U18 worlds underway; QMJHL semifinals on deck

IIHF

MONCTON - The U18 Men's World Championship got underway on Wednesday and the semifinals of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy playoffs begin in less than 24 hours.

Here are a few Wednesday evening notes...

• Alexis Joseph and Team Canada opened the U18 Men's World Championship with a 2-1 loss to host Slovakia. It's the first time the Slovaks have defeated Canada at the event. Joseph, playing on Canada's second line, was held pointless and did not record a shot on goal in 16:08 of ice time. Cameron Chartrand did not play. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, was named Canada's player of the game after recording one assist and two shots.
• Sea Dogs prospect Jamie Glance and Team USA also opened the tournament with a loss, falling 3-2 in overtime to Czechia. Glance, playing on USA's second line, recorded four shots in 17:31 of ice time.
• On Thursday, Canada will take on Olivers Murnieks and Latvia at 9 a.m. Atlantic. The Americans have Thursday off and are back in action on Friday against Denmark.
• Also on Thursday, the QMJHL semifinals get going with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada taking on the Moncton Wildcats at Avenir Centre. There will be three former Sea Dogs in the series: Jacob Beaulieu and Elliot Dubé on the Armada and Max Vilen on the Wildcats. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
• The other semifinal series starts Friday with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies visiting the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
• Couple interesting stories in the WHL's final four: the expansion Penticton Vees have made it to the conference finals where they'll face the top-seeded Everett Silvertips. On the other side of the bracket, the Medicine Hat Tigers are back in the conference finals without Gavin McKenna. The Tigers will take on the Prince Albert Raiders.
• The OHL's conference finals have the Brantford Bulldogs taking on the Barrie Colts and the Kitchener Rangers facing the Windsor Spitfires.
• The AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs got underway on Tuesday with the Hershey Bears shutting out Matthew Highmore and the Bridgeport Islanders 2-0. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Thursday in Hershey.
• It hasn't been a great start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Sea Dogs alumni. Thomas Chabot and the Ottawa Senators trail the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 while Mathieu Joseph and the Los Angeles Kings are behind 2-0 to the Colorado Avalanche. Joe Veleno – who has not appeared in any games of the series yet – and the Montreal Canadiens are tied 1-1 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

U18 men's worlds begin Wednesday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The IIHF U18 Men's World Championship begins on Wednesday and will feature a few Saint John Sea Dogs in action.

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph and defenseman Cameron Chartrand were named to Team Canada's 25 player roster on Tuesday. It's worth pointing out that Chartrand (and two others) has not been officially registered yet, giving Canada some roster flexibility.

Joseph recorded two assists in pre-tournament action. He'll have plenty of eyes on him as the potential first overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Joseph posted 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 regular season games with the Sea Dogs. He added another three assists in four playoff matches.

Chartrand, meanwhile, appeared in just 35 regular season games with Saint John due to injuries. He registered two goals and five assists in those games. A strong under-18 tournament could really boost his stock heading into this summer's NHL Draft.

Canada opens the tournament on Tuesday against Slovakia.

Another Sea Dog who struggled to stay healthy this season was forward Olivers Murnieks, who is part of Latvia's registered roster. Murnieks appeared in 31 games with Saint John, posting seven goals and 13 assists – but he hasn't played since Jan. 31.

This will be the second under-18 tournament for Murnieks, who posted two assists in five games last year. He's also played for Latvia at the last two world juniors.

Latvia's first game is on Wednesday against Team Canada.

The United States features forward Jamie Glance, who was a sixth-round pick of Saint John in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft. Glance has spent the past two seasons with the USNTDP and is committed to Boston University for the 2027-28 season.

The Americans play their first game on Tuesday against Czechia.

The 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, which is taking place in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia, ends on May 2. All of Canada's games will be broadcast on TSN.

Sea Dogs land fifth overall pick

QMJHL

The Saint John Sea Dogs will select fifth overall in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft.

The Sea Dogs were unable to move up through this year's draft lottery, which was held Tuesday night. Saint John had just one ball in the lottery, giving them a slim 4.8% chance of winning the top pick.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who had the best odds, won the lottery and will select first overall while the Halifax Mooseheads, who had the second best odds, slid to third.

