Notebook: Some trade period updates

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

As it usually does, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League trade period has quieted down after a busy opening few days. Here are a few updates.

• If you missed it, the Vincent Sevigny deal is official. “Vincent brings valuable experience having won the President Cup” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release Monday. “He played an integral role shutting down the other teams’ best players throughout the playoffs and in the President Cup Finals last season. Now he’ll have the opportunity to try and win another with us this season.” 
• In the Telegraph-Journal (paywall), Georgie added that "I expect more moves to come to add to the team."
• In an interview with RDS, Georgie was asked about Saint John's goaltending tandem of Jonathan Lemieux and Noah Patenaude. Georgie said that, as Memorial Cup hosts, they are evaluating every position on the team prior to the Jan. 6 trade deadline.
• Charlottetown's blue line was already excellent and became even better with the acquisition of Jeremie Biakabutuka from Rimouski. The question for the Islanders, like it seems to be every year, is if they have the offense to get it done. They were eliminated in the bubble last year on a 2-0 loss to Victoriaville.
• In the Cape Breton Post, Patrick McNeil writes about why, because of several factors, this may be a quieter trade period than originally anticipated across the league.
• Craig Eagles shares his latest thoughts on the trade period.

INNISS SUSPENDED

Sea Dogs defenseman Christopher Inniss has been suspended two games for a high stick in Saturday's contest against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

Inniss was handed a five-minute major and match penalty for the high stick at 7:48 of the opening frame. The Sea Dogs went on to lose the game 4-3.

Inniss has a goal and four assists in 30 games with Saint John this year.

COVID THINGS

Here's a quick look at all the COVID-19 related things you don't want to hear about:

• Remparts president Jacques Tanguay told le Soleil that he hopes QMJHL games will resume as soon as they can - even if it's without fans. Not sure if every team feels that way, but we'll see what happens.
• The World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer will be played in front of 50% capacity crowds. Eating and drinking will not be permitted. 
• NHLers won't be going to the Olympics, which sucks. Jonathan Huberdeau likely would have become the first Sea Dog to ever play for Team Canada at an Olympic Games. Thomas Chabot also had a shot at making the team.
• Atlantic University Sport has paused all competition until at least Jan. 19. The games lost are not expected to be made up later in the year. The conference is confident they will complete the 2021-22 season.
• The AHL All-Star Game, scheduled to take place in Laval in February, has been called off due to COVID. Laval was supposed to host the event last year as well, but that was postponed.

PRE-TOURNAMENT PLAY

Five pre-tournament games will be played at the world juniors on Thursday in Edmonton and Red Deer.

The game of the day will feature Team Canada taking on Sea Dogs draft pick Fyodor Svechkov and Team Russia at 8 p.m. Atlantic. That game will be on TSN.

At the same time in Red Deer, Vincent Despont, Noah Patenaude and Switzerland will face the Czech Republic.

The other games will feature the United States taking on Finland; Slovakia facing Germany; and Austria battling Sweden.

67 CHL players past and present set to compete in 2022 @WorldJuniors.

📰https://t.co/osyltbWa86 pic.twitter.com/6Ph8OnSExu

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) December 20, 2021

ZEGRAS COPY
Check these guys out! Ruining the game and stuff!

We'll never get tired of seeing this one, now complete with @NicholasMarek on the call! 😍 pic.twitter.com/91O3xTDTcF

— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) December 19, 2021

TOY STORY NIGHT
The Peterborough Petes recently hosted "Toy Story Night" against the rival Oshawa Generals.

Trust us the boys will be Buzzin' around tonight. pic.twitter.com/QjX7Fvszdz

— Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) December 18, 2021

OTHER THINGS

• Via the Telegraph-Journal (paywall), Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie noted that defensemen William Villeneuve and Charlie DesRoches should be back from injuries in a couple weeks. The extended holiday break will do some good, at least.
• Here's a nice story on former Sea Dogs captain Spencer Smallman, who is having a strong season with the AHL's Chicago Wolves.
• QMJHL Central Scouting has released its initial rankings for the 2022 Entry Draft.
• The WHL's Winnipeg Ice continue to lead the CHL Top 10. The Charlottetown Islanders were the top ranked QMJHL team at No. 4.
• The Summerside Western Capitals head into the holiday break ranked No. 2 in the CJHL with a record of 23-2-0-1. The powerhouse Brooks Bandits own the top spot.
• Saint John native Brad Tesink, the brother of former Sea Dogs Ryan and Marcus Tesink, has been named head coach of the MHL's South Shore Lumberjacks.