Cup playoffs potentially being best-of-five, there won't be as much room for error come post-season time. The Sea Dogs would be wise to work their way up the standings to get more favourable matchups.

Sea Dogs sign prospect Burbidge

Elite Prospects

The Saint John Sea Dogs made a bit of an unexpected announcement on Friday morning, signing 16-year-old prospect Cole Burbidge.

Burbidge, a second-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft, has spent this season in Rhode Island with the Mount St. Charles Academy program. The Falmouth, NS native will finish the year in the United States and join the Sea Dogs next season.

“We felt Cole was one of the top 2005’s available in last season’s draft” assistant general manager and head scout Anthony Stella said in a news release. “To have him commit to the organization is a major boost to our '05 group and the future of the team. Cole is an important piece for us moving forward.”

Burbidge presumably had NCAA options available to him. He was one of only three members of Saint John's 2021 draft class to not attend training camp last August/September.

“We really like Cole," Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told The Chronicle Herald in July. "Our team thinks he is one of the smartest players in the draft and will be a future top centreman in the league. We have had some great conversations with him and his family about his plan for next season and we’re very supportive of it. We look forward to having him be an important part of our future.”

Burbidge was projected to be a third-round pick in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft by Central Scouting and ranked 26th overall by HockeyProspect.com - who called him one of the best playmakers available.

"Throughout the season in all of our viewings, Burbidge created chances on a shift to shift basis for his team, offering very good looks on net to his linemates thanks to his very good vision, creativity and passing ability," wrote HockeyProspect.com. "His main strength, as mentioned, is his vision and ability to create plays. He made some passes at times that his teammates were not expecting to receive at all, passes through traffic, from tight and restricted angles, when there was a lot of pressure on him. Burbidge could create plays in any of those situations.

"All in all, Burbidge has a lot of great offensive tools, rounded out with a decent defensive game, but his hockey IQ, his vision and his ability to create plays is what makes him a very good prospect for this draft. Burbidge projects as a playmaking top six centre at the next level."

Saint John's 2022-23 roster is already intriguing. Despite going all-in this season, the Sea Dogs have - on paper at least - a respectable lineup coming together. The team will have a good crop of returning players, a large prospect pool to draw from plus potential returns from players they will be forced to flip to other teams (the Sea Dogs have an abundance of players who will be overagers next season).

QMJHL games set to return Feb. 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's official: Quebec Major Junior Hockey League games are making a return.

The QMJHL announced Friday afternoon "the return to competition of its 18 franchises" on Thursday, Feb. 3. The league has been on pause since Dec. 18 due to COVID-19, making it the only major junior circuit to not start up after the Christmas break.

Only one of the league's four jurisdictions - New Brunswick - will allow up to 50% capacity in arenas, a change that begins Friday (Jan. 28) at midnight. The hope is that Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island soon follow.

Here are some more details on the league's restart:

• The league once again stated that it remains committed to playing its full 68-game schedule. The remainder of the regular season will be played between Feb. 3 and May. 1. The league's schedule was set to end on April 2, so a month has been added on.
• The league will release a new schedule on Monday. The Saint John Sea Dogs have had 15 games postponed. Even with a month added on, that is a lot of games to make up.
• The 12 Quebec-based teams will begin play with no fans in their buildings. Up to 500 fans will be allowed beginning Feb. 7.
• Nova Scotia teams will begin play on the road. Games are not expected to be allowed in Nova Scotia until Feb. 14 at the earliest.
• So what does this mean for the QMJHL playoffs? The league announced that the President Cup playoffs will begin May 5 and end no later than June 15. According to Stephane Leroux of RDS,  expect the first two rounds of the playoffs to be best-of-five.
• So what does this mean for the Memorial Cup? The tournament was originally scheduled for June 4-13 but, with the QMJHL playoffs possibly running until June 15, there's going to have to be an adjustment. "The schedule for the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia will also be released in the upcoming weeks," stated the QMJHL's news release. If the tournament follows the same scheduling format, it will likely run from June 18-27. But we'll have to wait for something official on that.
• Le Soleil notes that these moves will likely move the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft into early July. The draft was scheduled to take place virtually June 17-18.
• Kevin Dube of le Journal de Quebec tweeted Friday morning that some players had expressed interest in heading to the United States if the QMJHL didn't resume play soon. You also have to think the OHL continuing to play in empty buildings was pressuring the QMJHL to do the same.

These times remain unprecedented, folks.

Volunteers needed for Memorial Cup

Volunteers are needed for the 2022 Memorial Cup.

The Memorial Cup Host Committee, Saint John Sea Dogs and Canadian Hockey League began their push for volunteer registrations on Thursday. There are a variety of roles in need of filling. The primary categories are:

• Hospitality
• Security
• Special Events
• Administation
• Transportation
• Logistics

More details on the volunteer program and info on how to register are available on the Memorial Cup website.