Here's what the top-five picks currently look like.

Here they are! The Top 5 picks of this year's #QDraft! pic.twitter.com/S3TTP1BacT

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 21, 2026

This was the third straight year that the Sea Dogs were in the draft lottery. They also picked fifth overall in 2024 (William Yared) while last year they won the lottery to pick first (Alexis Joseph).

The Yared selection in 2024 is the only previous time the Sea Dogs have picked fifth overall.

The 2026 QMJHL Entry Draft takes place June 5-6 in Halifax.

Remarkably, this will be the first time the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies select first overall. The Huskies, who are set to play the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the QMJHL semifinals this weekend, previously acquired the pick from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

The Sea Dogs also own the 15th overall pick.

It's draft lottery time

QMJHL

It's the Saint John Sea Dogs' time to shine on Tuesday night.

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League will hold its annual draft lottery at 7:30 p.m. Atlantic on Tuesday, meaning the Sea Dogs will find out where their first selection will be in this year's Entry Draft. The results will be broadcast live on RDS.

Saint John has just one ball in this year's lottery, giving them the fifth best odds of landing the first overall pick – but that hasn't stopped them in the past. The Sea Dogs have had a remarkable amount of success in the lottery over the years, which includes landing the top pick last year.

Here's a look at Saint John's draft lottery history.

Year	Odds of win	Result	Selection
2026	4.8% (5th)	TBD	TBD
2025	28% (2nd)	1st	Alexis Joseph
2024	5% (5th)	5th	William Yared
2020	10% (4th)	3rd	Leighton Carruthers
2019	5% (5th)	1st	Joshua Roy
2018	43% (1st)	2nd	William Villeneuve
2015*	50%	1st	Joe Veleno
2014*	50%	1st	Luke Green
2007*	50%	1st	Simon Despres
2006*	50%	1st	Yann Sauve
2005*	50%	1st	Alex Grant

*Lottery was only between the QMJHL's two last-place teams

As mentioned, the Sea Dogs will have the fifth best odds of winning this year's lottery. The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have the best odds followed by the Halifax Mooseheads – who are hosting this year's draft – Shawinigan Cataractes and Victoriaville Tigres.

Rouyn-Noranda (from Baie-Comeau) – 9 balls – 42.9%

Halifax (from Rimouski) – 6 balls – 28.6% 

Shawinigan (from Gatineau) – 3 balls – 14.3% 1

Victoriaville – 2 balls – 9.5% 

Saint John – 1 ball – 4.8%

The 2026 QMJHL Entry Draft will take place June 5-6 in Halifax.

Notebook: Five Sea Dogs make NHL Central Scouting final rankings

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Five Saint John Sea Dogs were listed in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft.

Olivers Murnieks, Cameron Chartrand, William Yared and Dylan Rozzi were all ranked amongst North American skaters while Rafaël Courchesne was listed amongst North American goaltenders.

98 - Olivers Murnieks

155 - Cameron Chartrand

172 - William Yared

195 - Dylan Rozzi

27 - Rafaël Courchesne

Penn State forward Gavin McKenna was the top-ranked skater. Quebec Remparts forward Maddox Dagenais was the top-ranked skater from the QMJHL at No. 15.

Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, was ranked seventh.

The full rankings can be found here.

The 2026 NHL Draft takes place June 26-27.

JOSEPH NOMINATED

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph was nominated for two QMJHL awards.

Joseph was nominated for the Michel-Bergeron Trophy, which is awarded annually to the offensive rookie of the year, and the Paul-Dumont Trophy, which is awarded to the personality of the year.

Victoriaville Tigres forward Egor Shilov won the Michel-Bergeron Trophy while Newfound Regiment president Glenn Stanford won the Paul-Dumont Trophy.

Jonathan Huberdeau won the Paul-Dumont Trophy in 2012 while Thomas Chabot won in 2017. No Sea Dog has ever won the Michel-Bergeron Trophy.

SUMMERSIDE ELIMINATED

The Summerside Western Capitals had their Maritime Junior Hockey League playoff run come to an end last week.

