Sunday, June 9, 2024

Notebook: Dogs aiming for 2027-28 peak

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs
MONCTON – It would appear that the Saint John Sea Dogs have identified 2027-28 as their next "all in" season.

Speaking after the conclusion of this weekend's Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Entry Draft, general manager Anthony Stella said the plan is to go for it with a team led by the 2008 birth year, which the majority of this draft class was made of.
Saint John will likely have some high picks in next year's draft as well to help support this core.

The Sea Dogs are certainly asking for patience from their fans here but, ideally, the team is contending a season or two before then with 2028 being the bookend of this cycle. The QMJHL will also be hosting the Memorial Cup in 2028.

THRICE
Friday night marked the third time in Sea Dogs franchise history that the club selected three times in the first round.

2024: F William Yared (5), F Dylan Rozzi (8) and D Cameron Chartrand (19)

2018: D William Villeneuve (2), D Jeremie Poirier (8) and F Josh Lawrence (15)

2015: F Joe Veleno (1), G Alex D'Orio (9) and F Cedric Pare (10)

This was the first time the Sea Dogs picked in the first round since 2021.

CHEMISTRY
It looks like there will be an instant connection between Saint John's top two picks, who both spent last season with the Lac St-Louis Lions.
"One would miss the other if they were split up so we're glad to get them both," said Stella. 

Saint John then used their second round pick on Lions defenseman Cruz Scanzano.

GOALIES
The Sea Dogs used their third-round pick, 45th overall on goaltender Rafael Courchesne of St-Hyacinthe Gaulois. He's the highest goaltender drafted by the Sea Dogs since Olivier Brideau in 2021's second round.

"We knew we needed one," said Stella, adding that this helps fill the void left by 2023 fourth-round pick Kyan Labbé, who recently committed to playing in the BCHL before college hockey.

"If we want to win with '08s we'll need a 19-year-old goalie that year. We decided to grab an '08 goalie and see how this pans out."

Alex D'Orio remains the highest goaltender the Sea Dogs have ever drafted when they took him ninth overall in 2015.

POST-DRAFT VIDEOS
Here's a couple post-draft interviews from John Moore.

William Yared:


Dylan Rozzi:


OUTSIDE PARTY
The Moncton Wildcats held an outdoor event prior and during Friday night's first round. It was certainly well attended before the doors opened. This was the first time the league held its opening round on a Friday night in-person rather than having the entire event take place Saturday morning.

AVENIR SET UP
A quick look around the Avenir Centre during the first round on Friday night.


UP NEXT
There are still a couple events on the calendar before the QMJHL truly enters its off-season.

First is the NHL Draft, which will take place June 28-29 in Las Vegas. Following that is the CHL Import Draft (which will be impacted in some ways by the NHL Draft), which will be held July 3.

The Sea Dogs currently hold picks seven and 67, respectively, in the Import Draft.

DRAFT NOTES
  • On Friday afternoon, QMJHL commissioner Mario Cecchini held a press conference at the Delta hotel. Upcoming changes in the league include increased benefits for scholarships; first-year players will benefit from introductory workshops provided by the league; and the creation of an “Ambassadors' Club" where 18 former players will represent the 18 teams, attending games, meeting fans and representing their organization and the league at various events.
  • The first round definitely went faster than many predicted thanks to only one trade in the first 10 picks.
  • The Sea Dogs were joined by current players Matteo Mann and Tyler Peddle at the draft table and stage. The team also had a number of alumni in attendance welcoming draft picks to the team.
  • Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard was an assistant coach with Team Canada at this year's Youth Olympic Games. There were three QMJHL territory players on the squad: Tynan Lawrence (10th overall - Chicoutimi), Cameron Chartrand (19th overall - Saint John) and Aiden O'Donnell. O'Donnell opted to enter the OHL Draft.
  • Ryan Howard became the third Lac St-Louis Lions player to be selected when he was taken 22nd overall by the Quebec Remparts. He followed Saint John's first round selections: William Yared and Dylan Rozzi. Eight players from the Lions were selected in total.
  • Defenseman Alexandre Taillefer, ranked 12th overall by QMJHL Central Scouting and third by Puck Preps, slid all the way to the seventh round where he was picked by the Quebec Remparts. It's believed Taillefer is taking the college hockey route – but the Remparts seem confident in getting him to camp.
  • Antoine Proulx was the first goaltender taken in this year's draft, going 23rd overall to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Listed at 5'10" and 156 lbs, Proulx spent last season with the Lévis Chevaliers.
  • The host Moncton Wildcats didn't make their first pick until the second round, 37th overall. Moncton selected defenseman Jackson Batchilder from the Charlottetown Knights with the pick. It was the first pick of the MacDougall era.
  • Campbellton native Zakary Savoie of the Northern Moose went in the second round, 38th overall to the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
  • Defenseman Aaron Murphy was the first Saint John Vito taken, going in the third-round, 50th overall to the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The Saint John native had 18 points in 35 games last season. The Vito's had three players selected in this year's draft while Rothesay Netherwood also had three.
  • Zachary Gill, the younger brother of QMJHL players Dyllan Gill and Spencer Gill, was taken in the fifth round by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
  • Ryan Dwyer, the son of former Sea Dogs head coach Gordie Dwyer, had his QMJHL rights traded to the Drakkar by the Gatineau Olympiques. The Olympiques drafted Dwyer in the sixth round last year.
  • Gavin Smith of St. Andrews, who is the younger brother of Wildcats forward Gabe Smith, was taken in the eighth round by the Charlottetown Islanders.
  • Cole Bent, the brother of former Sea Dogs forward Kelly Bent, was selected in the 11th round by his hometown Halifax Mooseheads.
  • 10 players from the Halifax McDonald's were selected in this year's draft, highlighted by the Mooseheads picking forward Daniel Walters 11th overall – which was the biggest surprise of the first round. The Mooseheads picked three players from the McDonald's.
  • Eagles head coach Louis Robitaille's son, Kayden, was selected in the 12th round by the Islanders.
  • The shortest player picked was Drummondville's Antoine Roy at just over 5'4" while the tallest was Michel Myloserdnyy at just under 6'7".
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