Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Notebook: Schedule coming soon

A whole lot of the Moncton Wildcats is on the schedule for the Saint John Sea Dogs this pre-season.

The QMJHL website published its pre-season schedule – or at least most pieces of it – on Wednesday. As it stands right now, the Sea Dogs will play five exhibition games with four of those coming against the Wildcats.

Here's a look at Saint John's current pre-season schedule:

Tuesday, Aug. 19: Saint John at Moncton (Dieppe UNIplex)
Wednesday, Aug. 20: Moncton at Saint John (St. Stephen Garcelon Civic Center)
Friday, Aug. 22: Saint John at Moncton (Fredericton Aitken Centre)
Thursday, Aug. 28: Saint John at Newfoundland (Summerside Wellness Centre)
Friday, Sept. 5: Moncton at Saint John (TBD)

Saint John's pre-season contest in St. Stephen was originally scheduled for Aug. 19 but has since been moved to Aug. 20.

If this is indeed Saint John's final pre-season schedule, it would be the fewest exhibition games the club has ever played.

SCHEDULE SOON
We're presumably getting closer to the releasing of the QMJHL's regular season schedule. Last season's schedule was released on May 27.

Stephane Leroux of RDS reported earlier this week that the regular season will begin Thursday, Sept. 18 with the Newfoundland Regiment hosting the Moncton Wildcats. It will be the QMJHL's first game in St. John's since 2008.

Leroux also explained how the Regiment's schedule and travel will work. Maritimes Division teams will fly to St. John's twice and play two games each time, according to the report.

Saint John's last game in St. John's was on Jan. 6, 2008.

YEARLY SURVEY
The Sea Dogs released their yearly fan survey last week but it was much shorter than in past years.

The survey asked for feedback on the team's theme nights and for suggestions regarding future theme nights, merchandise and community events.

Here's a look at what was on this year's survey:
You can see what was included in last year's fan survey here.

NCDC ENTERING NB
The NCDC is expanding into New Brunswick.

"The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) and its tuition-free National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) proudly announce the addition of five new teams for the 2025-26 season," stated a league press release. "This expansion brings NCDC hockey into new Canadian markets and further strengthens its footprint in northern New England."

The league is expanding into St. Stephen, Blacks Harbour and Woodstock. Teams are also coming to Presque Isle, ME and Quebec City.

The NCDC is classified as a tier two junior league. This video does a good job at explaining what the league is and how it compares to others.


The league's map has already been updated.
OTHER THINGS
  • Pretty crazy how many teams have played in the QMJHL final since Saint John's last appearance – which wasn't all that long ago.
  • It seems the Maritimes Division teams have "partnered up" for the most part for this year's pre-season. Saint John is partnered up with Moncton, Halifax with Cape Breton and Charlottetown with Newfoundland. The Regiment will be playing their home pre-season games in Summerside, according to the league website.
  • The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies will face the OHL's Sudbury Wolves in a pre-season game in Timmins, ON on Sept. 3.
  • Disappointing to see TSN calling the QMJHL final remotely once again this season. They have commentators physically at the OHL and WHL finals. It's worth noting that RDS does have their team calling the QMJHL final in-person.
  • The Cape Breton Eagles are looking for a new head coach after it was announced that Louis Robitaille has accepted a coaching position in Russia.
  • The Victoriaville Tigres are also looking for a new head coach.
  • Rimouski Oceanic defenseman Luke Coughlin will play for the University of Maine next season.
  • This is a big gain for the NCAA and a big loss for the CHL – and it's just the beginning. Malcolm Spence is projected to be a first round pick in this year's NHL Draft.
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