Beausejour senior league coming to LBR

The Beausejour Senior Hockey League is coming to Saint John.

In a social media post on Sunday, it was announced that the "Saint John Flames" will be reborn and become a member of the popular senior circuit beginning this fall.

From the Saint John Flames Facebook page:

THE FLAMES ARE BACK 🔥 

Saint John hockey just got its identity back. We’re proud to announce the return of the Saint John Flames as the newest Sr. A team in the Beausejour Senior Hockey League. This isn’t just another team, this is history, culture, and community coming back to life in this city.

For generations, the Flames meant something here. Packed rinks, hard-nosed hockey, and a standard that never slipped. Now it’s our turn to bring that back and build something the city can rally behind again.

The team will play their home games at the Lord Beaverbrook Rink. A website has already been launched with an online merch store.

The BSHL has been steadily growing in popularity in recent years. This past season, the league ended its season with six teams: Amherst, Bouctouche, Dalhousie, Elsipogtog, Fredericton and Miramichi. The regular season began in mid-October and the playoffs ended in late March.

The league is loaded with former QMJHL players – including quite a few Saint John Sea Dogs alumni. Former Sea Dogs forward Ryan Tesink (Fredericton) and Dawson Stairs (Dalhousie) finished second and third, respectively, in league scoring.

The Flames will no doubt look to follow the same steps the Fredericton Express took this past season. Not only was the team very good on the ice, but the Express sold out most of their home games and had a real buzz around them. 

What does this mean for the Sea Dogs? While the Flames will likely build out their schedule to not overlap with Sea Dogs home games, this does give the Dogs some competition for the the attention and money of the city's hockey fans – and it's coming from just down the road at the LBR.

For Sea Dogs fans, this is likely a great thing. Fans get more hockey to watch (and, let's be brutally honest: hockey with fighting), former Sea Dogs will be in action frequently and it puts further pressure on the Dogs to put together a great product on and off the ice.

Armada stun Wildcats in final second to force Game 7; Sagueneens advance to final

Sebastien Gervais/Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

A Justin Carbonneau goal with 0.5 seconds remaining in regulation time has forced a Game 7 in the semifinal playoff series between the Moncton Wildcats and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

After a Bill Zonnon faceoff win in the offensive zone, Carbonneau ripped a perfectly placed shot top corner on Wildcats goaltender Rudy Guimond to give the Armada a 3-2 lead – their first and only lead of the game.

Justin Carbonneau, at the very last second!!! 😤😤😤
@ArmadaBLB wins 3-2 and forces a Game 7, tuesday in Moncton!#QPlayoffs | #Proxi | @StLouisBlues | #stlbluespic.twitter.com/Fo2972BO0y

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 3, 2026

Xavier Villeneuve had tied the game at 19:12 of the third period with goaltender Zach Pelletier – who got the start in place of the injured William Lacelle – on the bench.

In short, the Wildcats were 48 seconds away from advancing to the Gilles Courteau Trophy final. Now they're hading back to Moncton to prepare for a Game 7 on Tuesday night. It will be fascinating to see if this devastating loss impacts the Wildcats at all.

Maël Lavigne also scored for the Armada. He has scored in five of the six games in this series.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forwards Jacob Beaulieu and Elliot Dubé did not register any points in the victory. Beaulieu had one hit while Dubé had one shot.

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen had one shot and was a +1 in the loss.

The winner of this series will take on the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the QMJHL's championship series. The Sags defeated the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 6-3 on Sunday to take the semifinal in six games. This will be Chicoutimi's first appearance in the league final since 1997.

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.

Murnieks, Latvia to play for U18 bronze; Wildcats, Sagueneens a win away from final

Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF

MONCTON - Olivers Murnieks and Team Latvia will play for bronze at the IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

Latvia, coming off a major upset of the United States in the quarterfinals, fell 1-0 to host Slovakia in semifinal play on Friday. The Latvians were outshot 22-14 in the loss.

Latvia will play Czechia in the bronze medal game on Saturday morning. Slovakia will take on Sweden for gold.

Murnieks had two shots and was a -1 in 22:18 of ice time – which was the second most on the team. The Saint John Sea Dogs forward has a goal and five assists in six games at the event.

Murnieks was named one of Latvia's best players of the tournament after the game.

Par labākajiem trīs Latvijas U-18 izlases hokejistiem atzīti Patriks Plūmiņš, Olivers Mūrnieks un Martins Klaucāns 🇱🇻#U18MensWorlds #hokejs pic.twitter.com/9DkHymQPdT

— Rems Ratņikovs (@HKJ_Apskatnieks) May 1, 2026

A few other Friday night news and notes...

• The Moncton Wildcats are a win away from returning to the QMJHL final for a second straight season. Teddy Mutryn and Tommy Bleyl each had a goal and two assists in Moncton's 6-2 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Friday at Avenir Centre.
• Niko Tournas, who scored 43 goals in the regular season, ended a seven-game goalless streak with a third period marker. He hadn't scored since Game 1 of the second round.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Jacob Beaulieu left the game briefly in the third period after taking a big hit along the boards. He did return to the game and was given an unsportsmanlike misconduct at 14:24 of the third period. Beaulieu finished a +1 and had three hits.
• Former Sea Dog Elliot Dubé, meanwhile, went 3/5 on faceoffs in the loss. Max Vilen had one assist and four shots for the Wildcats.
• Armada goaltender William Lacelle left the game in the third period with an apparent lower body injury. He had to be helped off the ice following Moncton's fifth goal.
• Three of the four officials – including both referees – that worked last Saturday's Armada/Wildcats game worked this game. Last Saturday's game ended with both benches emptying onto the ice for a lengthy gathering after the game.
• Game 6 is Sunday in Boisbriand.
• The Chicoutimi Sagueneens are also a win away from the QMJHL final after defeating the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4-0. Lucas Beckman stopped all 21 shots he faced in the shutout. Game 6 is Sunday in Rouyn-Noranda.

