Notebook: Galiev broke arm playing soccer

It's been 13 years since Stanislav Galiev broke his arm, keeping him out of the Saint John Sea Dogs lineup for months and forcing him to miss the 2012 world juniors. And here we are, 13 years later, getting some new developments on what actually happened here.

It turns out Galiev broke his arm in a soccer game with Alex Ovechkin and a few others, which he recently revealed to Sport24. From Russian Machine Never Breaks:

The Washington Capitals’ third-round pick from the 2010 NHL Draft relayed the actual story to Erykalov after being asked to provide a story of any “out of the blue” or “annoying” injuries during his career. 

“I once broke my arm when I was playing [soccer] with Sasha Ovechkin and some mutual friends,” Galiev responded. “It turned out that I was out for five months and didn’t go to the World Junior Championship.

“I haven’t stood in goal since then. I’m not a professional goalkeeper, and the guys there shoot like God.”

Galiev appeared in just 20 regular season games with Saint John during the 2011-12 season because of the injury. He exploded in the playoffs, posting 10 goals and 17 assists in 19 games.

The 32-year-old has been playing in the KHL since the 2017-18 season. He will play for Avangard Omsk this coming season.

RICHARD BACK IN AMHERST

Jeremie Richard is returning to the Amherst Ramblers.

The 18-year-old defenseman – who was being used as a forward at Sea Dogs training camp – will join the Ramblers for the upcoming Maritime Hockey League season, the club announced Tuesday.

We are excited to welcome back defenseman Jeremie Richard to the team! After finishing last season in the QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs, Richard will return to the blueline here in Amherst. Welcome back, Jeremie!! #goramsgo🐑 pic.twitter.com/ohGkXx3Aqh

— Amherst JrA Ramblers (@AmherstRamblers) August 29, 2024

Richard appeared in 17 games with Amherst last season and 13 with Saint John.

A former Moncton Flyer, Richard was a third-round pick of Saint John in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft.

Sea Dogs claim Cross off waivers

Champions Hockey Instagram

The Saint John Sea Dogs have added another forward.

The Sea Dogs announced Tuesday that they've acquired 19-year-old forward Ben Cross off waivers from the Rimouski Oceanic.

The #SJSeaDogs have acquired forward Ben Cross via waivers.#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/UNyDnsdBHu

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 27, 2024

The Fredericton native appeared in 24 games with the Oceanic last season, posting three goals and three assists. 

In 2022-23, Cross captained the under-18 Fredericton Caps, recording 26 goals and 20 assists in 33 regular season games. He also appeared in three games with the Maritime Hockey League's Fredericton Red Wings that season and a game with the Oceanic (which came in Saint John).

Cross was a second-round pick of the Red Wings in the 2022 MHL Draft.

Cross appeared in two pre-season games with Rimouski last week.

Saint John's next pre-season game is Friday, Sept. 6 in Port Hawkesbury against the Cape Breton Eagles.

Sea Dogs' camp roster down to 25

The Saint John Sea Dogs' training camp roster is now down to 25 players.

Seven more players were reassigned on Sunday following the completion of the QMJHL's August trade deadline. With the acquisition of 20-year-old goaltender Charles-Edward Gravel, the team's camp roster now consists of 13 forwards, 10 defensemen and two goaltenders.

The following players were reassigned on Sunday.

Forwards

Will Allen

Benjamin Beaudry

Charles-Antoine Lavallee 

Goaltenders

Rafael Courchesne

Jack Flanagan

Charles-Antoine Girard

Luciano Ruggiero

Allen, 19, and Lavallée, 20, were both on loans from other QMJHL teams. Allen, who spent half of last season with the Charlottetown Islanders, had a fairly strong camp, posting a goal and two assists in three pre-season games. Lavallée, meanwhile, spent half of last season with the Cape Breton Eagles and is expected to return to the Maritime Hockey League's Amherst Ramblers to start the season.

Beaudry, a ninth-round pick of Saint John in 2022, appeared in nine games with the club last season. He had two assists in three pre-season games.

The four goaltending cuts leaves Gravel and returnee Justin Robinson as the team's netminders. Flanagan, Girard and Ruggiero all appeared in pre-season games and were all decent – but their lack of QMJHL playing experience likely hurt them. 16-year-old Courchesne, a third-round pick of Saint John in this year's draft, didn't play in the pre-season to maintain his college hockey eligibility – but him opting to stick around this long is perhaps a good sign for the future.

The team's updated camp roster can be found here.

The biggest question mark left for the Sea Dogs is what happens with the defense core. There are still three overagers on the backend – Matteo Mann, Nate Tivey and Joseph Ianniello – but that decision could always be delayed until (or if) Mann returns from pro camp. Of the 10 remaining defensemen, three of them are newcomers: Cruz Scanzano (2008), Julien Bonnet (2007) and Giuliano Caputo (2006).

