Notebook: Dufour makes first all-star team

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Saint John Sea Dogs forward William Dufour, who was recently named the QMJHL's most valuable player, has been named to the league's first all-star team.

Former Sea Dogs forward Joshua Roy was also named to the team.

The cream of the crop! Here are your First Team All-Stars for the 2021-22 season! 🤩#GoldenPuck | #QMJHL

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) June 17, 2022

Goaltender Samuel Richard will join Gardiner MacDougall's UNB Reds next season.

Dufour will be the QMJHL's representative for the CHL player of the year award.

FEDS MONEY

Saint John MP Wayne Long held a press conference at Market Square Friday, announcing a $1 million contribution to the 2022 Memorial Cup.

The Memorial Cup is here!

I'm thrilled to announce $1M federal from ACOA to support the Memorial Cup. You can feel the momentum in Saint John!

This funding is supporting the new ball hockey rink, as well as upgrades to TD Station, the press box, and Wi-Fi. pic.twitter.com/el2mzES6K1

— Wayne Long (@MPWayneLong) June 17, 2022

According to news release, "funding for this project is provided through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program."

The money will "support marketing, promotional and Fanfest activities such as the concert series and an outdoor ball hockey facility, as well as infrastructure including VIP tents, staging, lighting, press box upgrades, and wi-fi improvements."

BALL HOCKEY DEBUT

A little video from the CHL on Saturday's grand opening of the ball hockey pad.

We've got ball hockey in Saint John 😃

The newly built rink was officially opened today with Mayor Donna Reardon in attendance! #MemorialCup | @jdirvinglimited pic.twitter.com/QWsfZCOzhU

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 18, 2022

THE BREAK

An interesting perspective from Kevin Barrett of the Telegraph-Journal.

For Saint John Sea Dogs. Length of Christmas break from pandemic restrictions - 48 days: length of break between playoff elimination and Memorial Cup opener - 39; days between Memorial Cup final and 2022-23 pre-season opener - 49.

— Kevin Barrett (@KevinBarrettNB) June 15, 2022

Something that hasn't gotten much attention: there's probably never been a group of players more prepared and experienced in dealing with a long layoff. Shoutout to the coronavirus.

THE RIMOUSKI LOSS

TSN had a wide ranging interview with Sea Dogs defenseman William Villeneuve. He spoke a little bit on the team's first round playoff loss to the Rimouski Oceanic.

"We felt very strong coming into the playoffs, but Rimouski just played a better series overall," said Villeneuve. "During crunch time we didn't capitalize and get the job done. It's a good opportunity for us to just learn from it and bounce back. There's lots of teams in the CHL that would like a second opportunity and we get it, so we got to take advantage of it."

OIL KINGS EN ROUTE   

Memorial Cup bound. #TheKingdom | #ChaseTheCrown pic.twitter.com/t6hRWmWf9o

— y - Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) June 18, 2022

BULLDOGS DEPART

Airport scenes in Hamilton on Saturday morning.

Fan send off for our @BulldogsOHL! #MemorialCup Bound! @flyyhm pic.twitter.com/pp8m4t9bNF

— Peggy Chapman (@PeggyChapman16) June 18, 2022

CATARACTES ARRIVE

📍Saint-John, NB. pic.twitter.com/rNZxyZSgcC

— Cataractes de Shawinigan (@Cataractes_Shaw) June 18, 2022

MEMORIAL CUP THINGS

• The Globe and Mail has an article on Saint John's successful bid to host this year's tournament.
• If you plan on driving around the uptown core during the Memorial Cup, there are a bunch of street closures happening.
• The City of Saint John website runs through some of the major events taking place over the next couple weeks.
• Roughly 560 volunteers are working to make the Memorial Cup possible, reports CTV Atlantic. You love to see it.
• The Hamilton Spectator notes that Gordie Dwyer played a season for the AHL version of the Hamilton Bulldogs.
• Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino takes a look at some of the players to watch in this year's tournament. One of them includes... Gardiner MacDougall.
• Leafs Nation previews the Memorial Cup.
• The Win Column has a preview of the Memorial Cup.

LIBRARY LOOK

That new #MemorialCup fit 🔥🔥

Nos vêtements nouveau de la #CoupeMemorial 🔥🔥@SJSeaDogs@CHLMemorialCup pic.twitter.com/dYVOsN3K9u

— Biblio publique de Saint John Free Public Library (@SaintJohnFPL) June 17, 2022

GATINEAU THIRD JERSEY

Thoughts?

OTHER THINGS

• One of the strangest stories in the QMJHL over the past month has been the Chicoutimi Sagueneens' new logo and the drama surrounding it. The team will apparently return to its previous logo in 2023-24.
• There have been talks of major renovations to Drummondville's Marcel Dionne Centre for years now. Journal L'Express reports that the project may finally get off the ground soon, which would see 1,000 seats added to the facility and the ice surface adjusted to regulation size.
• The "World's Oldest Basketball Court" fundraising project in St. Stephen has been getting a lot of attention recently. On the founding funders page of their website, Sea Dogs owner Scott McCain is listed as a "founding patron" for donating $25,000 or more to the project.