QMJHL issues statement on Chicoutimi's disallowed goal

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League issued a statement Thursday regarding a controversial call during Wednesday night's semifinal playoff matchup between the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Late in the first period and with the Huskies leading 2-1, the Sagueneens scored what replays on the  FloHockey broadcast appeared to show was a goal. The play was reviewed and it was declared not to be a goal. 

Jugez par vous-mêmes...#fierdetresags#DéfendonsNosCouleurs pic.twitter.com/mKDxrgaA5Q

— Saguenéens (@SagueneensLHJMQ) April 30, 2026

The Huskies won the game 4-3 to even the series at 2-2.

In a statement, the league said officials do not have access to all the camera angles used on the broadcast.

Following the Saguenéens’ disallowed goal on Wednesday night, the QMJHL would like to clarify a few points.

To ensure consistency across the league, the QMJHL uses an identical video replay system for its video judges and on-ice officials in all 18 of its arenas. However, due to technical limitations, this system cannot utilize all of the web broadcaster’s camera angles. Furthermore, the QMJHL wants to ensure that the footage used for reviews is indeed controlled by the league so that the decision-making process remains independent of the teams involved.

In yesterday’s specific case, the camera located behind the net was not accessible to the video judge and officials. The footage they had access to therefore did not allow them to confirm, beyond any doubt, that the puck had crossed the goal line.

The QMJHL is aware of the limitations of the current system and was already in the process of implementing more effective technology league-wide for the 2026-2027 season, which will allow access to additional cameras for the benefit of our players, teams, officials and fans.

Situations like this have happened in the past, but rarely of this magnitude during the league semifinals. In this region, there were some minor incidents like this when Rogers TV broadcast games back in the day.

Game 5 of this series takes place Friday in Chicoutimi.

The QMJHL's other semifinal continues on Friday night as well with the Moncton Wildcats returning home to host the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. That series is also tied 2-2.

Donovan returning to Saint John

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs announced a significant roster move on Thursday.

Forward Alexander Donovan, who was originally slated to begin his time at the University of Denver in the fall, will return to Saint John for a second season with the Sea Dogs.

Donovan, who turned 19 earlier this month, recorded 25 goals and 28 assists in 63 regular season games, finishing second on the team in goals and third in points. He added a goal and an assist in four playoff games.

The forward finished just shy of the franchise record for goals in a season by a rookie, which is 26.

“I’m thrilled to return for a chance to do something special,” said Donovan in a news release. “The opportunity to be back with this group is exciting, and there’s unfinished business. See you soon, Saint John.”

The Connecticut native signed with the Sea Dogs last June as a free agent.

The announcement isn't overly surprising given that Denver, coming off another national championship, is rarely a program struggling with talent. Donovan likely would have been near the bottom of the team's depth chart in 2026-27, but will instead be a major piece in Saint John.

Getting Donovan back for a second season is huge for the Sea Dogs – and hopefully a good omen as the off-season really starts to get rolling.

Murnieks, Latvia upset USA at U18 worlds; Canada eliminated

Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF

Olivers Murnieks and Team Latvia pulled off a historic upset on a wild day at the IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

The Latvians defeated heavily favoured Team USA 5-2 in quarterfinal play, advancing the underdogs into Friday's semifinals against host Slovakia.

Murnieks had two assists in the victory. He also registered two shots while playing a team high 23:41.

The Saint John Sea Dogs forward, who missed most of the second half with injuries, now has a goal and five assists in five games at the tournament. His strong showing should give his draft stock a bit of a boost.

"He had a pair of assists today and has legitimately been one of the most impactful players, regardless of team," writes Steven Ellis in Daily Faceoff. "He makes so many smart passes, and he’s a wizard in the faceoff dot, too. Murnieks deserves love for his two-way game, and he’s a play-driver on a team like Latvia. Without him, the Latvians would have struggled to even make the playoffs."

Sea Dogs prospect Jamie Glance was named the United States' player of the game. He had five shots and was a -1 in 15:43 of ice time.

Glance finishes the tournament with a goal and four assists in five games.

The United States outshot Latvia 45-16 in the game – but the Latvians never trailed. Their final two goals were empty netters.

This is the first time Latvia has defeated the Americans at the under-18 level. As Canadians know, Latvia is no stranger to upsets in international junior hockey.

Team Canada, meanwhile, was also defeated in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, falling 4-2 to Sweden. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence had an assist in the loss.

Alexis Joseph and Cameron Chartrand remained out of the lineup. Joseph, who is a year younger than most of the roster, appeared in just two games before being scratched for the remainder of the tournament. Chartrand did not play in any games.

Sweden will play Czechia in the other semifinal. Czechia defeated Finland to advance.

Germany, meanwhile, has been relegated from the top division following a 4-3 loss to Norway in the relegation game. They'll be replaced by Switzerland at the 2027 event.

Armada even series with Wildcats

Sebastien Gervais/Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

The Moncton Wildcats are coming home with a split.

William Lacelle made 36 saves to lead the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada to a 3-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats on Tuesday night, evening the Gilles-Courteau Trophy semifinal playoff series at 2-2.

The Wildcats opened the scoring but the Armada connected twice in the final minute of the first period to grab momentum. In the second, it looked as though Tommy Bleyl had tied the game with a power play goal but it was called back due to goaltender interference.

The Armada scored midway through the third period to take a 3-1 advantage – a goal that proved to Blainville-Boisbriand's only shot of the period. Shots in the third were 17-1 in favour of Moncton.

Gabe Smith's 13th goal of the playoffs got Moncton within one at 17:54 of the third – but that would be as close as the 'Cats would come.

Torkel Jennersjo, Maël Lavigne and Matt Gosselin had Armada goals. Lavigne, who now has 13 goals this post-season, has scored in five straight games.

Smith and Rian Chudzinski had Moncton goals. Smith has scored in six straight games. Rudy Guimond made 18 stops in the loss.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen had two shots in the loss. For the Armada, Jacob Beaulieu had one shot while Elliot Dubé was held off the scoresheet.

