Notebook: MacDonald signs in WHL

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Anderson MacDonald has found a new home.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs forward has signed a standard player agreement with the Western Hockey League's Winnipeg Ice. The club announced the signing on Monday.

The overager has spent the past four seasons in the QMJHL, playing with the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Moncton Wildcats, Acadie-Bathurst Titan and the Sea Dogs. In 23 second half games with his hometown Sea Dogs last season, MacDonald recorded seven goals and nine assists.

MacDonald was not amongst the small group of players that took part in Sea Dogs training camp this year. He has not been playing anywhere this season (according to Elie Prospects, at least).

The 10th-overall pick in the 2016 QMJHL Entry Draft, MacDonald has publicly discussed his battle with mental health issues and how it's impacted his career.

The Ice will join their provincial rival, the Brandon Wheat Kings, and the five Saskatchewan-based WHL clubs in the Regina "hub," which is scheduled to begin on March 12. Winnipeg's lineup is headlined by Vegas Golden Knights prospect Peyton Krebs, who the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights reassigned to the WHL on Sunday.

DRAFT RANKINGS

There are still plenty of questions surrounding the 2021 NHL Draft. The biggest being will there even be a 2021 NHL Draft.

That big question hasn't stop draft rankings from coming out. Future Considerations' latest rankings have Sea Dogs forward Peter Reynolds ranked 34th overall, which is by far the highest any publication has ranked the Fredericton native.

Also on FC's list are Fyodor Svechkov (37th), Joshua Roy (64th) and Bobby Orr (80th).

Roy was ranked 42nd in The Hockey Writers' latest rankings while Svechkov (57th) and Reynolds (64th) also cracked the top-64.

FORT WAYNE WEEKEND

Former Sea Dogs captain Spencer Smallman has made an impact in his first few games with the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets.

Smallman, who was reassigned to the Komets after appearing in one game with the AHL's Chicago Wolves, has two goals and an assist in three ECHL games. All of his points came in Sunday's 6-2 Fort Wayne win over the Wheeling Nailers.

The Komets roster features plenty of former QMJHL and UNB players - like former Sea Dogs defenseman Matt Murphy, who has a goal and two assists in five games.

GOALIE MOVES

Speaking of the Nailers, former Sea Dogs goaltender Alex D'Orio has been reassigned from the Pittsburgh Penguins taxi squad to Wheeling.

A couple of familiar faces are heading our way!

Nick Rivera is coming back from the Binghamton Devils.

Alex D'Orio has been re-assigned to us by the Pittsburgh Penguins. pic.twitter.com/uAwLAcGyIe

— Wheeling Nailers (@WheelingNailers) February 22, 2021

D'Orio went 12-15-2 and recorded a 3.43 goals against average and a .892 save percentage in 31 ECHL games last season.

Callum Booth, meanwhile, is still part of the Boston Bruins taxi squad. He was the club's third goalie this weekend at Lake Tahoe.

Frame it. 🖼️#NHLBruins | #NHLOutdoors pic.twitter.com/QJVSeVghSK

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 22, 2021

BYE BYE BEAST

A fond farewell to the ECHL's Brampton Beast, who announced they will be ceasing operations due to the pandemic.

There weren't a lot of Sea Dogs connections on the Beast over the years but one of the notable performers was Scott Howes, who spent parts of two seasons with the club in 2013-14 and again in 2015-16. He recorded 45 points in 36 games with the team in 2013-14.

I attended a few Beast games over the years (and I was typically one of the very few in attendance), including the 2016 match where ex-Dog Sam Povorozniouk scored his first ECHL goal with the visiting Missouri Mavericks.

RIP Beast.