“You don’t have to be a diehard hockey fan to contribute in a meaningful way” said Mark-Anthony Ashfield, chair of the 2022 Memorial Cup Host Committee, in a news release. “If you are community-minded, if you believe in what we can together accomplish in our region, and if you want to help showcase all that is special here to the rest of the world, this will be a wonderful opportunity for you. We want you.”

The 2022 Memorial Cup is currently scheduled for June 4-13 in Saint John. Thursday's news release did not reference any dates. There have been multiple mentions in media reports over the past couple weeks that the tournament could be pushed back a bit.

"I am very confident that we will play," QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau told Junior Hockey Magazine recently. "I don’t know if it will be at the date we announced a couple of months ago. We might have to adjust. The three leagues want to do everything they can to play their regular seasons in full. It is important for us to play 68 games. From there, we will see if we can manage it. If we want to play 68 games, we may have to adjust our playoff format as well, plus maybe push back the Memorial Cup a week or two to make sure we can play as many games as we can before we reach the playoffs."

Grant named to Canada's Olympic team

KHL

The original Saint John Sea Dog is going to the Olympic Games.

33-year-old defenseman Alex Grant, Saint John's first ever draft pick, was named to Canada's men's hockey team for Beijing 2022 on Tuesday. He'll become the first Sea Dogs alumnus to play for Canada at an Olympic Games.

Meet Team Canada! 🇨🇦

25 men have been selected to represent 🇨🇦 at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

ROSTER ➡️ https://t.co/d8OVCa3Ceh@TeamCanada | #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/pcIv42Qkf6

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) January 25, 2022

Grant was one of 25 players named to the Canadian roster. Other notables on the team's backend include Buffalo Sabres prospect Owen Power and former Moncton Wildcats Brandon Gormley, Mark Barberio and Jason Demers.

Grant was selected first overall by the Sea Dogs in the 2005 QMJHL Entry Draft and spent most of his junior career with the club. He was team captain in 2007-08 and again 2008-09 before being traded mid-season to the Shawinigan Cataractes.

The Antigonish native recorded 44 goals and 143 points in 245 career regular season games in the QMJHL. He added seven goals and 23 points in 35 career playoff games.

Notebook: Who will be in Saint John?

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Could the Saint John Sea Dogs face some familiar franchises this June?

It's certainly possible that one or more teams the Sea Dogs have faced at previous Memorial Cups could make their way to Saint John in a few months. In the OHL, the Mississauga Steelheads (formerly the St. Michael's Majors (2011)) and London Knights (2012) currently sit atop the standings based on winning percentage.

	Team	GP	Record (Points)	Win %
1	Mississauga Steelheads	35	23-8-1-3 (50)	.714
2	London Knights	32	21-10-1-0 (43)	.672
3	Kingston Frontenacs	32	20-9-3-0 (43)	.672
4	Barrie Colts	30	18-9-3-0 (39)	.650
5	Guelph Storm	32	19-10-2-1 (41)	.641

The Windsor Spitfires (2017) currently have the eighth based winning percentage. The Owen Sound Attack (2011) and Erie Otters (2017) are long shots to win the OHL championship.

In the WHL, the Winnipeg Ice (formerly the Kootenay Ice (2011)) have the best winning percentage while the Edmonton Oil Kings are third (2012) and Seattle Thunderbirds fifth (2017).

	Team	GP	Record (Points)	Win %
1	Winnipeg Ice	37	29-6-2-0 (60)	.811
2	Everett Silvertips	38	27-7-2-2 (58)	.763
3	Edmonton Oil Kings	39	27-9-2-1 (57)	.731
4	Kamloops Blazers	36	24-11-1-0 (49)	.681
5	Seattle Thunderbirds	35	21-10-4-0 (46)	.657

The one other QMJHL team the Sea Dogs have faced in Memorial Cup play, the Shawinigan Cataractes (2012), have a legitimate shot of making it as well. The Cataractes currently have the fifth best winning percentage.

Sea Dogs to practice in Riviere-du-Loup

It's official: the Saint John Sea Dogs are leaving the province and heading to Riviere-du-Loup to practice.

The Sea Dogs announced Monday that the team is departing for the Quebec city to temporally train due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in New Brunswick. From the Sea Dogs:

“It’s important that we allow our student athletes to continue training as it’s vital for their health, morale, and psychological well-being” said Sea Dogs President & General Manager, Trevor Georgie.

Other Quebec Major Junior Hockey League teams have permission to train under certain restrictions in Nova Scotia and Quebec. There is no restriction in New Brunswick’s mandatory order for teams to train outside the province.

“Our players need to be ready to play games once we restart and high-level athletes can’t stop training completely over an extended period of time” said Georgie. “This is a temporary solution and we will continue to follow our rigorous protocols. We look forward to returning home to TD Station and performing for our fans soon.”