The series now shifts back to Moncton where Game 5 will take place Friday night at Avenir Centre. Game 6 will be Sunday afternoon in Boisbriand.

In the other semifinal series, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens hung on for a 4-3 win over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to take a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 is Wednesday night in Rouyn-Noranda.

Wildcats take series lead; quarterfinals set at U18 worlds

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

The Moncton Wildcats took a 2-1 series lead in the Gilles-Courteau Trophy semifinals on Monday.

The Wildcats scored three goals in five minutes during the second period in a 6-2 win over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada at Centre d'excellence Sports Rousseau. The Armada led 1-0 and 2-1 but could not contain the 'Cats.

The lopsided score comes after two very tight games in Moncton. The Wildcats won 3-2 in a four overtime game last Thursday and 5-4 on Saturday.

Teddy Mutryn had a goal and two assists while Tommy Bleyl had three helpers. St. Andrews native Gabe Smith scored his 12th goal of the playoffs.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen was a +1 in the win.

For the Armada, Jacob Beaulieu had two shots and took a roughing penalty in the first period. Elliot Dubé also took a roughing penalty later in the opening frame.

Despite Saturday's post-game rough stuff, nothing out-of-the-ordinary happened in this game. 

The other semifinals series, which features the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, is tied 1-1. That series resumes on Tuesday in Rouyn-Noranda.

A few other things...

• At the IIHF U18 World Championship on Monday, Canada defeated Finland 7-0 on the final day of preliminary round play. Alexis Joseph and Cameron Chartrand did not play for Canada. The Canadians finished second in Group A and will play Sweden in Tuesday's quarterfinals.
• Olivers Murnieks had an assist and two shots in 20:20 of ice time in Latvia's 5-2 loss to Slovakia. Latvia, who finished fourth in Group A, will play the United States in the quarterfinals.
• On Sunday, Murnieks had a goal and two assists in Latvia's 8-1 victory over Norway. He also recorded three shots and was a +2 in 19:36 of ice time.
• Sea Dogs prospect Jamie Glance had a goal and three assists in the United States' 11-2 victory over Germany. Glance played 18:44 and also registered five shots. The Americans finished first in Group B.
• Mathieu Joseph and the Los Angeles Kings had their season come to an end on Sunday, falling 5-1 to the Colorado Avalanche and losing the first round playoff series in four games. Joseph appeared in two of the four contests and was held pointless. He was also held pointless in 12 regular season games with the Kings.
• The only other former Sea Dog still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is Joe Veleno of the Montreal Canadiens – but Veleno has yet to dress for a playoff game. The Habs and Tampa Bay Lightning are tied 2-2 in a very tight series.
• The Truro Bearcats are Maritime Junior Hockey League champions. The Bearcats defeated the Edmundston Blizzard 5-3 on home ice on Monday to take the championship series in five games. The Bearcats will represent the MHL at next month's Centennial Cup in Summerside.

Notebook: Joseph nominated for another award

JaimeLee Gouthro/Cape Breton Eagles

MONCTON - Saint John Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph was named a finalist for the QMJHL's Sidney Crosby Trophy, which is awarded annually to the league's rookie of the year.

Moncton Wildcats defenseman Tommy Bleyl won the award. Victoriaville Tigres forward Egor Shilov was also nominated.

From the league's press release:

Joseph finished sixth in rookie scoring with 60 points (24 goals, 36 assists) in 54 games. Notably, he was the only 16-year-old player in the top six. In addition to 18 power-play points, he led all rookies with four shorthanded goals. The Sea Dogs’ second-leading scorer, Joseph will not be eligible for the NHL Draft until 2027.

Joseph was also nominated for the Michel-Bergeron Trophy, which is awarded annually to the offensive rookie of the year, and the Paul-Dumont Trophy, which is awarded to the personality of the year.

Bleyl, meanwhile, was also named the QMJHL's defenseman of the year.

LONGEST SEA DOGS GAME

How does the longest game in Sea Dogs history compare to Thursday's four overtime contest between the Moncton Wildcats and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada?

The Sea Dogs have never had a game go beyond double overtime – but they came very close twice during the 2011 President Cup final against the Gatineau Olympiques. Game 4 of that series is the longest in Sea Digs history, lasting 99:16 with Ryan Tesink scoring at 19:16 of the second overtime. The second longest is Game 6, which lasted 95:45 and ended at 15:45 of the second overtime with Alexandre Beauregard scoring the Cup clinching goal.

Saint John has only gone to double overtime four times in team history.

Thursday's game between the Wildcats and Armada was the fifth longest in league history.

Wildcats, Sagueneens even semifinal series; post-game incident in Moncton

Embed from Getty Images

MONCTON - The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League semifinals are living up to the hype.

The Moncton Wildcats scored two goals in 51 seconds late in the third period to defeat the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 5-4 on Saturday at Avenir Centre, evening the series that at 1-1.

Also on Saturday night, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens made a statement, defeating the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 5-2 and outshooting them 35-15 to even that series at 1-1.

Neither Moncton nor Chicoutimi had lost a game in these playoffs until they both dropped their series openers.

Much of the attention on Saturday was on Moncton's third period. Justin Carbonneau scored at 4:45 of the third to give the Armada a 4-3 lead only for Caleb Desnoyers and Evan Dépatie to score at 16:04 and 16:55, respectively, to give the Wildcats a 5-4 advantage – their first lead since they opened the scoring in the first.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen scored his second goal of the playoffs in the middle frame to tie the game at 3-3. He had four shots and was a +2 in the victory.

💣 https://t.co/QWR6Bn3hJ5 pic.twitter.com/2eVZ6weLS5

— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) April 25, 2026

On the Armada side, former Sea Dogs forwards Elliot Dubé and Jacob Beaulieu were held of the scoresheet. Beaulieu was, however, given an unsportsmanlike misconduct penalty for his actions during a wild post-game scuffle between the two teams, which dragged on for several minutes.

