Notebook: Gallant, Kelly to lead Canada

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Former Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant has gotten the call to coach Canada at the international level once again.

Gallant has been named the head coach of Team Canada for this year's Spengler Cup tournament, which will begin on Boxing Day in Switzerland. Gallant will, as usual, be joined by Mike Kelly, who will be one of three assistant coaches.

The duo had success at the international level just a few years ago. From Hockey Canada's news release:

Gallant returns behind the bench for the first time since winning a gold medal with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2021 IIHF World Championship. As an assistant coach he won gold and silver at Men’s Worlds in 2007 and 2017. He also served as an assistant coach with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Canada's first game will be against host HC Davos on Dec. 26. All games will air on TSN.

GRAVEL IN SO

Charles-Edward Gravel remains lights out in shootouts this season.

Gravel stopped all three shots he faced in Saturday's shootout, helping the Sea Dogs earn a 5-4 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. The 20-year-old goaltender has allowed just one goal on 23 shootout attempts this season and leads the league in shootout victories with three.

The franchise record for shootout attempts faced in a single season is 31, set by Travis Fullerton in 2007-08. Gravel and Fullerton are now tied for the most shootout saves in a single season with 22.

Gravel has a career .792 save percentage in shootouts. This season he is running at .957%.

ROOKIE SCORING

Four Sea Dogs find themselves in the top 10 of QMJHL rookie scoring at the holiday break.

3rd - Zachary Morin (24 points)

7th - William Yared (16 points)

9th - Dylan Rozzi (16 points)

10th - Elliot Dubé (15 points)

Morin leads the way with an impressive 24 points (10 goals and 14 assists) in 25 games. The rookie franchise record for points is 75 (Chris DiDomenico) while goals is 26 (Tomas Jurco and Ostap Safin) and assists is 50 (DiDomenico). These aren't impossible records to break, but Morin would need to have an electric second half to hit those. It's worth noting that DiDomenico played 70 games in his rookie season.

Lars Steiner of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (36 points in 29 games) continues to lead all QMJHL rookies in scoring.

TIVEY AT UNB
The QMJHL website recently had a feature on Sea Dogs defenseman Nate Tivey.

The Sea Dogs' top scorer isn't just performing on the ice, he's also been standing out in school, finishing his courses at @UNB a full month early this semester while maintaining an A- average! 🙌

🔗️ : https://t.co/1yh4PgyYZd#QMJHLFoundation | @SJSeaDogs pic.twitter.com/t9ln3kie1m

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) December 13, 2024

OTHER THINGS

• QMJHL Central Scouting has released its initial rankings for the 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft. The list features 36 players who were given 'A' ratings, indicating a potential first round pick.
• Kyan Labbé made his first QMJHL start last Saturday, stopping all 22 shots he faced in the Sherbrooke Phoenix's 3-0 win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Labbé, a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft, was recently traded to his hometown Phoenix by the Sea Dogs.

  Le Phoenix termine sur une belle note avant de quitter pour Noël en s'offrant une victoire de 3-0 face aux puissants Voltigeurs.
  
  Premier départ et premier jeu blanc pour Kyan Labbé. Aucun but accordé depuis ses débuts dans la LHJMQ en stoppant les 35 tirs dirigés vers lui. pic.twitter.com/IOyDAP4gmA

  — Phœnix de Sherbrooke (@PhoenixSherbroo) December 14, 2024

• The New York Islanders blog Drive 4 Five writes about the struggles William Dufour has had this season with the AHL's Bridgeport Islanders.
• It sounds like we're getting very close to an announcement about the Acadie-Bathurst Titan being sold to a group from St. John's. RDS reports that the sale price is more than $5.5 million, an interesting number given that the Titan are likely one the league's lowest valued franchises.
• Rimouski's Mathieu Cataford and Drummondville's Ethan Gauthier were the only QMJHL players to make Team Canada's world junior team. They'll be joined by New Brunswicker Bradly Nadeau, who has been playing with the AHL's Chicago Wolves.
• Dennis Lominac has been a journeyman this season. The 18-year-old forward appeared in seven games with the Sea Dogs, then 11 games with the MHL's Summerside Western Capitals, and has now played five games with the BCHL's Vernon Vipers.
• Former Sea Dogs defenseman Matt Murphy is on the move in the ECHL.

  📢 Trade Alert 📢
  
  The Cincinnati Cyclones have traded Matt Murphy to the Tahoe Knight Monsters for Chris Dodero and Elijah Vilio.
  
  Murphy, who has 8 points in 20 games this season, will be going from a last place Cyclones team to an ECHL contender.#NewBrunswick #HockeyX… pic.twitter.com/HvqhuOFgle

  — Maritime Hockey (@HockeyMaritime) December 17, 2024

• Former Sea Dogs forward Dawson Theede had four goals and two assists in the Halifax Thunderbirds' 9-8 overtime loss in Saskatoon on Saturday. The Thunderbirds are off to a 0-2 start this National Lacrosse League season.
• The U17 World Challenge will be held in Truro next year, Hockey Canada announced Tuesday.