The Western Capitals fell 3-2 to the Truro Bearcats in Game 7 of the North Division final on Thursday in Summerside. The Bearcats advance to the MHL final where they'll face the Edmundston Blizzard.

Summerside is hosting this year's Centennial Cup national championship. Their first game is on May 7 against the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champions.

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Matthew MacLean had an assist in Game 7, giving him a goal and six helpers in 14 playoff games. Goaltender Justin Robinson only made one appearance, going 0-1.

Armada eliminate Regiment to lock in QMJHL's final four

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

The semifinals of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy Playoffs are set.

The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada finished off the Newfoundland Regiment on Sunday, winning 5-3 to take the second round series in six games. The Regiment led the game 2-0 at one point early in the second period.

The Armada, who finished fourth overall in the QMJHL standings, move on to the third round where they'll face the top-seeded Moncton Wildcats. The dates for the series have yet to be locked in – but it will start in Moncton, just not on Friday with Stars on Ice visiting Avenir Centre.

The other series will feature the No. 2 seed Chicoutimi Sagueneens taking on the No. 3 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. That series begins Friday in Chicoutimi.

The Armada/Wildcats series will feature three former Sea Dogs, all of whom played for the team this season: forwards Elliot Dubé and Jacob Beaulieu along with defenseman Max Vilen.

Beaulieu has been held pointless in 10 playoff games with the Armada while Dubé has one assist. Vilen, meanwhile, has a goal and four assists in eight playoff matches with the Wildcats.

With the Regiment getting eliminated, former Sea Dogs defenseman Patryk Zubek's season comes to an end. Zubek was on Newfoundland's playoff roster but did not appear in any games.

Three of the four semifinal teams have been to the QMJHL final relatively recently: Moncton last year, Rouyn-Noranda in 2019 and Blainville-Boisbriand in 2018. Chicoutimi, though, has not made it past the third round since 1997.

The Armada are the only team remaining that has not won a QMJHL championship.

Ex-Dogs qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Embed from Getty Images

A handful of former Saint John Sea Dogs have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Thomas Chabot (Ottawa Senators), Mathieu Joseph (Los Angeles Kings) and Joe Veleno (Montreal Canadiens) have all qualified for the NHL's post-season, which begin Saturday.

The Senators will face the Carolina Hurricanes; the Kings will take on the Colorado Avalanche; and the Habs will battle the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Chabot, who recently returned much sooner than expected from an arm injury, will play a key role for the Senators. We'll see how much action Joseph, who didn't record a point in 12 games with the Kings, and Veleno get.

Here's a look at how Sea Dogs alumni performed in the NHL this season.

Player	Team	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Charlie Coyle	CBJ	82	20	38	58
Thomas Chabot	OTT	57	7	24	31
Jonathan Huberdeau	CGY	50	10	15	25
Yan Kuznetsov	CGY	57	4	8	12
Mathieu Joseph	STL LAK	51	2	9	11
Joe Veleno	MTL	61	2	3	5
Boko Imama	PIT	2	0	0	0
Joshua Roy	MTL	3	0	0	0
William Villeneuve	TOR	3	0	0	0

Charlie Coyle had a strong season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and has likely made himself one of the top unrestricted free agents entering the off-season.

Jonathan Huberdeau appeared in just 50 games due to an injury.

William Villeneuve, who was a late season call up by the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been reassigned to the AHL's Toronto Marlies for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Boko Imama (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins) and Joshua Roy (Laval Rocket) spent most of their seasons in the AHL. Both teams have qualified for the playoffs.

Three series sweeps completed

Dany Germain/Val-d'Or Foreurs

And just like that, three of the four teams that will take part in the semifinals of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy Playoffs are locked in.

The Moncton Wildcats, Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies all completed series sweeps on Wednesday night, securing spots in the next round. The only second round series remaining is between the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Newfoundland Regiment, which is currently tied at 2-2.

The Wildcats won a 17th straight game on Wednesday, defeating the Val-d'Or Foreurs 4-1. Former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen had three shots in the victory.

