Notebook: Looking ahead to the 2021 Draft

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

With the 2020 NHL Draft finally over, it's time to start looking ahead to 2021.

2020 was a pretty good draft for the Saint John Sea Dogs with Jeremie Poirier going in the third-round and William Villeneuve in the fourth. 2021 could be just as good if not better for the Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs have a strong 2003-born draft class, highlighted by Joshua Roy, Peter Reynolds and Cam MacDonald.

In Scott Wheeler's pre-season top 32 (hello, Seattle!) for the 2021 NHL Draft posted on The Athletic, Roy was ranked 22nd - one slot ahead of Halifax Mooseheads forward Zachary L'Heureux.

"He’s an excellent puck possession player who can win battles, keep plays alive, and create off the cycle," wrote Wheeler. "Now I just want to see him do some more damage off the rush."

Roy has a goal and an assist in two games this season.

GOOD PICKS

The Toronto Maple Leafs, who selected Sea Dogs defenseman William Villeneuve in the fourth-round, were among Scott Wheeler's winners of the 2020 NHL Draft.

"His offensive package reminds me of Evan Bouchard (though with less upside, obviously), in that he’s constantly producing near the top of his age group without ever really looking like he’s a dynamic player," wrote Wheeler his piece on The Athletic. "And his defensive game, despite a mediocre stride, is already pretty polished. The numbers alone should’ve made him a no-brainer at least a round earlier. The Leafs clearly believe they can help him get quicker."

Wheeler labelled the Calgary Flames, who picked Dogs d-man Jeremie Poirier in the third-round, as an overtime winner.

"He might be the most purely talented defenceman in the draft with the puck on his stick," Wheeler wrote. "And though there are legitimate concerns about how he manufactures that offence (by giving up too much defensively), I’ll take that bet where they took it every time."

Poirier, Villeneuve selected in NHL Draft

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two Saint John Sea Dogs defensemen were selected in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Jeremie Poirier was selected in the third-round, 72nd overall by the Calgary Flames while William Villeneuve was taken in the fourth-round, 122nd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Poirier, who was ranked as a late first- or early second-round pick by most draft publications, slid to the third-round. He's known as perhaps the most skilled defensemen in this year's draft class - but his slide was mostly due to his defensive play, something the Flames will no doubt want the 18-year-old to work on.

"I'm really happy the Flames gave me the opportunity to go out there and prove myself ... it's a dream come true."#Flames third round pick Jeremie Poirier checks in after being selected 72nd overall! pic.twitter.com/zihffbs1Qz

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) October 7, 2020

Poirier, who was selected by the Sea Dogs with the eighth overall pick in the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft, became the first Saint John player to be selected by the Flames. Poirier is coached by former Flames bench boss Greg Gilbert and former player Jeff Cowan.

Things aren't great

MONCTON - Folks, we've been through some bad days together over the past few months, and today was certainly one of them.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League confirmed today that 18 - yes, 18 - members of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have tested positive for COVID-19. The team has paused activities indefinitely and "players and staff have been placed in isolation for a period of 14 days," according to the league.

The Sherbrooke Phoenix, who played against the Armada last weekend, have had one player test positive, according to La Tribune. It's unclear how long the Phoenix will be out of action but the league has postponed all of the team's games this weekend and next.

The Armada and Quebec Remparts could be out of action even longer with the teams playing in COVID red zones, as determined by the Quebec government. The province has put a hold on all sports until the end of October in those areas - although the QMJHL plans to fight the ruling.

The Armada's games for this week and next have been postponed. As for the Remparts, only their games scheduled for this weekend have been postponed so far.

Closer to home, the 17 new cases of COVID at a Moncton special care home is obviously concerning. If cases continue to climb and there are signs of community spread outside the home, you have to wonder what the province may do with its sports.

Five QMJHL players picked in first round

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Five players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League were selected in Tuesday's first round of the 2020 NHL Draft.

As expected, Rimouski Oceanic forward Alexis Lafreniere was picked first overall by the New York Rangers.

In five career QMJHL games against Saint John, Lafreniere recorded five goals and eight assists over three seasons. It's unclear where - if anywhere - Lafreniere will play until the NHL season starts up, which is planned for Jan. 1.

Dawson Mercer was the next QMJHL player taken, going 18th overall to the New Jersey Devils. Mercer's teammate in Chicoutimi, Hendrix Lapierre, went 22nd overall to the Washington Capitals. The two were watching the draft together in the same room.

Halifax Mooseheads defenseman Justin Barron was selected 25th overall by the Colorado Avalanche. Then, with the next-to-last pick of the first round, the Dallas Stars took Mavrik Bourque of the Shawinigan Cataractes 30th overall.

19 of the 31 players picked on Tuesday were from the Canadian Hockey League.

