Saturday, May 2, 2026

Notebook: Murnieks, Latvia finish fourth at U18 worlds

Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF
Saint John Sea Dogs forward Olivers Murnieks and Team Latvia finished fourth at the IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

The Latvians fell 4-1 to Czechia in the event's bronze medal game on Saturday. On Friday, Latvia fell 1-0 to Slovakia in the semifinals, forcing them into the third-place game.

Murnieks had one shot and was a -2 in 21:08 of ice time – which led the team. He finished the tournament with a goal and five assists in seven games.

Following Friday's game, Murnieks was named one of Latvia's top three players of the tournament.

Sweden defeated host Slovakia 4-2 in the gold medal game.

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph and defenseman Cameron Chartrand were part of Team Canada, who were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Sea Dogs draft pick Jamie Glance was a member of Team USA, who also fell in the quarterfinals.

CRICKARD MEETS MEDIA
Former Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard met with the Swift Current media via Zoom this past week.

Crickard was named the Broncos new head coach and general manager last Friday.

The Southwest Booster and Swift Current Online both have stories on the hiring. CTV also posted a couple videos.



REMPARTS NEWS
It was a rollercoaster week for the Quebec Remparts.

On Tuesday, the Remparts announced a huge addition, signing 17-year-old forward James Scantlebury.

Scantlebury was considered one of the best players available in last year's QMJHL Entry Draft but was expected to spend at least part of his junior career in the United States. Despite that, the Remparts drafted Scantlebury ninth overall – and the risk has paid off.

Scantlebury spent this past season with the USHL's Chicago Steel where he recorded 16 goals and 23 assists in 62 games. He is committed to Boston University.

Later in the week, it was reported and later confirmed that Miramichi native Charlie Morrison is leaving the Remparts for the NCAA's UConn Huskies. The 18-year-old was expected to be one of Quebec's top defensemen – and overall players – next season.

Daniel Connolly, who covers UConn hockey, was first to report the Morrison news. Connolly also noted that 20-year-old defenseman Carl-Otto Magnusson, who spent the second half of the season with the Sea Dogs, will play another year of junior hockey. We'll have to wait and see if that ends up being in the QMJHL or somewhere else.
The Swede appeared in 25 regular season games and three playoff contests with Saint John.

QMJHL CUP RECAP
Elite Prospects has a recap of some of the top performers from the recent QMJHL Cup event in Shawinigan.
Dylan Currie (Châteauguay Grenadiers) and Nathan Riendeau (Collège Charles-Lemoyne Riverains) each posted three goals and two assists. Damien Leduc (Châteauguay Grenadiers) also had three goals.

LAWRENCE WINS CHAMPIONSHIP
Former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence helped HC Nitra win the Tipsport Liga championship this week. This is the highest level of hockey in Slovakia.

Nitra defeated Slovan Bratislava 4-3 in overtime of game seven to win the title.
This was Lawrence's first season with Nitra, registering five goals and eight assists in 16 regular season games. He also posted four goals and five assists in 16 playoff games.

The Fredericton native also spent time in Russia's KHL and VHL this season. He spent the previous two seasons in Switzerland and Finland.

SPHL UPDATE 
The Southern Professional Hockey League final is underway.

Former Sea Dogs forward Aiden MacIntosh and the Evansville Thunderbolts are facing the Peoria Rivermen in the league's championship series. The best-of-five final began Thursday in Peoria and the Rivermen lead the series 2-0.

MacIntosh has a goal and three assists in nine playoff games with Evansville. He also appeared 18 regular season games following the conclusion of York University's season, posting three goals and eight assists.

Cole Reginato was the only other former Sea Dog to play in the SPHL this season. Reginato recorded 14 goals and 19 assists in 52 games with the Hunstville Havoc. His 161 penalty minutes placed him in a tie for the most in the league.

NO SPENGLER FOR CANADA
Hockey Canada announced Friday that it will not have a team in this year's Spengler Cup tournament in Switzerland.
A few former Sea Dogs have played for Canada at the event over the years. The most notable is Chris DiDomenico who appeared in seven different tournaments for a total of 26 games.

OTHER STUFF
  • The Sea Dogs are hiring an office manager.
  • Former Sea Dogs forward Jacob Beaulieu has an interesting tape job.
  • Both the Wildcats and Armada were fined $1,000 for their post-game actions in Game 2 of their semifinal playoff series last weekend. Wildcats assistant coach Doug Doull was also suspended for Monday's Game 3.
  • Some major news for next season's version of the Wildcats.
  • CTV Atlantic reports that Halifax's Scotiabank Centre will soon be in need of some repairs/upgrades.
  • The Shawinigan Cataractes are expected to trade Cole Chandler at the draft.
  • Many changes coming in Shawinigan.
  • Halifax Mooseheads forward Shawn Carrier has committed to Boston University.
  • Former Baie-Comeau Drakkar forward Justin Poirier, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs defenseman Jeremie Poirier, has landed with Penn State. Poirier entered the NCAA transfer portal after one season at the University of Maine.
  • Unsurprisingly, Penticton Vees president, head coach and general manager Fred Harbinson has been named the WHL's executive of the year. Harbinson guided the expansion Vees all the way to the WHL's conference finals. According to a news release, he is the first general manager of an expansion franchise in WHL history to be named executive of the year.
  • Kelowna Rockets president and general manager Bruce Hamilton made some comments this week about the new recruiting landscape of junior hockey that may not age too well.
  • This was a choice.
  • Misha Donskov will coach Team Canada at this year's IIHF World Junior Championship along with the next two men's worlds, it was announced this week. 
  • The Dalhousie Tigers have named Jon Greenwood their new men's hockey head coach. Greenwood has been head coach of the MHL's Truro Bearcats since 2024. Greenwood will remain with the Bearcats until the conclusion of the Centennial Cup national championship, which begins next week in Summerside.
  • The owners of Lewiston's Colisée – the former home of the QMJHL's Maineiacs – say the arena is not closing despite rumours/reports. The building was home to the NCDC's Maineiacs this past season.
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