The Moncton Wildcats announced Monday - in a press release worded very similar to the Sea Dogs' - that the team will travel all the way to Quebec City to train. The Wildcats said just a few days ago they weren't "actively pursuing" an out-of-province practice location.

Radio-Canada reports that the Acadie-Bathurst Titan will practice in Carleton-sur-Mer, which is less than two hours away from Bathurst.

Imama victim of racist gesture in AHL

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Boko Imama was the victim of a racist act earlier this month.

The American Hockey League announced Friday afternoon that San Jose Barracuda forward Krystof Hrabik has been suspended for 30 games "as a consequence of a racial gesture" directed at Imama during a game against the Tucson Roadrunners on Jan. 12. 

From the AHL's news release:

Based on the Barracuda’s schedule, Hrabik, who has already served three games of the suspension, would be eligible to return to the lineup on April 3, 2022.

The AHL believes that individual inclusion learning is a key element of improving league-wide culture. As such, as part of his suspension, Hrabik will be provided the opportunity to work with the National Hockey League’s Player Inclusion Committee to participate in education and training on racism and inclusion.

Hrabik may apply to AHL President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson for a reduction to the suspension and reinstatement after March 12, 2022, based on an evaluation of his progress in the necessary education and training with the Player Inclusion Committee.

Howson added that "the AHL stands with Boko Imama."

Poirier nearing more franchise history

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Jeremie Poirier is closing in on another franchise record.

Earlier this season, Poirier became the Saint John Sea Dogs franchise leader in goals by a defenseman, surpassing Alex Grant's 40. Now, with over half a season left to play (hopefully), the Calgary Flames prospect is just 11 points away from setting a new franchise mark for points by a d-man.

Thomas Chabot currently holds the Sea Dogs team record followed closely by Nathan Beaulieu.

Player	Seasons	GP	Points
Tomas Chabot	2013-2017	202	153
Nathan Beaulieu	2008-2012	233	152
Jeremie Poirier	2018-2022	188	143
Kevin Gagne	2008-2013	269	136
Simon Despres	2007-2011	240	134

Poirier recorded nine goals and 32 points in 30 games before the Christmas break. He sits third in QMJHL scoring by defensemen and fourth in goals.

"I expect him to continue to produce offensively because that’s his gift," Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told CHSJ News earlier this month. "But I expect him to round out his defensive game more. I expect a second half where the points will still be there, but I expect him to take more steps defensively.”

In terms of assists, Poirier has 99 in his Sea Dogs career, placing him sixth all-time. William Villeneuve, who has often been paired with Poirier over the years, sits fourth with 104. Chabot currently holds the record with 119 - another record that could fall over the next few months.

Notebook: Memorial Cup dates could change

In an interview with Global News this week, QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau mentioned that the dates for the 2022 Memorial Cup could be changed.

“We’re even prepared to modify our playoff format," Courteau said about the QMJHL's desire to complete its regular season schedule. "We’re even looking at the possibility of pushing back the start of the Memorial Cup a week or two later.”

Courteau added that he remains confident the league will be able to restart the week of Feb. 1. If the QMJHL is to play a full 68-game schedule, the regular season will very likely need to be extended - which would create the need to adjust playoff scheduling/formatting.

The Memorial Cup is currently scheduled for June 4-13.

“In terms of the Memorial Cup, all stakeholders are resolved to have it here in June,” Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told Global. “It is still five months away and there has been no talk of cancellation.”

The Global News piece - which the league shared on its Facebook page - is worth the watch/read. 

TALKING 'BOUT PRACTICE

Courteau also told Global News that the league's three New Brunswick teams have asked for permission to practice in another province. New Brunswick's current COVID-19 restrictions only allow people to practice with their household bubble.

Radio-Canada reported Wednesday that the Sea Dogs are looking into practicing in Riviere-du-Loup while the Acadie-Bathurst Titan are looking at Mont-Joli.

Riviere-du-Loup is home to Centre Premier Tech, a 3,000-seat arena that hosted the Telus Cup in 2015.

Jurco to play in second Olympic Games

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At least one former Saint John Sea Dog will take part in the upcoming Beijing 2022 Olympic Games.

Former Sea Dogs forward Tomas Jurco has been named to Slovakia's Olympic roster for a second time. From the IIHF website:

The forward line also features Tomas Jurco, who left the NHL in the summer after seven seasons with Detroit, Chicago, Edmonton and Vegas. He’s now with Barys Nur-Sultan in the KHL and is in line for a second Olympic appearance after representing Slovakia in Sochi in 2014. The 29-year-old winger also has World Championship experience but missed the chance to play on home ice in 2019 as he was winning his second Calder Cup at the time.

Jurco recorded a goal in four games with Slovakia at Sochi 2014.

This season, Jurco has three goals and 11 points 17 games in the KHL. He appeared in eight NHL games last season with the Vegas Golden Knights and spent much of the year in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights.

