Saturday, November 1, 2025

Notebook: Six Sea Dogs make Central Scouting's preliminary list

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs
Six Saint John Sea Dogs were named to NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2026 NHL Draft.

The list was released on Oct. 20 and is "a compilation of draft-eligible prospects from all the major development leagues throughout North America and Europe."

Forward Olivers Murnieks was the highest rated Sea Dog with a B rating, which indicates a second- or third-round candidate.

Forwards Dylan Rozzi and William Yared; defenseman Cameron Chartrand; and goaltender Rafaël Courchesne all received a C rating, which indicates a fourth or fifth-round candidate.

Forward Zachary Morin, who was passed over in last year's NHL Draft, was given a W rating, indicating a sixth- or seventh-round candidate.

All six players took part in the recent QMJHL Prospects Game.

Former Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna, who is currently playing at Penn State, headlines this year's draft class. Also given an A rating, which indicates a first-round candidate, was Fredericton native Tynan Lawrence, who is playing his second season in the USHL.

COMING UP
The Sea Dogs are back on home ice this Sunday when they host the Moncton Wildcats at 3 p.m.

The Wildcats, oddly, have an entire week off to prepare for this matchup with Saint John. The Wildcats played this past Sunday, falling 5-2 to the Halifax Mooseheads, and don't play again until this Sunday.

Moncton is 6-4-2-0 this season and 4-1-1-0 on the road.

Sunday's game will be Saint John's final home contest until Nov. 15. They'll make their first trip to Quebec in between, visiting Rimouski (Nov. 6), Drummondville (Nov. 7) and Victoriaville (Nov. 9). 

FULLERTON SUSPENDED
As expected, Sea Dogs forward Angelo Fullerton has been suspended one-game for being an instigator in a fight during Thursday's contest in Cape Breton.

Fullerton dropped the gloves with Cape Breton's Jack Brauti in the third period. The fight came after Brauti put a big hit on Dylan Rozzi, a hit that gave the Eagles defenseman a five-minute major and game misconduct for interference.
Fullerton will miss Sunday's game against the Wildcats. With Natan Éthier departing for the BCHL, defenseman Julien Wasmer could be the only overager dressed for Saint John in that game.

FLAMES NIGHT
The Sea Dogs announced this week that their Nov. 21 home game against the Wildcats will be Flames Night.
According to the team, "for one night only, the Sea Dogs will hit the ice in a special retro jersey — classic Saint John Flames design, Sea Dogs colours."

The Sea Dogs have worn Flames retro jerseys before. In 2011, the Sea Dogs wore Flames jerseys to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the AHL team's 2001 Calder Cup championship. The team also skated through the Flames' inflatable dragon when they took to the ice that night.


RARE OT LOSS
Saint John's overtime loss to the Charlottetown Islanders on Oct. 10 was a rarity.

The Sea Dogs did not lose a single game in overtime or a shootout last season. 10 of the team's 64 games went to extra time where they won seven of those in overtime and the other three in shootouts. Saint John was the only team in the QMJHL to not lose in extra time during the 2024-25 campaign.

Saint John's last loss in extra time came on March 20, 2024 when they fell 3-2 in a shootout to the Wildcats. Their last overtime loss came on Feb. 23, 2024 when they lost 4-3 to the Quebec Remparts.

PROSPECTS SHOWCASE ROSTER
Three former Sea Dogs will participate in the East Coast Prospects Showcase, which is scheduled for Nov. 5 at the Pictou County Wellness Centre.

The three former Sea Dogs set to participate are below.

Team MHL - Coen Miller (Summerside)
Team LHJAAAQ - Benjamin Beaudry (St-Jerome)
Team LHJAAAQ - Benjamin Amyot (Valleyfield) 

According to an MHL news release, "Hockey Canada’s national team staff will use this showcase to identify eligible players from these two Junior A leagues to represent Team Canada at the World Junior A Challenge, scheduled for Trois-Rivieres, QC, from December 7th to 13th. Players involved will also have the opportunity to play in front of a large scouting contingent that will be in nearby Truro, N.S., for the Under-17 World Challenge that week. This will include NHL Scouting representation from all 32 NHL teams, international federations, NCAA, USports, and the CHL."

The game will be streamed on FloHockey.

OTHER THINGS
  • Newfoundland was a good time and certainly worth the trip if you get the chance. Shout-out to the in-arena Mary Brown's.
  • The U17 World Challenge gets underway this weekend in Truro. Alexis Joseph and Team Canada Red are off to a positive start, defeating Czechia 7-5 in pre-tournament play on Friday in Amherst. Joseph posted two goals and three assists in the victory. Canada Red will play in the tournament's opening game when they face Sweden on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
  • This contest is back:
  • The Sea Dogs have allowed four shorthanded goals this season, tying them with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar for the most in the QMJHL.
  • Moncton Wildcats captain Caleb Desnoyers made his season debut this past Sunday but suffered an injury during that game. His status for this Sunday's game in Saint John is unknown.
  • Former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence was placed on waivers by the KHL's Lada Togliatti earlier this week. Elite Prospects has the 23-year-old joining CSK VVS Samara of the VHL, which is the second tier of Russian hockey. We'll see how this all plays out. Lawrence recorded a goal and an assist in 14 KHL games.
  • Former Sea Dogs forward William Dufour had been part of Lada Togliatti until he departed the team a few weeks ago. As le Journal de Quebec explains, Dufour has since joined the Quebec National of the LNAH where he has two goals and an assist in two games – but the hope is that this is just a quick stop before signing elsewhere.
  • It looks like Nathan Lecompte won't be leaving the Chicoutimi Sagueneens for the USHL after all. A very bizarre situation.
  • The CHL roster has been announced for this year's CHL USA Prospects Challenge, which will take place Nov. 25-26 in Lethbridge and Calgary, respectively. Only four players from the QMJHL made the team: Maddox Dagenais (Quebec), Egor Shilov (Victoriaville), Charlie Morrison (Quebec) and Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand).
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