First round hasn't been easiest for hosts

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

BRUNSWICK, ME - Should we have seen the struggles coming for the Saint John Sea Dogs in their playoff opener? History tells us... maybe?

As brought up on the Wildcast Podcast last week (you should listen to that!), the first round hasn't been the easiest for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey's League's Memorial Cup hosting teams in recent years. The past two host teams - the Halifax Mooseheads in 2019 and the Quebec Remparts in 2015 - needed seven games to win their first round series. Both clubs also dropped their playoff opener.

Here's a quick breakdown of how Memorial Cup hosting teams from the QMJHL have performed in the first round since 2000.

2019: The host Halifax Mooseheads (49-15-2-2) needed seven games to defeat the Quebec Remparts (27-28-7-6) in the first round. The Remparts won the first two games of that series. The Mooseheads went on to lose in the President Cup final to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

2015: The host Quebec Remparts (40-25-1-2) needed seven games to defeat the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (31-31-3-3) in the first round. The Screaming Eagles won the first game of that series. The Remparts went on to lose in the President Cup final to the Rimouski Oceanic.

2012: The host Shawinigan Cataractes (45-16-3-4) swept their first round series against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (24-36-4-4). The Cataractes were eliminated in the second round by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

Notebook: Foston assigned to Yarmouth

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Saint John Sea Dogs forward Cole Foston has been officially assigned to the Maritime Junior Hockey League's Yarmouth Mariners.

#BreakingNews We are proud to announce we have signed forward @Colefoston99. Cole joins us from the @SJSeaDogs and will be in the lineup this weekend. Welcome Cole!#BleedBlue #MarinersArmy pic.twitter.com/fFjWuyOEaL

— Yarmouth Mariners (@MarinersHockey) November 25, 2021

The 18-year-old was a sixth-round pick of the Mariners in the 2019 MHL Draft.

“We weren’t sure if we’d see him here when we drafted him, but we’re excited for him to be part of our organization now,” Mariners head coach and general manager Laurie Barron told Y95.5.

Foston spent last season with the Halifax Mooseheads. He appeared in 14 games with the Sea Dogs this season - recording one goal and one assist - but was pushed down the lineup with recent additions up front. 

The Mariners, as they usually do, sit first in the MHL's South Division with a 12-6-2-0 record heading into this weekend's action. Their lineup also features former Dogs defenseman Benjamin Roode.

LELAND TAKES OVER TITAN

Former Sea Dogs assistant coach Greg Leland is now the interim head coach of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

The Titan announced Thursday that Mario Durocher had been relieved of his duties. The team has put Leland, who's been on the Titan bench as an assistant for the past two seasons, in charge on an interim basis.

Bathurst has struggled after a hot start, sitting fifth in the Maritimes Division and 14th overall in the QMJHL with a 9-9-0-2 record.

Leland, from Quispamsis, was an assistant coach with the Sea Dogs for eight seasons, which included helping the club win two President Cup championships and the 2011 Memorial Cup title.

Before joining the Titan, Leland was the head coach and general manager of the MHL's Campbellton Tigers.

Notebook: Francis scores in AHL pre-season

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Ryan Francis scored in his pre-season debut with the AHL's Stockton Heat on Friday.

Francis scored a power play goal in the third period to help the Heat defeat the Bakersfield Condors 3-0. The Saint John Sea Dogs forward recorded the one shot on goal and also took a tripping penalty.

Defenseman Yan Kuznetsov, Saint John's top pick in the CHL Import Draft, also suited up for the Heat.

Battle of Highway 99 (preseason edition) belongs to us! #DubClub pic.twitter.com/Wi1CVSn2Cw

— Stockton Heat (@AHLHeat) October 9, 2021

The Sea Dogs still expect Francis, an overager who has not been signed by the Calgary Flames, to return to Saint John at some point.

"Stockton has some injuries up front so they're going to need Ryan to play in games for them," Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told the Telegraph-Journal (paywall) last week. "It delays his return but we still expect him back."

Stockton begins regular season play on Friday against the Tucson Roadrunners.

REMATCH WITH ISLANDERS

The Sea Dogs are back in action on Thanksgiving Monday, traveling to Charlottetown to face the Islanders at 3 p.m.

It'll be the third meeting of the season between the two. The Islanders defeated the Sea Dogs 4-2 at TD Station on Oct. 1 and 5-2 at Eastlink Centre the next day.

