Sea Dogs land fifth overall pick

Vincent Ethier/QMJHL

Luck wasn't on the Saint John Sea Dogs' side this time – sort of.

The Sea Dogs had the lowest odds of winning the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League's Draft Lottery on Thursday and landed where the math said they would: with the fifth overall pick.

Saint John had just a 5% chance of winning the first overall pick. They've done it before with the same odds – back in 2019 in the Joshua Roy draft – but it wasn't meant to be this year.

The Cape Breton Eagles won the first overall pick with just a 14% chance. They won using a pick acquired from the Sea Dogs in the Connor Trenholm deal.

Here are the full results of Thursday's QMJHL Draft Lottery, which was broadcast on RDS.

5th overall: Saint John (5%)

4th overall: Quebec (10%)

3rd overall: Val-d'Or (43% / 28%)

2nd overall: Val-d'Or (43% / 28%)

1st overall: Cape Breton (14%)

Saint John landed the fifth overall pick in the Cam MacDonald trade with the Gatineau Olympiques. They also pick eighth overall thanks to a pick they acquired from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

The Sea Dogs have a long history of success in draft lotteries. From the team:

It is the ninth time in franchise history that the Saint John Sea Dogs will be entered into the draft lottery and the third time the Sea Dogs have been involved in the five-team format, which began in 2017. 

Saint John won the five-team draft lottery in 2019 with just one ball in the draw and a five percent chance at the first pick, the same odds the team holds in this year's lottery. The Sea Dogs won the two-team draw in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2015 as well.

It's a bit of an odd year for the QMJHL Entry Draft. There isn't a real consensus top pick and it's believed a number of the top prospects are leaning towards playing NCAA hockey.

The 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft will take place June 7-8 at Moncton's Avenir Centre.