New year, new numbers

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

With a new season underway, let's take a look at some of the (many) new numbers being worn by Saint John Sea Dogs players.

Given Saint John's unusual jersey situation at this time, maybe some of these could change down the road? Either way, here's what players are currently wearing.

2 - Everett Baldwin: Nate Tivey last wore the number just last season. Bailey Webster has worn the number the most (248 games).

3 - Julien Wasmer: Julien Bonnet wore the number for 27 games last season. Olivier Leblanc is the franchise leader, wearing No. 3 in 157 games from 2012 to 2015.

5 - Cameron Chartrand: Until this season, this number had been worn for just five games since Thomas Chabot left in 2017. Zachary Leclerc wore No. 5 for those five games in 2017-18. Chabot is the leader, wearing the number for 242 games from 2013 to 2017.

9 - Alexander Donovan: Eriks Mateiko was the last to wear No. 9. Stephen MacAulay is the franchise leader, wearing the number for 314 games from 2008 to 2013. Joe Veleno also wore No. 9.

13 - Oskar Drabczynski: Mitchell Wagner and Florian Schenk were the most recent Sea Dogs to wear the number. William Villeneuve wore it for 227 games while Tomas Jurco had it for 143.

14 - Olivers Murnieks: Ben Cross wore No. 14 for 60 games last season. Jason Cameron is the franchise leader, wearing it for 263 games.

18 - Vincent Croteau: Croteau is just the sixth player to wear No. 18 – but it's been worn well. The other five to wear it: Charles Bergeron (84 games), Danick Gauthier (253), Spencer Smallman (337), Josh Lawrence (230) and Vince Elie (107).

19 - Alexis Joseph: Dylan Krayer (two games) and Zachary Morin (once) both sported the number last season. Ryan Tesink wore No. 19 in 166 games from 2010 to 2012 while Payton Liske wore it for 156 games from 2006 to 2009.

23 - Max Vilen: Here's a name you haven't heard in a while - Vladislav Kotkov was the last player to wear No. 23, wearing it for 21 games during the COVID season of 2020-21. Pierre Durepos is the franchise leader in usage, wearing the number in 303 games from 2009 to 2013.

26 - Patryk Zubek: Nico Laforge was the last to wear the number and did so for 133 games from 2021 to 2024. Noah Zilbert is the franchise leader, wearing it for 136 games from 2012 to 2014. 

28 - Alexis Gauthier: Nobody has worn No. 28 since William Dufour. The number also belonged to Nathan Beaulieu, who wore it for 294 games from 2008 to 2012, making him the franchise leader.

37 - Rafaël Courchesne: Courchesne is just the fifth Sea Dog and the first goaltender to wear No. 37. Other players to wear it were Stephen Anderson (129 games), Ben Reid (four), Cole Reginato (163) and Jeremie Jacob (82).

81 - Angelo Fullerton: Fullerton is just the third Sea Dog to wear the number, joining Kency Pierre-Noel (29 games) and Benjamin Beaudry (10 games).

93 - Natan Éthier: The number was worn by three different players last season – Dennis Lominac (seven games), Joshua Henry (one) and Jonah Leard (four games) – and they're the only players to wear it.

Numbers that have still not been worn in Sea Dogs history: 49, 50, 52, 57, 60, 62, 64, 66 (obviously), 68, 69, 75, 78, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87 (obviously), 89, 94, 96, 98 and 99 (obviously).