Notebook: Sea Dogs attend USA Hockey Festival

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Three players with Saint John Sea Dogs connections recently took part in USA Hockey's Boys National 17 Festival in Amherst, NY.

Sea Dogs forward Matthew Krayer recorded a goal and two assists in six games with the Massachusetts District, who finished fourth at the event. Defensive prospect Brian McFadden, a seventh-round pick of Saint John in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft, was also part of that team and registered a goal in six games.

Both Krayer and McFadden recently took part in Sea Dogs development camp in Quispamsis.

Defenseman Oskar Drabczynski, a seventh-round pick of Saint John in this year's draft, registered two assists in six games with the New England District, who finished second.

According to USA Hockey, "the Boys National 17 Festival is a District team-based tournament format, but the priority is still to improve and showcase the players participating. Players will experience a competitive, age-specific environment with on-ice training (drills, small area games, competitions, etc.) and off-ice training (strength & conditioning, team building, mental skills, nutrition, classroom, etc.)."

CRICKARD NAMED TO HLINKA STAFF

Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard has been named an associate coach for Team Canada at this year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which will take place Aug. 11-16

From Hockey Canada:

Crickard recently completed his third season as the head coach of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs and was promoted to general manager in October 2024. He also spent time with the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Ottawa 67’s (2013-14) and Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Kelowna Rockets (2014-19). Crickard has won three gold medals with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the IIHF U18 World Championship, twice as an assistant coach (2024, 2025) and once as a video coach in 2021. He also won a silver medal as the head coach of Canada Red at the 2024 U17 World Challenge. Crickard was an assistant coach for Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, finishing fourth. He was a member of Canada Black at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as a video coach (2016)—winning a silver medal—and an assistant coach in 2017.

Mathieu Turcotte will be the team's head coach. Rick Steadman of the London Knights will join Crickard behind the bench as an assistant.

Sea Dogs forward William Yared and defenseman Cameron Chartrand have both been invited to Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp later this month in Oakville.

Five Sea Dogs earn Hockey Canada invites

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Five Saint John Sea Dogs have received invites to Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence summer camps, which will be held later this month in Oakville.

Forward William Yared and defenseman Cameron Chartrand have earned invites to Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp while forwards Alexis Joseph and Nolann Héroux along with goaltender Jase MacPherson have been invited to the national under-17 development camp.

Yared, selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft, posted 14 goals and 16 assists in 58 games during his rookie season with the Sea Dogs.

Chartrand, meanwhile, spent most of this past season with the Bishop Kearney Selects under-16 team. Selected 18th overall by Saint John in 2024, Chartrand signed with the Sea Dogs in March.

One notable omission from the camp is Sea Dogs forward Dylan Rozzi, who registered 34 points in 62 games in his rookie QMJHL season. Rozzi was picked eighth overall by Saint John in 2024.

40 players—four goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 24 forwards—were invited on the under-18 side. The selected players will represent Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, set for Aug. 11-16 in Brno, Czechia, and Trencin, Slovakia. Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard will be an associate coach with the team.

The selection camp is set for July 29  to Aug. 1.

On the under-17 side, it's no surprise to see Jospeh earn an invite after he was picked first overall by Saint John in this year's draft. He registered 56 points in 42 games with Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix last season and it would be quite a surprise to see him left out of this year's U17 World Challenge.

Three ex-Dogs ink pro deals

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Three former Saint John Sea Dogs recently locked in homes for the 2025-26 season.

The most recent signing was Joe Veleno, who inked a one-year, one-way deal with the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday. Veleno was previously seen at the club's practice facility, so the signing didn't come as a huge surprise.

From the Habs:

Veleno played 74 games with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks in 2024-25, scoring eight goals and adding nine assists. The Montreal native was traded to the Blackhawks at the NHL Trade Deadline and recorded seven points (3G, 4A) in 18 games with Chicago to conclude his fifth NHL campaign.

Veleno has appeared in 306 NHL games since making his debut in 2020-21, tallying 38 goals and 43 assists in addition to serving 98 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound forward set career highs for goals (12), assists (16) and points (28) in 2023-24.

The Blackhawks traded Veleno to the Seattle Kraken on June 21. He was later placed on waivers for the purpose of a buyout, making him a free agent.

The 25-year-old was a first-round pick of the Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Draft.

Veleno, who was taken first overall by the Sea Dogs in the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft after receiving exceptional player status, spent parts of three seasons in Saint John. He helped the club win the President's Cup in 2017.

Another member of that 2017 QMJHL championship squad was forward Cedric Pare, who has re-signed with the AHL's Toronto Marlies for the upcoming season.

In his first season with the Marlies, Pare registered 12 goals and 14 assists in 59 games. The 26-year-old has now appeared in 207 career AHL contests, posting 39 goals and 56 assists.

More forwards added to camp roster

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Three more forwards have been added to the Saint John Sea Dogs' online pre-season roster.

18-year-old Brayden Campbell, a Saint John native, has been added. Campbell spent last season with the Maritime Hockey League's Grand Falls Rapids where he posted 11 goals and 21 assists in 52 games.

Campbell appeared in nine games with the Rapids the previous season along with 34 contests with the Saint John Vitos. He also spent some time at North Shore Academy, a US prep school.

This will be Campbell's second year attending Sea Dogs training camp as a free agent invite.

20-year-old Natan Éthier has been added as well. Étheir has spent parts of the last four seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes. Last season he appeared in just five games with the Cataractes after requiring surgery to repair an upper body injury he suffered on Oct. 4.

