Sea Dogs unveil new centre ice look

Centre ice at TD Station will have a different look this season.

The Saint John Sea Dogs shared on social media Monday what this year's centre ice creative will look like. Click the arrow on the below Instagram post to see a video.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Saint John Sea Dogs (@sjseadogs)

It's a darker look compared to last year and the team is bringing back a solid red line, one that has the team's wordmark printed on it.

The Sea Dogs had a similarly dark centre ice look for their 20th anniversary season in 2024-25.

Sea Dogs reassign three more

The Saint John Sea Dogs announced three more reassignments on Monday.

Forwards Brock Lyons and Eliot Tozer along with goaltender Sam Pitcher have all been cut from the team's training camp roster. The moves mean 27 players remain at Sea Dogs camp.

Lyons, selected in the ninth-round of this year's QMJHL Entry Draft after not being picked last year, leaves Sea Dogs camp tied for the team lead in pre-season scoring with a goal and two assists in three games.

The 17-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Saint John Vito's. His Maritime Junior Hockey League rights are held by the Amherst Ramblers, where he appeared in three games last season.

Tozer, a 12th-round pick in 2025, played in all three of Saint John's pre-season games and was held pointless. Like Lyons, the 17-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Vito's. His MHL rights were recently acquired by the Miramichi Timberwolves.

Pitcher, an 11th-round pick in 2025, played just over 90-minutes with the Sea Dogs during the pre-season, allowing one goal on a total of 30 shots. The 17-year-old Newfoundlander spent last season with Bourget Collège's under-18 team. His MHL rights are also held by the Steamers.

All three had strong camps and could certainly be called up at some during the regular season.

Saint John now has 13 forwards, 11 defensemen and three goaltenders remaining in camp. There's certainly a logjam on the backend, so we'll have to see how that plays out.

The Sea Dogs are back in pre-season action on Friday when they host the Halifax Mooseheads at 7 p.m. at TD Station.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Rimouski 4, Saint John 1

WOODSTOCK, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs couldn't find their finishing touch in a 4-1 pre-season loss to the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday.

Saint John registered just 17 shots on goals – four shots in each of the final two periods – with their lone goal coming courtesy of Jamie Glance on a penalty shot. The Sea Dogs were able to generate some dangerous chances, but just not enough of them.

Jamie Glance gets his first of the pre-season on a penalty shot. pic.twitter.com/z0lMViWIaS

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) August 30, 2026

The Sea Dogs' power play entered the game 3/6 this pre-season. They went 0/3 in this game.

Saint John didn't dress several regulars, so the final result doesn't mean much. This was likely the final chance for a number of players to impress before another round of cuts come along.

Rafaël Courchesne got the start – his first appearance this pre-season – and allowed three goals on 10 shots. Sam Pitcher stopped all 12 shots he faced in the second half of the game.

Justin Gagnon, the eighth overall pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, scored his third and fourth goals of the pre-season to lead the Oceanic to their fourth win of exhibition play. Mathys Dube and Matyas Cutta also scored.

Rimouski went 2/2 on the power play.

Tommy Saulnier played the first two periods in the Oceanic net, allowing a goal on 13 shots. Edouard Lord stopped all four shots he faced in the third.

Pre-Season Game Day 3: vs Oceanic

WOODSTOCK, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs will play their third pre-season game of the week this afternoon at the AYR Motor Centre.

It's the second straight year the Sea Dogs have played a pre-season game in Woodstock. They fell 5-4 to the Moncton Wildcats last year.

This year they'll be facing a different opponent – one they've never faced in pre-season play. The Rimouski Oceanic will make the 3.5 hour drive to Woodstock. It's rare to see Quebec teams facing Atlantic teams in exhibition play, but the Oceanic and Acadie-Bathurst Titan did frequently partner up back in the day.

The Sea Dogs have 30 players remaining on their training camp roster following five reassignments on Saturday. This could be an important game for a number of players as the roster continues to trim down.

Game time today is 4 p.m.

Radio/TV/Stream: None/None/Sea Dogs YouTube

Pre-Season Records: Saint John is 2-0-0-0 for four points this pre-season while Rimouski is 3-0-0-0 for six points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-4 win over the Moncton Wildcats in Fredericton on Friday. Olivier Groulx, Alexis Joseph, Alexander Donovan, Brock Lyons and Dylan Rozzi all scored. Jase MacPherson made 33 stops. The Oceanic are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Quebec Remparts on Friday. Justin Gagnon scored twice while Max Brien added a single. Edouard Lord and Morgan Blackwood split the win in net.

Five more cut from camp

The Saint John Sea Dogs' training camp roster is now down to 30.