While Sunday was the trade deadline, overagers can still be moved. Plus, team's can always add players via waivers or pick up free agents. More moves could still be on the way.

The Sea Dogs return to pre-season play on Friday, Sept. 6 when they face the Cape Breton Eagles in Port Hawkesbury.

Sea Dogs acquire 20-year-old Gravel

Kassandra Blais/Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Charles-Edward Gravel is now a Saint John Sea Dog.

The Sea Dogs acquired the 20-year-old goaltender on Sunday, sending a fourth- and fifth-round pick to the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in return. The moves means that Gravel and Justin Robinson will presumably be Saint John's goaltending tandem to start the season.

Gravel spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada before being dealt to the Drakkar midway through last year. In 26 games with an excellent Baie-Comeau team, Gravel went 17-8-0 with a 2.34 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. He then went 12-4-1 in the playoffs with a 2.37 GAA and .910 SV%.

The Levis native has appeared in 148 career QMJHL games. No goaltender at Saint John's training camp had played more than Robinson's 26.

This seems like a wise move by the Sea Dogs for a number of reasons.

• Gravel and Robinson gives the Sea Dogs a solid tandem. The two will likely split starts as there is an obvious need of ensuring Robinson gets playing time.
• Robinson looked very good last season, good enough that there is certainly potential for him to be the team's No. 1 down the road. But it was a small sample size, and having Gravel on the roster gives Saint John a safety net if he gets off to a rough start.
• If things go well with Robinson, the Sea Dogs could always look at flipping Gravel – especially if a contender is in need of goaltending. The price Saint John paid was very good, so this could turn out to be a great asset management move by the Dogs. Doing this would also allow Robinson to take the reins in the second half and bring in a younger goaltender to gain some experience as a backup.

So Saint John has a number of options moving forward. We'll see how things play out over the next few months.

One question that will still need to be addressed: Saint John's overage situation. The team still has three 20-year-old defensemen in camp – Matteo Mann (who could turn pro), Nate Tivey and Joseph Ianniello. It looks like overage forward Charles-Antoine Lavellée will return to the Maritime Hockey League.

The QMJHL's August trade deadline was Sunday but overagers can still be traded afterwards.

Lavallée returning to Ramblers

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

FREDERICTON - It looks like the Saint John Sea Dogs have one less overager currently attending training camp.

The Maritime Hockey League's Amherst Ramblers announced Saturday afternoon that 20-year-old forward Charles-Antoine Lavallée will return to the club this coming season. Lavallée has been attending Sea Dogs training camp on a loan from the Cape Breton Eagles.

Charles-Antoine Lavallée is coming back to Amherst! #GoRamsGo

Welcome back Chucky!! pic.twitter.com/MBTyyCriVA

— Amherst JrA Ramblers (@AmherstRamblers) August 24, 2024

Lavellée played in both of Saint John's pre-season games against the Charlottetown Islanders, scoring a goal in the team's opener this past Tuesday.

The Quebec City native recorded 15 goals and nine assists in 39 games with the Eagles last season. He also appeared in 18 games with the Ramblers where he registered 15 goals and 11 assists.

Three overagers remain at Sea Dogs training camp and they are all defensemen: Matteo Mann, Nate Tivey and Joseph Ianniello. The wildcard here is Mann who, as a Philadelphia Flyers prospect, has a shot at playing pro hockey this season.

Another move or two is likely on the way on this front. It would be very unusual for a team to use all three overage spots on defensemen – especially a rebuilding team like Saint John that wants to give its younger defensemen plenty of ice time and has a clear need for veteran scoring help.

The QMJHL's August trade deadline is Sunday but overagers can still be traded afterwards.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-3

FINAL: Cape Breton 3, Saint John 6

FREDERICTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs remain perfect this pre-season.

The Sea Dogs improved to 3-0 in exhibition play with a 6-3 victory over the Cape Breton Eagles on Saturday afternoon at Fredericton's Aitken Centre. Florian Schenk scored twice while singles came from Jeremie Richard, Will Allen, Coen Miller and Dylan Rozzi.

Saint John led 1-0 late in the first period but the Eagles tied it with 16 seconds remaining. Then, 5:48 into the second, Cape Breton scored to take their first lead of the day.

That lead proved to be Cape Breton's last as Richard and Allen scored back-to-back goals midway through the period to put Saint John back in front. Schenk, on a power play, netted his second of the match late in the frame to put Saint John up 4-2 after two.

Miller and Rozzi scored in the third period to give Saint John a commanding lead. The Eagles added another but would not come any closer.

Shots were 39-19 in favour of Saint John as the Eagles struggled to generate a lot of quality chances. Charles-Antoine Girard played the first half of the game and allowed two goals on eight shots. Jack Flanagan allowed a goal on 11 shots in the second half.

The unfortunate part for the Sea Dogs is that neither goalie was tested a ton. After three pre-season games, Saint John's second goaltending spot doesn't feel locked up yet.