Jurco was part of the Glory Days Era of Sea Dogs hockey that reached three straight President Cup finals and back-to-back Memorial Cup tournaments between 2010 and 2012. He registered 87 goals and 175 points in 172 career regular season QMJHL games. He added 26 goals and 64 points in 56 playoff games.

Alumdate: Huberdeau an all-star

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Former Saint John Sea Dogs captain Jonathan Huberdeau has been named to the roster for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas. It's the second time in his career Huberdeau has been invited to participate in the event.

"One of the premier playmakers in the National Hockey League, Jonathan's production is matched only by his consummate professionalism," said Panthers general manger Bill Zito in a news release. "He is an all-star leader and teammate, making those around him better in every way. We are proud that he has earned this tremendous opportunity and are looking forward to him bringing the growing excitement surrounding the Florida Panthers to Las Vegas."

.@jonnyhuby11's world and we're just happy to be here ⭐️#NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/as6X9sTcZW

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) January 14, 2022

Huberdeau has been having excellent season with a strong Panthers squad, recording 15 goals and 53 points in 38 games. He likely would have been named to Canada's Olympic roster if NHL players were attending.

The 28-year-old has been one of the most productive Panthers in team history. From the club's news release:

Originally selected by Florida in the first round (third overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Huberdeau is currently the Panthers' longest-tenured player and stands as the franchise leader in assists (368) and points (551), ranking second in games played (629) and third in goals (183).

All-star weekend takes place Feb. 4-5.

CHL on TSN makes its debut

Kingston Frontenacs Twitter

The Canadian Hockey League made its much anticipated debut on TSN Friday night with a doubleheader.

The first game featured a surprising upset with the Sudbury Wolves - led by a four-goal performance by David Goyette - defeating Shane Wright and the Kingston Frontenacs 8-4. The second game saw the Prince George Cougars defeat the Vancouver Giants 3-2 in overtime.

The doubleheader was the first of 10 regular season games set to be broadcast on television by the network. TSN.ca will continue to air quite a few other games - including some involving the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The future of hockey lives here!

The puck drops on a #CHL doubleheader, Friday on #TSN, the TSN App & TSN Direct: https://t.co/LireDcbFaW#TSNHockey @CHLHockey | @OHLHockey @TheWHL | @QMJHL pic.twitter.com/utMFwWyJ4q

— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) January 13, 2022

The CHL and TSN are focusing on Friday night broadcasts. Next Friday's match - COVID permitting - will feature the Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats taking on the Brandon Wheat Kings.

QMJHL extends pause until Feb. 1

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League confirmed Friday what we already knew: Saint John Sea Dogs hockey will not return in the month of January.

The QMJHL announced that its pause, which was scheduled to end next week, has been extended until Feb. 1. From the league:

With no clear timeline of COVID-19 restrictions being eased, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League today announced the postponement of its return to play plans.

Initially scheduled for a return in the week of January 17, the regular season will now resume on February 1. The league is still working on rescheduling all postponed games, with the primary objective of having all franchises play their full 68-game schedule.

The news comes as no surprise given previous reports that the league doesn't want to return to game action until all 18 clubs are allowed at least 50% capacity in their arenas. Even a Feb. 1 return seems like wishful thinking at this point - but every day is an adventure in these unprecedented times we live in. We'll wait and see how things look in a couple weeks.

Friday's QMJHL news comes just hours before New Brunswick enters level 3 of its "winter plan," which does not even allow for full team practices.

Notebook: New Dogs means new numbers

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There will be plenty of new numbers on the ice when the Saint John Sea Dogs return to action.

Eight players have been added to Saint John's active roster following the completion of the trade period. Here's a quick look at the numbers the new arrivals will be wearing.

#1 - Thomas Couture

#19 - Philippe Daoust

#21 - Nicholas Blagden

#27 - Connor Trenholm

#46 - Vincent Sevigny

#55 - Raivis Ansons

#63 - Marshall Lessard

#70 - Nikolas Hurtubise

Daoust takes the number of Yanic Crete who, after being placed on waivers, is returning to play in Ontario. Hurtubise will wear No. 70, which was worn by Jonathan Lemieux this year.

Sevigny's No. 46 has only been worn two other times: Andrew Howes and Nicolas Larocque-Marcoux, both of whom wore the number in 2008.

Lessard will become the first Sea Dog to ever wear No. 63.

NB MOVES INTO LEVEL 3

Obligatory mention about New Brunswick moving into Level 3 of its "winter plan."

Also newly modified is the Level 3 section on sports. pic.twitter.com/MbNtVNCmHO

— Jacques Poitras (@poitrasCBC) January 13, 2022

New Brunswick will stay in Level 3 for at least 16 days, the province announced Thursday. This will postpone an additional five Sea Dogs games. The QMJHL had planned/hoped to resume games next week. No official announcement has been made by the league yet.

LATVIAN HISTORY

According to Elite Prospects, Raivis Ansons will become the first Latvian to play for the Sea Dogs in team history.