Crickard hired by WHL's Broncos

Jeff Parsons/Newfoundland Regiment

Travis Crickard is heading west.

The WHL's Swift Current Broncos named Crickard their new general manager and head coach on Friday. The Broncos had the second worst record in the WHL this past season, finishing 15-44-4-5.

From the Broncos:

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Travis to the Swift Current Broncos,” said Broncos Chairman of the Board Trent McCleary. “Travis brings a wealth of coaching and general manager experience at the CHL level, along with a deep understanding of the standards and expectations within Hockey Canada programs. He understands the importance of building something our fans and city can be proud of and is fully invested in this organization and the people who support it every day. We are confident that his leadership, vision, and dedication will have a lasting impact on our players both on and off the ice, and we’re excited to see where he can help take the Broncos moving forward.” 

“My family and I are truly honoured and grateful for the trust the Broncos Board of Directors have shown in me to serve this storied program and the city of Swift Current,” said Crickard. “We admire the community connection the team has and want to build a team and program the people of Swift Current will be proud to support. The Board of Directors and current staff members have done marvellous work to build a values-driven foundation to help guide the organization. I look forward to helping bring those values to life and make a positive difference in the personal and hockey growth of our players.”

Crickard and the Sea Dogs parted ways on Feb. 26. He had been the team's head coach since the 2022-23 season and was an assistant coach during the 2021-22 campaign, working under Gordie Dwyer and Gardiner MacDougall. The 39-year-old left the Sea Dogs with an 80-158 record as head coach.

Crickard was also Saint John's general manager from Oct. 2024 to Dec. 2025.

This won't be Crickard's first stint in the WHL. He was an assistant coach and goaltending coach with the Kelowna Rockets from 2014 to 2019.

The Broncos, who play in one of the CHL's smallest markets, have not had much success since winning the WHL championship in 2018. Since then, they've reached the 40-win mark once and have only won one playoff series. It will be interesting to see what Crickard can do with the organization, especially in the new recruiting landscape.

Armada win a marathon Game 1

Embed from Getty Images 

MONCTON - Maël Lavigne scored at 7:48 of the fourth overtime to give the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada a 3-2 win in the fifth longest game in Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League history on Thursday.

The goal came soon after the Moncton Wildcats were called for too many men on the ice, which was just the fourth penalty of the game and first since midway through the third period.

Historic night in Moncton! 🥵

Maël Lavigne scores in 4th overtime, and Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand wins it 3-2 to end the 5th longest game - 127:48 - of the QMJHL history! Wow! 🤯#QPlayoffs | #proxipic.twitter.com/FtfugKIW9O

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 24, 2026

The Armada now lead the best-of-seven semifinal playoff series 1-0. The series has a funky schedule – but it works out now given how long this game went. Game 2 isn't until Saturday night.

Blainville-Boisbriand, the underdogs in this series, were certainly worthy of the win even though they trailed much of regulation. The Wildcats led 2-0 early in the third despite the play leaning towards the Armada.

The Armada outshot the Wildcats 68-40. Shots were 23-8 in favour of the Armada in the final two periods of regulation combined. This was just the second time in these playoffs that Moncton was outshot.

The Armada, who entered the game with the league's worst power play in these playoffs with a rating of 10.3%, went 2/3 on the man advantage.

Former Sea Dogs forward Elliot Dubé had plenty of ice time and finished the game with four shots. Jacob Beaulieu, meanwhile, didn't play much after being on the ice for Moncton's first goal.

On the Wildcats side, Max Vilen had one shot and finished the game a -1. He was on the ice for all three Armada goals.

The QMJHL's other semifinal series between the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies begins on Friday.

U18 worlds underway; QMJHL semifinals on deck

IIHF

MONCTON - The U18 Men's World Championship got underway on Wednesday and the semifinals of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy playoffs begin in less than 24 hours.

Here are a few Wednesday evening notes...

• Alexis Joseph and Team Canada opened the U18 Men's World Championship with a 2-1 loss to host Slovakia. It's the first time the Slovaks have defeated Canada at the event. Joseph, playing on Canada's second line, was held pointless and did not record a shot on goal in 16:08 of ice time. Cameron Chartrand did not play. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, was named Canada's player of the game after recording one assist and two shots.
• Sea Dogs prospect Jamie Glance and Team USA also opened the tournament with a loss, falling 3-2 in overtime to Czechia. Glance, playing on USA's second line, recorded four shots in 17:31 of ice time.
• On Thursday, Canada will take on Olivers Murnieks and Latvia at 9 a.m. Atlantic. The Americans have Thursday off and are back in action on Friday against Denmark.
• Also on Thursday, the QMJHL semifinals get going with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada taking on the Moncton Wildcats at Avenir Centre. There will be three former Sea Dogs in the series: Jacob Beaulieu and Elliot Dubé on the Armada and Max Vilen on the Wildcats. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
• The other semifinal series starts Friday with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies visiting the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
• Couple interesting stories in the WHL's final four: the expansion Penticton Vees have made it to the conference finals where they'll face the top-seeded Everett Silvertips. On the other side of the bracket, the Medicine Hat Tigers are back in the conference finals without Gavin McKenna. The Tigers will take on the Prince Albert Raiders.
• The OHL's conference finals have the Brantford Bulldogs taking on the Barrie Colts and the Kitchener Rangers facing the Windsor Spitfires.
• The AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs got underway on Tuesday with the Hershey Bears shutting out Matthew Highmore and the Bridgeport Islanders 2-0. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Thursday in Hershey.
• It hasn't been a great start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Sea Dogs alumni. Thomas Chabot and the Ottawa Senators trail the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 while Mathieu Joseph and the Los Angeles Kings are behind 2-0 to the Colorado Avalanche. Joe Veleno – who has not appeared in any games of the series yet – and the Montreal Canadiens are tied 1-1 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

U18 men's worlds begin Wednesday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The IIHF U18 Men's World Championship begins on Wednesday and will feature a few Saint John Sea Dogs in action.