Up front, Saint John's power play units looked quite good in this game, finishing 2/4.

This game marks the unofficial end of the first half of training camp. There is a trade deadline on Sunday and most teams will have their rosters close to finalized within the next few days.

Pre-Season Game Day 3: vs Eagles

FREDERICTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to stay perfect this afternoon.

After winning back-to-back games over the Charlottetown Islanders to open pre-season play this week, the Sea Dogs head to Fredericton where they'll host the Cape Breton Eagles. Game time is 3 p.m. at the Aitken Centre.

This will be Saint John's final pre-season game of the "first half" of training camp, meaning today's contest will likely be the final chance for some players to make an impression.

Following cuts on Thursday, Saint John's camp roster consists of 16 forwards, 10 defensemen and five goaltenders.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/None

Pre-Season Records: The Sea Dogs are 2-0-0-0 this pre-season while the Eagles are 1-1-0-0.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-1 win over the Charlottetown Islanders in Pownal, PEI on Wednesday. The Eagles, meanwhile, are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads in Dartmouth on Wednesday.

2024 pre-season head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the pre-season between the Sea Dogs and Eagles.

2023-24 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 2-6-1-0 against the Eagles last season while Cape Breton went 7-1-0-1 against Saint John.

Last meeting: March 9 in Sydney where the Eagles defeated the Sea Dogs 6-0. Cam Squires had a pair of goals for Cape Breton while singles came from Luke Patterson, Olivier Houde, Cam MacDonald and Jacob Newcombe. Nicolas Ruccia made 11 saves in the shutout win while Patrick Leaver made 22 stops in the loss. This is the game that ended early in the third period after Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard collapsed on the bench.

Dogs make more camp roster moves

The Saint John Sea Dogs announced another round of reassignments on Thursday.

The following players are no longer at training camp:

Forwards

Alexis Beaudoin

Brayden Campbell

Matthew Ferdinand

Jonah Leard

Defenseman

Arnaud Tardif

On paper, none of these cuts/reassignments come as big surprise. Campbell, Ferdinand and Leard were all free agent invites without a lot of fanfare coming in while Beaudoin and Tardif were both picked in the later rounds of the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft.

Having said all that, a number of these players have had their moments at camp, certainly proving they were worthy of invites. Ferdinand had a goal and an assist in Saint John's pre-season opener while Campbell and Leard both had points in exhibition play as well.

The moves mean there are now 16 forwards, 10 defensemen and five goaltenders remaining at camp. The team's updated roster can be found here.

There are still some questions to be answered as the first half of training camp comes to an end this weekend. The team still has four overagers; who Justin Robinson's partner will be in net is still anyone's guess; and can either forwards still on loan – Will Allen and Charles-Antoine Lavalleé – stick around?

Saint John hosts the Cape Breton Eagles in pre-season play on Saturday at 3 p.m. It will be their last game until Sept. 6.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-1

FINAL: Saint John 5, Charlottetown 1

POWNAL, PEI - Coen Miller had a four-point night to lead the Saint John Sea Dogs to a 5-1 Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League pre-season win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Wednesday at the Pownal Sports Centre.

Miller scored twice and added a pair of assists in the victory. Reid Calder, Jeremie Richard and Darien Reynolds also scored. Calder and Benjamin Beaudry each had two assists as well.

Charles-Antoine Girard stopped all 13 shots he faced in the first half of the game. Luciano Ruggiero allowed a goal on 19 shots in the second half.

Logan Biser scored Charlottetown's lone goal, which came in the third period with Saint John up 5-0. Bradley Hudson made 23 stops in the loss.

The Islanders outshot the Sea Dogs 17-6 in the third period to carry a 32-28 advantage overall. 

This was the second half of a home-and-home between the two. On Tuesday, the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 4-1 in St. Stephen.

Pre-Season Game Day 2: at Charlottetown

POWNAL, PEI - The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League pre-season continues tonight for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

After defeating the Charlottetown Islanders 4-1 in St. Stephen last night, the two teams meet again tonight in Pownal, PEI. Game time is 7 p.m.

Saint John's lineup will include a mix of players who played on Tuesday and some who will make their pre-season debuts. There are certainly some players who will want to have strong showings to try and stick around at training camp.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/YouTube

Pre-Season records: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-0 this pre-season while the Islanders are 0-1-0-0.

Last games: These two met last night in St. Stephen. Matthew Ferdinand, Jonah Leard, Charles-Antoine Lavalleé and Florian Schenk all scored for Saint John. Will Clark scored Charlottetown's lone goal. Luciano Ruggiero and Jack Flanagan split the win in net. Niko Boudreau played the entire game in net for the Isles.

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs were 20-39-5-4 for 49 points (6th Maritimes/9th Eastern/16th QMJHL) last season while the Islanders were 26-34-6-2 for 60 points (5th Maritimes/8th Eastern/15th QMJHL).