In 169 career QMJHL games, Éthier has posted 24 goals and 45 assists. He was a third-round pick of Shawinigan in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft. 

Also added to Saint John's pre-season roster is 16-year-old Kaidan Sahajpal, a Newfoundlander who has spent the past couple seasons in the US. Last season with The Winchendon School, Sahajpal had five goals and 17 assists in 30 games.

Elite Prospects lists him on the roster for the Islanders Hockey Club Prep East for the 2025-26 season.

Sahajpal was a 10th-round pick of the Summerside Western Capitals in the 2024 MHL Draft. 

It's looking like the Sea Dogs will have a large training camp roster this season. We reported on a number of invites on June 24 and a few more on June 29.

The Sea Dogs are expected to make a formal announcement about the free agent group once the full list is finalized.

Saint John's training camp will presumably open the weekend of Aug. 16 with the team's first pre-season game set for Aug. 19 in Dieppe against the Moncton Wildcats.

Dufour signs with KHL club

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

William Dufour's time in North America is over for the time being.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs forward has signed a one-year deal with the KHL's Lada Togliatti, the club announced earlier this week.

Dufour will have a familiar teammate on the Russian-based team: former Sea Dog Josh Lawrence, who signed earlier this off-season. Dufour and Lawrence were both part of Saint John's 2022 Memorial Cup championship team.

It's been a difficult few years for Dufour who has struggled to find the form he had during his first pro season in 2022-23. This past season, the 23-year-old recorded nine goals and 13 assists in 57 AHL games split between the Bridgeport Islanders and Colorado Eagles.

Dufour registered 25 points the season prior. In his rookie season, the Quebec City native had an impressive 21 goals and 27 assists in 69 games with Bridgeport. He also appeared in one NHL game with the New York Islanders that year, the team that drafted him in the fifth-round in 2020.

The Islanders dealt Dufour to the Avalanche at the trade deadline. He was not re-signed by the Avs.

Dufour had a legendary 2021-22 season with the Sea Dogs, recording 56 goals and 116 points in 66 regular season games. He added seven goals and an assist in four games at the Memorial Cup, earning tournament MVP honours.

Along with Dufour and Lawrence, former Sea Dogs defensemen Alex Grant (Avangard Omsk) and Ostap Safin (Traktor Chelyabinsk) are currently signed with KHL clubs for next season. The number of ex-Dogs signed to play in the league will likely increase before the season starts.

Notebook: Sea Dogs to play just two 3-in-3s

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will play just two three-in-threes this season – with only one of those games classified as a road game.

The Sea Dogs will play three games in three days Nov. 28-20 and March 13-15. The November stretch is technically three straight home games – but the third game will be played in Fredericton. In March, Saint John will play back-to-back home games before playing a road game the next day.

Nov. 28 vs Charlottetown (TD Station)

Nov. 29 vs Cape Breton (TD Station)

Nov. 30 vs Cape Breton (Aitken Centre)

March 13 vs Halifax (TD Station)

March 14 vs Halifax (TD Station)

March 15 at Charlottetown (Eastlink Centre)

The Sea Dogs will make four trips to Quebec this season but all of them will be stretches of three games in four nights.

ADDED PRE-SEASON GAME

It looks like the Sea Dogs have added a game to their pre-season schedule.

The game still doesn't appear on the league website, but the Charlottetown Islanders have begun promoting an pre-season game against the Sea Dogs on Sept. 6. The game is scheduled to be played at MacLaughlin Arena on the UPEI campus.

The countdown is on ⏰

Buy Tickets -> https://t.co/S4X9kMww59 pic.twitter.com/0T3XEncv0D

— Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) July 7, 2025

This would be the sixth and final pre-season game for the Sea Dogs. Saint John is also scheduled to play the night before in Woodstock against the Moncton Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs will play the Wildcats four times in the pre-season; the Newfoundland Regiment once and the Islanders once.

Saint John's first exhibition game will be Tuesday, Aug. 19 in Dieppe against the Wildcats.

Sea Dogs welcome "Next Wave"

SAINT JOHN - While the Saint John Sea Dogs unveiled their new logo, wordmark and jerseys on Saturday night, the team also went into detail about what the "Next Wave" means.

The "Next Wave" slogan has been appearing of Sea Dogs creative for a bit now. At Saturday's event, team president Trevor Georgie explained why this specific term is being used.

"It's not the new wave, because that would imply what happened before wasn't good," Georgie explained to the crowd in attendance. "The word 'next' is absolutely integral to this, because next means you're up next. To do something again, to repeat, to continue, some continuity. Waves don't just go and have new ones come through. It's always the next one coming in and coming in."

Georgie referenced the Bay of Fundy's famous tides, comparing them to the cyclical nature of junior hockey.

"Very much like the junior hockey cycle, very much like our cycle. Slow, precise, patient and powerful. And at the end of the day, the water line is here. Then it starts, and it comes right back up. 

"2005, the Sea Dogs were born. Young franchise bred into the league. Six years later, championship. The seventh season, championship. The tide came down, the tide came up, 2017 championship. The tide came down, the tide came up, 2022 championship."

A number of players from last year's Sea Dogs team were in attendance along with many newcomers who were in town for development camp. Georgie spoke to them directly in his speech.

"It is not our hope that you young men in this room continue on that tradition as the next wave. It is our expectation," said Georgie. "Hope is not a strategy. It is our expectation. It is not our hope that you leave a lasting impact on this community. It is our expectation."

Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard also spoke briefly, welcoming players and family into town.

