The Saint John Sea Dogs made another trade on Sunday.
Picard, 19, recorded a goal and four assists in 27 regular season games with Val-d'Or last season. He added an assist in 13 playoff games, helping the Foreurs - a team that also featured current Sea Dogs goaltender Jonathan Lemieux - reach the President Cup final.
“Olivier plays an intense, gritty, and physical game. He loves to hit and will compliment our group,” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release. “He came close to winning the President Cup last season but lost out in the finals. We expect him to bring that hunger to the team.”
“Lucas is a player that we loved in his draft year and we have continued to follow his career closely,” said Georgie. “We think very highly of him but understand that he is committed to playing in the NCAA at a great program. Great players have great options, and we simply want to be an option for him should things change for him in the future.”
The team acquired forwards Olivier Picard and Lucas Mercuri along with a seventh-round pick in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick (Rouyn-Noranda) and a 2024 fifth-rounder.
Picard, 19, recorded a goal and four assists in 27 regular season games with Val-d'Or last season. He added an assist in 13 playoff games, helping the Foreurs - a team that also featured current Sea Dogs goaltender Jonathan Lemieux - reach the President Cup final.
Listed at 6'0" and 187 lbs, Picard is known more for his physical game than his offense. He'll presumably slide into Saint John's third or fourth line. Currently in the mix for bottom six roles are Charles Savoie, Riley Bezeau, Evgeny Sapelnikov (assuming he is able to report), Cole Foston, Carter McCluskey, Nico Laforge and Gavin Watt.
Mercuri, meanwhile, was a second-round pick of the Foreurs in 2018. The 19-year-old has spent the past three seasons in the United States and is committed to join the UMass Minutemen this season, which is currently one of the NCAA's top hockey programs.
The Montreal native recorded 13 goals and 23 assists in 45 games with the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers last season.
“Lucas is a player that we loved in his draft year and we have continued to follow his career closely,” said Georgie. “We think very highly of him but understand that he is committed to playing in the NCAA at a great program. Great players have great options, and we simply want to be an option for him should things change for him in the future.”
Mercuri was a sixth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2020 NHL Draft. A desire to turn pro faster could increase the odds of him reporting to Saint John - but we'll see what happens.
This transaction was not a cheap one for the Sea Dogs. The Val-d'Or newspaper le Citoyen also reports that the Sea Dogs will compensate the Foreurs if Mercuri reports to Saint John.
The Sea Dogs also swapped picks with the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Sunday in a deal that is presumably connected to a previous transaction. The Sea Dogs sent a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Volts in exchange for their own 2023 fifth-rounder.
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