Moncton swept Saint John in the first round with their lone hiccup coming in Game 2, which required overtime. In the Val-d'Or series, the Wildcats' toughest match was also Game 2, which they won 3-2.

Like the Wildcats, the Sagueneens are also 8-0 in these playoffs. Lucas Beckman stopped all 20 shots he faced in a 5-0 win over the Quebec Remparts on Wednesday.

Former Sea Dogs forward Egan Beveridge did not play for the Remparts after getting injured in Monday's Game 3.

The Huskies, meanwhile, needed seven games to eliminate the Gatineau Olympiques in the opening round. They really shortened that timeline in the second round, completing a sweep of the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday with a 4-2 victory.

Three of the four games of this series were decided by two goals or less.

This result ends the junior career of former Sea Dogs forward Vince Elie, who scored in the loss. Elie, who is committed to play at Clarkson University this fall, finishes the playoffs with a goal and three assists.

The Sagueneens will face the Huskies in the third round while the Wildcats will take on the winner of the Armada/Regiment series.

Notebook: Two Sea Dogs named to U18 camp roster

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two Saint John Sea Dogs were named to Hockey Canada's camp roster for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph and defenseman Cameron Chartrand were both named to the 23-player roster. More players are likely to be added as teams get eliminated from the CHL playoffs.

Joseph posted 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 regular season games this past season. He also captained Canada Red to gold at the U17 World Challenge this past fall, recording 13 points in five games.

Chartrand appeared in just 35 games with the Sea Dogs this season due to injuries, recording two goals and five assists. He played for Canada Red at the U17 World Challenge in 2024.

Sherbrooke Phoenix forward Thomas Rousseau was the only other QMJHL player invited to the camp. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence of Boston University also earned an invite.

The under-18 tournament takes place April 22 to May 2 in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia.

TRANSFER PORTAL OPENS

It's been a wild few days in NCAA hockey with the sport's transfer portal opening up – which is essentially college hockey's version of free agency.

Here are the Sea Dogs alumni who entered the portal:

• Charles-Edward Gravel (Mercyhurst)
• Charles Savoie (Lindenwood)
• Matteo Mann (Colorado College)

Gravel was essentially forced into the portal with Mercyhurst cutting men's hockey. Mann, meanwhile, was seemingly being pushed out of a roster spot with Colorado College adding defensemen while Savoie was likely looking for an opportunity with a team that is part of a conference (Lindenwood is an independent).

Of the three, only Savoie has found a new home. The 23-year-old, who played at Concordia University during the 2024-25 season, has joined the Lake Superior State Lakers of the CCHA.

McCallum scores first pro goal; Beveridge hurt by blindside hit

Trois-Rivieres Lions

Kale McCallum has scored his first professional goal.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman scored in the Trois-Rivieres Lions' 5-1 win over the Adirondack Thunder on Sunday. The goal came midway through the first period to make it 2-0 at the time.

KALE MCCALLUM INSCRIT SON PREMIER BUT CHEZ LES PROFESSIONNELS 🚨

TR 2 - 0 ADK pic.twitter.com/REqeOWLfny

— Lions de Trois-Rivières (@Lions3r) April 12, 2026

McCallum was also a +2 with two shots in the game.

The night prior, the offensive defenseman registered his first professional points, posting two assists against the Thunder.

The Lions have two regular season games remaining. They will not qualify for the ECHL's Kelly Cup Playoffs.

McCallum spent this past season with the NCAA's Providence College Friars where he recorded five goals and nine assists in 31 games. 

The 24-year-old spent the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with the Sea Dogs.

A few other news and notes...

• Former Sea Dogs forward Egan Beveridge was injured in the Quebec Remparts' 4-0 loss to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Monday. The Sags now lead the series 3-0 and will look to complete the sweep on Wednesday in Quebec City.

  Blindside hit by Liam Lefebvre on Egan Beveridge. Lefebvre gets 5 and a game for it, Beveridge has not returned.
  