"As we move into this part of our phase where we compete, contend and become champions, there are many of you in this room and your families who will be key members of them," said Crickard. "So I'm really happy to have all of you here this weekend for this development camp so we can start this next wave off together on a nice July weekend in Saint John."

Joseph impresses on final day of development camp

QUISPAMSIS - On the final day of Saint John Sea Dogs summer development camp, Alexis Joseph showed everyone why he was picked first overall in the QMJHL Entry Draft.

Joseph scored six times – with one coming in a shootout and another two being empty netters – to help Team Smallman defeat Team Thomas on Sunday morning at the qplex.

Playing three 10-minute games of four-on-four hockey, Joseph scored on his first shift, carrying the puck in from the blue line and cutting into the top of the crease. It's evident his size and strength are a step above where most players are when they enter the league at 16.

Cole Renaud scored for Team Thomas to send the first 10-minute game into a shootout. Joseph scored a beautiful shootout goal but Team Thomas took the win thanks to Renaud and Olivier Groulx converting on their attempts.

Sea Dogs unveil revamped logo, jerseys

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will have an entirely new look for the 2025-26 season.

At an event held at The Country Club on the Boardwalk on Saturday, the team unveiled an updated logo and jerseys. It's the first logo redesign since the club entered the QMJHL in 2005. As for the jersey, the Sea Dogs have been wearing nearly the same design since the 2009-10 season.

Here's a look at the revamped logo, which still resembles the team's original logo.

And here's a look at the team's new home and away jerseys, which are notably Under Armour branded – the CHL's new jersey supplier.

The Sea Dogs will not have a third jersey for this coming season.

Sea Dogs to unveil "evolved brand"

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

QUISPAMSIS - The Saint John Sea Dogs are poised to make a major announcement at a private event on Saturday.

In an email to invitees, Sea Dogs president Trevor Georgie said the team will unveil an "evolved brand."

Over the past year, we’ve been working closely with a top-tier design agency—renowned for its work with NHL teams and major professional sports brands—to evolve the Sea Dogs identity. 

As we look ahead to the future while honouring 20 seasons of history, we invite you to be the first to experience the next wave of Sea Dogs hockey, both on and off the ice. This will be the official first look at our evolved brand, and we’ll also be joined by several of our young players and recently drafted Sea Dogs.

Over the past couple weeks, the Sea Dogs have been posting creative with the "Next Wave" tagline attached to it. New font has also been utilized. 

Notebook: It's development camp weekend

Vincent Ethier/QMJHL

It's development camp weekend for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The camp kicks off this Friday at the qplex in Quispamsis and will conclude Sunday morning. According to the team, "on-ice activities get underway at 6:30 p.m. on July 4, followed by more on-ice sessions throughout the rest of the weekend. Players will also undergo fitness testing and take part in various off-ice sessions focused on nutrition and sports psychology."

Development Camp is BACK 🏒#SJSeaDogs prospects and players will hit the ice for three days of on-ice and off-ice development sessions from July 4-6 at the @Quispamsisqplex.

Roster and schedule are subject to change.#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/URl0YuyIOv

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) June 27, 2025

33 players were invited to the camp, including Alexis Joseph, who was drafted by the Sea Dogs with the first overall pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. Joseph recently said in an interview this will be his first time visiting Saint John.

A breakdown of the roster can be found here.

Development camp is open to the public.

IMPORT DRAFT AFTERMATH

A bit more on Olivers Murnieks, the Latvian forward who the Sea Dogs selected with the sixth overall pick in Wednesday's CHL Import Draft.

He's very much a legit prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft.

The Latvia to Saint John pipeline continues. Big get for the Sea Dogs. Murnieks should have an immediate impact. Potential first rounder for 2026. https://t.co/SZDiFjNbzG

— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) July 2, 2025

Murnieks was ranked 26th for next year's draft by Daily Faceoff.

Here's some more video.

Murnieks was named to the all-USHL rookie second team this past season. From the USHL:

Finishing sixth in rookie scoring, the Riga, Latvia native had 15 goals and 20 assists in 52 games for the Musketeers. Murnieks had five multi-point games and scored a pair of shorthanded goals, tied for first among league rookies. He totaled only eight penalty minutes with a +2 rating. Internationally, Murnieks represented his home country at the World Junior Championship.

Murnieks was one of seven Latvians picked in this year's import draft, a record number (most countries saw record numbers due to the draft being expanded to three rounds).

Sea Dogs announce three hires

Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

The Saint John Sea Dogs have announced three additions to their hockey operations staff.

Kyle MacDonald has been named director of hockey operations and assistant coach; Tim Archambault joins the club as an assistant coach; and Zak Larnaudie has been named Saint John's head equipment manager.

Here's a bit more in each hire from the team's press release:

• Kyle MacDonald: "MacDonald brings significant experience to the organization, having spent eight seasons with the University of New Brunswick, where he served as goaltending coach for both the men’s and women’s hockey teams. Along with his goaltending coach duties, MacDonald held the role of video coach and director of hockey operations for the men’s team from 2019 to 2022, before becoming associate coach and later interim head coach of the women’s team. Originally from Rothesay, N.B., he also worked with the Saint John U18 Vito’s prior to joining the UNB Reds, and this past season served as goaltending coach for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan."
• Tim Archambault: "Archambault joins the coaching staff after working as a Quebec regional scout with the Sea Dogs this past season. Originally from Châteauguay, Que., he has served as head coach of the Cégep Saint-Laurent Patriotes since 2021."
• Zak Larnaudie: "Larnaudie joins the Sea Dogs after two seasons as head equipment manager for the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League. He previously spent three and a half years as equipment manager with the Laurier Golden Hawks women’s hockey team, followed by half a season with the TMU Bold men’s hockey team. He also served as head equipment manager for the Brock Badgers men’s and women’s hockey teams during the 2022–23 season."