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph and defenseman Cameron Chartrand were named to Team Canada's 25 player roster on Tuesday. It's worth pointing out that Chartrand (and two others) has not been officially registered yet, giving Canada some roster flexibility.

Joseph recorded two assists in pre-tournament action. He'll have plenty of eyes on him as the potential first overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Joseph posted 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 regular season games with the Sea Dogs. He added another three assists in four playoff matches.

Chartrand, meanwhile, appeared in just 35 regular season games with Saint John due to injuries. He registered two goals and five assists in those games. A strong under-18 tournament could really boost his stock heading into this summer's NHL Draft.

Canada opens the tournament on Tuesday against Slovakia.

Another Sea Dog who struggled to stay healthy this season was forward Olivers Murnieks, who is part of Latvia's registered roster. Murnieks appeared in 31 games with Saint John, posting seven goals and 13 assists – but he hasn't played since Jan. 31.

This will be the second under-18 tournament for Murnieks, who posted two assists in five games last year. He's also played for Latvia at the last two world juniors.

Latvia's first game is on Wednesday against Team Canada.

The United States features forward Jamie Glance, who was a sixth-round pick of Saint John in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft. Glance has spent the past two seasons with the USNTDP and is committed to Boston University for the 2027-28 season.

The Americans play their first game on Tuesday against Czechia.

The 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, which is taking place in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia, ends on May 2. All of Canada's games will be broadcast on TSN.

Sea Dogs land fifth overall pick

QMJHL

The Saint John Sea Dogs will select fifth overall in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft.

The Sea Dogs were unable to move up through this year's draft lottery, which was held Tuesday night. Saint John had just one ball in the lottery, giving them a slim 4.8% chance of winning the top pick.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who had the best odds, won the lottery and will select first overall while the Halifax Mooseheads, who had the second best odds, slid to third.

Here's what the top-five picks currently look like.

Here they are! The Top 5 picks of this year's #QDraft! pic.twitter.com/S3TTP1BacT

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 21, 2026

This was the third straight year that the Sea Dogs were in the draft lottery. They also picked fifth overall in 2024 (William Yared) while last year they won the lottery to pick first (Alexis Joseph).

The Yared selection in 2024 is the only previous time the Sea Dogs have picked fifth overall.

The 2026 QMJHL Entry Draft takes place June 5-6 in Halifax.

Remarkably, this will be the first time the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies select first overall. The Huskies, who are set to play the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the QMJHL semifinals this weekend, previously acquired the pick from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

The Sea Dogs also own the 15th overall pick.

It's draft lottery time

QMJHL

It's the Saint John Sea Dogs' time to shine on Tuesday night.

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League will hold its annual draft lottery at 7:30 p.m. Atlantic on Tuesday, meaning the Sea Dogs will find out where their first selection will be in this year's Entry Draft. The results will be broadcast live on RDS.

Saint John has just one ball in this year's lottery, giving them the fifth best odds of landing the first overall pick – but that hasn't stopped them in the past. The Sea Dogs have had a remarkable amount of success in the lottery over the years, which includes landing the top pick last year.

Here's a look at Saint John's draft lottery history.

Year	Odds of win	Result	Selection
2026	4.8% (5th)	TBD	TBD
2025	28% (2nd)	1st	Alexis Joseph
2024	5% (5th)	5th	William Yared
2020	10% (4th)	3rd	Leighton Carruthers
2019	5% (5th)	1st	Joshua Roy
2018	43% (1st)	2nd	William Villeneuve
2015*	50%	1st	Joe Veleno
2014*	50%	1st	Luke Green
2007*	50%	1st	Simon Despres
2006*	50%	1st	Yann Sauve
2005*	50%	1st	Alex Grant

*Lottery was only between the QMJHL's two last-place teams

As mentioned, the Sea Dogs will have the fifth best odds of winning this year's lottery. The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have the best odds followed by the Halifax Mooseheads – who are hosting this year's draft – Shawinigan Cataractes and Victoriaville Tigres.

Rouyn-Noranda (from Baie-Comeau) – 9 balls – 42.9%

Halifax (from Rimouski) – 6 balls – 28.6% 

Shawinigan (from Gatineau) – 3 balls – 14.3% 1

Victoriaville – 2 balls – 9.5% 

Saint John – 1 ball – 4.8%

The 2026 QMJHL Entry Draft will take place June 5-6 in Halifax.

Notebook: Five Sea Dogs make NHL Central Scouting final rankings

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Five Saint John Sea Dogs were listed in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft.

Olivers Murnieks, Cameron Chartrand, William Yared and Dylan Rozzi were all ranked amongst North American skaters while Rafaël Courchesne was listed amongst North American goaltenders.

98 - Olivers Murnieks

155 - Cameron Chartrand

172 - William Yared

195 - Dylan Rozzi

27 - Rafaël Courchesne

Penn State forward Gavin McKenna was the top-ranked skater. Quebec Remparts forward Maddox Dagenais was the top-ranked skater from the QMJHL at No. 15.

Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, was ranked seventh.

The full rankings can be found here.

The 2026 NHL Draft takes place June 26-27.

JOSEPH NOMINATED

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph was nominated for two QMJHL awards.

Joseph was nominated for the Michel-Bergeron Trophy, which is awarded annually to the offensive rookie of the year, and the Paul-Dumont Trophy, which is awarded to the personality of the year.

Victoriaville Tigres forward Egor Shilov won the Michel-Bergeron Trophy while Newfound Regiment president Glenn Stanford won the Paul-Dumont Trophy.

Jonathan Huberdeau won the Paul-Dumont Trophy in 2012 while Thomas Chabot won in 2017. No Sea Dog has ever won the Michel-Bergeron Trophy.

SUMMERSIDE ELIMINATED

The Summerside Western Capitals had their Maritime Junior Hockey League playoff run come to an end last week.

