Sea Dogs sign overage defenseman

Embed from Getty Images 

FREDERICTON - An already crowded blue line got even more crowded on Friday.

Prior to their pre-season game at Fredericton's Aitken Centre, the Saint John Sea Dogs announced the signing of overage defenseman Alexis Daviault.

Daviault has spent the past four seasons in the OHL, most recently with the Erie Otters.

“We’re really excited about the changes made to our back end. The group is young but very exciting,” said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a statement. “That said, we identified a need to add someone who brings a lot of experience, and adding a 20-year-old defenceman of Alexis’ calibre will bring tremendous value to our team. He is a swift-skating, puck-moving defender who will be a strong complement to those we have locked up on our right side.”

Daviault, originally from Gatineau, was a third-round pick of the Sarnia Sting in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. He spent a season-and-a-half with the Sting before being moved to the Otters.

In 259 career OHL games, Daviault recorded 22 goals and 94 assists. Last season, the 6'0", 185 lbs d-man recorded five goals and 31 assists in 64 games.

Saint John is poised to have an almost entirely different defense core this season. Prior to this signing, the Sea Dogs still had 14 defensemen on their training camp roster. The addition of Daviault makes the battle for spots even more interesting.

From an overage perspective, it certainly looks like Daviault and forward Chris Barlas – who also recently signed from the OHL – have spots secured. Other overagers still officially on Saint John's camp roster include forwards Natan Éthier, Angelo Fullerton and the injured Mitchell Wagner along with goaltenders Rhett Stoesser and Eric Young.

On the goaltending front, 18-year-old David Di Girolamo has been added to Saint John's online roster. He spent most of last season in the QJHL with the Laval Prime, posting a 12-7 record to go along with a 3.08 goals against average and a .914 save percentage. The 6'2", 176 lbs netminder also appeared in one QMJHL game with the Val-d'Or Foreurs.

It's worth noting as well that the QMJHL's trade deadline is this Sunday.

Notebook: Calder Cup final tied 1-1

Ian Yount

The AHL's Calder Cup final is heading to British Columbia tied 1-1.

The Charlotte Checkers tied the best-of-seven series with a 3-2 overtime win on Sunday. This comes after the Abbotsford Canucks took Game 1 by a final score of 4-3 in double overtime.

The next three games will all be played in Abbotsford beginning with Game 3 on Tuesday night.

Riley Bezeau is the lone Saint John Sea Dogs alumnus on either roster. He was serving a one-game suspension for a checking-to-the-head major penalty in Game 1 and did not dress for Game 2.

Bezeau has appeared in four playoff games with the Checkers, recording three goals.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Sea Dogs announced that they are looking to fill a number of game day operations positions for this coming season.

One of those openings includes a mascot performer. The team is looking for someone to "embody the spirit and character of Fleaburn, the team’s mascot." The requirements include "strong communication skills (non-verbal)."

The team is also looking for videoboard operators and game day staff. 

Notebook: Mateiko's season ends in a loss

Vincent Éthier / CHL

Eriks Mateiko and the Rimouski Oceanic were eliminated from the Memorial Cup on Wednesday, falling 6-2 to the Moncton Wildcats. The former Sea Dogs captain was the lone Sea Dogs alumnus participating in the event.

Wednesday's game was likely Mateiko's last in the QMJHL. Mateiko had a goal in three games at the tournament after posting seven goals and four assists in 18 playoff games. 

The Wildcats don't feature any former Sea Dogs players but do have a few former coaches on their staff – including Gardiner MacDougall.

The Wildcats face the London Knights in the Memorial Cup semifinal on Friday at 8 p.m. The winner advances to Sunday's championship game against the Medicine Hat Tigers.

PEDDLE NOT SIGNING

Tyler Peddle is reportedly about to become a free agent.

According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the Columbus Blue Jackets will not sign the Sea Dogs forward ahead of the June 1 deadline, making him a free agent. Peddle was a seventh-round pick of the Blue Jackets in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Told #CBJ will not be signing F Tyler Peddle or F Martin Rysavy by the June 1 deadline, relinquishing their rights to the players.
Peddle, 20, was a 7th-round pick (No. 224 overall) in 2024, while Rysavy, 22, was a 7th-round pick (No. 197 overall) in 2021.

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) May 24, 2025

Peddle joined the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, for a short period after Saint John's season ended. He did not appear in any AHL games.

Peddle is eligible to return to Saint John for his overage season. He posted 15 goals and 14 assists in 54 games this past season.

OHLer Lominac added to Dogs roster

Sarnia Sting

As the regular season inches closer, the Saint John Sea Dogs don't appear to be done with roster tweaks just yet.

The Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting announced Wednesday afternoon that 18-year-old forward Dennis Lominac has been "re-assigned" to the Sea Dogs.