2023-24 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 3-4-0-2 against the Islanders last season while Charlottetown went 6-3-0-0 against Saint John. 

Last meeting: See above.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-1

FINAL: Charlottetown 1, Saint John 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

ST. STEPHEN, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs opened the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League pre-season with a 4-1 win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Tuesday night at the Garcelon Civic Center.

Matthew Ferdinand, Jonah Leard, Charles-Antoine Lavalleé and Florian Schenk all scored in the victory. Luciano Ruggiero and Jack Flanagan split the win in net.

Will Clark scored Charlottetown's lone goal. Niko Boudreau played the entire game in net, making 19 saves in the loss.

Play ended 1-1 after the first period. Just 2:54 into the second, Leard was given credit for a goal that was deflected a few times before beating Boudreau to give Saint John the lead. Less than two minutes later at 4:06, Lavalleé converted to make it 3-1.

The Sea Dogs added some insurance in the third when Schenk put in his own rebound to make it a 4-1 final.

Ruggiero allowed a goal on 10 shots in the first half of the game while Flanagan stopped all six shots he faced in the second.

Pre-Season Game Day 1: vs Islanders

ST. STEPHEN, NB - The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League pre-season begins tonight for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs will host the Charlottetown Islanders at St. Stephen's Garcelon Civic Center in the first half of a home-and-home between the two teams. Game time is 7 p.m.

It's been five years since the Sea Dogs last played a pre-season game in St. Stephen. On Aug. 23, 2019, Josh Lawrence had a pair of assists while Jeremie Poirier and Nicolas Guay both scored in a 4-2 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads.

While it's not a true home game for the Sea Dogs, the home team typically dresses a respectable lineup – or at least dresses their top young players – for their first home pre-season game. We'll see what Saint John plans to do later today.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/None

Pre-season records: This is the first game of the pre-season for both clubs.

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs were 20-39-5-4 for 49 points (6th Maritimes/9th Eastern/16th QMJHL) last season while the Islanders were 26-34-6-2 for 60 points (5th Maritimes/8th Eastern/15th QMJHL).

2023-24 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 3-4-0-2 against the Islanders last season while Charlottetown went 6-3-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: March 17 at TD Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 8-4. Tyler Peddle and Drew Elliott each scored a pair of goals for Saint John while singles came from Nico Laforge, Brody Fournier, Jacob Beaulieu and Matteo Mann. Simon Hughes, Ross Campbell, Kyle Powers and Anthony Flanagan scored for Charlottetown. Patrick Leaver made 41 saves in the win. Carter Bickle and Aksels Ozols took the loss in net.

Dogs make first roster moves of camp

The Saint John Sea Dogs' training camp roster has been reduced by nine.

The team announced their first round of roster moves on Monday evening. Three players were reassigned while six others left after 48 hours to maintain college hockey eligibility.

The players no longer at camp are listed below. The * indicates the players who left after 48 hours.

Forwards

Domenic Battaglia

Dylan-Alec Chery*

Daniel Daley*

Karolis Janulis*

Defensemen

Owen Arnold

Frederick Bourque

Joshua Henry*

Matas Janulis*

John Lumsden*

There aren't any surprises here. Karolis Janulis, Battaglia, Arnold and Lumsden were all free agent invites. Chery and Bourque were both 2024 draft picks who were long shots to make the team while Henry was always believed to be a player who would keep his college eligibility open. Matas Janulis and Daley are both American, so it's not a surprise to see them depart after 48 hours.

Saint John's updated training camp roster can be found here.

The team begins pre-season play on Tuesday night in St. Stephen, hosting the Charlottetown Islanders at 7 p.m.

Notebook: Rozzi impressing at camp

Dylan Rozzi has found his scoring touch at Saint John Sea Dogs training camp.

Rozzi scored twice in Saturday morning's scrimmage and again in the evening Blue vs White game. Now we'll see if he can keep that momentum going in pre-season games.

The 16-year-old officially signed with the Sea Dogs on Friday. The team also signed William Yared and Cruz Scanzano – who both played with Rozzi on the Lac St-Louis Lions last season.

It's been a fairly low scoring training camp so far. On Friday night, Will Allen and Darien Reynolds scored in a 2-0 win for White. On Saturday morning, Rozzi scored a pair of goals for Blue while Julien Bonnet replied for White.

Saturday night's Blue vs White game was 1-0 Blue heading into the third period thanks to a Rozzi goal. In the third, Allen, Nate Tivey and Tyler Peddle all scored to give White a 3-1 victory.

PRE-SEASON SET TO START

The Sea Dogs will play the first of six pre-season games on Tuesday night when they host the Charlottetown Islanders in St. Stephen. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.

The Sea Dogs and Islanders will meet again on Wednesday night in Pownal, PEI in another 7 p.m. contest.