The team announced the reassignment of five players on Saturday. That leaves 15 forwards, 11 defensemen and four goaltenders remaining in camp. An updated roster is here.

The five players reassigned on Saturday were:

Forwards

Madison Bouchard

Nathan Riendeau

Kaidan Sahajpal

Defensemen

Brodie Anderson

Julien Lacroix

Riendeau and Anderson were both selected in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft while Bouchard was picked last year. Anderson played in both of Saint John's pre-season games as a seventh defensemen while Bouchard and Riendeau played in Wednesday's game.

Defenseman Lawrence Williams (first-round) and forward Brock Lyons (ninth-round) are the only 2026 picks remaining in camp.

Sahajpal, added as a free agent last year, also played in both of Saint John's pre-season games. Lacroix, a 2025 draft pick, played on Wednesday.

None of these reassignments come as big surprises. With 30 players left, now is when some tough cuts are coming.

The Sea Dogs play their third pre-season game of the week on Sunday when they host the Rimouski Oceanic at 4 p.m. in Woodstock.

Notebook: St. Stephen success

FREDERICTON - With Wednesday's victory over the Moncton Wildcats, the Saint John Sea Dogs improved to 3-2-0-0 all-time in pre-season play at St. Stephen's Garcelon Civic Center.

The Sea Dogs have hosted the Wildcats in three of the five meetings. Saint John has won two of those three games.

Here's a look at the Sea Dogs' all-time results in St. Stephen.

Aug. 26, 2018 - 3-2 win vs Moncton

Aug. 23, 2019 - 4-2 loss vs Halifax

Aug. 20, 2024 - 4-1 win vs Charlottetown

Aug. 20, 2025 - 4-1 loss vs Moncton

Aug. 26, 2026 - 4-1 win vs Moncton

The Sea Dogs continue pre-season play in another border town on Sunday when they host the Rimouski Oceanic at 4 p.m. in Woodstock.

It's the second time the Sea Dogs have held a pre-season game at the AYR Motor Centre. Last year, the Sea Dogs fell to the Wildcats 5-4 in Woodstock.

GLANCE'S FIRST SHIFT

Highly touted American forward Jamie Glance made his QMJHL pre-season debut on Friday. He finished the game with an assist, two shots, one hit and a -2 rating. He had a great scoring chance in the second period, skating through the Moncton defense only to be stopped.

Glance played on a line with Zachary Morin and Alexis Joseph. Here's a look at his first shift.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-4

FINAL: Saint John 5, Moncton 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

FREDERICTON - Olivier Groulx's power play goal was the difference as the Saint John Sea Dogs defeated the Moncton Wildcats 5-4 in pre-season play on Friday night at the Aitken Centre.

Groulx finished off a nice passing play, ripping the puck up on high on Wildcats goaltender Jacoby Weiner to give Saint John a 5-4 advantage with 4:21 to play. Moncton pressed at times in the final minutes but Saint John was able to hang on.

Along with Groulx, Alexis Joseph, Alexander Donovan, Brock Lyons and Dylan Rozzi also scored in what was an entertaining pre-season tilt. Jase MacPherson made 33 stops in the win.

Moncton had goals from Niko Tournas, Charlie Benigno, Elliott Mullen and Jiko Laitinen. Yegor Rybkin played the first half of the game, allowing three goals on 23 shots. Weiner allowed two goals on 11 shots in the second half.

After playing to a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes, the two teams combined for six goals in the second period. Moncton grabbed a 2-1 lead early on only for Donovan and Lyons to score 50 seconds apart to give Saint John a 3-2 advantage.

After the Wildcats tied it up again, Rozzi scored at 15:42 to put Saint John ahead again – only for Laitinen to score the equalizer less than three minutes later.

In the third, Groulx netted the lone goal on a power play. Saint John went 2/3 on the man advantage while Moncton went 0/2.

Pre-Season Game Day 2: at Moncton

FREDERICTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats are set to meet again.

The two provincial rivals faced off in St. Stephen on Wednesday night with the Sea Dogs skating away with a 4-1 victory. Tonight, the two will meet in the provincial capital as the Wildcats host Saint John at UNB's Aitken Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Sea Dogs played three regular season games at the Aitken Centre last season, losing two of them. Tonight they will be the road team.

Saint John had a pretty strong showing on Wednesday but we'll likely see several lineup changes from both teams. Both squads still have quite a few cuts to make before final rosters are set.

This will be the fourth game of the pre-season for the Wildcats but just the second for the Sea Dogs. These two won't meet again until Saint John's regular season home opener on Sept. 25 at TD Station.

Radio/TV/Stream: None/None/Wildcats YouTube (probably?)