“Dennis is a great teammate, and a player that put the work in this summer," Sting general manager Dylan Seca said in a news release. "We felt he deserves the opportunity to play more, so this decision helps him in that regard. We wish him all the best in St. John's.”

The team presumably (hopefully?) meant Saint John.

Lominac, a Michigan native, had three goals and two assists in 53 games with Sarnia last season, his first in the OHL. Lominac signed with the Sting in May 2023 after getting passed over in the OHL draft.

The Sea Dogs' online roster shows the 5'09", 175 lbs forward wearing No. 93.

Lominac's numbers in the OHL were underwhelming but you just never know what will happen when they hit the QMJHL. There have been countless examples over the years of players who couldn't stick in OHL lineups but thrived in the QMJHL.

Saint John's roster also shows that forward Billy Kollias has been added to the team's protected list. The 19-year-old split last season between the Gatineau Olympiques and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, posting a combined five goals and four assists in 59 games.

Kollias has been playing with the QJHL's Montreal Rangers this season. He's recorded three goals and an assist in two games.

Saint John could start the regular season without forwards Tyler Peddle and Eriks Mateiko due to NHL camps. Forward Egan Beveridge, meanwhile, has been absent from training camp.

The Sea Dogs play their final pre-season game on Saturday in Tyne Valley, PEI against the Charlottetown Islanders.

Notebook: New class action looming

A month after settling a class action lawsuit, the Canadian Hockey League is facing another legal threat.

Former OHLer Daniel Carcillo along with WHL alumnus Garrett Taylor filed a class action lawsuit against the CHL this past week in regards to alleged hazing, bullying and abuse from teammates and staff members.

If anyone has any questions regarding the class action lawsuit against the @CHLHockey that was filed today, you can reach out to my lawyer James Sayce jsayce@kmlaw.ca@OHLHockey @TheWHL @QMJHL #ohl #whl #hockey #abuse #nhl #hazing #accountability pic.twitter.com/chJeMDtJFg

— Daniel Carcillo (@CarBombBoom13) June 18, 2020

The Hockey News detailed the disturbing allegations.

TSN's Rick Westhead notes that "the filing doesn’t specify what sort of damages the plaintiffs are seeking." Just last month, the CHL settled the lengthy minimum wage class action, which resulted in each team reportedly needing to pay approximately $250,000 in damages.

In the statement of claim, Carcillo details a number of disturbing events that took place while he was a rookie with the Sarnia Sting in 2002-03. Carcillo ended his junior career by appearing in 20 regular season and five playoff games with the Mississauga IceDogs in 2004-05 - a team coached by Greg Gilbert. There was no mention of any wrong doings by the IceDogs in the filing.

RICHARD STILL BEAR BOUND
Guillaume Richard remains committed to the University of Maine.

The 17-year-old defenseman, who the Saint John Sea Dogs selected in the fourth-round of this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, confirmed to le Journal de Quebec that he intends to play in the United States this coming season ahead of joining Maine in 2021-22.

Richard spent last season in the US, which included appearances in five USHL games with the Tri-City Storm.

Things could always change - especially given everything that's going on right now - but Richard told the newspaper that if he were to report to the QMJHL, it probably would have happened last year when the Victoriaville Tigres drafted him in the opening round. But... we'll see what happens over the next few months and years.

Sea Dogs assistant general manager and head scout Anthony Stella called Richard "a sign at all costs type player."

"One of the top players from last year's draft," Stella recently wrote in a draft recap submitted to Station Nation. "In the fourth-round it was a no-brainer to take a shot at him. He can play big minutes for us today and should be a prospect for the NHL Draft next year."

Beaulieus Plead Guilty

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Nathan Beaulieu and his father, former Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu, both pleaded guilty to assault charges today in London.

From TSN.ca:

They were granted conditional discharges with probation and their lawyer confirmed outside court that the sentence will allow Nathan Beaulieu to play hockey. 

Strathroy-Caradoc police charged each of them with two counts of assault in late April stemming from an altercation at a house party that followed a charity golf tournament. 

Two people suffered minor injuries, police said.

So there’s that.

Jacques, who was with the Sea Dogs from 2006-2009, was fired by the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting back in May.

Meanwhile, Nathan, a first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2011, will likely play for the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs again this year. He made his NHL debut last season, appearing in six games with the Habs.

The younger Beaulieu is scheduled to appear in the Wallace McCain Memorial Alumni Game next weekend at Harbour Station.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

Beaulieu Fired By Sarnia Sting

Former Saint John Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu was fired by the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting today. Beaulieu has been Sting head coach and GM since 2011.

Co-owner Rob Ciccarelli released the following statement on behalf of the Sarnia ownership group.