The "first half" of training camp comes to a close on Saturday when the Sea Dogs host the Cape Breton Eagles at Fredericton's Aitken Centre. Game time is 3 p.m.

Following the Saturday game, the Sea Dogs won't play another pre-season contest until Sept. 6. They'll play three pre-season games after Labour Day.

The regular season begins Sept. 20.

CAMP ADDITION

The Sea Dogs made a late addition to their training camp roster on Friday, adding free agent defenseman John Lumsden.

The 17-year-old recorded two goals and 13 assists in 47 games with the CCHL's Nepean Raiders last season. He was the first overall pick in the 2022 CCHL Bantam Protected Draft.

Lumsden was a 14th-round pick of the Ottawa 67's in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. 

Lumsden's stay in Saint John was a short one. He left after 48 hours to maintain his college hockey eligibility.

Scanzano signs with Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Cruz Scanzano became the latest member of the Saint John Sea Dogs' 2024 draft class to sign with the club on Saturday.

Scanzano joins first round picks William Yared and Dylan Rozzi as signings officially announced by the Sea Dogs this week. All three played together with the Lac St-Louis Lions last season.

Scanzano was selected in the second round, 26th overall by Saint John in June's QMJHL Entry Draft. The 6'3", 201 lbs defenseman had six assists in 41 games with the Lions last year. The year before, he led all defensemen in the Quebec under-15 league with 11 goals and 25 assists in 29 games.

Sea Dogs have signed 2024 second round pick Cruz Scanzano. pic.twitter.com/4EljJayFx2

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) August 17, 2024

“We love Cruz’s attitude and drive. He’s very enthusiastic and a team-first guy,” said Sea Dogs general manager Anthony Stella in a news release. “We’re excited to see how he progresses in his development and the player he can become.”

Yared, Rozzi and Scanzano will all likely be on this year's Sea Dogs team. Scanzano joins what was already a crowded blue line at training camp with seven returnees – including three 20-year-olds. Some tweaks are no doubt coming here.

Joseph Ianniello - 2004 

Matteo Mann - 2004 

Nate Tivey - 2004 

Nicolas Bilodeau - 2005 

Matthew MacLean - 2006 

Olivier Duhamel - 2007 

Benjamin Amyot - 2007

The Sea Dogs held practices Sunday at the qplex. They begin pre-season play on Tuesday night in St. Stephen, hosting the Charlottetown Islanders.

Sea Dogs sign top two picks

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

After a couple months of uncertainty, Dylan Rozzi is a Saint John Sea Dog.

The Sea Dogs officially signed Rozzi and William Yared – the team's top two picks in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft – to Scholarship and Development Agreements on Friday.

“Dylan was one of the most offensively gifted players in this draft class,” said Sea Dogs general manager Anthony Stella in a news release. “He’s a player that can make a difference with his skill but also has drive to make plays without the puck. Adding Dylan to our group is a big step forward.”

Rozzi was selected eighth overall by the Sea Dogs. Despite attending the draft, there were some questions as to whether or not he would choose Saint John or the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms. Rozzi's older brother, Jake Rozzi, played for Youngstown and is committed to Ohio State University.

A Dylan Rozzi shift pic.twitter.com/LHC9EsEB58

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) August 16, 2024

Rozzi led the Lac St-Louis Lions in scoring this past season, recording 17 goals and 29 assists in 42 games. Yared, who was selected fifth overall by Saint John, finished second on the team with 10 goals and 32 assists in 41 games.

“We felt William was the most natural center in this year’s draft so adding him to our team is important for our future,” said  Stella. “He’s smart, has size, plays all three zones and is a gifted playmaker who’s going to be a key player for seasons to come.”

Both were in action on Friday night during the Sea Dogs' first scrimmage of training camp. The two were on the same team but didn't see a ton of playing time together.

Sea Dogs training camp continues all weekend. The team's first pre-season game is Tuesday night in St. Stephen against the Charlottetown Islanders.

5 storylines to follow at Sea Dogs camp

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

QUISPAMSIS, NB - It's that time of year.

With on-ice sessions beginning Friday at Saint John Sea Dogs training camp, here are five storylines to follow this year.

1. Which rookies will impress?

The players that were expected to report to Sea Dogs training camp are reporting. So which members of Saint John's 2024 draft class will make it?

I wrote the following in a draft recap in June:

(Sea Dogs general manager Anthony) Stella said the ideal scenario for the team would be to have four players from this draft class in their lineup next season – but that will depend on how many players report to Saint John come August. "But the plan would be a minimum of threes 16s," the GM added.

Five of Saint John's top six picks will all be in camp (at least to start): forward William Yared, forward Dylan Rozzi, defenseman Cruz Scanzano, goaltender Rafaël Courchesne and defenseman Joshua Henry.

