Sunday, June 27, 2021

Draft Notes: High goalie pick is a rare one

The Saint John Sea Dogs did something they've rarely done in their history this weekend: draft a goaltender in the first two rounds.

The Sea Dogs selected Gatineau Intrepide netminder Olivier Brideau in the second-round, 27th overall on Saturday, making him the second highest goaltender the team has ever selected.

Alex D'Orio, selected in the first-round, ninth overall by Saint John in 2015 remains the highest drafted goaltender.

The Sea Dogs have selected goalies twice in the third-round: Karel St. Laurent in 2006 and Michael D'Orazio last year.

Brideau was the third ranked goaltender available in this year's draft by HockeyProspect.com, placing him at No. 30 overall. He was ranked 28th overall by QMJHL Central Scouting.

FIRST ROUNDERS
If defenseman Natan Grenier makes Saint John's lineup this coming season, the Sea Dogs will have seven first rounders on their active roster.

2017 Round 1, 10th overall: Christopher Inniss (Rimouski)
2018 Round 1, 2nd overall: William Villeneuve (Saint John)
2018 Round 1, 6th overall: William Dufour (Rouyn-Noranda)
2018 Round 1, 8th overall: Jeremie Poirier (Saint John)
2018 Round 1, 15th overall: Josh Lawrence (Saint John)
2020 Round 1, 15th overall: Nathan Drapeau (Saint John)
2021 Round 1, 19th overall: Natan Grenier (Saint John)

The Sea Dogs traded forward Leighton Carruthers, who they selected third overall in last year's draft, to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Friday.

OLD TIMES
The Sea Dogs played their first game in franchise history on Sept. 16, 2005. Moncton Flyers forward Justin Gendron, selected 14th overall by Victoriaville, was born a couple weeks after that game on Sept. 30, 2005.

Ian Dickie of the Saint John Vito's, drafted in the ninth-round by the Sea Dogs, was born on Sept. 8, 2005.

All of this officially makes the Sea Dogs an old-timey franchise.

COACHES SONS
Tyler Peddle, the son of StFX X-Men head coach Brad Peddle, joins a long list of Atlantic University Sport men's hockey coaches to have their sons drafted into the QMJHL.

Taylor MacDougall, the son of UNB Reds head coach Gardiner MacDougall, was a second-round pick of the St. John's Fog Devils (RIP) in 2006 and spent four seasons in the QMJHL.

Matthew Stienburg, the son of long-time Saint Mary's Huskies head coach Trevor Stienburg, was a 10th-round pick of the Sea Dogs in 2016 but never played a game in the QMJHL.

Brady Burns, the son of Acadia Axemen head coach Darren Burns, was a second-round pick of Saint John in 2018 and remains in the QMJHL.

BIG WEEKEND FOR PEI
11 Islanders were taken during this weekend's draft, but perhaps the bigger story was the PEI-based Mount Academy. The program had an impressive 12 players chosen - including Saint John pick Cole Burbidge.
THIS AND THAT
  • PEI's Cam Squires, the younger brother of current Cape Breton Eagles defenseman Jacob Squires, was drafted 22nd overall by the Eagles.
  • Bradley Nadeau of St-Francois-de-Madawaska, the brother of Edmundston Blizzard standout and University of Maine commit Josh Nadeau, was taken in the seventh-round by the Rimouski Oceanic. He's believed to be leaning college hockey as well. Bradley played with the Fredericton Caps last season and was ranked 11th overall by HockeyProspect.com.
  • Defenseman Michael Mastrodomenico, a first-round pick of the Shawinigan Cataractes last year who didn't report, was taken in the fifth-round by the Quebec Remparts (and, ironically, used a Shawinigan pick to do so). A University of Notre Dame commit, the 17-year-old played with the USHL's Lincoln Stars last year.
  • Noah Williams-Ribero, the son of former NHLer Mike Ribero, was drafted in the eighth-round by Gatineau. Ribero played in Texas this past season.
  • Nathan Morin was selected 19th overall by Victoriaville last year but the Harvard commit did not report, allowing the Tigres to release him and get a compensation pick. The Tigres selected Morin again, this time in the eighth-round, on Saturday. Don't think you'd see that in any other league.
  • Denver Damphousse, the son of former NHLer Vincent Damphousse, was taken in the 12th-round by the Charlottetown Islanders.
  • Nine members of the Moncton Flyers were drafted, highlighted by defenseman Dylan MacKinnon going fifth overall to the Halifax Mooseheads.
  • Saint John drafted three players from the Gatineau Intrepide - Olivier Brideau, Francis Woods and Nicolas Bilodeau. Overall, nine players from the Intrepide were drafted this weekend.
  • Four players from the Saint John Vito's were picked - three of whom landed in Bathurst. Two players from Rothesay Netherwoord were selected.
  • Cape Breton West Islanders defenseman Leyton Stewart, taken in the eighth-round by the Remparts, was the smallest player taken in the draft. Elite Prospects has him listed at 5'5" and 121 lbs.
  • The Sea Dogs have selected defensemen in the first-round in three of the past four drafts.
COMING UP
With the QMJHL Entry Draft completed, here's a few other drafts to look forward to in the coming weeks.

Wednesday, June 30: CHL Import Draft
Saturday, July 10: MHL Draft
Friday. July 23: NHL Draft (first-round)
Saturday, July 24: NHL Draft (rest of rounds)

The Sea Dogs have picks 22 and 82 in Wednesday's Import Draft. Both of those selections could end up being higher due to teams passing. The Baie-Comeau Drakkar have the first overall pick.

SETUPS
A few of the draft setups from around the league. Hopefully everyone is back in the same building next year.
Not setup related, but a cool photo. Tipper LeBlanc was Saint John's general manager in 2005-06.
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