REPORT: Sea Dogs Interested In DeLuca

According to the Drummondville newspaper L’Express, the Saint John Sea Dogs have expressed interested in acquiring 20-year-old forward Anthony DeLuca.

DeLuca has spent the first half of this season playing in the East Coast Hockey League where he’s recorded three goals and seven assists in 26 games split between the Wichita Thunder and Alaska Aces. Quebec media began to report this morning that DeLuca desired to return to the QMJHL as an overage player.

DeLuca has spent that past three seasons with the Rimouski Oceanic, registering 101 goals and 209 points in 202 regular season games. Last season he had 44 goals in 68 games.

Drummondville acquired DeLuca’s rights from Rimouski in June. L’Express reports that the Sea Dogs and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have expressed interest - and "expressing interest" could mean anything from a trade proposal to a simple phone call to see what's up.

The Sea Dogs could certainly use a proven point producer up front. The fact that DeLuca is 20 makes things tricky and would likely mean either Sam Povorozniouk or Marc-Antoine Turcotte would have to be moved out or released.

The QMJHL’s trade deadline is tomorrow.

UPDATE (3 p.m.):

#LHJMQ: les Sea Dogs ne sont plus intéressés par Anthony DeLuca. Ils ont arrêté les négociations avec les Voltigeurs. #tvasports

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MLalancetteTVA) January 5, 2016

Je ne pense pas que DeLuca bougera de Drummondville. Pour le sortir de là, il faut au minimum un choix de premier tour et autre chose...

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MLalancetteTVA) January 5, 2016

Si DeLuca joue un match cette saison, les Voltigeurs doivent retourner un choix de premier tour à l'Océanic. Ça complique les négos.

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MLalancetteTVA) January 5, 2016