2. "Outsiders" have a shot

One of the fun parts about where Saint John is at in this rebuild: just about every player in camp has a shot at making the team. There are vacancies just about everywhere.

This is especially fun for free agents, who will enter camp as a bit of an unknown. There have been plenty of free agent success stories over the years – the Sea Dogs included – and a pleasant surprise or two would certainly be welcome to a team in Saint John's state.

There are also the four players on loan from other QMJHL teams to keep an eye on.

Saint John will have six free agents and four players on loan at camp.

Sea Dogs announce camp roster, schedule

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs' training camp roster is finally here.

The Sea Dogs unveiled the roster on Thursday, one day ahead of the start of on-ice sessions. The team will play a scrimmage on Friday night at the Quispamsis qplex.

The #SJSeaDogs have announced a 44-player roster for the team's 2024 Training Camp, which begins Friday.

📰: https://t.co/8PKK46UZff#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/RaUlbpTkGa

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 15, 2024

The roster includes 44 players: five goaltenders, 15 defensemen and 24 forwards. The lineup is highlighted by first round picks William Yared and Dylan Rozzi. The big question is will they stay at camp or depart to keep their college hockey eligibility?

Here's a quick roster breakdown.

• The team will begin camp with four 20-year-olds competing for three spots: forward Charles-Antoine Lavalleé and defensemen Joseph Ianniello, Matteo Mann and Nate Tivey.
• Six free agents will be attending: forward Domenic Battaglia, Brayden Campbell, Matthew Ferdinand, Karolis Janulis and Jonah Leard along with defenseman Owen Arnold.
• Four players are on loan from other QMJHL teams: forwards Charles-Antoine Lavalleé and Will Allen along with goaltenders Jack Flanagan and Luciano Ruggiero.
• American players attending camp: forwards Daniel Daley (second round pick in 2023 American draft) and Karolis Janulis (free agent) along with defenseman Matas Janulis (13th round pick in 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft). The Janulis' are brothers. 
• 2024 draft picks not attending camp: defenseman Cameron Chartrand (1st round), forward Jamie Glance (6th round), defenseman Brian McFadden (7th round), forward Zachary Morin (8th round) and forward Matthew Krayer (14th round). All of those players are American except Chartrand and Morin, who will be playing in the USHL this season.
• Defenseman Jeremie Richard, who saw a bit of time as a forward last season, is listed as a forward on the camp roster.
• The Sea Dogs have six returning defensemen (not including Richard), three of whom are overagers. What the team opts to do on the backend will be interesting.
• Who will be Justin Robinson's backup (or tandem)? That role is wide open.

Following on-ice sessions over the weekend, the Sea Dogs begin pre-season play on Tuesday night in St. Stephen, hosting the Charlottetown Islanders.

Couple more names added to pre-season roster

QMJHL

The Saint John Sea Dogs' training camp still hasn't been released yet, but a couple more free agent names have been added to the club's online pre-season roster.

20-year-old forward Charles-Antoine Lavalleé and 18-year-old goaltender Luciano Ruggiero have both been added to the pre-season roster in recent days.

Lavalleé – not to be confused with that Charles-Antoine Lavalleé – has appeared in 137 QMJHL games over three seasons, spending time with the Gatineau Olympiques, Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Cape Breton Eagles. He posted 15 goals and nine assists in 39 regular season games with the Eagles last season while also recording 15 goals and 11 assists in 18 MHL games with the Amherst Ramblers.

Lavalleé is a Quebec City native who turned 20 in April.

Ruggiero, 18, appeared in three games with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens last season, going 1-2-0 with a 4.56 goals against average and a .817 save percentage. He also played nine games with the QJHL's Laval VC where he went 6-3-0 with a 4.41 GAA and .889 SV%.

A Laval native, Ruggiero has played eight career games at the QMJHL level. He was a second-round pick of the Sags in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft.

The Sea Dogs previously announced several other camp invites.

The Sea Dogs were still putting the finishing touches on their training camp roster as of Wednesday. An announcement is expected Thursday.

Notebook: Rozzi left off Youngstown roster

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Youngstown Phantoms released names and numbers for their pre-season roster on Tuesday – and Dylan Rozzi was not among the players listed.

🚨ANNOUNCEMENT!🚨

We are excited to announce the jersey numbers for our Youngstown Phantoms as they hit the ice for preseason! pic.twitter.com/HpeGRUjKb5

— Youngstown Phantoms (@YtownPhantoms) August 13, 2024

Rozzi's plans for the 2024-25 season have been in question since the Tribune Chronicle reported in June that the 16-year-old forward attended "Phantoms camp this past week with an intent to play in Youngstown."

Rozzi was a fourth-round pick of the Phantoms in the 2024 USHL Futures Draft. His older brother, Jake Rozzi, played in Youngstown.

Rozzi was selected eighth overall by Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. He attended the draft in Moncton and took the stage when his name was called.

