Catching up on alumni happenings

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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).

Catching up on some other Sea Dogs alumni happenings...

• Speaking of the Komets, joining Despres on the blue line will be Olivier LeBlanc. The Tahoe Knight Monsters traded LeBlanc to the Komets, who have since signed the 30-year-old. LeBlanc appeared in 52 games with Tahoe last season where he recorded two goals and nine assists.
• After wrapping up his junior career with the Shawinigan Cataractes this past season, Vince Elie is heading to Germany. The 21-year-old has signed with the Stuttgart Rebels, who play in the third division of German hockey. Elie was previously committed to the NCAA's Clarkson Golden Knights. 
• Forward Ben Cross has signed with the UNB Reds. The Fredericton native spent last season with the MHL's Chaleur Lightning where he posted 42 goals and 78 points in 51 games. He spent the entire 2024-25 season with the Sea Dogs, registering 11 goals and 13 assists in 60 contests.
• Forward Drew Elliott has signed a one-year AHL deal with the San Diego Gulls. The Saint John native appeared in six games with the Gulls last season, recoding a goal. Elliott spent most of the 2025-26 campaign with the ECHL's Tulsa Oilers where he recorded 14 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.
• Defenseman Jeremie Richard has been named captain of the MHL's Amherst Ramblers for the 2026-27 season. The 20-year-old has spent parts of the past three seasons with the Ramblers. Richard, a third-round pick of Saint John in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft, spent parts of two seasons with the Sea Dogs, appearing in 33 regular season games and a playoff contest.
• Defenseman Raivis Ansons has signed with the ECHL's Bloomington Bison, who are now affiliated with the Winnipeg Jets. The 24-year-old split last season between the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and ECHL's Wheeling Nailers. This is the first time Ansons has left the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, who selected him in the fifth-round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
• Goaltender Blade Mann-Dixon has been named goaltending coach of the StFX men's and women's hockey teams. The 29-year-old spent the past few seasons as the goaltending and video coach of the Cape Breton Eagles. Mann-Dixon is a StFX alumnus.
• Former Sea Dogs goaltending and video coach Max Essiambre has taken on that same role with the ECHL's Kansas City Mavericks. Essiambre worked with the OHL's Oshawa Generals last season.
• Forward Mike Neil, a Saint John native who spent the inaugural 2005-06 season with the Sea Dogs, has been named head coach of the EDZA South U13AAA Southern Rangers for the 2026-27 season. Neil was an assistant coach with the team last year.