Labbé traded to Phoenix

Jeremy Fraser

SAINT JOHN - It didn't take long for the Saint John Sea Dogs to find Kyan Labbé a home.

It was reported this past week that Labbé, a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft who has been playing in the BCHL, had requested a trade. On Friday the team announced that the goaltender has been traded to his hometown Sherbrooke Phoenix in exchange for a third-round pick in 2026.

“With two very solid goaltenders in Charles-Edward Gravel and Justin Robinson currently on our roster, Kyan and his family requested to be moved to another organization in an attempt to play in the league immediately,” said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a news release. “With our team lacking early round picks for the next two drafts we felt it was necessary to add this pick.”

Labbé's father, Jean-Francois Labbé, played part of the 1992-93 QMJHL season with the Sherbrooke Faucons.

Labbé is committed to the NCAA's Union College for the 2026-27 season. The 17-year-old has been playing with the BCHL's Nanaimo Clippers this season where he's posted a 2-1 record to go along with a 4.33 goals against average and a .889 save percentage.

Last season, Labbé helped the Magog Cantonniers win the Telus Cup. He was named the tournament's best goaltender after being named the Quebec under-18 league's playoff MVP and top defensive player.

Labbé is the latest in a growing list of players who have left the BCHL for the CHL following the NCAA rule change.

The Sea Dogs and Phoenix have already met twice this season. The only chance of the two meeting again is in the playoffs, which is unlikely.

Game Day 24 & 25: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs return home this weekend to host the Charlottetown Islanders Friday and Saturday night.

The Sea Dogs haven't played at TD Station since Nov. 3. The team has slipped below the .500 mark with an 11-12-0-0 record but are 5-5-0-0 on home ice this season.

Saint John will play a Charlottetown team that has really been feeling the effects of their rebuild so far this season. The Islanders sit 16th overall in the QMJHL standings, meaning they would grab the final playoff spot if the post-season began today.

Game time for both contests at TD Station is 7 p.m. It's Pink in the Rink Weekend where the Sea Dogs will sport pink jerseys that will be auctioned off.

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

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 11-12-0-0 for 22 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 7-13-1-1 for 16 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 2-1 loss in Bathurst on Saturday. Tyler Peddle scored Saint John's only goal. Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 saves in the loss. The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday morning on home ice. Zackary Plamondon, Mathis Valente and Nathan Leek all scored for Charlottetown. Donald Hickey made 27 stops in the win.

Sea Dogs return home to begin key stretch of schedule

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs begin what could prove to be their most important stretch of the season this weekend at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs begin a stretch of games against opponents that are either beneath or close to them in the overall standings. Saint John enters play this weekend with an 11-12-0-0 record for 22 points, placing them 11th overall in the QMJHL standings.

Now, we're not even at the halfway point of the season, so there's plenty of time to make up points. But with less than a month to go until the QMJHL trade period opens, this stretch of games could play a big role in determining what this team looks like come January.

It's been tough to get a real read on this Sea Dogs team that has struggled with consistency in recent weeks – which comes as no surprise for a team at this stage of a rebuild. But if the Sea Dogs can show during this stretch that they are capable of playing strong hockey against teams they should be able to beat, that will help in seeing just where this team is at.

Here's where Saint John's upcoming opponents sit in the overall standings.

Nov. 22 vs Charlottetown (16th overall)

Nov. 23 vs Charlottetown (16th overall)

Nov. 29 vs Gatineau (18th overall)

Nov. 30 at Halifax (13th overall)

Dec. 4 vs Bathurst (7th overall)

Dec. 6 at Cape Breton (12th overall)

The Sea Dogs then host the league leading Moncton Wildcats on Dec. 8, a team they've upset twice recently.

Fridays' game will be Saint John's first at TD Station since Nov. 3. They are 5-5-0-0 on home ice.

Some Wednesday notes

The Saint John Sea Dogs have unveiled the pink jerseys they'll wear this weekend at TD Station.

According to the team, "Pink in the Rink Weekend is set for Friday, November 22 and Saturday, November 23 against the Charlottetown Islanders. Sea Dogs players will once again be wearing special, limited-edition pink jerseys during the game which will be available for purchase through in-arena raffles and online auction."

Fans can purchase discounted tickets for Pink in the Rink Weekend using the promo code “PINK” and $5 from every purchase will be donated directly to Breasts Ahoy. The promo code can be used online or at the TD Station Box Office.

Some other Wednesday notes...

• The Sherbrooke newspaper La Tribune has more on the news of Kyan Labbé asking for a trade from the Sea Dogs. The story confirms that Labbé's trade ask is due to the fact that Saint John already has two QMJHL suitable goaltenders on their roster.
• As mentioned during draft weekend, the QMJHL has created a Veterans Club. "Veterans will attend a few of their former team’s games each year, where they will be invited to meet fans, take photos with them and sign autographs," reads a QMJHL news release. Mike Thomas will be Saint John's representative. 
• Mikael Lalancette tweets that QMJHL attendance is up 3.2% compared to last year. Saint John is averaging 2,362 fans per game after 10 home games. Last year they averaged 2,698 after 10 home games. The Sea Dogs continue to head in the opposite direction of most teams.
• A lot going on in the BCHL as the player exodus continues following the NCAA rule change.