A few weeks ago, Postmedia reported "there is a growing sense of optimism in the Port City regarding the potential (Rozzi) could skate at TD Station."

SINGLE GAME TICKETS

The Sea Dogs website has posted season ticket and single game ticket pricing for the 2024-25 season. Prices are nearly identical to last year's.

Sea Dogs season ticket and single game ticket prices nearly identical to last year's.

Note they do not include taxes and fees. pic.twitter.com/BLecaEYe0E

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) August 13, 2024

KUZNETSON RE-SIGNS

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Yan Kuznetsov has re-signed with the Calgary Flames.

Kuznetsov signed a one-year, two-way contract that would pay him $775,000 at the NHL level, according to a Flames news release.

The 22-year-old made his NHL debut this past season. He also posted five goals and eight assists in 63 AHL games with the Calgary Wranglers.

Kuznetsov spent part of the 2021-22 season with the Sea Dogs, recording two goals and 11 assists in 25 regular season games.

Sea Dogs unveil some season details

With the exception of all the drafts, it's been a very quiet off-season for the Saint Joh Sea Dogs. But that changed Monday when the team unveiled its 20th anniversary logo and some plans for the upcoming season.

Two Memorial Cups. Three Gilles-Courteau Trophies. Countless Memories.

Introducing the official logo for the #SJSeaDogs 20th Anniversary season.#GoDogsGo | #SeaDogs20 pic.twitter.com/nERQz7WG8z

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 12, 2024

Here are a few of the highlights from the news release:

• There will be "games honouring each championship era with special guests, events, and activities. The promotional schedule will also feature classic fan-favourite theme nights, as well as several brand-new specialty nights with never-before-released jerseys."
• The One For All Weekend is back once again with this year's theme "focused on the next generation and making hockey accessible to all youth in the community."
• The team announced that "fans can also look forward to special 20th anniversary ticket pricing on select weekends."
• A couple of the more intriguing notes from the press release:
• "Along with celebrating the past, we’ll also look to the future with the unveiling of a new look that aims to modernize the team's brand while maintaining its rich history."
• "Additionally, a special off-site regular-season game against a classic rival is in the works..."
• At long last, the team has released some details on this year's season tickets. Members "can look forward to exclusive vouchers for over $50 in discounts at TD Station concessions, complimentary 50/50 tickets for the 2024 Home Opener, a complimentary Sea Dogs Store gift card, private events and surprises exclusive to Season Ticket Members throughout the season, and of course, the best price per game."

The Sea Dogs begin training camp this week with the team's first pre-season game taking place next Tuesday in St. Stephen.

Canada wins gold, Swiss finish 8th at Hlinka

Hockey Canada

Team Canada won gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Saturday night in Edmonton.

But first, let's discuss Florian Schenk and the Swiss.

Switzerland lost the seventh-place game on Friday, falling 5-2 to Finland. The loss means the Swiss went winless in the tournament, posting a 0-3-1 record to finish last in the eight-team event.

Schenk, who was selected seventh overall by the Saint John Sea Dogs in this year's CHL Import Draft, had a goal and an assist in four games with Switzerland, placing him in a tie for second in team scoring. The Swiss scored just five goals in the tournament.

Canada, meanwhile, didn't have much trouble scoring, going 5-0 and outscoring opponents by a combined 24-4.

In Saturday's gold medal game, Quispamsis native Liam Kilfoil of the Halifax Mooseheads and Caleb Desnoyers of the Moncton Wildcats both scored in the 2-1 win over Czechia.

The team also featured QMJHL players Lucas Beckman (Baie-Comeau), Alex Huang (Chicoutimi) and Emile Guite (Chicoutimi). Guite finished in a tie for the team's scoring lead with three goals and four assists in five games.

It's the third straight year Canada won gold in the under-18 event.

Notebook: Jones died in motorcycle accident

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Creed Jones died in a motorcycle accident on Friday, CBC News has confirmed.

The death of the former Saint John Sea Dogs goaltender was announced over the weekend. The 24-year-old was one of two people killed in the crash late Friday in the Ottawa area.

The Sea Dogs have released the below statement.

The #SJSeaDogs are saddened to learn about the passing of former goaltender Creed Jones.

Our thoughts are with Creed’s family and friends during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/4x5vqN6SR1

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 4, 2024

Jones also played with the Rimouski Oceanic and Gatineau Olympiques during his time in the QMJHL. The Olympiques announced Monday that they will honour Jones during their game against the Oceanic on Sept. 28.

ST. STEPHEN TICKETS

Tickets are now on sale for Saint John's pre-season opener, which will take place Aug. 20 at St. Stephen's Garcelon Civic Centre.

Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for youths and seniors. Tickets can be purchased here.

This will be Saint John's first game of the 2024 pre-season. They'll be facing the Charlottetown Islanders in the first of back-to-back games between the two. The Sea Dogs travel to Pownal, PEI the next night to face the Islanders again.