Pre-Season Records: Saint John is 1-0-0-0 for two points this pre-season while Moncton is 1-2-0-0 for two points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Wildcats met on Wednesday night in St. Stephen where Saint John posted a 4-1 win.  Jabez Seymour, Madison Bouchard, Ryan Howard and Kaiden Sahajpal all scored for Saint John. Brody Leet scored Moncton's lone goal. Sam Pitcher made 17 stops in the win. For Moncton, Jacoby Weiner played the first two periods and allowed three goals on 13 shots while Nathan Chenier played the third and allowed a goal on eight shots.

Some video from training camp

For those who haven't been able to catch some of Saint John Sea Dogs training camp or pre-season, here's some video of a few of the new players in action.

Defenseman Lawrence Williams, Saint John's top pick in June's QMJHL Entry Draft.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-1

FINAL: Moncton 1, Saint John 4

ST. STEPHEN, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs opened the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League pre-season with a win on Wednesday night.

Jabez Seymour, Madison Bouchard, Ryan Howard and Kaiden Sahajpal all scored while Sam Pitcher made 17 stops in a 4-1 win over the Moncton Wildcats at St. Stephen's Garcelon Civic Center.

Pitcher nearly posted a shutout, recording 54:55 of shutout hockey. Brody Leet scored Moncton's lone goal late in the third. Returning netminder Jacoby Weiner played the first two periods and allowed three goals on 13 shots. Nathan Chenier played the third and allowed a goal on eight shots.

The Sea Dogs opened the scoring just 4:10 in when Seymour converted. Then on a power play at 10:37, Bouchard cut through the crease and slid the puck between Weiner's outstretched leg and the post to make it 2-0 after 20 minutes.

At 18:13 of the second, Howard scored on a long shorthanded breakaway to make it 3-0.

Saint John grabbed a 4-0 advantage at 2:52 when Sahajpal went in alone and made a nice deke on Chenier.

Moncton went 0/6 on the power play while Saint John went 1/3.

Pre-Season Game Day 1: vs Wildcats

ST. STEPHEN, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League pre-season play tonight against a familiar foe.

The Sea Dogs will host the Moncton Wildcats this evening at St. Stephen's Garcelon Civic Center, the opponent that swept them in the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs last season.

Both teams should look quite a bit different tonight. Both squads are at similar stages of training camp and have several cuts yet to make.

The Wildcats have already played two pre-season games, defeating the Newfoundland Regiment 6-4 last Friday before falling 8-2 to the Charlottetown Islanders on Saturday.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats met last season in St. Stephen with Moncton posting a 4-1 win.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

Radio/TV/Stream: None/None/YouTube

Pre-Season Records: Moncton is 1-1-0-0 this pre-season. This is the first game of the pre-season for Saint John.

Last games: The Wildcats are coming off an 8-2 loss to the Charlottetown Islanders on Saturday. Noah Survilas and Evan Foiles scored for Moncton. Will Cole and Nathan Chenier split the loss in net. Saint John has yet to play this pre-season.

2025-26 records: The Sea Dogs finished 23-36-5-0 for 51 points (eighth Eastern/14th QMJHL) last season while the Wildcats were 50-10-2-2 for 104 points (first Eastern/first QMJHL). 

2025-26 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 1-7-0-0 against the Wildcats last season while Moncton went 7-1-0-0. 

Mense added to camp roster; Hlacar staying in OHL

USHL

The Saint John Sea Dogs announced an addition to the club's training camp roster on Monday.

Joe Mense, an overage defenseman who played in the USHL last season, has been added. He joins forward Olivier Lemieux and defenseman Julien Lanthier as 20-year-olds currently on the camp roster.

A Port Jefferson, New York native, Mense has spent the past three seasons in the USHL, splitting time between the Sioux City Musketeers and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Last season in Cedar Rapids, the d-man posted five assists in 22 games.

In 115 USHL games split over three seasons, Mense has posted four goals and 27 assists.

He's listed at 6'2" and 214 lbs.

The Sea Dogs also announced Monday that overage forward Matthew Hlacar will not be joining the team's training camp, instead signing in the OHL. It was announced in late July that Hlacar would attend Sea Dogs camp as a free agent.

Former Kitchener Rangers F Matthew Hlacar isn't skating yet, but is at Brantford Bulldogs training camp.

— Josh Brown (@BrownRecord) August 24, 2026

Hlacar has spent the past two seasons in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers, helping the team win a league title and Memorial Cup last year. He posted six goals and six assists in 51 regular season games last season and another goal in 15 playoff matches.

Hlacar was a seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2025 NHL Draft.

With these announcements, Saint John's camp roster now sits at 35 players: 18 forwards, 13 defensemen and four goaltenders.

