Report: Crete joining CCHL's Nationals

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It appears Yanic Crete is returning to Ontario.

After being placed on waivers by the Saint John Sea Dogs last week, Crete will reportedly be continuing his junior hockey career with the Rockland Nationals of the CCHL.

Après des passages avec les @Ottawa67sHockey et les @SJSeaDogs, Yanic Crête va poursuivre sa carrière avec les @RocklandNatsJrA dans @TheCCHL. Attaquant de 19 ans.

— jf plante (@jfplante_Droit) January 11, 2022

The 19-year-old forward joined the Sea Dogs in late October. In 21 QMJHL games, the L'Original, ON native recorded a goal and five assists while mostly playing in a third line role.

Crete didn't play in 2020-21 due to the Ontario Hockey League not starting up. He spent the 2019-20 and part of the 2018-19 seasons with the Ottawa 67's.

Crete previously played in the CCHL with the Hawkesbury Hawks, who traded his rights to Rockland on Monday.

(¼) We have acquired veteran forward Yanic Crête (02) from the @hawkesburyhawks
in exchange for a PDF and Matteo Disipio (03). Matteo was then traded to the @CPCANADIANS pic.twitter.com/Qy454243kp

— Rockland Nationals (@RocklandNatsJrA) January 11, 2022

Crete is one of a number of players who have been removed from Saint John's online roster.

• Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (Moncton) and forwards Carter McCluskey (Cape Breton), Charles Savoie (Cape Breton) and Evgeny Sapelnikov (Baie-Comeau) were all traded.
• Defenseman Christopher Inniss was claimed off waivers by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
• Forwards Adam Bowness and Nico Laforge have also been removed from the team's roster. The 19-year-old Bowness, who had a goal and an assist in 10 games with Saint John, had his MHL rights traded to Miramichi in November. Laforge, 17, who had two goals and two assists in 19 games, had his MHL rights traded to Grand Falls on Monday.
• 18-year-old defenseman Hunter Gartley is also no longer listed on the team's roster. He appeared in five games this season.

Saint John's roster currently consists of 14 forwards, seven defensemen and three goaltenders.