Sea Dogs select 13 in 2021 Entry Draft

The Saint John Sea Dogs leave the virtual 2021 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft with 13 new players.

That amount includes four players selected in the first two rounds - which comes as a bit of a surprise given where Saint John is at in their cycle. Spots in next this season's lineup are already limited.

The Sea Dogs used their lone first-round pick on a defenseman, Natan Grenier, from the Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard.

“We’re thrilled to add Natan to our team,” said Sea Dogs assistant general manager and head scout Anthony Stella in a news release. “He brings speed, intensity, offensive ability and high end IQ. As we all know one day our 02’s will have to pass the torch and Natan will be ready to step in.”

😍 Goosebumps don't lie. Welcome aboard Natan! pic.twitter.com/gnJLIb61Sy

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) June 26, 2021

There's no question that this was the hardest draft in league history to prepare for given the limited amount of player viewings. There are surprise hits and unfortunate misses in every draft - but there could be more than ever this year.

“With it being such a different year in terms of prospect viewings and rankings, we felt that having more players in a certain range would be a better fit for us,” Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie said.

Saint John drafted seven forwards, five defensemen and one goaltender this weekend. They also picked up two forwards in the two-round American Draft.

R	#	Player	P	H	W	Team (Prov)
1	19	Natan Grenier	RD	5'11"	154	Saint-Francois (QC)
2	27	Olivier Brideau	G	5'11"	196	Gatineau (QC)
2	29	Cole Burbidge	LW	6'1"	160	Mount Academy (NS)
2	36	Vince Elie	RW	5'8"	183	Laval-MTL (QC)
3	42	Francis Woods	LW	6'3"	207	Gatineau (QC)
4	73	Nicolas Bilodeau	LD	5'7"	155	Gatineau (QC)
5	92	Elliot Simard	RW	5'8"	191	Levis (QC)
7	128	Renaud Lalancette	RD	5'9"	142	Esther-Blondin (QC)
7	129	Jack O'Blenis	LW	5'9"	167	Moncton (NB)
9	155	Ian Dickie	LD	6'1"	170	Saint John (NB)
11	191	Zachary Cloutier	LD	6'1"	185	Seacoast (QC)
13	227	Carter Graves	LW	5'11"	163	Yarmouth Acd. (NS)
14	245	Kananga Mangala	LW	5'11"	162	Laval-MTL Esp. (QC)

Saint John made a few deals involving 2021 picks during both days of the draft.

• On Friday night, the Sea Dogs acquired the 19th overall pick from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies along with a 2021 second-round pick (29th overall); a 2022 second-round pick; and a 2023 third-round pick in exchange for forward Leighton Carruthers.
• Also on Friday, the Sea Dogs traded the 20th overall pick to the Halifax Mooseheads in exchange for a for a second-round pick (27th) and third-round pick (42nd) in this year's draft.
• Saint John made their first Saturday trade in the sixth-round, dealing the 104th overall pick; defenseman Kale McCallum; a first-round pick in 2023; a third-round pick in 2022 (Val-d'Or); and a fourth-round pick in 2022 (Bathurst) to Val-d'Or in exchange for overage netminder Jonathan Lemieux and the 128th overall pick.

Here's a closer look at Saint John's picks in rounds 2-14.

Round 2, 27th overall (Halifax) - G Olivier Brideau (Gatineau Intrepide)

The second goaltender to be taken in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, Brideau was ranked 28th by Central Scouting and 30th by HockeyProspect.com. "Athletically, he is one of the more gifted goalies in this draft class," writes HockeyProspect.com. "The work he executes with his feet also stands out. We believe that Brideau projects to be a good starting goaltender in the QMJHL."

Round 2, 29th overall - LW Cole Burbidge (Mount Academy Saints)

Burbidge was projected to be a third-rounder by Central Scouting and ranked 26th overall by HockeyProspect.com. There are no stats easily accessible from his 2020-21 season, but HockeyProspect.com calls him one of the better playmakers available in this year's draft class.

🚨🚨Cole Burbidge #13 🚨🚨Pick #29 round 2 to ⁦@SJSeaDogs⁩
This 6’1” 160lbs Two-way Centre is the kind of player you build your core around. His hockey IQ is off the charts, is passing ability is high end, and his ability to use his body all over the ice is impressive!! pic.twitter.com/nw9GztASt9

— Mount Academy Mens Hockey (@MAMensHockey) June 26, 2021

Today we meet #QMJHL draft prospect, Cole Burbidge. A 6'0" forward from Windsor, NS, Cole plays for @MAMensHockey in PEI, he starred in his first season of Major Bantam w @Valley_Wildcats with 80 pts in 32 games. Cole shares his experience at the Acadia hockey camps. #ValleyPride pic.twitter.com/XE4vEDKNZa

— Acadia Axemen Hockey (@axemenhockey) June 24, 2021

Round 2, 36th overall (Bathurst) - RW Vince Elie (Laval-Montréal Rousseau Royal)

Projected to be a third-rounder by Central Scouting and ranked 27th overall by HockeyProspect.com, Elie is said to be a very good skater and his speed is his biggest weapon. He is small (5'8"), but HP believes it won't have a negative impact on his game at the QMJHL level.

