Sea Dogs to pick twice in CHL Import Draft

The Saint John Sea Dogs are expected to pick twice in next week's CHL Import Draft.

In somewhat surprising news, the Telegraph-Journal (paywall) reported Thursday that the Sea Dogs have released Finnish defenseman Joona Lehmus, meaning Saint John has two open import spots on its roster.

Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told the Telegraph-Journal that the team is looking for "offensively gifted" players who will be with the club for two or three seasons. That would seem to indicate that Saint John will likely 1) select forwards (the team has preached throughout the Georgie era that the plan is to use import spots on high skilled players) and 2) they're leaning towards younger guys and not 19-year-old types.

The Sea Dogs currently own the No 23 and No. 83 overall picks in the two-round draft. Several teams have already announced that they are passing - which the CHL has kindly indicated - meaning both of those selections will actually be higher.

Lehmus and forward Maxim Cajkovic were Saint John's imports last season. Cajkovic was traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs during the QMJHL Entry Draft earlier this month.

Lehmus, selected sixth overall last year, was the only player Saint John picked in the 2019 draft. The Sea Dogs have selected two players in seven of the 15 import drafts in club history.

The 2020 CHL Import Draft takes place this Tuesday at noon. The OHL's North Bay Battalion own the first overall pick; the Acadie-Bathurst Titan second; and the WHL's Swift Current Broncos third.

The CHL Import Draft is one of the oddest in all of sports - and it could get especially weird this year thanks to COVID-19. It's one thing to get a player to commit to coming to North America, but this year it'll be another to physically get them here thanks to border restrictions.