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Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Notebook: Roy trade aftermath

Photo: Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs
Why did Joshua Roy want a trade? We may never know the answer.

The Saint John Sea Dogs traded the 17-year-old forward to the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Monday in exchange for three first-round picks and a second-rounder. The move came after several weeks of media reports that Roy asked for a trade.

The reasons for Roy's ask have not been made public and the whole situation sounds very similar to the recent trade between the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets involving Pierre-Luc Dubois.
“Josh wanted the opportunity to play in a different market,” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release sent out several hours following the deal. “We wish him good luck in Sherbrooke. We brought in a significant return for the player. Given the uncertain times, these selections give us lots of flexibility and the ability to add players in the future.”

The Sea Dogs are calling the return for Roy "the second largest return for a single-player in franchise history, behind Joe Veleno in 2017 that brought in three firsts and two second round selections."

La Tribune reports that the Sea Dogs and Phoenix solidified the deal late Sunday night.

Patrick Roy told le Journal de Quebec that the Remparts inquired about Roy, but the Sea Dogs' price was too high. Like Saint John, Quebec is expected to make a strong push for the President Cup next season.

LOTS OF PICKS
The Sea Dogs have plenty of picks to work with over the next three drafts.

Following Monday's deal, Saint John now has six first-round picks over the next three years. That includes a yet-to-be-acquired first-round selection from the Halifax Mooseheads to finalize the Ostap Safin deal.

Fan Martin Lahaie tracks picks on the French message board. Here's a look at the picks the Dogs currently own in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 QMJHL Entry Drafts.

2021
1-1CHA-2BAT-4CHI-5VDO-6RIM-6QUÉ-7CHA-9-11-13-14

2022
1-1CHA-2-2GAT-3VDO-7-7VIC-8-9-10MON-10GAT-11-13- 14

2023
1SHE-4-5-6-7-8-10-11- 12-13-14

In an interview this summer, Georgie explained the Safin first-round pick as the following: if Halifax's first round pick in 2021 is in the top 10, Halifax gets to keep the pick and send Saint John its 2022 first round pick. If Halifax's first round pick in 2021 is 11th overall or lower, Saint John will receive that pick.
While it's possible the Dogs keep these picks and draft players, it's more likely most will be traded away for active players.

WHAT'S NEXT
With the trade period over, the biggest - and most obvious - question is when will the Sea Dogs play again?

The Saint John region will return to the orange phase at midnight on Tuesday, allowing the team to resume practices. Unless granted some kind of exemption from the province, the Saint John area will need to be back in yellow for games to happen.

With very few active cases for some time now, the Bathurst region could flip to yellow this week. Moncton remains in the red. The quickest way for games to resume would seemingly be for the three New Brunswick teams to play one another until travel restrictions with Nova Scotia and PEI are loosened or exemptions are made. We'll see what happens.

The QMJHL announced a schedule for the Halifax Mooseheads, Cape Breton Eagles and Charlottetown Islanders on Monday, which features games between the three beginning this weekend.

Unlike the Mooseheads and Eagles, the Islanders have not commented on the schedule. At a press conference on Tuesday, the province outlined the strict rules and protocols the Islanders - and visiting teams - will need to follow in order for games to resume. The rules include Islanders players and staff self-isolating at all times when not at the rink and visiting teams getting tested for COVID-19 prior to games, reports CBC.

DUBOIS VS DOGS
Pierre-Luc Dubois has been one of the biggest stories of the hockey world over the past couple weeks. Before he became a coveted NHLer he was a star in the QMJHL - and had an impressive career against the Sea Dogs.

Here's a look at Dubois' season-by-season numbers against Saint John.

2014-15: 4 assists in 4 games
2015-16: 4 goals and 3 assists in 7 games
2016 playoffs: 4 goals and 3 assists in 7 games
2016-17: 1 assist in 2 games
2017 playoffs: 1 goal in 4 games

Dubois played the 2017 President Cup final against Saint John with a separated shoulder. The Armada scored just four goals in that series, setting a league record for fewest goals scored in a final.

Dubois was selected by Cape Breton fifth overall in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft - the same draft the Sea Dogs selected Luke Green first overall.

ZBORIL'S FIRST POINT
Former Sea Dogs defenseman Jakub Zboril recorded his first career NHL point on Saturday, registering an assist in Boston's 6-1 win over Philadelphia.

Zboril has appeared in five games with the Bruins so far and has played over 19 minutes in four of those matches.

The 23-year-old played in two games with the Bruins in 2018-19. He spent all of last season in the AHL and played in the Czech league this year before the NHL campaign kicked off.
REYNOLDS PROFILE
FC Hockey recently published a lengthy profile on Sea Dogs forward Peter Reynolds. The can be seen here.

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