The Sea Dogs begin pre-season play on Wednesday night when they host the Moncton Wildcats in St. Stephen. Game time is 7 p.m.

21 players reassigned from training camp

QUISPAMSIS, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs have wasted little time making a significant round of cuts from the team's training camp roster.

The Sea Dogs announced Sunday night that 21 players have been reassigned. The cuts come following the completion of phase one of training camp, which featured rookies and free agent invites.

There were no big surprises amongst the reassignments.

Forwards

Kareem Baig-Mirza (free agent)

Thomas Bond

Dylan-Alec Chery

Samuel Deschenes (free agent)

Carson Ferdinand (free agent)

Dylan Hug (free agent)

Wyatt Jinman (free agent)

Zack Labelle

Glenfall Lewis (free agent)

Carter Odell

Travis Tremblay (free agent)

Brayden Waterhouse (free agent)

Defensemen 

Xavier Ayotte (free agent)

Justin Hamel

Ben Loucks (free agent)

Louis Métivier

Goaltenders 

Daniel Blanchard (free agent)

Pierce Brackett (free agent)

Philippe Harvey 

Olivier Pépin (free agent)

Will Torres

Players that took part in phase one of camp and are advancing to the second phase include forwards Madison Bouchard, Matyas Cancik, Brock Lyons, Felix Pronovost, Nathan Riendeau, Kaidan Sahajpal and Elliot Tozer; defensemen Brodie Anderson, Jayden Connors (free agent), Jesse Dunlap, Julien Lacroix and Lawrence Williams; and goaltenders Jase MacPherson and Sam Pitcher.

The Sea Dogs have posted an updated training camp roster which now consists of 18 forwards, 12 defensemen and four goaltenders.

Phase two of training camp is set to begin on Monday. The Sea Dogs will play their first game of the pre-season on Wednesday when they host the Moncton Wildcats in St. Stephen.

Team Blue rebounds with 6-3 win

QUISPAMSIS, NB - After falling 9-2 to Team White on Saturday, Team Blue responded with a 6-3 victory in Saint John Sea Dogs intrasquad action on Sunday.

Brock Lyons netted a pair of goals for the winning side while Glenfall Lewis (or Dylan-Alec Chery – unsure who made the last touch), Matyas Cancik, Brodie Anderson and Felix Pronovost added singles.

Team White had a pair of goals from Travis Tremblay and a solo marker from Dylan Hug.

Unlike Saturday's action that saw the teams play two 25-minute periods, Sunday's play was split into three periods of 15-minutes each. All six goaltenders saw action.

For Team Blue, Pierce Brackett got the start followed by Olivier Pepin and Will Torres. Each netminder allowed one goal.

On the Team White side, Daniel Blanchard started and allowed two goals in the opening frame. Philippe Harvey allowed one goal in the second period and Sam Pitcher let in two in the third. Team Blue's sixth goal was an empty netter.

Like Saturday, there was a short fight. In the third period, Brayden Waterhouse and Julien Lacroix dropped the gloves.

This concluded the first phase of Sea Dogs training camp, which featured rookies and free agent invites. The second phase, which is set to begin Monday, will include returning players and newly acquired veterans.

Here are a few videos from Sunday's action.

Notebook: Magnusson signs in BCHL

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Carl-Otto Magnusson has found a home for the 2026-27 season.

The overage defenseman has signed with the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL. The move comes after Magnusson was not part of UConn's freshman class for this upcoming season.

“I’m really excited to join the Nanaimo Clippers and get to know all the guys, the town and the community,” said Magnusson in a news release. “I’m looking forward to getting over there, meeting everyone and competing with the team. I can’t wait to get started!”

The defensive defenseman was traded to Saint John from the Moncton Wildcats during the holiday trade period. Magnusson was held pointless in 25 regular season games with the Sea Dogs and in three playoff contests. He was listed as a healthy scratch for one of the Sea Dogs' post-season matches.

While eligible to play another season in the QMJHL, he would take up both an overage and import spots, something that doesn't happen too often.

REGIMENT CAMP IN SUMMERSIDE

The Newfoundland Regiment are holding the first portion of their training camp in Summerside.

The Regiment are using the Gerard "Turk" Gallant Arena, which is the secondary ice surface at Summerside's Credit Union Place. In attendance on Thursday was Gallant himself. 

The former Sea Dogs head coach was seen catching up with another former Sea Dogs head coach in Gordie Dwyer, the Regiment's bench boss and general manager.

The pride of Summerside 🤩

Jack Adams winner and local legend Gerard Gallant stopped by the rink this morning to take in some intrasquad action.