The Western Capitals fell 3-2 to the Truro Bearcats in Game 7 of the North Division final on Thursday in Summerside. The Bearcats advance to the MHL final where they'll face the Edmundston Blizzard.

Summerside is hosting this year's Centennial Cup national championship. Their first game is on May 7 against the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champions.

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Matthew MacLean had an assist in Game 7, giving him a goal and six helpers in 14 playoff games. Goaltender Justin Robinson only made one appearance, going 0-1.

Armada eliminate Regiment to lock in QMJHL's final four

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

The semifinals of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy Playoffs are set.

The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada finished off the Newfoundland Regiment on Sunday, winning 5-3 to take the second round series in six games. The Regiment led the game 2-0 at one point early in the second period.

The Armada, who finished fourth overall in the QMJHL standings, move on to the third round where they'll face the top-seeded Moncton Wildcats. The dates for the series have yet to be locked in – but it will start in Moncton, just not on Friday with Stars on Ice visiting Avenir Centre.

The other series will feature the No. 2 seed Chicoutimi Sagueneens taking on the No. 3 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. That series begins Friday in Chicoutimi.

The Armada/Wildcats series will feature three former Sea Dogs, all of whom played for the team this season: forwards Elliot Dubé and Jacob Beaulieu along with defenseman Max Vilen.

Beaulieu has been held pointless in 10 playoff games with the Armada while Dubé has one assist. Vilen, meanwhile, has a goal and four assists in eight playoff matches with the Wildcats.

With the Regiment getting eliminated, former Sea Dogs defenseman Patryk Zubek's season comes to an end. Zubek was on Newfoundland's playoff roster but did not appear in any games.

Three of the four semifinal teams have been to the QMJHL final relatively recently: Moncton last year, Rouyn-Noranda in 2019 and Blainville-Boisbriand in 2018. Chicoutimi, though, has not made it past the third round since 1997.

The Armada are the only team remaining that has not won a QMJHL championship.

Ex-Dogs qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Embed from Getty Images

A handful of former Saint John Sea Dogs have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Thomas Chabot (Ottawa Senators), Mathieu Joseph (Los Angeles Kings) and Joe Veleno (Montreal Canadiens) have all qualified for the NHL's post-season, which begin Saturday.

The Senators will face the Carolina Hurricanes; the Kings will take on the Colorado Avalanche; and the Habs will battle the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Chabot, who recently returned much sooner than expected from an arm injury, will play a key role for the Senators. We'll see how much action Joseph, who didn't record a point in 12 games with the Kings, and Veleno get.

Here's a look at how Sea Dogs alumni performed in the NHL this season.

Player	Team	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Charlie Coyle	CBJ	82	20	38	58
Thomas Chabot	OTT	57	7	24	31
Jonathan Huberdeau	CGY	50	10	15	25
Yan Kuznetsov	CGY	57	4	8	12
Mathieu Joseph	STL LAK	51	2	9	11
Joe Veleno	MTL	61	2	3	5
Boko Imama	PIT	2	0	0	0
Joshua Roy	MTL	3	0	0	0
William Villeneuve	TOR	3	0	0	0

Charlie Coyle had a strong season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and has likely made himself one of the top unrestricted free agents entering the off-season.

Jonathan Huberdeau appeared in just 50 games due to an injury.

William Villeneuve, who was a late season call up by the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been reassigned to the AHL's Toronto Marlies for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Boko Imama (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins) and Joshua Roy (Laval Rocket) spent most of their seasons in the AHL. Both teams have qualified for the playoffs.

Three series sweeps completed

Dany Germain/Val-d'Or Foreurs

And just like that, three of the four teams that will take part in the semifinals of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy Playoffs are locked in.

The Moncton Wildcats, Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies all completed series sweeps on Wednesday night, securing spots in the next round. The only second round series remaining is between the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Newfoundland Regiment, which is currently tied at 2-2.

The Wildcats won a 17th straight game on Wednesday, defeating the Val-d'Or Foreurs 4-1. Former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen had three shots in the victory.

Moncton swept Saint John in the first round with their lone hiccup coming in Game 2, which required overtime. In the Val-d'Or series, the Wildcats' toughest match was also Game 2, which they won 3-2.

Like the Wildcats, the Sagueneens are also 8-0 in these playoffs. Lucas Beckman stopped all 20 shots he faced in a 5-0 win over the Quebec Remparts on Wednesday.

Former Sea Dogs forward Egan Beveridge did not play for the Remparts after getting injured in Monday's Game 3.

The Huskies, meanwhile, needed seven games to eliminate the Gatineau Olympiques in the opening round. They really shortened that timeline in the second round, completing a sweep of the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday with a 4-2 victory.

Three of the four games of this series were decided by two goals or less.

This result ends the junior career of former Sea Dogs forward Vince Elie, who scored in the loss. Elie, who is committed to play at Clarkson University this fall, finishes the playoffs with a goal and three assists.

The Sagueneens will face the Huskies in the third round while the Wildcats will take on the winner of the Armada/Regiment series.

Notebook: Two Sea Dogs named to U18 camp roster

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two Saint John Sea Dogs were named to Hockey Canada's camp roster for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph and defenseman Cameron Chartrand were both named to the 23-player roster. More players are likely to be added as teams get eliminated from the CHL playoffs.

Joseph posted 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 regular season games this past season. He also captained Canada Red to gold at the U17 World Challenge this past fall, recording 13 points in five games.

Chartrand appeared in just 35 games with the Sea Dogs this season due to injuries, recording two goals and five assists. He played for Canada Red at the U17 World Challenge in 2024.

Sherbrooke Phoenix forward Thomas Rousseau was the only other QMJHL player invited to the camp. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence of Boston University also earned an invite.

The under-18 tournament takes place April 22 to May 2 in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia.

TRANSFER PORTAL OPENS

It's been a wild few days in NCAA hockey with the sport's transfer portal opening up – which is essentially college hockey's version of free agency.

