Sea Dogs acquire two from Oceanic

Rimouski Oceanic

SHERBROOKE, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs swung a deal on Friday, landing 20-year-old defenseman Mathis Gauthier and 17-year-old defensive prospect Elie Warren from the Rimouski Oceanic.

In exchange for the two defenders, the Sea Dogs sent fifth- and 10th-round picks in the 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft to Rimouski.

The addition of Gauthier adds some experience to a still young Saint John defense core. Gauthier has spent the past three seasons in Rimouski, which includes captaining the club last year.

Gauthier had four goals and 16 assists in 62 games with Rimouski last season and added a goal and an assist in nine playoff games. In 147 career QMJHL games, Gauthier has eight goals and 38 assists.

Gauthier was part of the Rimouski squad that upset Saint John in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs. He scored the game-tying goal in the third period of Game 5 at TD Station that allowed the Oceanic to win the match and series in overtime that night.

The addition of Gauthier obviously creates more questions about Saint John's overage situation. Other potential overagers on this season's Sea Dogs squad include forwards Peter Reynolds and Alexis Cournoyer; defenseman Jared Cosman; and goaltender Ventsislav Shingarov.

Warren, the brother of Anaheim Ducks prospect Noah Warren, was an 11th-round pick of the Oceanic in last year's QMJHL Entry Draft. He has yet to appear in a QMJHL game but will certainly be noticable if he does — he's listed at 6'7" and 238 lbs.

Warren has spent the past two seasons with Polyvalente Marcel-Landry of the RSEQ under-18 circuit. He recorded four goals and 12 assists in 26 games last season.

The QMJHL trade period will open up once again on Saturday morning during the QMJHL Entry Draft. The event begins at 11 a.m. in Sherbrooke.