Where will Sea Dogs finish?

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are certain to make the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs this season. Who they'll play in the first round is far from certain, though.

The Sea Dogs currently sit sixth in the QMJHL's Eastern Conference with 59 points. The team has nine games remaining in the regular season, including games this weekend against the Cape Breton Eagles and Charlottetown Eagles.

Here's a look at the Eastern Conference standings (not including the result from Thursday night's heavyweight match between Moncton and Chicoutimi):

The Sea Dogs will likely end up finishing in fifth, sixth, or seventh, meaning they will play the fourth, third, or second seeded team in the opening round - meaning (likely) either Cape Breton, Rimouski or Chicoutimi.

No matter where the Sea Dogs finish, they will be underdogs heading into their first round series. The team is 1-5-0-0 against Cape Breton this season; 0-2-0-0 against Rimouski; and 1-1-0-0 against Chicoutimi.

Saint John's remaining schedule is not easy, so picking up points will be a tough task as the season enters its final weeks. The nine remaining games include three matches against both Cape Breton and Charlottetown and single contests against Drummondville, Bathurst and Moncton. Only the Titan currently have a losing record.

The Sea Dogs could officially clinch a playoff spot this weekend, something they have not done since 2017.