Oddly enough, Ansons takes the import spot of Evgeny Sapelnikov, who was the first Belarusian player to suit up for the Sea Dogs.

Ansons has played for Latvia a number of times internationally. At this year's Division 1 A world juniors, the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect recorded four goals and nine points in five games.

Georgie pleased with deadline moves

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

If building a championship caliber hockey team is like building a puzzle, the Saint John Sea Dogs believe they added the final pieces last week.

It's been a long build for the Sea Dogs, one that began at the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft. Last Thursday before the league's trading period closed, the Sea Dogs swung some of the biggest deals in franchise history, adding to their existing core of players.

"I think often times it's hard to see where the team is going when it's going through a tough rebuild" said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie last Friday. "We said we wanted to host the Memorial Cup and we are. We said we wanted to have a team that can have a chance to win and we think this team does have a chance.

"We're happy with what the finished product looks like."

Last Thursday, the Sea Dogs acquired forwards Philippe Daoust, Marshall Lessard, Connor Trenholm, Nicholas Blagden and Raivis Ansons. They also picked up goaltenders Nikolas Hurtubise and Thomas Couture. Earlier in the trade period they added defenseman Vincent Sevigny.

Saint John has a loaded roster, featuring a Canadian Hockey League high eight NHL prospects. The Sea Dogs have had - on paper - a talented roster for several seasons now but it hasn't translated to consistent success on the ice. The Dogs entered the holiday break with a 15-12-0-3 record, placing them 11th overall in the league.

With last Thursday's moves, Georgie believes he and the management group have put this team is a position to succeed.

Report: Crete joining CCHL's Nationals

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It appears Yanic Crete is returning to Ontario.

After being placed on waivers by the Saint John Sea Dogs last week, Crete will reportedly be continuing his junior hockey career with the Rockland Nationals of the CCHL.

Après des passages avec les @Ottawa67sHockey et les @SJSeaDogs, Yanic Crête va poursuivre sa carrière avec les @RocklandNatsJrA dans @TheCCHL. Attaquant de 19 ans.

— jf plante (@jfplante_Droit) January 11, 2022

The 19-year-old forward joined the Sea Dogs in late October. In 21 QMJHL games, the L'Original, ON native recorded a goal and five assists while mostly playing in a third line role.

Crete didn't play in 2020-21 due to the Ontario Hockey League not starting up. He spent the 2019-20 and part of the 2018-19 seasons with the Ottawa 67's.

Notebook: Sea Dogs and Foreurs have become regular trade partners

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The Saint John Sea Dogs made a rare blockbuster trade with the Moncton Wildcats on Thursday. While it may not have included quite as many pieces, the Sea Dogs also made a major deal with the Val-d'Or Foreurs, acquiring 19-year-old forward Marshall Lessard.

Swinging big trades is nothing new for the Sea Dogs and Foreurs. The two clubs have been frequent trade partners in recent years. Here's a look at the deals made between the two since the Julien Gauthier trade at the 2017 deadline.

2016-17 trade period: Sea Dogs acquire Julien Gauthier from the Foreurs for Nathan Cyr-Trottier and draft picks.

2017-18 trade period: Sea Dogs acquire Yohan Plamondon from the Foreurs for a draft pick.

2020 QMJHL Entry Draft: Foreurs acquire Maxim Cajkovic from the Sea Dogs for draft picks.

2021 QMJHL Entry Draft: Sea Dogs acquire Jonathan Lemieux from the Foreurs in exchange for Kale McCallum and draft picks.

2021-22 pre-season: Sea Dogs acquire Olivier Picard and the rights to Lucas Mercuri from the Foreurs for draft picks.

2021-22 trade period: Sea Dogs acquire Marshall Lessard and draft picks from the Foreurs in exchange for Francis Woods and draft picks.

The Lessard deal was the only transaction the Foreurs made on Thursday and just the second they made during the holiday trade period.

The Telegraph-Journal (paywall) has a nice feature on Lessard, who missed the Foreurs' championship playoff run last year with a knee injury.

FIRST HALF THOUGHTS

CHSJ News caught up with Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie to discuss the team's first half.

“We will have to clean up the second half to be more consistent because we left a lot of points on the table in games we should have won, but I’m pleased with a lot of what we saw, and it should be a really good second half,” Georgie said.

While the Sea Dogs sit seventh in the Eastern Conference with 33 points, they are just three points back of third-place. It will be a challenge to catch first-place Charlottetown (46 points) and second-place Quebec (42 points) especially if the schedule is reduced. The Remparts may have the advantage in the second half by playing outside the tough Maritimes Division.

Inniss claimed by Sagueneens

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Christopher Inniss is now a member of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

The 20-year-old defenseman was the odd man out in the Saint John Sea Dogs' overage situation and was recently placed on waivers. Yanick Jean, head coach and general manager of the Sagueneens, tweeted late Friday that his team had claimed Inniss.

