NHL Draft begins Friday night

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's likely to be a quiet Friday night for the Saint John Sea Dogs – but that should change on Saturday.

While no Sea Dogs are likely to be selected in Friday's opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft, at least one current Dog should be picked during Saturday's remaining rounds.

Forward Olivers Murnieks is projected by most to be taken somewhere between the late second- and fourth-rounds. The Latvian recorded seven goals and 13 assists in 31 games with Saint John last season – an injury plagued campaign.

Murnieks also played for Latvia at last season's under-18, under-20 and men's worlds events.

Where Murnieks – who is a Boston College commit – plays next season is unclear. Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie has said that decision may ultimately come down to the NHL team that selects him this weekend and what they prefer for his development.

Murnieks was one of five Sea Dogs listed in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings. Cameron Chartrand, William Yared and Dylan Rozzi were also 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

Another player to keep an eye is defenseman Brian McFadden, who was ranked 115th by NHL Central Scouting. McFadden, who spent last season with the US prep school Thayer Academy, was a seventh-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft.

No Sea Dogs – at the time at least – were picked in last year's NHL Draft (Everett Baldwin did get drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, though). The last Sea Dog to be picked was Eriks Mateiko, who went to the Washington Capitals in the third-round in 2024.

It hasn't been a great run for the Sea Dogs at the NHL Draft. Mateiko and Cameron MacDonald (fifth-round pick in 2021 to the Lightning) are the only Sea Dogs to get picked in the last five NHL Drafts. But, in fairness, it hasn't been a great few years for the QMJHL as a whole.

Penn State forward Gavin McKenna is expected to be taken first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, should also be taken in the first-round.