  Expecting a possible suspension for Lefebvre as well, the league will look at this pic.twitter.com/vsoGiizqHk

  — Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) April 13, 2026

• The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have taken a 2-1 series lead with a 4-1 win over the Newfoundland Regiment on Monday in St. John's. Jacob Beaulieu had three shots and got into some rough stuff with Ryan Dwyer late in the third period. Game 4 is Tuesday night.
• In the Maritime Junior Hockey League playoffs, the Summerside Western Capitals have forced a Game 7 in the North Division final thanks to a 2-1 win over the Truro Bearcats on Sunday. The winner of Thursday's Game 7, which will be played in Summerside, will take on the Edmundston Blizzard in the MHL final.

Notebook: Lottery odds announced

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will have a 4.8% chance of winning the first overall pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft lottery.

The lottery will take place April 21 at 7:30 p.m. Atlantic and be broadcast live on RDS, the league announced this week.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who own the Baie-Comeau Drakkar's top pick, will have the best odds of winning followed by the Halifax Mooseheads – who are hosting this year's draft. The full odds are below.

18th position: Rouyn-Noranda (from Baie-Comeau) – 9 balls – 42.9% 

17th position: Halifax (from Rimouski) – 6 balls – 28.6% 

16th position: Shawinigan (from Gatineau) – 3 balls – 14.3% 

15th position: Victoriaville – 2 balls – 9.5% 

14th position: Saint John – 1 ball – 4.8%

The Sea Dogs have had good fortune in the draft lottery over the years. They won last year's and went on to select Alexis Joseph with the first overall pick.

The 2026 QMJHL Entry Draft will take place June 5-6 in Halifax.

JOSEPH MAKES ROOKIE TEAM

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph has been named to the QMJHL's rookie all-star team, the league announced this week.

Joseph finished sixth in rookie scoring, posting 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 games.

The full team is below.

Goaltender : Jan Larys, Drummondville 

Defenseman : Tommy Bleyl, Moncton 

Defenseman : Malik L’Italien, Halifax 

Forward : Egor Shilov, Victoriaville 

Forward : Alexey Vlasov, Victoriaville 

Forward : Alexis Joseph, Saint John

The QMJHL also announced its first and second all-star teams.

Villeneuve makes NHL debut; other Saturday notes

Embed from Getty Images 

At long last, William Villeneuve made his NHL debut on Saturday night.

After appearing in 224 games with the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies and getting called up on a few occasions this season only to sit out, the former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman dressed for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers.

rookie lap for William Villeneuve pic.twitter.com/kfkHPgtGCv

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 11, 2026

The 24-year-old had 18:45 of ice time and had one block in the loss.

Villeneuve has three goals and 26 assists in 59 games with the Marlies this season.

According to the Sea Dogs, Villeneuve is the 22nd alumnus to skate in an NHL game. That number is believed to officially be 23 as the team does not recognize Joshua Roy.

🎙️ | William Villeneuve | Post Game vs. Florida Panthers | April 11 pic.twitter.com/7IwwpCOwuC

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 12, 2026

Villeneuve was drafted second overall by the Sea Dogs in the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft. He skated in 216 regular season games with the club and another 11 playoff contests. He helped the team capture the 2022 Memorial Cup title.

Wildcats beat Foreurs; Armada tie series

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

MONCTON - The Moncton Wildcats picked things up right where they left off.

After sweeping the Saint John Sea Dogs in the first round – and dominating the final two games of the series – the Wildcats defeated the Val-d'Or Foreurs 8-1 at Avenir Centre on Friday to take a 1-0 lead in the second round series.

Moncton went 3/5 on the power play.

A few other news and notes from Friday night...

• The Foreurs opened the scoring against the Wildcats on Friday. Moncton has allowed the first goal in all three of their home playoff games but have gone on to win all of them.
• The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada picked up a crucial win in Game 2, erasing a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Newfoundland Regiment 5-3 and tie the series 1-1. Elliot Dubé and Jacob Beaulieu each had one shot on goal. The next three games will be played in St. John's.
• The Chicoutimi Sagueneens scored three unanswered goals to defeat Egan Beveridge and the Quebec Remparts 3-1 to take a 1-0 series lead.
• The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies erased a 3-1 deficit to beat Vince Elie and the Shawinigan Cataractes 8-3 in Game 1. The Huskies scored six goals in the third period.
• In the Maritime Junior Hockey League playoffs, the Summerside Western Capitals scored four times in the first period to defeat the Truro Bearcats 4-2. The Bearcats lead the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Sunday in Truro.
• The Edmundston Blizzard took a 3-2 series lead over the Chaleur Lightning with a 4-2 win in Game 5 on Thursday. Former Sea Dogs forward Ben Cross and defensive prospect Jesse Dunlap were both in the Lightning lineup. Game 6 is Saturday in Bathurst.
• In the NCAA's Frozen Four, Wisconsin will face Denver in Saturday's national championship game.