Here are the Sea Dogs alumni who entered the portal:

• Charles-Edward Gravel (Mercyhurst)
• Charles Savoie (Lindenwood)
• Matteo Mann (Colorado College)

Gravel was essentially forced into the portal with Mercyhurst cutting men's hockey. Mann, meanwhile, was seemingly being pushed out of a roster spot with Colorado College adding defensemen while Savoie was likely looking for an opportunity with a team that is part of a conference (Lindenwood is an independent).

Of the three, only Savoie has found a new home. The 23-year-old, who played at Concordia University during the 2024-25 season, has joined the Lake Superior State Lakers of the CCHA.

McCallum scores first pro goal; Beveridge hurt by blindside hit

Trois-Rivieres Lions

Kale McCallum has scored his first professional goal.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman scored in the Trois-Rivieres Lions' 5-1 win over the Adirondack Thunder on Sunday. The goal came midway through the first period to make it 2-0 at the time.

KALE MCCALLUM INSCRIT SON PREMIER BUT CHEZ LES PROFESSIONNELS 🚨

TR 2 - 0 ADK pic.twitter.com/REqeOWLfny

— Lions de Trois-Rivières (@Lions3r) April 12, 2026

McCallum was also a +2 with two shots in the game.

The night prior, the offensive defenseman registered his first professional points, posting two assists against the Thunder.

The Lions have two regular season games remaining. They will not qualify for the ECHL's Kelly Cup Playoffs.

McCallum spent this past season with the NCAA's Providence College Friars where he recorded five goals and nine assists in 31 games. 

The 24-year-old spent the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with the Sea Dogs.

A few other news and notes...

• Former Sea Dogs forward Egan Beveridge was injured in the Quebec Remparts' 4-0 loss to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Monday. The Sags now lead the series 3-0 and will look to complete the sweep on Wednesday in Quebec City.

  Blindside hit by Liam Lefebvre on Egan Beveridge. Lefebvre gets 5 and a game for it, Beveridge has not returned.
  
  Expecting a possible suspension for Lefebvre as well, the league will look at this pic.twitter.com/vsoGiizqHk

  — Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) April 13, 2026

• The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have taken a 2-1 series lead with a 4-1 win over the Newfoundland Regiment on Monday in St. John's. Jacob Beaulieu had three shots and got into some rough stuff with Ryan Dwyer late in the third period. Game 4 is Tuesday night.
• In the Maritime Junior Hockey League playoffs, the Summerside Western Capitals have forced a Game 7 in the North Division final thanks to a 2-1 win over the Truro Bearcats on Sunday. The winner of Thursday's Game 7, which will be played in Summerside, will take on the Edmundston Blizzard in the MHL final.

Notebook: Lottery odds announced

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will have a 4.8% chance of winning the first overall pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft lottery.

The lottery will take place April 21 at 7:30 p.m. Atlantic and be broadcast live on RDS, the league announced this week.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who own the Baie-Comeau Drakkar's top pick, will have the best odds of winning followed by the Halifax Mooseheads – who are hosting this year's draft. The full odds are below.

18th position: Rouyn-Noranda (from Baie-Comeau) – 9 balls – 42.9% 

17th position: Halifax (from Rimouski) – 6 balls – 28.6% 

16th position: Shawinigan (from Gatineau) – 3 balls – 14.3% 

15th position: Victoriaville – 2 balls – 9.5% 

14th position: Saint John – 1 ball – 4.8%

The Sea Dogs have had good fortune in the draft lottery over the years. They won last year's and went on to select Alexis Joseph with the first overall pick.

The 2026 QMJHL Entry Draft will take place June 5-6 in Halifax.

JOSEPH MAKES ROOKIE TEAM

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph has been named to the QMJHL's rookie all-star team, the league announced this week.

Joseph finished sixth in rookie scoring, posting 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 games.

The full team is below.

Goaltender : Jan Larys, Drummondville 

Defenseman : Tommy Bleyl, Moncton 

Defenseman : Malik L’Italien, Halifax 

Forward : Egor Shilov, Victoriaville 

Forward : Alexey Vlasov, Victoriaville 

Forward : Alexis Joseph, Saint John

The QMJHL also announced its first and second all-star teams.

Villeneuve makes NHL debut; other Saturday notes

Embed from Getty Images 

At long last, William Villeneuve made his NHL debut on Saturday night.

After appearing in 224 games with the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies and getting called up on a few occasions this season only to sit out, the former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman dressed for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers.

rookie lap for William Villeneuve pic.twitter.com/kfkHPgtGCv

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 11, 2026

The 24-year-old had 18:45 of ice time and had one block in the loss.

Villeneuve has three goals and 26 assists in 59 games with the Marlies this season.

According to the Sea Dogs, Villeneuve is the 22nd alumnus to skate in an NHL game. That number is believed to officially be 23 as the team does not recognize Joshua Roy.

🎙️ | William Villeneuve | Post Game vs. Florida Panthers | April 11 pic.twitter.com/7IwwpCOwuC

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 12, 2026

Villeneuve was drafted second overall by the Sea Dogs in the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft. He skated in 216 regular season games with the club and another 11 playoff contests. He helped the team capture the 2022 Memorial Cup title.

Wildcats beat Foreurs; Armada tie series

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

MONCTON - The Moncton Wildcats picked things up right where they left off.

After sweeping the Saint John Sea Dogs in the first round – and dominating the final two games of the series – the Wildcats defeated the Val-d'Or Foreurs 8-1 at Avenir Centre on Friday to take a 1-0 lead in the second round series.

Moncton went 3/5 on the power play.

A few other news and notes from Friday night...