Sea Dogs sign Schenk ahead of Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs have signed import Florian Schenk ahead of the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Schenk will be a member of Team Switzerland at the annual tournament, which takes place Aug. 5-10 in Edmonton.

“I am beyond thrilled to join the Saint John Sea Dogs,” said Schenk in a news release. “I can’t wait to hit the ice with such a talented group and contribute to the team’s success.”

The Swiss forward was taken by the Sea Dogs with the seventh overall pick in this year's CHL Import Draft. He was signed to a "QMJHL Scholarship and Development Agreement" on Wednesday.

“Having had the chance to see him live multiple times Florian is a player I was very high on all season,” said Sea Dogs general manager Anthony Stella. “We feel he fits our core and is a great addition for the future of this team.”

Schenk played with the SC Bern program last season, posting 25 points in 42 games at the under-20 level and 12 points in nine games at the under-17 level.

He is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.

It looks like Schenk and Eriks Mateiko will start the season as Saint John's pair of import players. Mateiko is poised to be one of the top imports in the QMJHL this season and his name will likely pop up in trade rumours over the next few months.

Schenk's first game at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup is Monday night when Switzerland takes on Canada. The Swiss will also play Sweden and Slovakia in the preliminary round.

Canada's roster features QMJHL players Lucas Beckman (Baie-Comeau), Alex Huang (Chicoutimi), Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton), Emile Guite (Chicoutimi) and Liam Kilfoil (Halifax).

Creed Jones has died

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Former Saint John Sea Dogs goaltender Creed Jones, it was confirmed on Saturday.

He was 24.

The QMJHL extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Creed Jones. Our hearts are with you during this difficult time. 💔 pic.twitter.com/74mqC99PBl

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) August 3, 2024

Jones played in five games with the Sea Dogs during the COVID season of 2020-21, going 1-3-1. A Peterborough native, he also played in the QMJHL with the Rimouski Oceanic and Gatineau Olympiques.

Following his QMJHL career, he played a season with the University of Ottawa.

Chartrand commits to Boston College

In a not-so-surprising announcement, Saint John Sea Dogs draft pick Cameron Chartrand has committed to play NCAA hockey at Boston College.

Chartrand made the announcement on his Instagram page Friday.

"I am humbled and honoured to announce my commitment to play Division 1 hockey at Boston College," Chartrand wrote. "I would like to thank God, my family, teammates, coaches, advisors and everyone who has helped me along the way."

The Sea Dogs selected Chartrand in the first-round, 19th overall in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. The team – and all QMJHL teams – were well aware of his college hockey intentions. Using a first-round pick to select him allows Saint John to receive a compensation first-round selection if they chose to relinquish his rights.

The 16-year-old defenseman posted six goals and 27 assists in his second season with the Bishop Kearney Selects prep school last year. He was a second-round pick of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in this year's USHL Futures Draft.

Chartrand, a native of Saint-Lazare, Que., played with Team Canada at this year's Youth Olympic Games, a team that had Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard on its coaching staff. He also attended Hockey Canada's recent under-17 development camp, which Crickard was involved in as well.

Fellow Sea Dogs first-round picks William Yared and Dylan Rozzi took part in that Hockey Canada camp as well. There is some uncertainty surrounding Rozzi and whether he plans to play college hockey or not.

16-year-old forward Tynan Lawrence, meanwhile, has committed to Boston University. Lawrence, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, was a first-round pick of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in this year's draft.

Sea Dogs officially acquire Dubé

As expected, the Saint John Sea Dogs were active on Thursday when the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League trade period opened up. And as expected, the Sea Dogs acquired 17-year-old forward Elliot Dubé from the Gatineau Olympiques in exchange for a pair of draft picks.

“We had a lot of interest in Elliot in his draft year and that carried over throughout this past season,” said Sea Dogs general manager Anthony Stella in a news release. “He was a player we were actively pursuing so to finally add him to our core is a positive step forward.”

The Sea Dogs also acquired a sixth-round pick in the 2027 QMJHL Entry Draft from the Olympiques. In exchange, Saint John dealt a second-round pick in 2026 and Gatineau's own 2025 sixth-round pick.

Listed at 6'0" and 165 lbs, Dubé was a second-round pick of Gatineau in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft but never played a game with the club. He spent last season with Notre Dame College in the Quebec under-18 circuit where he posted 11 goals and 17 assists in 41 games. He added a goal and six assists in six playoff games.

Dubé was an alternate captain with Notre Dame last year, his second season with the club.

As noted in the team's news release, " Saint John now has five of the top 40 players picked in the 2023 draft with Dubé, Egan Beveridge, Benjamin Amyot, Olivier Duhamel, and Olivier Groulx." 

Sea Dogs training camp will likely begin the weekend of Aug. 17. The team's pre-season schedule begins Aug. 20 in St. Stephen.