Second round playoff predictions

Mike Bernard/Quebec Remparts

If the first round is any indication, we could be in for a very entertaining playoffs in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

Three series went to Game 7. There was a major upset with the Val-d'Or Foreurs eliminating the Drummondville Voltigeurs in five games and there was nearly another with the Gatineau Olympiques coming up one win short of pulling off a reverse sweep of the heavily favoured Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Will the entertainment continue into round two?

Here are my picks.

1. Moncton vs 13. Val-d'Or - Wildcats in 4

The Wildcats will need to respect the Foreurs given what they did to the Voltigeurs. Moncton likely learned some lessons from their Game 2 scare against Saint John, winning the final two matches easily. The Foreurs should have some confidence coming into this – but they are not playing the Voltigeurs here. This will be a massive challenge for them. I expect Val-d'Or to push Moncton at times, but not enough to win the series.

2. Chicoutimi vs 9. Quebec - Sagueneens in 4

I don't feel good about this prediction given how long some of the first round series went. But I do feel good about Chicoutimi, who outscored Halifax 24-4 in the opening round. We could see some tight games here, but the Sagueneens have too much firepower and depth for the Remparts to handle. Always fun to get this matchup in the playoffs.

3. Rouyn-Noranda vs 7. Shawinigan - Huskies in 6

Both are coming off Game 7 victories. Both had their problems in the opening round and I'm not overly confident in either – which makes this a fun series to keep an eye on. I'll take the Huskies.

4. Blainville-Boisbriand vs 6. Newfoundland - Armada in 6

The Armada swept the Victoriaville Tigres in the opening round but there were a couple of close games. They had an up-and-down season, but completing a sweep shows they're on the right track so far in these playoffs. The Cape Breton Eagles gave the Regiment some problems in the first round. Newfoundland will need to keep their cool and stay out of the box, which is what we've been saying about them all season.

I picked five of the eight first round series winners correctly. I had Drummondville, Charlottetown and Sherbrooke all advancing.

Second round matchups are set

Vincent Létourneau/Shawinigan Cataractes

The first round of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoffs ended with three Game 7s on Tuesday night.

Here's a quick recap of all three:

• The Quebec Remparts held the Charlottetown Islanders to just 10 shots in the first two periods in a 1-0 win. The Islanders made a push in the third, outshooting the Remparts 12-3, but could not beat goaltender Patrick Déniger. Charlottetown led this series 3-2 coming back to PEI but dropped the final two games on home ice.
• The Gatineau Olympiques came up short of pulling off the reverse sweep, falling 5-0 to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The Olympiques, who finished 40 points back of the Huskies in the standings, dropped the first three games but shockingly won the next three to make a series out of it.
• The Shawinigan Cataractes knocked off the pesky Sherbrooke Phoenix with a commanding 6-1 win on home ice. The road team had won every game in the series up until Game 7.

With those series now completed, the second round matchups have been confirmed. As a reminder, teams have been reseeded based on the overall standings.

1. Moncton vs 13. Val-d'Or

2. Chicoutimi vs 9. Quebec

3. Rouyn-Noranda vs 7. Shawinigan

4. Blainville-Boisbriand vs 6. Newfoundland

The second round begins Thursday night with the Armada – the franchise formerly known as the St. John's Fog Devils – hosting the Regiment.

Here are the former Sea Dogs still in the playoffs (in no particular order): Vince Elie (Shawinigan), Max Vilen (Moncton), Elliot Dubé (Blainville-Boisbriand), Egan Beveridge (Quebec), Jacob Beaulieu (Blainville-Boisbriand) and Patryk Zubek (Newfoundland).