Unite. Inspire. Defend. pic.twitter.com/imzS74xhjB

— Newfoundland Regiment (@nlregiment) August 20, 2026

The Regiment will play a couple pre-season games in the Maritimes this weekend before shifting things to Newfoundland.

Sea Dogs open training camp with intrasquad game

QUISPAMSIS, NB - Team White defeated Team Blue 9-2 on the opening day of on-ice sessions at Saint John Sea Dogs training camp.

Defenseman Jesse Dunlap and forward Kareem Baig-Mirza led Team White with a pair of goals each. Singles came from Madison Bouchard, Oliver Ozogany, Samuel Deschenes, Dylan Hug and Lawrence Williams.

Team Blue had goals from Wyatt Jinman and Matyas Cancik.

The game consisted of two 25-minute periods. Both teams played three goaltenders. On the Team White side, Philippe Harvey started the game and allowed two goals. Sam Pitcher and Daniel Blanchard did not allow any goals.

For Team Blue, Olivier Pepin started and allowed one goal. Will Torres then took over and allowed five goals. Pierce Brackett ended the game and allowed three goals.

The full rosters for the game are below. Glenfall Lewis also dressed for Team Blue.

Rosters are set for our first Blue vs White game of training camp.

Puck drops at 10:30 a.m. at the @Quispamsisqplex.#GoDogsGo | #SeaDogsCamp pic.twitter.com/yl7VGWLEvJ

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 22, 2026

The Sea Dogs will hold more on-ice sessions on Sunday at the qplex beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Here are a few videos from Saturday's action.

Training camp is here

QUISPAMSIS, NB – Here we go.

What has the makings of a fascinating season officially gets underway Saturday morning as the Saint John Sea Dogs open up training camp at the Quispamsis qplex.

The first phase of camp begins at 10:30 a.m. with an on-ice session which will be followed by a goaltending session at 12:30 p.m.. The team will do that all over again on Sunday before the second phase of camp – which will feature veterans and returning players – begins on Monday.

This weekend's sessions will give fans their first look at the team's 2026 draft class along with free agent invites. That includes defenseman Lawrence Williams, the team's first-round pick from June's QMJHL Entry Draft.

While there will be plenty of attention on the players, there will also be some eyes on the coaching staff. The Jim Hulton era of Sea Dogs hockey is set to begin – and it's no doubt going to bring a fresh style to Saint John.

Sea Dogs introduce two new season ticket packages

The Saint John Sea Dogs released season ticket information on Friday – with notable additions.

The team has introduced a season value pass – appropriately sponsored by No Frills – and an under-13 season ticket membership option, giving fans two more affordable options to watch Sea Dogs hockey.

From the team:

The No Frills Season Value Pass offers fans the opportunity to attend all 32 Sea Dogs regular-season home games for $299, plus taxes and fees. That means fans can enjoy a full season of Sea Dogs hockey for less than $10 per game, providing the most affordable way to experience CHL hockey in Eastern Canada.

The No Frills Season Value Pass allows fans to secure their seat for every regular-season home game in select upper-bowl corner sections without the added costs and benefits that come with a full Season Ticket Membership.

The Sea Dogs are also introducing the 13U Season Ticket Membership, a new option created specifically for younger fans.

For $168, plus taxes and fees ($200 all-in), children who are 13 or younger for the entire 2026-27 season can enjoy a full Season Ticket Membership experience. The 13U Season Ticket Membership provides families with an affordable way to build memories at the rink while introducing the next generation of Sea Dogs fans to the game.

The season value pass is available only in sections 4, 5, 11 and 12 at TD Station, as the map below indicates. It's also important to note that this package offers digital-only tickets, no member benefits and no ticket transfers or exchanges.

As for traditional season ticket memberships, it appears prices remain unchanged from last season. Here's what 2026-27 season tickets cost after including taxes and fees at check out.

	2025-26	2026-27
Adult	$575	$575
Senior	$495	$495
25U	$300	$300
13U	N/A	$200
Season Value Pass	N/A	$350.85

Despite inflation and the switch to Ticketmaster, the Sea Dogs have kept season ticket prices relatively flat for several years now.

Donovan commits to Providence

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Alexander Donovan has committed to Providence College.

The Saint John Sea Dogs forward made the announcement Wednesday on Instagram.

"I’m excited to announce my commitment to play Division 1 hockey at Providence College," Donovan wrote. "Grateful for my family, teammates, coaches, and all who have supported me along the way."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alex Donovan (@alexdonovan19)

Donovan was previously committed to the University of Denver. It was reported during the summer that he was no longer committed to the NCHC school.

The Connecticut native is set to play his second season with the Sea Dogs. In 63 games with the club last season, Donovan posted 25 goals and 28 assists. He added a goal and an assist in four playoff games.