• The Foreurs opened the scoring against the Wildcats on Friday. Moncton has allowed the first goal in all three of their home playoff games but have gone on to win all of them.
• The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada picked up a crucial win in Game 2, erasing a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Newfoundland Regiment 5-3 and tie the series 1-1. Elliot Dubé and Jacob Beaulieu each had one shot on goal. The next three games will be played in St. John's.
• The Chicoutimi Sagueneens scored three unanswered goals to defeat Egan Beveridge and the Quebec Remparts 3-1 to take a 1-0 series lead.
• The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies erased a 3-1 deficit to beat Vince Elie and the Shawinigan Cataractes 8-3 in Game 1. The Huskies scored six goals in the third period.
• In the Maritime Junior Hockey League playoffs, the Summerside Western Capitals scored four times in the first period to defeat the Truro Bearcats 4-2. The Bearcats lead the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Sunday in Truro.
• The Edmundston Blizzard took a 3-2 series lead over the Chaleur Lightning with a 4-2 win in Game 5 on Thursday. Former Sea Dogs forward Ben Cross and defensive prospect Jesse Dunlap were both in the Lightning lineup. Game 6 is Saturday in Bathurst.
• In the NCAA's Frozen Four, Wisconsin will face Denver in Saturday's national championship game.

Second round playoff predictions

Mike Bernard/Quebec Remparts

If the first round is any indication, we could be in for a very entertaining playoffs in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

Three series went to Game 7. There was a major upset with the Val-d'Or Foreurs eliminating the Drummondville Voltigeurs in five games and there was nearly another with the Gatineau Olympiques coming up one win short of pulling off a reverse sweep of the heavily favoured Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Will the entertainment continue into round two?

Here are my picks.

1. Moncton vs 13. Val-d'Or - Wildcats in 4

The Wildcats will need to respect the Foreurs given what they did to the Voltigeurs. Moncton likely learned some lessons from their Game 2 scare against Saint John, winning the final two matches easily. The Foreurs should have some confidence coming into this – but they are not playing the Voltigeurs here. This will be a massive challenge for them. I expect Val-d'Or to push Moncton at times, but not enough to win the series.

2. Chicoutimi vs 9. Quebec - Sagueneens in 4

I don't feel good about this prediction given how long some of the first round series went. But I do feel good about Chicoutimi, who outscored Halifax 24-4 in the opening round. We could see some tight games here, but the Sagueneens have too much firepower and depth for the Remparts to handle. Always fun to get this matchup in the playoffs.

3. Rouyn-Noranda vs 7. Shawinigan - Huskies in 6

Both are coming off Game 7 victories. Both had their problems in the opening round and I'm not overly confident in either – which makes this a fun series to keep an eye on. I'll take the Huskies.

4. Blainville-Boisbriand vs 6. Newfoundland - Armada in 6

The Armada swept the Victoriaville Tigres in the opening round but there were a couple of close games. They had an up-and-down season, but completing a sweep shows they're on the right track so far in these playoffs. The Cape Breton Eagles gave the Regiment some problems in the first round. Newfoundland will need to keep their cool and stay out of the box, which is what we've been saying about them all season.

I picked five of the eight first round series winners correctly. I had Drummondville, Charlottetown and Sherbrooke all advancing.

Second round matchups are set

Vincent Létourneau/Shawinigan Cataractes

The first round of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoffs ended with three Game 7s on Tuesday night.

Here's a quick recap of all three:

• The Quebec Remparts held the Charlottetown Islanders to just 10 shots in the first two periods in a 1-0 win. The Islanders made a push in the third, outshooting the Remparts 12-3, but could not beat goaltender Patrick Déniger. Charlottetown led this series 3-2 coming back to PEI but dropped the final two games on home ice.
• The Gatineau Olympiques came up short of pulling off the reverse sweep, falling 5-0 to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The Olympiques, who finished 40 points back of the Huskies in the standings, dropped the first three games but shockingly won the next three to make a series out of it.
• The Shawinigan Cataractes knocked off the pesky Sherbrooke Phoenix with a commanding 6-1 win on home ice. The road team had won every game in the series up until Game 7.

With those series now completed, the second round matchups have been confirmed. As a reminder, teams have been reseeded based on the overall standings.

1. Moncton vs 13. Val-d'Or

2. Chicoutimi vs 9. Quebec

3. Rouyn-Noranda vs 7. Shawinigan

4. Blainville-Boisbriand vs 6. Newfoundland

The second round begins Thursday night with the Armada – the franchise formerly known as the St. John's Fog Devils – hosting the Regiment.

Here are the former Sea Dogs still in the playoffs (in no particular order): Vince Elie (Shawinigan), Max Vilen (Moncton), Elliot Dubé (Blainville-Boisbriand), Egan Beveridge (Quebec), Jacob Beaulieu (Blainville-Boisbriand) and Patryk Zubek (Newfoundland).

Chad Bellemare (Sherbrooke) and Tyler Peddle (Charlottetown) had their seasons end in the first round. Bellemare posted three goals and two assists in his series while Peddle, playing his overage season, had three goals.

Baldwin signs ATO with Crunch

JaimeLee Gouthro/Cape Breton Eagles

It looks like Everett Baldwin's season isn't over quite yet.

The American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch announced Tuesday that the Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman has joined the club on a tryout basis. The Crunch have five regular season games remaining and have already clinched a playoff spot.

The Crunch are the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Baldwin was a fifth-round pick of the Lightning in last year's NHL Draft.

This move will not impact Baldwin's ability to play NCAA hockey at Providence College. The 19-year-old is committed to play for his hometown school this coming season.

Baldwin will still be able to attend Providence without a problem, even if he plays AHL games. Eligibility rules are different before and after initial full-time enrollment. You can't leave school and play on an ATO and then return, but you can play on an ATO before enrolling. https://t.co/mIfFzMR1kz

— Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonCHN) April 7, 2026

Baldwin had an impressive 2025-26 season with the Sea Dogs, posting 15 goals and 29 assists in 62 regular season games. He added two assists in four playoff games.

Baldwin's 15 goals placed him in a tie for the league lead in goals by a defenseman.

The Crunch are back in action on Wednesday night when they host the Rochester Americans.