The Sea Dogs had a hole in their coaching staff after it was announced that assistant coach Jeff Hansen had accepted a position in Calgary. Goaltending and video coach Max Essiambre is also no longer with the team.

The new hires will presumably be in town this weekend when the team hosts its development. The camp opens Friday at the qplex in Quispamsis.

Bilodeau joins Gee-Gees

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

20-year-old defenseman Nicolas Bilodeau will join the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees for the 2025-26 season.

The Gee-Gees, the defending University Cup champions, made the announcement official on social media Wednesday.

Bilodeau, who turned 20 in March, had one year of junior eligibility remaining. The Gatineau native will instead play much closer to home.

Bilodeau was a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft. He appeared in 198 career QMJHL games over three seasons, posting 19 goals and 83 assists.

Last season, Bilodeau posted four goals and 30 assists in 63 games. He also sported an 'A' on his sweater.

The Gee-Gees pulled off one of the all-time great underdog stories at the University Cup this past March. As the No. 8 seed, the host team strung together three straight upset wins to capture the U Sports national title.

This announcement continues to signify a major revamp of the Sea Dogs' defensive core. With recent additions, Saint John could have an almost entirely new group on the backend to open the season.

Sea Dogs pick three in Import Draft

As expected, the Saint John Sea Dogs made three selections in Wednesday's CHL Import Draft.

With the sixth overall selection, the Sea Dogs headed back to Latvia, selecting forward Olivers Murnieks. The soon-to-turn-17-year-old is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft and is considered a top prospect by Elite Prospects.

Murnieks spent last season with the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers where he posted 15 goals and 20 assists in 52 games. He also played at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship alongside former Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko where he recorded a goal and three assists in five games – an impressive showing for a 16-year-old.

The 2024-25 season was Murnieks' first in North America.

Mateiko, who was a second-round pick of Saint John in the 2022 CHL Import Draft, is the only other Latvian the team has ever selected. 

In the second round, the Sea Dogs selected Slovakian defenseman Patryk Zubek with the 67th overall selection. The 18-year-old is listed at 6'3" and 203 lbs.

Mann commits to Colorado College

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Matteo Mann is heading west for the 2025-26 season.

It was announced Tuesday that Mann has committed to the NCAA's Colorado College Tigers for next season. The 20-year-old just completed his final season of junior hockey and was not signed by the Philadelphia Flyers to an entry-level deal, making him a free agent.

Mann, who was a seventh-round pick of the Flyers in the 2023 NHL Draft, recently earned an invite to Dallas Stars development camp.

The 6'6", 234 lbs defenseman recorded six goals and eight assists in 56 games with Saint John last season. He spent two seasons with the club after playing three with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

Join us in welcoming Matteo Mann to Colorado Springs‼️

Mann is a 2023 7th round pick by the Flyers in the NHL Draft👏#CCTigers pic.twitter.com/Q4IKV0KHp7

— CC Hockey (@CCTigerHKY) July 1, 2025

Mann joins a Tigers program that is expected to be on the rise in the coming years. The school, located in Colorado Springs, recently opened a beautiful on-campus arena that should give their recruiting a huge boost.

The Tigers play in a powerhouse conference – the NCHC. The conference is home to the likes of Denver, North Dakota, Arizona State and defending national champion Western Michigan.

The Tigers begin the 2025-26 season at home with a non-conference series against the UConn Huskies on Oct. 3-4.

Defenseman Nate Tivey, who also just completed his overage season with the Sea Dogs, has committed to Quinnipiac University for next season. Overage goaltender Charles-Edward Gravel, who was released by the team in the second half, has committed to Mercyhurst University. 

Import Draft takes place Wednesday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

One more major event awaits the Saint John Sea Dogs before the junior hockey off-season truly begins.

The Canadian Hockey League will hold its 2025 Import Draft on Wednesday beginning at noon Atlantic time. For the first time, teams will be able to carry three import players, meaning the draft has been expanded to three rounds.

The Sea Dogs are currently scheduled to pick sixth, 67th and 128th. The two later picks could happen earlier in reality as some teams will opt to pass on their selections.

At the QMJHL Entry Draft in early June, Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard said the team plans on using all three of their picks. 

"Oh, we have a plan," Crickard said on the draft floor in Quebec City. "We have a plan. If the plan is executed, we're going to be really happy."

The reason Crickard was away from the team for an extended period late in the season was to ensure the Sea Dogs were ready for the increase in import players permitted on rosters.

The team ended last season with no imports in their lineup.

The Import Draft – as is said every year – is a very strange draft. It's much more about connections and who you know than where you're picking. But even the best plans can have a wrench or two thrown into them. You can only control what other teams do so much.

Like most teams, the Sea Dogs have had some home runs and big misses in the Import Draft. Saint John selected defenseman Florian Schenk with the seventh overall pick last year only to reassign him back to Switzerland halfway through the season. But not that long ago, in 2022, the Sea Dogs had one of their best showings in the draft, selecting forwards Pavel Simek and Eriks Mateiko.

The Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets will pick first overall after acquiring the pick from the Moose Jaw Warriors. The OHL's Brantford Bulldogs will pick second followed by the Victoriaville Tigres.

Sea Dogs past and present earn NHL development camp invites

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Former, current and perhaps future Saint John Sea Dogs have received invites to NHL development camps, most of which are taking placing this week.

