Peddle signs ATO with AHL's Monsters

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It looks like Tyler Peddle will be making his professional hockey debut at some point over the next couple weeks.

The AHL's Cleveland Monsters announced Monday that the Saint John Sea Dogs forward has been signed to an amateur tryout contract. The Monsters, who sit eighth in the AHL's Eastern Conference, have eight regular season games remaining.

Peddle was a seventh-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2023 NHL Draft. Even if he does appear in some AHL games, he is still eligible to return to the QMJHL for an overage season in the fall.

Like for much of his junior career, consistency was the problem for Peddle during the 2024-25 season, looking good for some stretches then sliding down the lineup for others. He finished with 15 goals and 14 assists in 54 games. He missed the club's final regular season game with an injury.

In the same news release, the Monsters signed Providence Friars defenseman Guillaume Richard to an ATO as well. Richard, who's season (and college career) came to an end this past weekend, was a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft.

The Monsters are back in action on Friday when they host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Mooseheads stun Voltigeurs again

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The Halifax Mooseheads have done it again.

After pulling off a 3-2 upset win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs in Game 1 on Friday, Quispamsis native Liam Kilfoil scored the overtime winner to give Halifax another 3-2 win and a 2-0 series lead on Saturday at the Marcel Dionne Centre.

Soak it in Moose Country. OT winner Liam Kilfoil. #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/Qb5vzXadKF

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) March 30, 2025

The series now shifts to Halifax for the next three games – if that Game 5 is even needed.

Drummondville had the third best record during the QMJHL's regular season while Halifax finished 16th. The start of this series has been nothing short of stunning.

Halifax took a 2-1 lead on a Braeden MacPhee goal just 54 seconds into the third period and carried that into the final minute. With the goaltender pulled, Saint John native Sam Oliver – the QMJHL's leading goal scorer in the regular season – beat Jacob Steinman upstairs to tie it at 2-2. But that goal underwent a long review before eventually being overturned for goaltender interference.

Then, with 38 seconds remaining, Oliver scored again – this time on a legal play – to send things into overtime.

Kilfoil's winner came at 16:40 of overtime on a power play. Simon-Pier Brunet was called for delay of game at 15:22.

Steinman was named the game's first star with 45 saves. Louis-Felix Charrois – who got the start with Riley Mercer injured in Game 1 – made 24 saves in the loss.

Game 3 is Tuesday night at Scotiabank Centre.

Wildcats survive wild Friday night in QMJHL

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The Moncton Wildcats survived a scare on Friday night.

The CHL's No. 1 ranked team needed overtime to defeat the Quebec Remparts in Game 1 of their first round playoff series. Julius Sumpf netted the winner just 1:38 into the extra frame.

Julius Sumpf scores the Game 1 OT winner for the @monctonwildcats! 😤 #QPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/e0gQ09lzs1

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) March 29, 2025

Moncton led 2-1 heading into the third where Quebec scored twice in less than two minutes halfway through the frame to take a 3-2 lead. Gabe Smith tied it back up at 16:10 to send the game into overtime.

Shots were 43-25 in favour of Moncton. The Wildcats went with the experienced Mathis Rousseau in net even after riding Rudy Guimond much of the last couple months.

The series is a major mismatch on paper. Moncton finished with 55 more points than rebuilding Quebec.

The Wildcats have now won 16 straight games. Game 2 is Saturday night in Moncton.

Notebook: Sea Dogs thank fans

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Saint John Sea Dogs president Trevor Georgie shared a thank you message to fans earlier this week.

The letter was shared on the team's social media channels and via email (click to enlarge).

The letter comes after another challenging year for the Sea Dogs. The team has been in the league's basement for three consecutive seasons and this year missed the playoffs for the first tine since 2018-19.

As Georgie notes, there are reasons to be optimistic about the club's future. It's also noted that the team has three first-round picks in June's QMJHL Entry Draft and will have two import players next year. Saint John played the entire second half with no imports.

ELLIOTT SIGNS ATO

Former Sea Dogs forward Drew Elliott has signed an amateur tryout with the AHL's San Diego Gulls, the club announced Wednesday.

The 21-year-old appeared in 26 regular season games with the UNB Reds this season, recording 14 goals and eight assists. He added an assist in five playoff games.

Elliott, a Saint John native, split his overage season between the Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs. In 32 second half games with Saint John, Elliott recorded 10 goals and seven assists. 

The Gulls are back in action on Friday when they host the Tucson Roadrunners. 

2025 QMJHL playoffs first round predictions

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It's that time.

Here are my predictions for the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs. Keeping with tradition, I've subtracted a game (where possible) from my initial picks because the first round is too often underwhelming entertainment wise. We'll see what happens this year.

Eastern Conference

1. Moncton vs 8. Quebec - Wildcats in 4

The Wildcats carry a 15-game winning streak into the playoffs and I don't see them having many problems with the Remparts. If Quebec can keep any of these games close, I'd consider that a success for them.

2. Rimouski vs 7. Charlottetown - Oceanic in 4

The Oceanic have built a roster worthy of being Memorial Cup hosts. But as we've seen many times, that pressure can do funny things come playoff time. They're playing a Charlottetown team that really turned things around in the second half, but even a team that always plays a playoff style game is going to have a hard time with Rimouski.

3. Chicoutimi vs 6. Acadie-Bathurst - Sagueneens in 6

I think we'd all like to see a magical playoff run by the Titan here (except Chicoutimi, probably) and honestly I could see them finding a way to sneak out a series win here. Hope this is a good series, because the potential is there.

4. Baie-Comeau vs 5. Cape Breton - Eagles in 6

A rematch of a great series from a year ago – but both teams have taken a step back this year. The Drakkar enter the playoffs banged up, and that could be the difference. Expecting this to be a close series again with some great atmospheres. 

WHL to add two expansion teams

Jack Murray/Penticton Vees

After much talk about OHL and QMJHL expansion over the past few months, the WHL will be the only league to secure an additional team for next season.

The WHL announced Monday that the Penticton Vees, one of the BCHL's flagship franchises, will be joining the league for the 2025-26 season. At the same time, the WHL announced "the initiation of a franchise application process for the City of Chilliwack, to begin play in the 2026-27 WHL season."

The news of Penticton joining the WHL has been floating around for a couple months now. The Vees are one of the BCHL's most successful franchises on and off the ice and they play in a major junior ready building.

An ownership group for the Penticton franchise has already been set up. The group includes existing Vees majority owner Graham Fraser, Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele, former New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter and prominent local businessmen.

Welcome to the Western League, @PentictonVees! pic.twitter.com/uScbQTmzaK

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 24, 2025

Multiple media reports indicate that the Vees expansion fee was somewhere in the ballpark of $15 million, which included a payment to the Kelowna Rockets who held the territorial rights. The two cities are less than an hour apart.

Chilliwack, meanwhile, was home to the WHL's Bruins from 2006 to 2011 before they were relocated to Victoria. No ownership group has been setup for the franchise yet.

According to the WHL, "the City of Chilliwack is set to invest $3.7 million in upgrades to the Chilliwack Coliseum prior to the arrival of a WHL franchise in 2026-27, including enhancements to the scoreboard, lighting system, NHL-standard boards, and more."

Start the countdown!

The 2026-27 WHL Season can't come soon enough🤩 pic.twitter.com/Noy7caFuzs

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 25, 2025

These additions will give the WHL 24 teams in two years time.