Sea Dogs welcome new crop of players

SHAWINIGAN, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs drafted 17 new players on Saturday at the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft.

The Sea Dogs had three first round picks and six in the top four rounds. The Dogs also pulled the trigger on a trade, acquiring the QMJHL rights of overage defenceman Michael Campoli.

Saint John drafted nine forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders on Saturday. Here's the full list of players drafted (click here for further player info):

1st round, 2nd overall: William Villeneuve (D)
1st round, 8th overall: Jeremie Poirier (D)
1st round, 15th overall: Josh Lawrence (F)
2nd round, 29th overall: Brady Burns (F)
2nd round, 32nd overall: Charlie DesRoches (D)
4th round, 62nd overall: Mathieu Savoie (G)
5th round, 82nd overall Alexandre O'Neill (F)
6th round, 108th overall: Charles-Antoine Dumont (F)
7th round, 109th overall: Dawson Stairs (F)
8th round: 127th overall: Nicolas Kakouras (D)
8th round, 133rd overall: Kale McCallum (D)
10th round, 163rd overall: Connor Richard (F)
10th round, 165th overall: Connor Bradford (G)
10th round, 178th overall: Anthony Provost (F)
12th round, 199th overall: Riley Bezeau (F)
13th round, 217th overall: Simon Trottier (D)
14th round, 235th overall: William Gagnon (F)

The Sea Dogs moved up to select DesRoches, sending third (37th overall) and fourth round (67th overall) picks to the Charlottetown Islanders in exchange for the 32nd overall pick. In the 10th round, Saint John sent a 2019 ninth round pick to the Val-d'Or Foreurs to select 165th overall.

Both Lawrence and DesRoches have committed to NCAA programs: Lawrence, a Fredericton native, to Boston University and DesRoches, a PEI native, to Northeastern. Both played at the Selects Hockey Academy in Connecticut last season.

Saint John also did something they have rarely done in their history: go heavy on picking locals. This year, the Dogs drafted two players from the Saint John Vitos, one from Rothesay Netherwood and, unexpectedly, one from St. Malachy's High School.

This marked the eighth time in team history the Sea Dogs have used their first pick in the draft to select a defenceman (and the second straight year following Brendan Sibley in 2017).

Saint John will select first overall in the upcoming CHL Import Draft.