The only current Sea Dog to earn an invite (so far, anyways) is forward Zachary Morin, who is heading to Vancouver Canucks camp. Morin was passed over in last weekend's NHL Draft.

The Athletic considers the Boston University commit to be the 12th best player not picked.

"I could see him pop next year and put it all together without the pressure of the draft, but there’s also risk he remains a mercurial, what-could-have-been prospect who doesn’t have the interest or willingness to change his style of play," writes Scott Wheeler.

Two of Saint John's overagers from last season – defensemen Nate Tivey and Matteo Mann – have both received camp invites. Tivey will attend Colorado Avalanche camp while Mann will join the Dallas Stars.

Tivey, who captained the Sea Dogs in the second half of last season, will take part in Avs camp before joining Quinnipiac University for the 2025-26 season.

Mann, meanwhile, is no stranger to NHL camps having been selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2023 draft. The Sackville, NB native was not signed by the Flyers, making him a free agent and able to join Stars camp.

Eriks Mateiko, who captained the Sea Dogs in the first half of last season before being dealt to the Rimouski Oceanic, will attend Washington Capitals development camp as expected. Mateiko was a third-round pick of the Capitals in last year's NHL Draft and will likely play professionally within the organization this coming season.

Everett Baldwin was the only player with Sea Dogs connections to get drafted this weekend. The Rhode Island native was a fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning after spending most of last season with St. George's School, a US prep school program. He'll attend Lightning development camp.

Baldwin was a second-round pick of Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft but he has yet to sign with the club. He's committed to Providence College for the 2026-27 season.

Jack Williams, a 2018 pick of the Sea Dogs who made his NHL debut last season, will attend Columbus Blue Jackets development camp.

We'll update this past if more players receive invites.

Notebook: Bezeau, Checkers fall in final

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Riley Bezeau and the Charlotte Checkers came up short in the Calder Cup final.

The Checkers fell in six games to the Abbotsford Canucks in a series that concluded on June 23. The Canucks took Game 6, 3-2, in Charlotte to win their first Calder Cup.

Bezeau appeared in just one game in the final. He finishes the playoffs with three goals in five games.

The 23-year-old completed his third season of professional hockey. He appeared in 24 regular season AHL games with the Checkers and five ECHL contests with the Savannah Ghost Pirates.

Bezeau spent parts of three seasons with the Sea Dogs, helping the team win the Memorial Cup in 2022.

JOSEPH INTERVIEW

First overall pick Alexis Joseph was a recent guest on the QMJHL's Around the Maritimes podcast. The interview begins at the 33-minute mark below.

The future Sea Dogs forward talks about his playing style, his time playing under-18 hockey, draft weekend, who he models his game after, his Canadiens fandom, goals for his rookie season, Atlantic Canada and more.

MACPHERSON MEDIA

A couple features on Jase MacPherson, the Kensington Wild goaltender who the Sea Dogs selected in the second-round of this year's QMJHL Entry Draft.

The Eastern Graphic has a story on MacPherson getting picked by Saint John.

“I think that’s probably the best team I could have gone to. I have a good opportunity to crack that squad next year,” MacPherson said.

The 16-year-old was also selected by the Summerside Western Capitals in the recent MHL Draft. Justin Harrison, Summerside's director of scouting, provided his thoughts on MacPherson to the Journal Pioneer. 

"He’s a great goalie. He’s a big kid. He’s going to have a really good shot at the Quebec league," said Harrison. "We fully expect him to go and be very successful with the Sea Dogs. With the new rules opening up with the NCAA, there are so many moving parts with the Quebec league now, so if he’s not there it’s great to have a guy who is close to home and we know is a fantastic goalie. If he plays for Summerside, that’s going to be awesome.”

More free agents added to Dogs roster

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

A few other players have been added to the Saint John Sea Dogs' online pre-season roster.

Forwards Max Donatelli and Bryce Cunningham along with defenseman Louis Métivier have all been added. They join an already healthy group of free agents that were previously added to Saint John's roster.

Donatelli, an 18-year-old forward from Rhode Island, spent last season at St. George's School – the same US prep program that Sea Dogs draft pick Everett Baldwin played at last year. Listed at just 5'9" and 154 lbs, Donatelli recorded 13 goals and 27 assists in 30 games.

Cunningham, a 16-year-old forward, was the first player to receive an invitation to Sea Dogs training camp after being named the MVP of the inaugural Dog Bowl back in February, helping Sussex High School win the tournament. Cunningham played 34 games with the Saint John Vito's in 2023-24, recording a goal and an assist.

Métivier, a 17-year-old defenseman from Matane, QC, registered two goals and four assists in 19 games with the under-18 Collège Notre-Dame Albatros last season. He also posted two goals and four assists with the under-17 Bas St-Laurent Albatros. He's listed at 6'2" and 170 lbs.

Sea Dogs training camp will presumably start the weekend of Aug. 16 ahead of the team's first pre-season game on Aug. 19. Saint John will play five pre-season games with three of them taking place between Aug. 19-22 – all of which will be against the Moncton Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs will hold a development camp this weekend in Quispamsis but the roster does not include any free agents.

Coyle, Veleno traded in NHL

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Two former Saint John Sea Dogs were recently traded in the NHL.

On Friday, Charlie Coyle was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets by the Colorado Avalanche. Miles Wood was also included in the transaction. In return, the Avs received Gavin Brindley, a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a conditional second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

The Boston Bruins deakt Coyle to the Avalanche at the trade deadline. The 33-year-old posted two goals and 11 assists in 19 games with Colorado and added another goal in seven playoff contests.