The Sea Dogs are still looking for their first win of the season after falling 4-3 in a shootout to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Saturday. The Islanders, meanwhile, are coming off their first loss of the season, falling 2-0 in Halifax on Saturday.

The Sea Dogs and Islanders also meet on Oct. 29 at TD Station.

A big day for former Sea Dogs

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HALIFAX - It's a big day for several former Saint John Sea Dogs.

Ostap Safin and the Halifax Mooseheads will look to keep the Memorial Cup in the Maritimes tonight when they host the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in an all-QMJHL championship game. Puck drop is 8 p.m. on Sportsnet.

Safin has had a limited role during the Mooseheads' playoff and Memorial Cup run. He has been held pointless in three games at the tournament - but he hasn't seen a lot of ice time.

The Mooseheads are no doubt the underdogs even though they had the bye into the final. The Huskies, who had one of the best regular seasons in junior hockey history, also know how to beat the Mooseheads, defeating them in six games in the QMJHL final and again on Wednesday in a preliminary round game.

Halifax will look to become the first Maritime team to win two Memorial Cup championships. Rouyn-Noranda will be looking for their first - and avenge the 3-2 overtime loss they suffered in the 2016 final against the London Knights.

Elsewhere, Mathieu Joseph and Thomas Chabot will play for Team Canada in the gold medal game of the 2019 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia. The Canadians will face Finland at 3 p.m. on TSN.

Joseph has recorded a goal and an assist in nine games while Chabot has two goals and five assists.

In the AHL, Tomas Jurco, Spencer Smallman, Julien Gauthier and the Charlotte Checkers can earn a spot in the Calder Cup Final with a win tonight. Smallman has not appeared in any games but is on the team's playoff roster.

The Checkers lead the Eastern Conference Final 3-2 over the Toronto Marlies heading into Game Six this evening.

Dogs won't bid on 2019 Memorial Cup

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SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will not place a bid to host the 2019 Memorial Cup, the team confirmed on Thursday night.

Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie made the announcement at Market Square on Thursday at the team's town hall event. Head coach Josh Dixon was also on hand for the meeting with fans.

The Sea Dogs opted not to move forward with a bid some time ago, but this was the first time saying so publicly.

The Halifax Mooseheads have confirmed they are placing a bid. The Moncton Wildcats, who will have a new building to play in next season, are the only other QMJHL team that has express interest. The 'Cats have been quiet on the bidding process for some time, though.

The Mooseheads are well positioned in their cycle to host - unlike the Sea Dogs. It would be incredibly difficult for Saint John to ice a strong team next season, and most would agree its best the team take a pass on 2019 and build for another year.

George did say the team will look at bidding for the next QMJHL hosted Memorial Cup, which would be in 2022 if the CHL doesn't adjust the cycle again.

This season's Memorial Cup will be held in Regina.

Mooseheads release 2019 Memorial Cup campaign

The Halifax Mooseheads have launched their campaign to host the 2019 Memorial Cup.

The Mooseheads released the following video on social media Thursday night.

Next year we'll celebrate 25 seasons in Moose Country and we want junior hockey's greatest prize to join the party. #Halifax2019 pic.twitter.com/K8z923w2Ph

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) November 23, 2017

The Mooseheads are the first team to release a campaign like this for 2019. Both the Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats have previously expressed interest in hosting, but it has been quiet on both fronts for some time.

At last check, teams were expected to submit official applications in December.

In 2012, the Sea Dogs produced a similar campaign to the Mooseheads'... and we all know how that ended.

Wednesday Notes: Sea Dogs still committed to 2019 Memorial Cup bid

The Saint John Sea Dogs remain committed to a 2019 Memorial Cup bid.

“We will certainly try for it. It is one of our ownership and my team’s goals to host the Memorial Cup in Saint John. I don’t see that changing,” Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told the website Huddle. “We intend to put in a bid."

Georgie added that hosting this year's QMJHL Entry Draft is a good start, allowing the team to see what they can pull off.

The Sea Dogs have been saying for years that they hope to host the Memorial Cup in either 2018 or 2019. 2018 is not an option with the CHL choosing the break the rotation and award the 100th Memorial Cup tournament to the Regina Pats.

Many wondered if the Sea Dogs were still committed to hosting in 2019 due to the team's current cycle. It's not impossible for Saint John to have a quality team in two years time, but it will not be a simple task.