  This meeting is taking place today. It’s been scheduled for a week or more. Sounds like there will be some idea sharing on what BCHL brass want their league to be and best way to adapt. Sources I’m talking to are looking forward to their discussion. https://t.co/c8bJP1P9Vi

  — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) November 20, 2024

• And similar issues for the USHL, although likely not as severe.

  Junior Hockey - There was a meeting today in Plymouth involving USA Hockey, the USHL and the NAHL. Few details available but I imagine the 'changing landscape' was discussed.

  — Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) November 20, 2024

• Feels like there hasn't been a lot of talk about it, but the CHL USA Prospects Challenge takes place next week in London and Oshawa.
• Mentioned this last week. On Friday TSN picked up the Midco Sports broadcast of Denver/North Dakota, two of the top teams in NCAA hockey. Two of the top teams in the CHL (and two of the biggest markets), London and Kitchener, met on Tuesday with no national fanfare. Don't know what the solution is – or if TV even matters anymore – but something is off here.
• The Gatineau Olympiques are just 3-16-3-1 this season.
• The Charlottetown Islanders hosted the Shawinigan Cataractes in a school day game this morning at 11 a.m.
• The AHL's Utica Comets are 0-10-1-2 to start the season. Jeremie Poirier, Yan Kuznetsov and the Calgary Wranglers sit first with a 12-3-1-0 record.

Report: Labbé wants to play in QMJHL

Nanaimo Clippers

Goaltender Kyan Labbé is reportedly heading to the QMJHL – but it doesn't look like it will be with the Saint John Sea Dogs.

According to Sherbrooke radio station 107.7 Estrie, Labbé and his agent have reportedly requested a trade from the Sea Dogs. The 17-year-old was a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft.

LHJMQ: le gardien Sherbrookois Kyan Labbé est de retour à la maison après un passage dans la BCHL. Il aurait demandé une transaction aux @StJohnSeadogs #LHJMQ

— Marc Bryson (@MbrysonCogeco) November 19, 2024

Labbé is committed to the NCAA's Union College for the 2026-27 season. The netminder has been playing with the BCHL's Nanaimo Clippers this season where he's posted a 2-1 record to go along with a 4.33 goals against average and a .889 save percentage.

Labbé is no longer listed on the Clippers website and he appears to be the latest player to jump from the BCHL to the CHL following the NCAA rule change. The BCHL has long been a league where NCAA recruits played before heading south of the border.

Last season, Labbé helped the Magog Cantonniers win the Telus Cup. He was named the tournament's best goaltender after being named the Quebec under-18 league's playoff MVP and top defensive player.

The biggest knock against Labbé is his size. Elite Prospects lists him at 5'9" and 161 lbs.

Requesting a trade from the Sea Dogs, if true, doesn't come as a huge surprise given Saint John's current goaltending situation. Charles-Edward Gravel has likely been Saint John's MVP so far this season and, given that he is an overager, dealing him to a contender at Christmas would be tricky. Then there's Justin Robinson who the team likely wants to hold onto – and get into some games – for future seasons.

The QMJHL's trading period opens next month.

Alumdate: Leaver, X-Men upset Reds again

ANTIGONISH, NS - Patrick Leaver has accomplished something very few goaltenders can say they've done in recent years: defeat the UNB Reds twice in one season.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs netminder stopped all 34 shots he faced on Saturday night as the StFX X-Men scored in the final minute to upset the top-ranked Reds 1-0 in Antigonish. According to the X-Men's game story, it was "the first regulation loss for UNB since February 4, 2023, and the first time UNB has been shutout since October, 2022."

UNB's year-long winning streak came to an end a couple weeks ago against the X-Men when Leaver made 51 saves in a 4-3 overtime victory at the Aitken Centre.

Classic UNB/StFX game. 35-save shutout for Patrick Leaver in 1-0 win. pic.twitter.com/P7WKsZTK5B

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) November 17, 2024

StFX upsetting UNB is nothing new. The Reds haven't lost a lot over the past 20 years, but many of the most painful blows have come against the X-Men, who's shot blocking and strong goaltending have made life difficult for UNB on many occasions.

The X-Men are now 7-6-0-1 on the season, placing them fourth in the AUS standings but just three points back of second. Leaver, who is still sporting his Sea Dogs mask from last season, has appeared in seven games, going 3-4 with a 4.22 goals against average and a .884 save percentage.

The losses to StFX have been the only blemishes on another great start to the year for UNB, who are 12-1-1-0. A lot of that success has been generated by former Sea Dogs captain Peter Reynolds, who is tied for the AUS scoring lead with 25 points and has posted a conference high 13 goals in 14 games.