Chad Bellemare (Sherbrooke) and Tyler Peddle (Charlottetown) had their seasons end in the first round. Bellemare posted three goals and two assists in his series while Peddle, playing his overage season, had three goals.

Baldwin signs ATO with Crunch

JaimeLee Gouthro/Cape Breton Eagles

It looks like Everett Baldwin's season isn't over quite yet.

The American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch announced Tuesday that the Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman has joined the club on a tryout basis. The Crunch have five regular season games remaining and have already clinched a playoff spot.

The Crunch are the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Baldwin was a fifth-round pick of the Lightning in last year's NHL Draft.

This move will not impact Baldwin's ability to play NCAA hockey at Providence College. The 19-year-old is committed to play for his hometown school this coming season.

Baldwin will still be able to attend Providence without a problem, even if he plays AHL games. Eligibility rules are different before and after initial full-time enrollment. You can't leave school and play on an ATO and then return, but you can play on an ATO before enrolling. https://t.co/mIfFzMR1kz

— Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonCHN) April 7, 2026

Baldwin had an impressive 2025-26 season with the Sea Dogs, posting 15 goals and 29 assists in 62 regular season games. He added two assists in four playoff games.

Baldwin's 15 goals placed him in a tie for the league lead in goals by a defenseman.

The Crunch are back in action on Wednesday night when they host the Rochester Americans.

Notebook: Joseph ranked second in 2027 draft rankings

JaimeLee Gouthro/Cape Breton Eagles

The 2027 NHL Draft hype for Saint John Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph continues to grow.

In The Athletic's 2027 draft rankings that were released this week, Joseph was ranked second behind Everett Silvertips defenseman Landon Dupont.

"Joseph, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 QMJHL draft, is a big, strong, athletic, pro-built at an early age center with skill and a strong skating stride," writes Scott Wheeler. "He was dominant at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in November, leading Canada Red to gold and the tournament in goals with six in five games, and has been a top player on a rebuilding under-.500 team in Saint John this year, playing to above a point per game."

Joseph finished his rookie season with 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 games. He added three assists in four playoff games.

Sea Dogs draft picks Jamie Glance and Finnegan Sears were both honourable mentions in the rankings. Both played with the USNTDP this season. Glance is committed to Boston University for the 2027-28 season while Sears is committed to Boston College.

MCCALLUM TURNS PRO

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Kale McCallum has signed with the ECHL's Trois-Rivieres Lions, it was announced this week. He made his debut on Friday, recording two shots in a 2-1 win over the Maine Mariners.

McCallum spent this past season with the NCAA's Providence College Friars where he posted five goals and nine assists in 31 games.

The 24-year-old spent parts of the previous three seasons with the UNB Reds.

McCallum, who played with the Saint John Vito's and at Rothesay Netherwood, spent the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with the Sea Dogs before being traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs.

Eagles stay alive on a wild Friday night

Jonathan Roy/Quebec Remparts

KALAMAZOO, MI - A wild Friday night. Here's a recap.

• The Cape Breton Eagles erased a 4-1 third period deficit to defeat the Newfoundland Regiment 5-4 in overtime, keeping their season alive and sending the series back to St. John's for a Game 6 on Sunday. Maxime Sauthier netted the game-winner just 22 seconds into overtime.

  🚨#88 Maxime Sauthier
  🍎#16 Lucas Romeo
  🍏#77 Samuel Kupec
  22 second into overtime#DefendTheIsland pic.twitter.com/lllI6IiTC6