Providence College is becoming a popular landing spot for Sea Dogs alumni. The Hockey East school had Kale McCallum on its roster last season and this year will have Everett Baldwin.

Sea Dogs open camp this weekend

The Saint John Sea Dogs will open training camp this weekend at the Quispamsis qplex.

The team unveiled the schedule for the opening weekend of camp on Wednesday. Following player registration on Friday, the Sea Dogs will take to the ice for the first time on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m.

Here's a look at this weekend's camp schedule.

Saturday, Aug. 22

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. - On-ice session

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. - Goalie session

Sunday, Aug. 23

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. - On-ice session

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. - Goalie session

Like last year, the opening day of training camp will be open exclusively to season ticket members.

The Sea Dogs also released the team's training camp roster, which consists of 53 players. The roster features 28 forwards, 16 defensemen and nine goaltenders.

Rookies and free agents will take to the ice for phase one of camp this weekend. The roster includes 10 free agents.

One notable omission is overage forward Maxime Lafond, who will not attend camp due to personal reasons. It was previously announced that Lafond would attend camp on a loan from the Drummondville Voltiegurs.

20-year-old forward Matthew Hlacar, a free agent invite from the OHL, was also not included on the announced roster. He is still expected to attend camp.

Phase two of camp begins on Monday, which is when most returning and signed players will take to the ice.

The Sea Dogs play their first game of the pre-season on Wednesday in St. Stephen against the Moncton Wildcats.

Catching up on more alumni happenings

Barys Astana

The original Saint John Sea Dog is off to Italy.

Alex Grant signed with the Milano Hockey Club of the ICEHL earlier this off-season. The 37-year-old defenseman spent last season in Denmark, posting two goals and six assists in 19 regular season games with the Odense Bulldogs and another five goals and three assists in 12 post-season games.

Prior to last season, Grant, the first draft pick in Sea Dogs history back in 2005, had spent all of his non-North American playing days in the KHL.

It's been a busy off-season for several Sea Dogs alumni. Thanks to Elite Prospects, here's a look at a few more notable moves, beyond what we've covered already this summer.

• William Dufour has inked with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of Germany's DEL. Dufour bounced around quite a bit last season, spending much of the year with the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets.
• Chris DiDomenico has signed with IF Björklöven of Sweden's SHL. The 37-year-old has spent most of his professional career in Switzerland.
• Julien Gauthier is also heading to the SHL. The 28-year-old has signed with Brynäs IF. Gauthier has had a rough couple years due to injuries. He played in just 25 regular season AHL games last year.
• Nicolas Guay appears set to play a second season with the EIHL's Belfast Giants. The 27-year-old posted 45 points in 52 games with the Giants last season.
• Stanislav Galiev is set to play his second season with the KHL's Dinamo Minsk. Last season, the 34-year-old recorded 20 goals and 13 assists in 54 games.
• Maxim Cajkovic will play with HC Kometa Brno in Czechia this season. He spent the past two seasons with HC Litvínov in Czechia.
• Simon Bourque, part of the 2017 President Cup championship team, will be back in the ICEHL. The 29-year-old defenseman is set to play his second season with the Vienna Capitals.
• James White has signed with Poland's Cracovia Krakow. The 25-year-old played in Slovakia's second league last season. White completed his university career with Ontario Tech in 2024-25 and also appeared in five games with the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers that season.

Notebook: Hockey back soon

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League pre-season officially got underway this past weekend with a pair of games between the Victoriaville Tigres and Sherbrooke Phoenix.

Things really get going this coming weekend with lots of games. For the Saint John Sea Dogs, though, they will have to wait just over a week until they open up pre-season play.

The Sea Dogs play their first of five exhibition games on Wednesday, Aug. 26 against the Moncton Wildcats. They'll play two other games later that week as well.

At the time of this writing, Saint John has not released any training camp schedule details. The team has not released its full camp roster yet either but has announced several free agent invites.

The Sea Dogs begin the regular season in just over a month. They'll visit the Newfoundland Regiment on Sept. 18 in what will be the first game of the 2026-27 QMJHL season.

MAGNUSSON NOT AT UCONN

The UConn Huskies men's hockey team unveiled its freshman class last week with a notable omission.

Defenseman Carl-Otto Magnusson, who had previously committed to UConn and was expected to enroll this season, was not listed as part of the class.

It's unclear where Magnusson will play this coming season. The 20-year-old could return to the Sea Dogs but that seems unlikely given that he would take up both an overage and import spot. 