Coyle, who spent the second half and playoffs with the Sea Dogs in 2012, has appeared in 950 career NHL games over 14 seasons, recording 485 points. He's also appeared in an impressive 126 Stanley Cup playoff games.

This will be Coyle's fourth NHL team after stops in Minnesota, Boston and Colorado.

Joe Veleno, meanwhile, was traded by the Chicago Blackhawks to the Seattle Kraken on June 21. The Blackhawks received forward Andre Burakovsky in return.

The former Sea Dogs captain was traded to Chicago at this year's trade deadline after spending parts of five seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, the team that drafted him with the 30th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.

Veleno recorded three goals and four assists in 18 games with the rebuilding Blackhawks.

The 25-year-old has appeared in 306 career NHL games. He has yet to play in a playoff game.

Baldwin picked by Lightning

St. George's School

No current Saint John Sea Dogs had their names called at the 2025 NHL Draft.

The lone player with connections to the Sea Dogs to get drafted this weekend was defenseman Everett Baldwin, who was picked in the fifth-round, 151st overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Baldwin, a second-round selection of the Sea Dogs in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, recorded 20 points in 22 games with St. George's School last season. He also spent time with the USNTDP program and the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. The Rhode Island native is a Providence College commit.

While Baldwin has yet to sign with Saint John for the coming season, it certainly feels like there is a good chance he will. But we'll see how things play out in the coming weeks.

Tampa Bay Lightning pick Rumford, R.I.'s Everett Baldwin in 5th round.

St. George's School D, committed to Providence College, has elite wheels

Signs point to him playing in Saint John in 25-26

— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) June 28, 2025

Sea Dogs forwards Zachary Morin and Olivier Groulx along with the recently signed Alexander Donovan were all listed in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings of North American players. All three will likely get invites to development and/or rookie camps.

It hasn't been a great run for the Sea Dogs at the NHL Draft. Eriks Mateiko (third-round pick in 2024 to the Washington Capitals) and Cameron MacDonald (fifth-round pick in 2021 to the Lightning) are the only Sea Dogs to get picked in the last five NHL Drafts. In fairness, it hasn't been a great few years for the QMJHL as a whole, either.

19 players from the QMJHL got drafted this weekend, the highest total since 2021. That includes three picks in Friday's first-round, which was highlighted by Caleb Desnoyers going fourth overall to the Utah Mammoth.

Development camp is back

The Saint John Sea Dogs are bringing summer development camp back.

The team announced Friday its roster and schedule for the camp, which will run July 4-6 at the qplex in Quispamsis. The list of invites includes 16 forwards, 13 defensemen, and four goaltenders.

Here's a look at the roster.

Forwards (16)

Egan Beveridge (returnee)

Madison Bouchard (2025 draft pick)

Dylan-Alec Chery (2024 draft pick)

Alex Donovan* (signing)

Elliot Dubé (returnee)

Olivier Groulx (returnee)

Nolann Heroux (2025 draft pick)

Alexis Joseph (2025 draft pick)

Dylan Krayer (returnee)

Matthew Krayer (returnee)

Zachary Morin* (returnee)

Cole Renaud (2025 draft pick)

Dylan Rozzi* (retunee)

Finnegan Sears* (2025 draft pick)

Elliot Tozer (2025 draft pick)

William Yared* (returnee)

Defensemen (13)

Benjamin Amyot (returnee)

Everett Baldwin* (2025 draft pick)

Julien Bonnet* (returnee)

Frederick Bourque (2024 draft pick)

Cameron Chartrand (2024 draft pick)

Oskar Drabczynski* (2025 draft pick)

Olivier Duhamel (returnee)

Jesse Dunlap (2025 draft pick)

Joshua Henry (2024 draft pick)

Matas Janulis (2024 draft pick)

Julien Lacroix (2025 draft pick)

John Lumsden (returnee)

Brian MacFadden (2024 draft pick)

Goaltenders (4)

Rafael Courchesne (2024 draft pick)

Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz* (2023 draft pick)

Jase MacPherson (2025 draft pick)

Sam Pitcher (2025 draft pick)

Players listed with a * were "invited but not available due to other commitments." That list includes nine players: Alex Donovan, Zachary Morin, Dylan Rozzi, Finnegan Sears, William Yared, Everett Baldwin, Julien Bonnet, Oskar Drabczynski and Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz.

Three QMJHL players picked in first round

Embed from Getty Images

 

Three QMJHL players were selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday night.

Moncton Wildcats forward Caleb Desnoyers was the first QMJHL player off the board, going fourth overall to the Utah Mammoth. It's the highest a Wildcats player has been selected in an NHL Draft.

From Monctoon to the Mammooth! 😄 https://t.co/w6DbFt0DbT

— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) June 28, 2025

Justin Carbonneau of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada – who is apparently still considering joining Boston College next season – was selected 19th overall by the St. Louis Blues.

Lastly, Bill Zonnon of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies was picked 22nd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

As expected, Erie Otters defensemen Matthew Schaefer went first overall to the New York Islanders. 21 players from the CHL were picked in the opening round.

NHL Draft begins Friday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The 2025 NHL Draft begins Friday night.

It's unlikely any Saint John Sea Dogs will be selected during Friday's opening round, but there could be one or more picked on Saturday.

Sea Dogs forwards Zachary Morin was ranked 103rd overall amongst North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings while forward Olivier Groulx was listed at 186th. The recently signed Alexander Donovan, meanwhile, was ranked 197th.

