SN's 2013-14 QMJHL Season Preview

The 2013-14 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season has arrived. So let’s preview it a bit, shall we?

As always, our QMJHL season preview consists of linking to other season previews on the interweb that have been written by people who actually know what they are talking about it. So here you go!

• Neil Hodge of the Times & Transcript had the most surprising prediction regarding the Sea Dogs. He has them finishing second in the Maritimes Division behind Halifax. Cape Breton, Charlottetown, Moncton, and Bathurst follow Saint John in Hodge’s predictions (paywall).
• In The Hockey News’ annual junior hockey preview, they have Saint John just missing the playoffs and finishing 17^th overall. Shawinigan is predicted to finish last by THN. Although they would miss the playoffs, it would put the two in the coin flip for the first overall pick in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft... so... y'know... that's something.
• Steve Turcotte of the Shawinigan newspaper Le Novelliste predicts Saint John to finish sixth in the Maritimes Division. He calls second year defenseman Olivier LeBlanc a player to watch.
• Hockey’s Future says the Sea Dogs are likely in for a rough year. “It might be another long season in Saint John, but the team is putting together the framework for future success,” writes Kevin Forbes in HF’s QMJHL preview.
• Jean-Francois Plante of the Gatineau newspaper Le Droit predicts Saint John to finish last in the Maritimes Division and miss the playoffs along with the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
• Willy Palov of the Halifax Chronicle Herald has the Sea Dogs finishing 17^th overall. “This is Year 2 of what is expected to be a three-year rebuild,” writes Palov.
• Buzzing The Net’s Maritimes Division preview. Will Saint John surprise some people?
• Mikael Lalancette of TVA Sports has the Sea Dogs finishing sixth in the Maritimes Division.
• The website Dynasty Sports Empire has a preview of all 18 teams. On Jurij Siska joining the team at some point: “I have seen a few people call him overrated, so let’s see how he does this year in Canada.”

The QMJHL season began last night with the Moncton Wildcats beating the Halifax Mooseheads 4-0. Saint John’s season begins tonight at 7pm in Moncton against the Wildcats.

Wooo.