The Swede was traded to the Sea Dogs mid-season from the Moncton Wildcats. The defensive defenseman was held pointless in 25 regular season games with Saint John and in three playoff games. He was listed as a healthy scratch for one of the Sea Dogs' post-season matches.

Sea Dogs sign Ozogany

Andrej Galica/Slovak Ice Hockey Federation

The Saint John Sea Dogs have officially added another piece to their roster.

The team announced on Thursday that Slovakian forward Oliver Ozogany, who was selected by Saint John with the 44th overall pick in this year's CHL Import Draft, has been signed to a QMJHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.

Ozogany is fresh off competing for Slovakia at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton where he posted an assist in five games.

“We’re excited to welcome Oliver to the Sea Dogs. He is a player with a lot of potential,” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release. “His experience playing as a 16-year-old in North America with Tri-City will help him in his transition to the CHL. He has been an important player for his country for many years now, and we look forward to him being important to us and our championship aspirations.”

While Ozogany is obviously an import, he's spent the past three seasons playing in the United States, including the 2025-26 campaign in the USHL. In 56 games with the Tri-City Storm last year, he posted nine goals and eight assists.

Listed at 6'2" and 203 lbs, Ozogany has an early birthday and will turn 18 in January.

The Sea Dogs have now signed their top two picks from this year's Import Draft. The team previously signed Czech forward Matyas Cancik.

The team's third pick from this year's Import Draft, Finnish defenseman Vertti Svensk, remains unsigned. A Los Angeles Kings prospect, he would be a massive addition to Saint John's backend – but one that is likely a complicated signing.

Notebook: Arkells comment on jersey choice

Arkells

Following quite a bit of feedback, the Arkells have responded to their unexpected wardrobe choice on Saturday night in Moncton.

Opening for the Jonas Brothers on the Université de Moncton campus, lead singer Max Kerman took to the stage wearing a Saint John Sea Dogs jersey – the same one he wore at Area 506 last year.

"Thought I was making friends in Moncton with the jersey. Oops. Great to see you all!," the band wrote in an Instagram post.

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A post shared by arkellsmusic (@arkellsmusic)

JOSEPH RANKED SIXTH

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph was ranked sixth in The Athletic's pre-season rankings for the 2027 NHL Draft.

The pressure is certainly starting to heat up on Joseph as his second QMJHL season nears.

"He is a summer birthday, so with continued development he could profile as the kind of center teams covet as a cornerstone piece," writes Wheeler. "But you have to show it on the ice again and again, and he has left me wanting more a little too frequently. I thought about dropping him into Tier 3 here and will if he doesn't pick it up."

NHL.com had a story on Joseph during the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Sea Dogs forward Jamie Glance, meanwhile, was ranked 22nd by The Athletic. Prospect Finnegan Sears was an honourable mention.

Arkells wear Sea Dogs jersey to open Jonas Brothers concert

MONCTON - Saturday's Jonas Brothers concert on the Université de Moncton campus opened with an unexpected scene: a Saint John Sea Dogs jersey.

The Arkells opened for the Jonas Brothers and lead singer Max Kerman took to the stage wearing a unique/unusual Sea Dogs jersey.

An unexpected scene at the Jonas Brothers concert tonight. The Arkells open up the show by wearing a Sea Dogs jersey… in Moncton. pic.twitter.com/3H3fM7oA2L

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) August 9, 2026

It's not the first time Kerman has worn this Sea Dogs jersey. He wore it at Area 506 last year in Saint John.

Max Kerman of The Arkells wearing a very unusual Sea Dogs jersey at Area 506 last night. pic.twitter.com/DGHjqXZ9kn

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) August 4, 2025

Always cool to see Saint John being represented by the Arkells – but certainly not what you'd expect to see at a Moncton concert.

Canada captures Hlinka Gretzky gold

Alexis Joseph and Team Canada are 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup champions.

Canada captured the gold medal of the under-18 tournament with an 8-1 victory over the United States on Saturday in Edmonton. The Canadians scored three times in both the first and second periods.

Joseph, who was dropped to Canada's fourth line for this game, was held pointless on Saturday and finishes the tournament with a goal and two assists in five games. The Saint John Sea Dogs forward was held pointless in Friday's semifinal victory as well.

Canada finished the event with a perfect 5-0 record, which included winning all three games in the preliminary round.

GAME OVER! IT'S GOLD IN EDMONTON! 🇨🇦🇺🇸

MATCH FINI! MÉDAILLÉS D’OR À EDMONTON! 🇨🇦🇺🇸

📊 https://t.co/hU5AoHBg95
📊 https://t.co/EdF5Cx7RiP #HlinkaGretzkyCup | #CoupeHlinkaGretzky | @UpperDeckSports pic.twitter.com/iGvecpEZDn

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 9, 2026

Forward Oliver Ozogany and Slovakia, meanwhile, lost 3-2 to Finland in Saturday afternoon's bronze medal game. The Slovaks blew a 2-0 first period lead in the loss.

