Race developing for final playoff spots

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs are very much in the playoff race as the calendar flips to February.

Thanks to back-to-back wins this past week, the Sea Dogs now have 34 points, putting them just three back of of the final playoff spot. There is quite a playoff race developing - which could be extra fun given that the four Maritimes Division clubs have plenty of head-to-head meetings remaining.

The top-16 teams qualify for the playoffs.

Of Saint John's 23 remaining games, they'll play Charlottetown six times (yes, six times!), Bathurst four times and Cape Breton four times.

It's worth mentioning that the Sea Dogs do not own their first-round pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, so there is no benefit to tanking.

Making the playoffs would be a significant achievement for this rebuilding Sea Dogs squad. If they play like they did this past week down the stretch, they've got a strong shot at qualifying.

Saint John's recent success hasn't just involved their veteran players. Many of the teams young and inexperienced players have stepped up in the past month or so - a promising sign as the team continues through the early stages of this rebuild.

Forward Cole Burbidge and defenseman Nicolas Bilodeau - both in their first QMJHL seasons - have been named to the league's Team of the Week.

Here are the best from the past week! 👀#VideotronTOTW | https://t.co/gErTAzFF5R pic.twitter.com/N6y73XMlbQ

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) January 30, 2023

Burbidge has been a force of late, putting up six goals and four assists during a four-game point streak. He now sits in a tie for third in QMJHL rookie scoring while Bilodeau continues to lead all rookie defensemen in points.

Saint John now has six players - Burbidge (32 points), Noah Reinhart (25), Bilodeau (24), Vince Elie (20), Nate Tivey (20) and Eriks Mateiko (18) - in the top-20 of rookie scoring.

The Sea Dogs, who have won three straight road games, will look to continue their recent success in Quebec this week, visiting Val-d'Or, Rouyn-Noranda and the loaded Gatineau Olympiques.