Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Notebook: Chabot's WJC skates on display

Thomas Chabot's skates were on display at a Hockey Hall of Fame exhibit in Ottawa during this year's IIHF World Junior Championship.

Chabot, now a member of the Ottawa Senators, wore the skates during his impressive 2017 world junior tournament with Team Canada. The Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman was named tournament MVP after posting 10 points in seven games.

Canada's 2017 squad, which also featured Mathieu Joseph and Julien Gauthier, fell in a shootout to the United States in the gold medal game.

PLAYOFFS?
It's still early, but it's worth starting to take a peek at the QMJHL's playoff picture.

After a decent first half that saw the club enter the break with a .500 record, this four-game losing streak to start the second half has slid the Saint John Sea Dogs down the standings a couple spots. The Sea Dogs currently sit 13th overall with a 16-20-0-0 record for 32 points.

The top 16 teams make the playoffs. If the playoffs started today, Saint John would face the Moncton Wildcats.

The Halifax Mooseheads, who currently sit 16th, have 27 points. The Sea Dogs and Mooseheads will play a home-and-home this weekend.

ATTENDANCE WATCH
Attendance remains up in the QMJHL, according to the league.
In Saint John, where the Sea Dogs have lowered adult ticket prices to $20 for the second half, the team is averaging 2,434 fans per game after 17 home games. After 17 home games last year, the Sea Dogs averaged 2,621 fans per game. 

STYLE AND FLOW
The Sea Dogs announced Tuesday that the team's Friday, Jan. 17 game against the Charlottetown Islanders will be "Style & Flow Night with Coach Chippy."
Coach Chippy, a popular hockey TikToker, will be on hand for autographs, photos and more.

The Sea Dogs will wear "custom-designed and Coach Chippy approved Style & Flow jerseys."

SIMEK WINS BRONZE
Former Sea Dogs forward Pavel Simek and Team Czechia won bronze on Sunday at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Czechia defeated Sweden 3-2 in a lengthy shootout to claim third place at this year's tournament. Czechia fell 4-1 to the United States in the semifinals after eliminating Canada in the quarterfinals.

Simek, a late add to the team's roster, appeared in just one game but made the most of it, scoring a goal.

After spending the first half of the season with the Rimouski Oceanic, Simek was traded to the Charlottetown Islanders on Monday. The Oceanic had to make room for Eriks Mateiko.

"Pavel fills the import spot that was vacated when Egor left," said Islanders head coach and general manager Jim Hulton in a news release. "He’s a veteran of our league, scoring almost 20 goals last year for Saint John so we think he can jump right into our top 6 and help us offensively and on the power play."

The Islanders visit Saint John on Jan. 17.

SCANZANO SIGNS IN BCHL
Cruz Scanzano has signed with the BCHL's Powell River Kings for the remainder of the season.

“Cruz is a fearless and responsible with and without the puck.” said Kings head coach and general manager Stephan Seeger Jr in a news release. “After studying film it is clear he has high end competence and desire to win.”

Scanzano, a second-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft, was reassigned by the club on Dec. 29. He appeared in 13 regular season games in the first half, posting two assists.

“He will add size and grit to our defence and he doesn’t shy away from offence when he has the chance,” added Seeger Jr. “I expect an immediate and positive impact from Cruz and we are excited to work with, and develop him this season.”

Scanzano made his BCHL debut last weekend, recording one assist and six penalty minutes in a pair of games.

OTHER THINGS
  • After a lengthy road stretch to start 2025, Saint John will play six of their next seven games at TD Station. That includes Wednesday's game against Quispamsis native Sam Oliver and the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Oliver currently leads the QMJHL in goals.
  • The United States won a second straight world junior gold medal on Sunday, defeating Finland in overtime. They'll host next year's tournament in Minnesota. 
  • As many have mentioned, you have to think Gardiner MacDougall and Sylvain Favreau are on the radar to be Team Canada's head coach at next year's tournament. 
  • Team Canada head coach Dave Cameron took a lot of heat for his team's failures at this year's tournament. Often forgotten is the fact that the Sea Dogs were interested in Cameron's services after they fired Gordie Dwyer ahead of the 2022 Memorial Cup. The Sea Dogs defeated Cameron's Mississauga St. Michael's Majors in the 2011 Memorial Cup final.
  • The Halifax Mooseheads have signed highly touted 16-year-old forward Will Bent, who is a Providence College commit.
  • In the Maritime Hockey League, Kiefer Lyons was traded to the Amherst Ramblers by the West Kent Steamers last week. Lyons, a Quispamsis native, appeared in one playoff game for the Sea Dogs last season.
  • Also in the MHL, former Sea Dogs defenseman Cael MacDonald was traded from the Valley Wildcats to the Miramichi Timberwolves. 
  • This is awesome.
  • You hate to see it.
  • Saint John's new pro basketball team, the Port City Power, has released their 2025 schedule. The team will begin the season at home on March 8, hosting the Halifax Hoopers.
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