Morin had a strong start to his first QMJHL season but struggled with consistency in the second half, finishing his rookie year with 16 goals and 20 assists in 50 games. He also appeared in four games with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms to start the year. Morin is a Boston University commit.

Groulx became Saint John's top centre following the trade of captain Eriks Mateiko. Playing in his first full QMJHL season, Groulx posted 17 goals and 24 assists while suiting up for all 64 of Saint John's games.

Donovan signed with the Sea Dogs earlier this month after completing his fourth season at Shattuck St. Mary's. He posted 45 goals in 58 games of US prep school play this past season. Donovan is a Denver University commit.

Over at The Athletic, Corey Pronman's mock draft as Baldwin going 147th overall to the St. Louis Blues and Morin 155th overall to the Washington Capitals.

A couple other names to keep eye on are Sea Dogs prospects Everett Baldwin and Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz.

Baldwin, a second-round pick of Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, recorded 20 points in 22 games with St. George's School last season. He also spent time with the USNTDP program and the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Baldwin is a Providence College commit.

Doyon-Cataquiz was selected by the Sea Dogs in the 14th round of the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft. The 17-year-old appeared in 43 games with the Bishop Kearney Selects under-18 squad this past season, posting a 28-14-0 record to go along with a 2.29 goals against average and a .913 save percentage. Doyon-Cataquiz is a Quinnipiac University commit.

Matthew Schaefer of the OHL's Erie Otters is likely to be taken first overall. The top-ranked QMJHL skater is Caleb Desnoyers of the Moncton Wildcats, who should be a fairly early selection.

Free agents added to Sea Dogs roster

A number of free agents have been added to the Saint John Sea Dogs' online roster. 

Not including the recently signed Alexander Donovan, the 18-year-old University of Denver commit who signed with the Sea Dogs a couple weeks ago, eight forwards, two defensemen and two goaltenders have been added.

One noticeable attribute: size. There is some serious height and weight amongst this group of additions.

These adds along with the incoming draft class (both from the QMJHL Entry Draft and CHL Import Draft) should make for an interesting training camp. It's safe to say that Saint John's roster could get quite a revamp compared to what they ended last season with.

The team is expected to hold a development camp next month but no details have been announced yet.

Here's a quick look at the group of invites.

Forwards

Niko Baljak - the 16-year-old from Laval is big, listed at 6'5" and 181 lbs. He played in 24 games with the QJHL's Laval Prime last season along with 10 games at the Canadian prep school Viking VC Hockey.

Josh Frenette - the 19-year-old from Oshawa is listed at 6'4" and 209 lbs. He spent last season with the NAHL's Maryland Black Bears where he posted 10 goals and 15 assists in 58 games. He spent the previous season in the OJHL.

Alexis Gauthier - the 18-year-old spent last season with the Bourget Collège under-18 team, recording 12 goals and 45 assists in 62 games. He's listed at 5'10" and 141 lbs.

Tristan Gravenor - the 19-year-old from Montreal spent last season in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League where he recorded 16 goals and 24 assists in 53 games with the Portage Terriers. He's listed at 6'2" and 179 lbs.

Video: Behind the scenes with Sea Dogs at QMJHL Entry Draft

The Saint John Sea Dogs have posted an interesting behind the scenes look of the 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft.

The 15-minute video includes some of the team's scouting meetings, player interviews, highlights from the draft floor and a few interviews.

More coverage of this year's draft can be found here.

Notebook: Calder Cup final tied 1-1

Ian Yount

The AHL's Calder Cup final is heading to British Columbia tied 1-1.

The Charlotte Checkers tied the best-of-seven series with a 3-2 overtime win on Sunday. This comes after the Abbotsford Canucks took Game 1 by a final score of 4-3 in double overtime.

The next three games will all be played in Abbotsford beginning with Game 3 on Tuesday night.

Riley Bezeau is the lone Saint John Sea Dogs alumnus on either roster. He was serving a one-game suspension for a checking-to-the-head major penalty in Game 1 and did not dress for Game 2.

Bezeau has appeared in four playoff games with the Checkers, recording three goals.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Sea Dogs announced that they are looking to fill a number of game day operations positions for this coming season.

One of those openings includes a mascot performer. The team is looking for someone to "embody the spirit and character of Fleaburn, the team’s mascot." The requirements include "strong communication skills (non-verbal)."

The team is also looking for videoboard operators and game day staff. 

Sea Dogs prospects drafted into MHL

MHL

Three Saint John Sea Dogs prospects were selected in Saturday's Maritime Hockey League Draft.

Saint John Vito's forward Eliot Tozer, who was a 12th-round pick of the Sea Dogs in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, was taken with the first pick of the second-round (13th overall) by the Bouctouche-based West Kent Steamers.

Tozer was the first player from the Vito's picked on Saturday. Forward Brock Lyons, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Kiefer Lyons, was drafted by the Amherst Ramblers with the next pick. Lyons was not selected in the QMJHL Entry Draft despite Central Scouting projecting him as a fourth-round pick.

Two Sea Dogs prospects were taken in the eighth-round. Rothesay Netherwood defenseman Jesse Dunlap, a fourth-round pick of the Sea Dogs this year, was taken 88th overall by the Bathurst-based Chaleur Lightning while Kensington Wild goaltender Jase MacPherson, a second-round pick of the Sea Dogs, was selected 95th overall by the Summerside Western Capitals.

Newfoundlander Ethan Jones of the East Coast Blizzard was drafted first overall by the Valley Wildcats. The full draft results can be found on the MHL website.