Bienvenue avec @SagueneensLHJMQ Christopher Inniss. Fier que tu puisses terminer ta carrière de 5 ans @LHJMQ avec nous.

— Jean Yanick (@yanjean75) January 8, 2022

Inniss has been part of the Sea Dogs for the past two seasons. In total, the defensive defenseman recorded two goals and 15 points in 61 games with the club.

Before being traded to Saint John, Inniss was a member of the Rimouski Oceanic for three seasons.

The Sags currently sit eighth in the Eastern Conference - just behind the Sea Dogs - with a record of 14-12-0-4 for 32 points.

The Sea Dogs are currently scheduled to play in Chicoutimi on Feb. 9, but it's unclear if that game will be played due to ongoing COVID issues.

WHL, OHL continuing to push through COVID pauses and postponements

Despite a growing number of postponed games and teams put on pause, the Western Hockey League will continue to push forward with its regular season.

“The WHL and our member clubs remain fully committed to playing through the 68-game WHL regular season schedule and playoffs,” league commissioner Ron Robison said in a news release on Friday. “As we work through the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our priority continues to be to deliver a world-class development experience for WHL players, staff, and officials, and to do so in a safe and healthy manner. On behalf of the entire WHL, I wish to thank WHL fans and WHL corporate partners everywhere for their patience as we work to reschedule games in the coming weeks.”

15 of the WHL's 22 teams are currently on pause "as a result of multiple players and staff being added to the WHL COVID-19 protocol list due to exhibiting symptoms or having tested positive for COVID-19."

Things aren't going much better in the Ontario Hockey League where game postponements have become a near daily occurrence. The league also has to deal with new government restrictions that ban spectators from attending games.

The OHL said in a news release Wednesday that it plans to continue to keep moving forward with its regular season.

It's a much different story in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League where the league has been on pause since the Christmas break. The QMJHL's last game played was on Dec. 18 and its next scheduled contest is for Jan. 19.

On Dec. 30, the league announced that it was further extending its holiday break. Players would report back to their clubs no later than Jan. 14 under this plan with games resuming the week of Jan. 17. That return to game action is certainly in question given, well, everything.

In Le Soleil on Friday, Mikael Lalancette reported that the QMJHL will not resume its schedule until all 18 clubs have clearance to fill their buildings to at least 50% capacity. "Protected environments," which were held throughout Quebec last season, are not on the table, Le Soleil reports.

Trade deadline aftermath

Sea Dogs website

A few days ago, not many people would have guessed that Philippe Daoust would be a member of the Saint John Sea Dogs and Elliot Desnoyers would not.

But here we are.

Daoust has spent the first half of this season with the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. A sixth-round pick of Ottawa in the 2020 NHL Draft, Daoust recorded five assists with the baby Sens. In his 19-year-old season with the Moncton Wildcats, the Barrie, ON native registered six goals and 28 points in 21 games.

“This was fairly large and complicated trade,” said Wildcats director of hockey operations Ritchie Thibeau in a news release. “We just found out yesterday that Phil Daoust would be returning to the QMJHL and we were quickly able to find a trading partner and put together a package to help with the future and our championship aspirations.”

Daoust joins Yan Kuznetsov and William Villeneuve as Sea Dogs with AHL game experience.

As for Desnoyers, he remains a Halifax Moosehead. It's rare that a rumoured deal so widely reported does not come to fruition in the QMJHL. The Mooseheads, who are targeting the next two seasons to make championship runs, did not make any trades Thursday.

Mooseheads general manager Cam Russell told the Chronicle Herald that keeping Desnoyers gives the team "two great lines and some important leadership to help our young players."

The Philadelphia Flyers prospect, who was part of Canada's world junior team, will likely be playing pro hockey next season.

You have to feel a little bad for Desnoyers. He was part of Moncton's 2019-20 team that was a serious Memorial Cup contender before COVID cancelled the playoffs. He recently said one of his 2022 goals was to win the Memorial Cup - but unless the Mooseheads go on a shocking run this year, it's unlikely to happen now.

"I'd say my main goal, first of all, would be to win the Memorial Cup with my team," Desnoyers told Philadelphia Flyers podcaster/YouTuber Christopher Maher in an interview earlier this week. "I've been dreaming about this Cup for a long time and I think that it's fair to say that this year would be my last to try and go for it. That's mainly going to be my focus for the beginning of 2022."

Big and busy deadline day for Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs had one of the biggest trade deadline days in team history on Thursday.

The Sea Dogs made five separate deals before the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's trading period officially ended at 1 p.m. Atlantic on Thursday. All five were major transactions.

The biggest - and most surprising - deal of the day saw the Sea Dogs acquire Philippe Daoust, Nicholas Blagden and Thomas Couture from the Moncton Wildcats in exchange for prospect Natan Grenier, goaltender Jonathan Lemieux and draft picks.

