The Saint John Sea Dogs prospect has left the South Kent Selects Academy of the USPHL to join the Maritime Junior Hockey League club for the remainder of the season. The move will allow the forward to play against older competition and be called up by the Dogs more often.
The move was announced last week but Stairs did not join the club until today. He is expected to be in the team's lineup for Friday's home match against the South Shore Lumberjacks.
Prior to leaving, Stairs recorded 21 goals and 24 assists in 30 games at South Kent.Dawson Stairs, who signed with the Tigers last week, arrived in Campbellton this morning to join the Team. Stairs will done #11 & will be in the line up for Friday night’s game against the @ljackshockey @StairsDawson @THEMHL @JrNightCanada Come out & Cheer on your Tigers! pic.twitter.com/E3AKc5YKkN— Campbellton Tigers (@CTonTigerHockey) December 3, 2018
“Dawson is embarking on a new challenge next week” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release. “He played well during his call-up with us and we are pleased with his development at South Kent. He gained lots of confidence while at their program and is now going to face some adversity playing against bigger, stronger, older, and overall more experienced competition. There is a lot of trust and familiarity with Greg (Leland) and it will give us a chance to see him play, maybe twice as much for the Sea Dogs than was initially planned.”
The 16-year-old would likely be a regular in the Sea Dogs lineup if the team wasn't already over the underage player limit. He'll presumably join the club full time in 2019-20.
The move to Canada will allow Stairs to "play a total of 10 affiliate games (he has already played three) as well as replace a Sea Dog who is on an international assignment such as the World Juniors. Players affiliated in the United States can only play up to 6 affiliate games and all must be played before Jan. 1."
The Tigers, who are coached by former Sea Dogs coach Greg Leland, are 13-7-1-0 this season, placing them second in the MHL's Eastlink North Division.
In other news, 20-year-old Tyler Higgins, who was released by the Sea Dogs in order to make room for Mikhail Denisov, has found a new home. The defenseman has joined the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Higgins recorded two assists in 18 games with the Sea Dogs this season.Bombers finish off their 4 game home stand on a positive note by defeating @estevanbruins 1-0!— Flin Flon Bombers (@FFBombers) December 1, 2018
Newly acquired Tyler Higgins scored his first SJHL goal in his debut and Pierce Diamond made 24 saves to record his 2nd shut out of the season! pic.twitter.com/iWqRCRshpa
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