SEA DOGS LINE-UP TAKING SHAPE

It sound's like a title you would hear coming out of Saint John Sea Dogs training camp. But for the 2009-10 Sea Dogs team things are anything but ordinary. Coming off the best start to a season in franchise history (4-0-0-0), the Sea Dogs have announced several roster changes.

Today, Sea Dogs director of hockey operations Mike Kelly stated that Mike Hoffman has officially been cleared to play for tomorrow's game against PEI. The former 52 goal scorer joined the team on Sunday after the Ottawa Senators issued him back to the QMJHL.

Nicholas Pard (pictured above) has been reinstated after what the Sea Dogs are calling "ungentlemanly conduct". Although the team never confirmed it, several sources released information that the forward had been suspended after a drunken fight at the Sean Kingston concert last Tuesday. Pard has played in two games this season and has one assist.

Rookie forward Aiden Kelly has been issued back to the Saint John Vito's where he spent all of last season. Kelly was selected by the Sea Dogs in the second round of this past summers QMJHL entry draft. He has played in all of the teams games this season.

Several news sources are reporting that Nick Peterson is close to signing an American Hockey League deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Simon Despres and Yann Sauve are still at NHL training camps with the Penguins and Vancouver Canucks, respectively. Despres, in his first training camp with the Pens, is expected to be sent back to Saint John later this week.

Along with Hoffman, Mike Thomas will be making his season debut tomorrow night when the Dogs host the PEI Rocket (3-1-0-0). Catch the Station Nation pre-game tomorrow.

Photo from David Connel and Vince Chan