The Sea Dogs significantly upgraded their scoring ability with the additions of Daoust, Marshall Lessard, Connor Trenholm and Raivis Ansons.

One scoring forward who did not end up with the Sea Dogs: Elliot Desnoyers of the Halifax Mooseheads. The much rumoured and expected deal between the Sea Dogs and Mooseheads did not take place. Desnoyers remains a member of the Mooseheads.

Here's a quick look at who is coming to the Sea Dogs and who is leaving.

In (by order of transaction):

19-year-old G Nikolas Hurtubise

17-year-old F Danny Akkouche (prospect)

19-year-old F Marshall Lessard

18-year-old F Connor Trenholm

20-year-old F Philippe Daoust

19-year-old F Nicholas Blagden

19-year-old G Thomas Couture

19-year-old F Raivis Ansons

Many future draft picks

Out (by order of transaction):

16-year-old F Francis Woods (prospect)

18-year-old F Carter McCluskey

18-year-old F Charles Savoie

16-year-old D Natan Grenier (prospect)

19-year-old F Evgeny Sapelnikov

Many, many future draft picks

Reports: Sea Dogs, Wildcats pull off blockbuster deadline deal

NHL.com

The Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats have reportedly pulled off the biggest blockbuster of the 2022 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League trade period.

According to multiple reports, the Sea Dogs have acquired 20-year-old forward Philippe Daoust, 19-year-old forward Nicholas Blagden and 19-year-old netminder Thomas Couture from the Wildcats in exchange for prospect Natan Grenier, 20-year-old goaltender Jonathan Lemieux and draft picks.

Confirmé, il passe aux Sea Dogs. https://t.co/nvVTJ4oJRf

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) January 6, 2022

Le gardien Thomas Couture et l’attaquant Nicolas Blagden aussi en route de Moncton a Saint John

Les droits sur Natan Grenier et le GB Jonathan Lemieux fera le chemin inverse de Saint John à Moncton + choix de repêchage impliqués quelques détails ici mais ça ressemble a ça #LHJMQ

— Stephane Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) January 6, 2022

Daoust has been playing with the AHL's Belleville Senators this season where he has five assists in 15 games.

The trade had not been made official at the time of this post.

This was the biggest of a number of moves the Sea Dogs made Thursday. The trade deadline is/was at 1 p.m. Atlantic. More later.

Notebook: Thursday is the big day

Kevin Chambers/Station Nation

Thursday will be a defining day in the Saint John Sea Dogs' quest to lift the Memorial Cup on home ice this June.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's trade deadline is Thursday at 1 p.m. Atlantic, per the Times & Transcript (paywall). Whether the team wins or doesn't win the Memorial Cup in a few months, the Sea Dogs' actions - or inactions - on Thursday will be analyzed for years to come. No pressure!

The Sea Dogs head into deadline day with plenty of assets to make deals with. Here are the picks the team currently hold, via the French fan boards:

2022: 1-1CHA-2-7-7VIC-8-9-10MON-10GAT-11-12-13-14

2023: 1SHE-2-4-5-6-10-11-13-14

2024: 1-3-5-6-7-7VDO-8-9-10-11-12-13-14

Saint John also has a big group of prospects from the 2021 draft they could use in deals.

The Sea Dogs are expected to acquire Elliot Desnoyers from the Halifax Mooseheads. It's hard to imagine the Sea Dogs not making more moves given the assets they have, but time will tell.

SEVIGNY HONOURED

New Sea Dogs defenseman Vincent Sevigny has been named the QMJHL's d-man of the month for December.

From the QMJHL:

Vincent Sevigny will be afforded the opportunity to challenge for the 2022 Memorial Cup thanks to a recent trade to the tournament host Saint John Sea Dogs. However, his last month of play with the Tigres was a highlight in itself. The veteran blueliner made his way onto the scoresheet in every December matchup, including a four-point outing against the Cape Breton Eagles on the 9th. That was one of four multi-point efforts for Sevigny in the month. He finishes his career in Victoriaville with 97 points in 208 games, not to mention a 2021 President Cup title.

Sevigny heads to the Port City ranked fourth among all rearguards in scoring with 28 points in 25 games. He started the season with invites to NHL training camps from both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators.

The Sea Dogs acquired the overager from the Tigres in exchange for three draft picks on Dec. 20. It's the only official deal the team has made during the holiday trade period.

Deadline day inching closer

Embed from Getty Images

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League trade deadline is less than 48 hours away and it seems... kind of quiet?

Will things remain quiet on Wednesday and into Thursday? We'll see. One trade that is expected to be made official by Thursday's deadline is the big deal involving the Saint John Sea Dogs and Halifax Mooseheads that will see Elliot Desnoyers moved to the Memorial Cup hosts.

Desnoyers recently spoke with Philadelphia Flyers podcaster/YouTuber Christopher Maher about his world junior experience, NHL camp and some of his goals for the year ahead. While he didn't directly mention the Sea Dogs, Desnoyers did bring up his goal of winning the Memorial Cup this year.