A few other tidbits...

• From Sportsnet: Lafreniere was the first Quebec born player to go first overall since Marc-Andre Fleury in 2003 and the first Quebec born skater to go first since Vincent Lecavalier in 1998.
• The last time Lafreniere was drafted? The 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft - which was held in Saint John.
• Sudbury's Quinton Byfield, who was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Kings, had two goals and an assist with Canada Black at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge held in Saint John and Quispamsis.
• The Ottawa Senators... did something cool!?
• According to TSN, Mercer is the seventh Newfoundlander to ever be selected in the first round.
• On the NBC broadcast, Pierre McGuire compared Mercer to Mike Fisher and made some sort of bizarre reference to him marrying someone like Carrie Underwood.
• The Capitals hadn't selected a QMJHL player since 2010 when they picked Stanislav Galiev from Saint John and Samuel Carrier from the Lewiston Maineiacs (!).
• Barron joins Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan Graves and Shane Bowers as Nova Scotians in the Colorado Avalanche system.

Rounds two through seven take place Wednesday afternoon beginning at 12:30 p.m. Sea Dogs players to keep an eye on: Jeremie Poirier (ranked 18th amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting), William Villeneuve (99th), Charlie DesRoches (179th) and Brady Burns (207th). Poirier is expected to hear his name called fairly early.

The Sea Dogs have had a player selected in every NHL Draft since 2014.

Will Poirier be drafted tonight?

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Will Jeremie Poirier hear his name called at tonight's virtual NHL Draft?

Many draft publications have Poirier being selected late in round one of this year's draft, which begins at 8 p.m. this evening on Sportsnet. Rounds two through seven take place tomorrow.

Poirier was ranked 18th amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Outlets and draft experts have him going anywhere from 20 to 50.

Corey Pronman of The Athletic has Poirier being selected 29th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights.

"I had Poirier going in the second round of my last mock, but he’s looked sharp to start the season and has earned positive reviews from scouts," Pronman wrote in his final mock draft, released last night. "He also fits a lot of what Vegas likes to target at the draft in terms of skill, and the Golden Knights have a need in the system for a defenseman who can create a lot of offense."

Pronman previously had Poirier going 41st overall to Carolina. He also had William Villeneuve going 83rd to Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic has Poirier ranked 23rd, Villeneuve 39th and Charlie DesRoches 100th.

In Sam Cosentino's final draft rankings, Poirier didn't crack the first round but was an honourable mention.

"As of right now there are concerns about his defending or a willingness to work on it," Cosentino wrote on Sportsnet.ca. "Then again, when you’re this gifted offensively, with great skating ability, who would want to defend?"

Other QMJHL players who will/could hear their name called tonight: Alexis Lafreniere (obviously), Dawson Mercer, Hendrix Lapierre, Mavrik Bourque and Justin Barron.

COVID-19 has arrived in the QMJHL

COVID-19 has officially hit the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

After making it through training camps, pre-season and the first weekend of the regular season, the QMJHL has had to hit the pause button on three of its Quebec based franchises.

The league announced this afternoon that a Blainville-Boisbriand Armada player has tested positive for the virus. It's the first known positive case for a QMJHL player.

The Armada and the Sherbrooke Phoenix, who played each other twice last weekend, have "paused their activities until the investigation by public health officials is complete," according to a league press release.

The league said that players and staff will now be isolated and tested. Also, public health officials have been contacted and are exploring the nature of all contacts between players and staff. Any additional findings will be shared with both the teams and the league.

The announcement came not long after it was confirmed that the Armada and Quebec Remparts would have to pause activities - which seemingly involves both practices and games - for a month now that both teams are in "red zones" as designated by the Quebec government. COVID-19 cases have been rapidly rising in Quebec - particularly in urban areas like Montreal and Quebec City.

By the sounds of it, the league will try and find a way to get an exemption.

Since the beginning of training camps at the end of August, the conduct of our activities has been above reproach. The return to play protocol was approved and applauded by Public Health Officials in Quebec and by the three Maritime-based Provinces in which the league operates. It has been hailed as thorough and effective. As a matter of fact, the League would like to congratulate the players and team staff members for their flawless execution.

Over the course of the next few days, we will share with Quebec Public Health Officials additional measures which will render the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada’s and Quebec Remparts’ bubbles even more secure. We hope that these new directives will be well-received by Quebec’s health agency. The QMJHL is convinced that these additional measures will go above and beyond what is required to protect our players, staff and officials and enable all of our teams to continue playing.

Even if the league gets an exemption and can continue play in the red zones, this is just not good. Cases keep going up in Quebec with no sign of slowing down. Things are likely to get worse before they get better - but let's hope that doesn't end up being the case.