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Sunday, January 30, 2022

Notebook: Old Dogs in new places

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs
When the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season restarts in the coming days, there will be plenty of former Saint John Sea Dogs to keep an eye on.

Five players who suited up for Saint John in the first half of the season will begin playing in their new homes. That list includes Christopher Inniss (Chicoutimi Sagueneens), Evgeny Sapelnikov (Baie-Comeau Drakkar), Jonathan Lemieux (Moncton Wildcats), Carter McCluskey (Cape Breton Eagles) and Charles Savoie (Cape Breton Eagles).

Sea Dogs prospects that were dealt prior to the QMJHL trade deadline - Natan Grenier (Moncton) and Francis Woods (Val-d'Or) - do not appear on the rosters of their new clubs.

Other former Sea Dogs to keep an eye on when the season resumes include Joshua Roy (Sherbrooke Phoenix), Kale McCallum (Val-d'Or Foreurs), Alex Drover (Rimouski Oceanic), Dawson Stairs (Charlottetown Islanders), Nicholas Girouard (Cape Breton Eagles), Simon Hughes (Drummondville Voltigeurs) and Leighton Carruthers (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies).

LONG ON GRANT
Current Saint John MP and former Sea Dogs president Wayne Long released a short statement on Facebook regarding Alex Grant being named to Canada's Olympic hockey team.


I remember that day in 2005 with Scott McCain up on the stage in Chicoutimi calling out Alex Grant’s name.

Our choice was never in doubt. He was a true leader for our team in those expansion building years! 

Congratulations from all of us involved in those early years for being selected to Team Canada for the Olympics in Beijing. What an honour. This whole community is so proud of you!

SCHEDULING
A couple of potential scheduling issues/problems for a pushed back Memorial Cup: there is a Dallas Smith concert scheduled for TD Station on June 17 and the Acadian Games begin on June 29 in Saint John and Quispamsis. The Acadian Games is likely more of an accommodations issue than facilities.

The QMJHL announced Friday that the President Cup playoffs could go as late as June 15. The Memorial Cup is currently scheduled for June 4-13. Pushing the event back a week, following the same scheduling format, would place it June 11-20. Pushing it two weeks would mean a June 18-27 tournament.

There's also some uncertainty about the World Under-18 Hockey Championship, which is currently scheduled for April 21 - May 1 in Germany. The Canadian roster is made mostly of CHL players whose teams have been eliminated from the playoffs but, with the QMJHL regular season (and you have to think the OHL and WHL may follow) extended to May 1, that could be tricky.

CHL TOP 10
The CHL Top 10 made its return this past week and featured three QMJHL teams.
Saint John had games against Charlottetown, Sherbrooke and Quebec all postponed by the pause. 

POINTS LEADER
Former Sea Dogs captain Jonathan Huberdeau was the NHL points leader on Sunday morning. His 62 points just edged Leon Draisaitl's 61.

Huberdeau was also the NHL leader in assists on Sunday with 45.

Huberdeau has recorded two goals and six assists in the Florida Panthers' last five games. The Panthers currently have an NHL best record of 31-9-5 for 67 points.

ECHL SUSPENSIONS

Jack Van Boekel of the Cincinnati Cyclones has been suspended five games for leaving the bench in a game against the Fort Wayne Komets on Jan. 22.

The 25-year-old is playing in his first pro season and has three goals, nine assists and 70 penalty minutes in 23 games. Van Boekel spent the 2014-15 season with the Sea Dogs.

Former Sea Dog and current South Carolina Stingrays forward Nico Blachman, meanwhile, has been suspended five games for leaving the bench to join the altercation involving Jordan Subban and Jacob Panetta on Jan. 22.


IMAMA
A difficult paragraph to read in Elliotte Friedman's 32 Thoughts column last week regarding Boko Imama and the racist gesture that was directed towards him in an AHL game a few weeks ago.

According to multiple sources, Imama (also the victim of an on-ice racial slur two years ago almost to the day) did not see the gesture when it happened. His teammates reported it, and Imama was first shown the video during a zoom call. His reaction was so powerful that it greatly affected others who were in the meeting. The AHL did not release the video because it was so painful for Imama, which is completely understandable.
Krystof Hrabik of the San Jose Barracuda was suspended 30 games for his actions.

AUS RETURNING
Atlantic University Sport is returning to action in New Brunswick. That includes the two men's hockey programs in the province: the UNB Reds and UdeM Aigles Bleus.


Starting on February 11, the AUS will resume regular season play among its New Brunswick members. Games in men's hockey, women's hockey and women's volleyball will be played in accordance with the province's current health and safety guidelines.

In anticipation of Nova Scotia's current restrictions being eased on February 14, the AUS will be prepared for Nova Scotia member schools to resume league play as early as the weekend of February 18. The AUS will continue to respect and observe the public health restrictions in place in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and is committed to safely resuming competition for member schools in those jurisdictions as soon as permitted.

The Reds, who entered the Christmas break ranked No. 1 in U Sports, were practicing at the Aitken Centre Saturday morning.
There is a report that the University Cup in Halifax could be pushed a couple weeks. Canada West was the only conference that returned from its Christmas break in January.
RICHARD HONOURED
Sea Dogs draft pick Guillaume Richard was named the Hockey East defender of the week last week.
The 18-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, a fourth-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft, has two goals and 11 assists in 27 games as a freshmen with Providence College.

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