Félicitations à Vince Elie! Il est le 36ème au total, en deuxième ronde, du repêchage de la LHJMQ par les @SJSeaDogs. #ToujoursDebout pic.twitter.com/4H6pZ34N5P

— Rousseau Royal de Laval-Montréal (@Rousseau_Royal) June 26, 2021

Round 3, 42nd overall (Sherbrooke) - LW Francis Woods (Gatineau Intrepide)

The second player from Gatineau selected by the Sea Dogs, Woods was ranked 83rd overall by HockeyProspect.com and projected to be a fourth-rounder by Central Scouting. Standing at nearly 6'04", Woods needs to work on his foot speed according to those who viewed him this year. Woods "represents an interesting project for the QMJHL team that will end up selecting him," writes HockeyProspect.com. His father, Martin Woods, played in the QMJHL in the early '90s. Woods was the fifth heaviest player selected this year.

Round 4, 73rd overall (Chicoutimi) - LD Nicolas Bilodeau (Gatineau Intrepide)

The third player the Sea Dogs selected from Gatineau, the 5'7" defenseman (although Elite Prospects has him at 5'10") was ranked 62nd by HockeyProspect.com and projected to be a sixth-to-eighth rounder by Central Scouting. What he lacks in size he makes up for in skating and puck skills.

Round 5, 92nd overall (Val-d'Or) - RW Elliot Simard (Levis Chevaliers)

Simard was ranked 58th overall by HockeyProspect.com and projected to be a sixth-to-eighth rounder by Central Scouting. He's called a "strong and natural goal scorer" by HP.

Round 7, 128th overall (Val-d'Or) - RD Renaud Lalancette (College Esther-Blondin Phenix)

Ranked 96th by HockeyProspect.com and projected to be a sixth-to-eighth rounder by Central Scouting, Lalancette is projected to be a bottom pairing defenseman by HP.

Round 7, 129th overall (Charlottetown) - LW Jack O'Blenis (Moncton Flyers)

Just the second Maritimer the Sea Dogs drafted, O'Blenis recorded a goal in 13 regular season games with the Moncton Flyers this past season and added three goals and a helper in seven playoff contests. O'Blenis was projected to be picked in the ninth-round or later by Central Scouting.

Round 9, 155th overall - LD Ian Dickie (Saint John Vito's)

Dickie registered a goal and five assists in 17 regular season games with the Saint John Vito's last season. He was ranked 111th by HockeyProspect.com and a sixth-to-eighth rounder by Central Scouting. HP had a very positive review of Dickie. "In the future, I expect Dickie to be an effective defenseman at the next level who will contribute greatly to the penalty kill and play big minutes for his team," HP wrote.

From our own backyard, we're proud to select defenceman Ian Dickie 155th overall. #QDraft pic.twitter.com/2me9qNYbyi

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) June 26, 2021

Round 11, 191st overall - LD Zachary Cloutier (Seacoast Spartans)

Cloutier, from Saint Thomas, QC, spent last season with the Seacoast Spartans program in New Hampshire where he recorded 16 goals and 12 assists in 52 games. He was projected to be selected in the ninth-round or later by Central Scouting.

Round 13, 227th overall - LW Carter Graves (North Yarmouth Academy)

Graves, a Halifax native, was selected out of the North Yarmouth Academy in Yarmouth, ME. He was projected as a ninth-round-or-later pick by Central Scouting. He spent the 2019-20 season with the Halifax Gulls major bantam squad.

Round 14, 245th overall - LW Kananga Mangala (Laval-Montreal Midget Espoir)

The Sea Dogs used their final pick of the draft on Mangala, a left winger who was projected to be a ninth-round-or-later pick by Central Scouting. 

American Draft Round 1, 8th overall - RW Hutchinson Rose (East Coast Spartans)

A native a good ol' Weymouth, MA, Rose spent last season with the East Coast Spartans program in Massachusetts. He's listed at 6'1" and 185 lbs.

American Draft Round 2, 26th overall - LW Luke Moran (Bay State Breakers)

Listed at 6'0" and 141 lbs, the Duxbury, MA native recorded two goals and three assists in 17 games with the Bay State Breakers AAA program last season. He's 2004-born.