"I'd say my main goal, first of all, would be to win the Memorial Cup with my team," Desnoyers said. "I've been dreaming about this Cup for a long time and I think that it's fair to say that this year would be my last to try and go for it. That's mainly going to be my focus for the beginning of 2022."

The full interview can be heard below.

In Le Nouvelliste, Steve Turcotte brought up two players who the Sea Dogs may target: 20-year-old forward Simon Pinard of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and 19-year-old goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise.

Notebook: More on the Desnoyers deal

Halifax Mooseheads

More details on the expected Elliot Desnoyers trade have surfaced.

Mikael Lalancette of Le Soleil reports that the Saint John Sea Dogs will acquire the Halifax Mooseheads captain in exchange for prospect Natan Grenier and a first-round pick. Grenier, 16, was a first-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft and has five goals and 18 points in 24 games with the Seminaire St-Francois Blizzard this season.

On me confirme que les Sea Dogs ont remporté le derby Elliott Desnoyers des Mooseheads. Il était l’un des 4 joueurs de la #LHJMQ au Mondial junior. Annonce à venir lors de la fin de la période des transactions. #lesoleil

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) January 2, 2022

This deal will likely have other pieces attached to it come the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft this summer.

The QMJHL's trade deadline is this Thursday, Jan. 6.

DUBE SWEEPSTAKES OVER

20-year-old forward Pierrick Dube will be joining the Shawinigan Cataractes.

Transaction 🔁

Les Cataractes ont acquis l’attaquant de 20 ans, Pierrick Dubé du Le Drakkar de Baie-Comeau .

En retour, les Cats cèdent le vétéran de 20 ans, Marc-Antoine Pépin et un choix de 3e ronde en 2022.

🗞 https://t.co/eFHrzxvdkA#JusquAuBut pic.twitter.com/ktl3u1ZfBz

— Cataractes de Shawinigan (@Cataractes_Shaw) January 2, 2022

Dube started the season with the nearby Trois-Rivieres Lions of the ECHL where he recorded a goal and three assists in 10 games. He was released by the club a few weeks ago with, reportedly, intentions on returning to the QMJHL.

Dube played with both the Quebec Remparts and Chicoutimi Sagueneens last season, posting solid numbers. His QMJHL rights are currently owned by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

Report: Desnoyers to be traded to Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Sportsnet's Jeff Marek is reporting that the Halifax Mooseheads are expected to trade forward Elliot Desnoyers to the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Marek first reported the news during the 32 Thoughts segment on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday. The video can be seen on the Sportsnet website.

A couple of CHL notes I mentioned on Hockey Night in Canada....

Look for the Halifax Mooseheads to trade Elliot Desnoyers to the Saints John Sea Dogs. Not sure what the return is but it will probably be a whopper.

— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) January 2, 2022

The Mooseheads are expected to move Desnoyers, their 19-year-old captain, prior to Thursday's QMJHL trade deadline. Saint John has been speculated/rumoured to be the landing spot for the Philadelphia Flyers prospect for some time. We'll see what happens over the next few days.

Desnoyers, who was part of Team Canada's world junior team, has 16 goals and 36 points in 23 games with the Mooseheads this season.

QMJHL trade deadline just a few days away

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League trade deadline is just a few days away and plenty of questions remain for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Times & Transcript (paywall) reported last week that Thursday's trade deadline is expected to remain in place even with the regular season currently on pause. It's been a quiet week around the league but that should change as Thursday gets closer.

The Sea Dogs have made just one move during the holiday trade period, acquiring overage defenseman Vincent Sevigny from the Victoriaville Tigres. It's certainly expected that the Sea Dogs, as Memorial Cup hosts, will make more moves before Thursday's deadline.

Some questions facing the Sea Dogs:

• The overage situation: the Sea Dogs currently have four 20-year-olds on their roster: defensemen Vincent Sevigny and Christopher Inniss; forward Ryan Francis; and goaltender Jonathan Lemieux. One will have to be moved.
• The goaltending situation: somewhat related to the overage situation is the goaltending situation. There was speculation that the Dogs were interested in Drummondville's Francesco Lapenna before he was dealt to Charlottetown. "Rumours are swirling around the Sea Dogs potentially moving Lemieux between the pipes," wrote Craig Eagles in his latest post.
• The import situation: Yan Kuznetsov is obviously a lock here, but the team's other import spot is something to watch. Forward Evgeny Sapelnikov has improved as the season has gone along but again, with the Sea Dogs being Memorial Cup hosts and going all in, you have to wonder if they'll look to upgrade.
• Forward depth: and somewhat related to the import situation, the Sea Dogs are no doubt looking to add to their top six. Halifax's Elliot Desnoyers, who has spent the past few weeks with Team Canada, has been an obvious target all season.

"We are evaluating every position," Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told the Telegraph-Journal (paywall) last week.