Ozogany, who was selected by the Sea Dogs in this year's CHL Import Draft, appeared in all five of Slovakia's games, registering one assist.

The only other Sea Dog taking part in the tournament was forward Matyas Cancik, who played in just one game after suffering an injury in Czechia's opener. The Czechs finished in sixth-place.

Catching up on alumni happenings

Embed from Getty Images 

Simon Despres is back in North American.

The 35-year-old signed with the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets earlier this week. A professional hockey veteran, Despres has never appeared in an ECHL game.

“Simon has played at every level in our game and has had success. He’s played in the best leagues in the world alongside some of the best players in the game,” said Komets head coach Ben Boudreau in a news release. "He is a big-body defenseman with an ability to move the puck and produce points while being a physical presence and dominating defensively.”

Despres spent most of last season with the EIHL's Fife Flyers where he posted a goal and 10 assists in 41 games. He also appeared in 12 games with the Australian league's Melbourne Ice and nine games in the LNAH with the Saint-Hyacinthe Bataillon.

Despres hasn't spent a full season in North America since his final NHL campaign in 2016-17, where he appeared in just one game with the Anaheim Ducks. Despres struggled with concussions, ultimately ending his NHL career at 193 games.

The first overall pick in the 2007 QMJHL Entry Draft, Despres spent four seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs which ended with a Memorial Cup title in 2011.

Following his NHL career, Despres has played in the KHL (Russia), DEL (Germany), SHL (Sweden), ICEHL (central Europe), EIHL (UK) and AIHL (Australia).

Joseph, Ozogany advance at Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Hockey Canada Images

Alexis Joseph and Team Canada will take on Finland in the semifinals of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Friday.

Canada improved to 3-0 at the tournament with a 7-4 win over Sweden on Wednesday. They opened the event with a 7-3 win over Switzerland on Monday and followed that up with a 6-1 victory over Slovakia.

Joseph, who has been playing on Canada's second line with Brock England and Ryerson Edgar, has a goal and two assists in the three games. His goal came in Wednesday's win.

They don’t ask how 🗣️

Alexis Joseph picks up his first of the tournament on a deflection off his leg to extend Canada’s lead on the power play!#GoDogsGo | #HlinkaGretzkyCup pic.twitter.com/yBimP8EgRw

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 6, 2026

The other semifinal will feature Slovakia taking on the United States. The bronze and gold medal games will take place on Saturday.

The Slovaks feature forward Oliver Ozogany, who was picked by the Sea Dogs in this year's CHL Import Draft. Ozogany, who has been skating on Slovakia's top line, has recorded an assist in three games.

Forward Matyas Cancik, who was also a 2026 CHL Import Draft pick of Saint John and a recent signee, has appeared in just one game with Czechia after suffering an injury in the team's tournament opener. The Czechs will face Switzerland in the fifth-place game on Friday.

Sea Dogs returning to Fredericton (for pre-season)

The Saint John Sea Dogs are returning to Fredericton.

The Sea Dogs will hit the Aitken Centre ice on Friday, Aug. 28 when they take on the Moncton Wildcats in QMJHL pre-season play. It will be a Wildcats home game.

The UNB Reds are marketing the game as "Gardiner MacDougall returns." MacDougall and the Wildcats also hosted the Sea Dogs in pre-season play last year at the Aitken Centre.

“It should be one of the marquee pre-season games,” said MacDougall in a Reds new release. “Both teams will have very competitive rosters with plenty of new players in the line-up. It will be a key foundational game for our team as we look to establish the positive habits necessary for success in the QMJHL.”

UNB has been a frequent pre-season destination for the Sea Dogs. The team also played three regular season games at the Aitken Centre last season, losing two of the three.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats will meet a couple nights prior as well, facing off in St. Stephen. That will be Saint John's first game of the pre-season.

The Sea Dogs will play five games this pre-season.

Wed., Aug. 26: Moncton vs Saint John at St. Stephen's Garcelon Civic Center 

Fri., Aug. 28: Saint John vs Moncton at location Fredericton's Aitken Centre 

Sun., Aug. 30: Rimouski vs Saint John at Woodstock's AYR Motor Centre 

Fri., Sept. 4: Halifax vs Saint John at TD Station 

Fri., Sept. 11: Saint John vs Halifax at Dartmouth's RBC Centre

Tickets are now on sale for both the St. Stephen and Woodstock games. Tickets for the Fredericton game will be available beginning this Friday.