The Sea Dogs are, clearly, set up to win this season. The team won't have time to tear it all down and build through the draft for 2019, so the Dogs will need to get a bit creative if they want to be amongst the nation's best that year. Not impossible, but it's no easy task.

The Halifax Mooseheads and Moncton Wildcats have also expressed interest in hosting the 2019 tournament.

Some other news and notes...

• The Sea Dogs will hold a press conference tomorrow to update the health of defenceman Oliver Felixson.
• Charlottetown and Moncton will host the QMJHL legs of the 2017 Canada-Russia Series.
• Jakub Zboril has shown a lot of improvement this season, The Q News explains.
• If the Charlottetown Islanders defeat the Moncton Wildcats tonight (and they very likely will), the Isles will enter Friday's game at Harbour Station three points back of the Sea Dogs for first overall. Huge game.
• Four Islanders fan buses are making the trip to Friday's game.
• Saint John's final two home games of the regular season are this weekend: Friday against Charlottetown and Saturday against Halifax.
• The Sea Dogs will hold their annual awards banquet on March 20.

Saturday notes: Veleno good at hockey

WATERLOO, Ont. - Nolan Patrick made a triumphant return to the Brandon Wheat Kings lineup on Friday night, recording two goals and two assists.

The 2017 NHL Draft's top prospect has played in just seven games this season due to injury. Last night was his first game action since Oct. 11.

Despite missing so much time - and despite Halifax Mooseheads import Nico Hischier having a strong first half and World Junior tournament - Patrick is still projected to go first overall.

After Nico Hischier's strong WJC, I polled 5 head scouts on if in conversation for first overall with Nolan Patrick. Universal answer: No.

— (((Corey Pronman))) (@coreypronman) January 4, 2017

Like Patrick, Saint John's Joe Veleno has missed much of his season due to injury. Despite missing a lot of time, Veleno, who turned 17 yesterday, is having a good campaign with the Sea Dogs, recording four goals and 13 assists in 18 games. He has been held pointless in just five of those games.

Following Saint John's Oct. 21 game, Veleno didn't play again until Dec. 17. He quickly found his game though and has registered three goals and seven assists in the nine games following his return.

Averaging just under a point-per-game, Veleno's strong numbers have gone under the radar on a stacked Sea Dogs team - and that's probably an okay thing since there will be plenty of attention on him next season, which is his draft year.

During a World Junior broadcast last month, TSN's Bob McKenzie mentioned that Veleno is in the conversation for the first overall pick in 2018. Elite Prospects has a list of players categorized as top prospects for next year's draft, which, along with Veleno, features local talent Anderson MacDonald of the Sherbrooke Phoenix and Halifax rookies Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jared McIsaac.

DOGS DAILY: Dogs To Bid On 2019 Cup

The Telegraph-Journal reported yesterday (paywall) that the Sea Dogs intend to bid on the 2019 Memorial Cup.

The Sea Dogs previously bid on the 2012 Memorial Cup but it was, for whatever reasons you believe in, awarded to Shawinigan. Saint John opted not to bid on the 2015 tournament.

It seems as though the 2017 tournament, which was once rumoured to be heading to the QMJHL, will stick to the current cycle and be held in the OHL. The 2018 edition, which will be the 100^th anniversary of the Memorial Cup, is expected to be held somewhere in Ontario.

It won’t be the easiest of tasks to ensure Saint John has a good team in 2019. Their current cycle is set to peak next season and they’ll have to quickly build back up again.

In other news…

• The Sea Dogs announced yesterday that they have released defenseman Austin Clapham. The 18-year-old, who spent last season with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, had no points in 21 games with Saint John.
• The Sea Dogs website and the CBC have video from yesterday’s news conference that announced Trevor Georgie as the team’s new president.
• The QMJHL website has an article on Saint John’s unique trio of overage players.
• Former Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant has been named the head coach of the Atlantic Division for this year’s NHL All-Star Game in Nashville. There will be four teams – one from each division – taking part in this year’s event.
• The QMJHL announced on Wednesday that they’ve suspended former Sea Dogs captain Olivier LeBlanc for three games following a hit to the head on Oliver Felixson in last Sunday’s Sea Dogs-Screaming Eagles game. There was no penalty call on the play.
• The Sea Dogs are back in action on Saturday when they play the Titan in Bathurst. They then host the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation