Hurtubise joins Cobras

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Nikolas Hurtubise has joined the Terrebonne Cobras of the Quebec Junior Hockey League.

The Cobras announced Monday that the 20-year-old goaltender has joined the club. Terrebonne currently sits first in the league standings with a 30-2-0-0 record through 32 games.

Hurtubise was an 11th-round pick of the Cobras in the 2018 QJHL Draft.

Hurtubise was injured during the off-season and appeared in just 11 games with the Sea Dogs during the first half, posting a 5-5 record to go along with a 4.71 goals against average and a .872 save percentage in 11 appearances.

Le gardien de but par excellence de la Coupe Memorial l’an passé, Nikolas Hurtubise, se joint aux Cobras.

Pour plus d’informations 👉 https://t.co/QuN53qVXkL #UneHistoireDeFierté pic.twitter.com/j14v6UvHoE

— Cobras de Terrebonne (@cobraterrebonne) January 9, 2023

Hurtubise was widely considered to be one of the top overage netminders available on the trade market during the off-season, but injuries and a crowded overage goaltending market were likely major factors in the Sea Dogs being unable to find him a home with a squad competing for a league championship.

Since the Christmas break ended, Hurtubise has been listed as a healthy scratch by the Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs acquired Hurtubise from the Victoriaville Tigres last season. Hurtubise helped the Tigres win a President Cup title in 2021 and then backstopped Saint John to a Memorial Cup championship last June.

The move presumably means the Sea Dogs will go with Ventsislav Shingarov and Olivier Brideau as their goaltending duo in the second half. Defenseman Charlie DesRoches and forwards Alex Drover and Brady Burns will be the club's overagers.