The QJHL also held its draft on Saturday. Defenseman Benjamin Amyot, who has spent the past two seasons with the Sea Dogs, was taken in the second-round, 17th overall by the Valleyfield Braves.

MacDougall named CHL Coach of the Year

Gardiner MacDouagll was named the CHL Coach of the Year on Friday.

MacDouagll, who led the Saint John Sea Dogs to the 2022 Memorial Cup title, guided the Moncton Wildcats to a QMJHL championship in his first year as head coach.

From the CHL:

Named in recognition of former Ottawa 67s head coach and the CHL’s all-time winningest coach Brian Kilrea, the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award is presented annually to the Canadian Hockey League’s top coach. Gardiner MacDougall becomes the first head coach in Moncton Wildcats history to win the CHL Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award. In his debut QMJHL season, MacDougall led the Wildcats to a 53-9-2-0 record and a .844 points percentage – eighth-best all-time in the QMJHL and 10th-best in the CHL since 2000. Under his guidance, Moncton captured the Jean-Rougeau Trophy as QMJHL regular season champions for the first time since 2005–06. Their CHL-best defensive showing (2.25 goals-against average) ranked fifth in QMJHL history, while their 144 goals against tied for the 11th-fewest in CHL history. The Wildcats also led the CHL in goal differential (+150), regulation losses (9), and penalty kill (86.4%), while setting franchise records in wins (53), points (108), regulation losses, goals against, and points percentage.

According to the CHL, he joins Craig Hartsburg (1994-95) and Gerard Gallant (2009-10) as the only coaches to win the award in their first season. Gallant, who is a PEI native like MacDougall, won the award as head coach of the Sea Dogs. He also won the award the following season.

The long-time head coach of the UNB Reds, MacDougall won U Sports coach of the year honours three times with the latest coming in 2023-24.

It will be interesting to see what MacDougall and the Wildcats are like next season. In normal times they'd likely be heading for a rebuild, but the team has gotten some American commitments in recent weeks and announced the return of goaltender (and Yale commit) Rudy Guimond on Friday.

QMJHL players to win awards on Friday included Mathieu Cataford of the Rimouski Oceanic (CHL Scholastic Player of the Year) and Maxwell Jardine of the Charlottetown Islanders (CHL Humanitarian Player of the Year).

Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna was named CHL Player of the Year. It's still unclear where he'll play next season despite speculation that he is leaning towards a commitment to Penn State.

Notebook: Changes coming to Station Street

Big changes are coming to Station Street – changes that will definitely impact traffic flow to and from Saint John Sea Dogs games.

Bike lanes are being added from the ball hockey pad all the way down Station Street and onto City Road, essentially connecting the Harbour Passage to the walking bridge. The change will see Station Street reduced from four lanes to three.

From the city's press release:

In 2025, Station Street and City Road, stretching from Smythe Street to just east of the Stanley Street pedestrian bridge, will undergo a road diet, transforming the current four-lane roadway into a more efficient and accessible space for all users. This project will convert the existing four vehicle lanes into three, introducing dedicated bike lanes on both sides of the road alongside the curb. The remaining three vehicle lanes will accommodate two through lanes, one in each direction, and a center turning lane for motorists.

The city adds that "traffic studies confirm that the lane reductions will maintain acceptable service levels, ensuring smooth vehicle flow while repurposing historically overbuilt roadway space."

We'll see how this change goes, although the TD Station parking lot seems to be a lot less popular these days due to the increased costs in recent years.

FUTURE MEM CUPS

Le Soleil reports that, at this time, three teams have expressed interest in hosting the 2028 Memorial Cup: Moncton, Quebec and Gatineau.

The only issue for a potential Moncton bid is where the team will be at in their cycle come 2028. Quebec and Gatineau, both in the early stages of a rebuild, could very well be at the top of the league in three years.

All three franchises have hosted previously but none have done so in their new buildings.

The 2026 Memorial Cup will be held in Kelowna while the 2027 edition will be hosted by an OHL city. Notably, le Soleil also reports that the tournament format could change come 2027.

Sea Dogs sign free agent Donovan

Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs are the latest Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League team to dip their toe into the American free agent market.

The Sea Dogs announced Wednesday the signing of 18-year-old forward Alexander Donovan to a QMJHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. The Connecticut native is eligible for this year's NHL Draft and is ranked 197th amongst North American skaters by Central Scouting.

“As we continue to shape our roster for next season we are delighted to announce the signing of Alex Donovan,” said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a news release. “Alex has demonstrated scoring punch and a winning mentality in helping his Shattuck St. Mary’s team win the U18 National Championship last season along with his international experience. He is a quick, gritty player with a high level of hunger to improve who Sea Dogs fans will enjoy watching.”

In 58 games with Shattuck St. Mary’s in US Prep play last season, Donovan posted 45 goals and 46 assists. It was his fourth season at the prestigious hockey school.

Donovan also appeared in two USHL games with the Sioux Falls Stampede last season.

Listed at 5'11" and 170 lbs, Donovan played with Team USA at last year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he recorded a goal and four assists in five games, finishing in a tie for the team's scoring lead.

The forward is committed to the NCAA's University of Denver for the 2026-27 season, one of college hockey's best programs in recent years. He was selected first overall by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the 2023 QMJHL American Draft.

Donovan's time with the Sea Dogs may be short, but he could add some serious offensive firepower to a team that struggled to score last season. The Sea Dogs finished with a league low 2.38 goals per game.

Saint John is looking much stronger offensively to start this season compared to how they ended the last with the additions of Donovan; at least a couple forwards from their 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft class; their returning players; plus the potential for more impact adds through the CHL Import Draft and free agency.