  — Cape Breton Eagles (@CBEHockey) April 4, 2026

• Tyler Peddle and the Charlottetown Islanders are a win away from advancing to the second round. Ivan Ryabkin had a goal and an assist to help the Islanders defeat Egan Beveridge and the Quebec Remparts 3-2 at Videotron Centre. Charlottetown leads the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Monday at Eastlink Centre.
• Chad Bellemare scored to help the Sherbrooke Phoenix defeat Vince Elie and the Shawinigan Cataractes 6-1 and take a 3-2 series lead. The Phoenix went 4/7 on the power play. The major drama came off the ice with Shawinigan making Felix Lacerte, who finished fifth in QMJHL regular season scoring, a healthy scratch. Game 6 is Sunday in Sherbrooke.
• The Gatineau Olympiques held the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to 14 shots in a 4-1 win, staying alive in the series once again. The Huskies lead the series 3-2. Game 6 is Sunday in Gatineau.
• The Val-d'Or Foreurs completed the upset of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, winning 5-3 to take the series in five games. The Volts finished the regular season with 27 more points than the Foreurs.
• In the Maritime Junior Hockey League playoffs on Thursday:
• The Edmundston Blizzard defeated Ben Cross and the Chaleur Lightning 4-2 to take a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 is Saturday.
• The Summerside Western Capitals tied Game 1 with 30 seconds remaining in regulation but ultimately lost 2-1 in overtime to the Truro Bearcats. Game 2 of that series is on Saturday.
• At the under-18 Atlantics in Quispamsis, Jase MacPherson allowed five goals on 28 shots in the Kensington Wild's 5-4 loss to Newfoundland's Pinnacle Growlers. In the night game, Eliot Tozer had a goal as the Saint John's Vito's defeated the Wild 7-4.
• And in Kalamzaoo tonight where I watched the Toledo Walleye defeat the Wings 6-2, former Sea Dogs goaltender Jonathan Lemieux had an eventful game. Along with allowing five goals on 32 shots, Lemieux took a delay of game penalty for flipping the puck out of play and was not happy when a goaltender interference review didn't go his way. Lemieux slapped his stick on the ice and was yelling his thoughts at the official (there was only one referee). When the period ended, Lemieux tossed his stick into the neutral zone in frustration.

  Watching Toledo/Kalamazoo tonight. Former Sea Dog Jonathan Lemieux starting for the Wings.
  
  Yes, those are Margaritaville jerseys. Yes, the goal posts are green. pic.twitter.com/AWA3rCAZ8y

  — Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) April 3, 2026

Three sweeps completed in QMJHL playoffs

FORT WAYNE, IN - What a wild night at the historic Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The Wheeling Nailers were up 6-2 entering the third period against the Fort Wayne Komets and ultimately won 8-5. It was a battle between two of the top teams in the ECHL with Wheeling sitting third and Fort Wayne sixth.

Former Sea Dogs forward William Dufour was one of the best players on the ice and could have finished the game with four or five points. He posted two assists in the loss along with four shots and a -3 rating.

Some positive Sea Dogs news tonight: William Dufour has two assists in this Komets/Nailers game I’m at. pic.twitter.com/L2LbN0gSiS

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) April 2, 2026

The 24-year-old has posted impressive numbers with the Komets. He now has eight goals and 18 assists in 22 games.

As for the rink itself, it definitely gives a Kitchener Memorial Auditorium vibe – an old barn that underwent a major expansion but still has some of its old school features. Announced attendance was 5,893, although there was maybe half of that actually in the building

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-3

FINAL: Moncton 7, Saint John 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs' season came to a close on Wednesday at TD Station.

The Moncton Wildcats defeated the Sea Dogs 7-3 in Game 4 of their first round Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoff series, completing a sweep.

The Wildcats, as regular season champions, will now face the lowest remaining seed that advances in the second round of the playoffs. Moncton is looking to repeat as QMJHL champions.

The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, have not won a playoff series since capturing the President Cup championship in 2017. They've made the playoffs five times (including the 2021 provincial tournament thing) since then but have lost in the first round each time.

With the exception of Game 2, which required overtime, this series wasn't overly close and it was clear the Wildcats are several steps above the Sea Dogs. That was evident again on Wednesday with Moncton scoring seven straight goals before Saint John was able to net three in the third when the game was well out of reach.

Preston Lounsbury scored a pair of goals for Moncton while singles came from Alex Mercier, Gavin Cornforth, Teddy Mutryn, Gabe Smith and Kuzma Voronin. Rudy Guimond made 19 saves in the win.

Angelo Fullerton, Zachary Morin and Olivier Groulx scored for Saint John. Arseni Radkov made 32 stops in the loss.