Effective immediately the ownership group of the Sarnia Sting has relieved Jacques Beaulieu of his duties as General Manager and Head Coach. The reasons for his dismissal are not related to the on ice performance of our hockey club. As per the advice of our lawyers we cannot comment any further at this time.

The Sting had a 35-28-1-4 record this past season and were eliminated in the first-round of the OHL playoffs. He was 69-55-12 in two seasons with the club.

Beaulieu is currently facing two counts of assault after "a weekend dust-up at a Strathroy-area home" last month. Former Sea Dogs defenseman Nathan Beaulieu was also charged.

The Sarnia Observer has an article on the firing and it sounds bizarre. Read it.

The Sea Dogs fired Beaulieu in 2009 after three seasons with the club.

Jacques Beaulieu Charged With Assault

Well, this isn’t good.

The London Free Press reports tonight that “Sarnia Sting head coach Jacques Beaulieu is charged with two counts of assault in a weekend dust-up at a Strathroy-area home.”

Also, “police are investigating his 20-year-old son Nathan Beaulieu — a top NHL prospect who’s joined the Montreal Canadiens’ looming playoff run — in the same incident just outside the hockey player’s hometown, Windsor lawyer Patrick Ducharme said Monday.”

We're not interested in starting rumours or speculation about this kind of stuff on here, so read the Free Press article for all the details on the investigation.

Jacques Beaulieu was behind the Sea Dogs bench from 2006-2009 while Nathan Beaulieu played the Dogs from 2008-2012. Jacques was fired as head coach and general manager at the end of the 2008-09 season while Nathan stayed with the club and won two President Cup titles and a Memorial Cup.

Today, Jacques Beaulieu was named one of the finalists for the OHL’s Coach of the Year Award. Sarnia finished the regular season with a 35-28-1-4 record, placing them seventh in the Western Conference. They were swept out of the playoffs in the first-round by the Plymouth Whalers.

The Montreal Canadiens recalled Nathan Beaulieu from the AHL last week.

Sea Dogs Notebook

FULLERTON

With his CIS career now over at UNB, former Sea Dogs goaltender Travis Fullerton has made the jump to the pro ranks.

Fullerton signed an amateur tryout agreement with the East Coast Hockey League’s San Francisco Bulls earlier this week. He made his pro debut on Wednesday, making 25 stops in a 1-0 overtime loss to the Idaho Steelheads.

The Bulls, whose assistant coach is former Sea Dogs forward Kyle Paige, are the ECHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.

According to UNBHockeyFans.com, Fullerton “finished his UNB career with a regular season record of 60-11-2 to go along with a school record 14 shutouts, a save percentage of 0.911, and a goals against average of 1.87.”

HF RANKINGS

Jonathan Huberdeau came in at No. 3 in Hockey’s Future’s spring edition of the Top 50 NHL Prospects.

“Whatever questions remained regarding Huberdeau's ability to generate the same offense in the NHL as he had in the QMJHL have been answered, and then some,” they write. “Huberdeau scores with aplomb and consistency for an injury-depleted Florida team that struggles to generate offense.”

Huberdeau was the only Sea Dog to crack the top 10 but three other former Saint John players made the top 50.

Nathan Beaulieu, called up to the Montreal Canadiens today, was ranked 24^th, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Simon Despres was 25^th, and Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle came in at No. 36.

LOOKING AHEAD

Sea Dogs president Wayne Long spoke to News 88.9 on Thursday, looking ahead to next season.

“We’re doing a lot of looking and scouting and we should pick ninth overall in the European draft and have two first round picks this year (in the summer draft),” says Long. “We’re quickly going to bring in some new, young and exciting talent to add to what we think is a great young core of players that we have now.”

An eventful off-season is ahead.

SARNIA

Former Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu saw his team’s season come to an end this week.

Beaulieu’s Sarnia Sting were eliminated in the first-round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs by the Plymouth Whalers. Much like Saint John this year, Sarnia got blown out in most games and were outscored 24-8 by Plymouth.

In the regular season, the Sting finished seventh in the OHL’s Western Conference with a 35-28-1-4 record. They lost Alex Galchenyuk to the NHL mid-season which had to suck.

Sea Dogs Notebook

UP NEXT

The Sea Dogs are on the road again this weekend. First, they travel to Sydney to take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles tomorrow night at 7pm. Then on Sunday they travel to Bathurst to battle the Titan in an afternoon tilt.

Saint John, 10-11-0-0 on the season, is three points ahead of Cape Breton the QMJHL standings and two points back of Bathurst. This should be an interesting couple games.

The Dogs return home next weekend to take on the Screaming Eagles on Saturday, November 24 and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sunday, November 25.

GALIEV

Well, that didn’t take long. 24 hours after being assigned to the ECHL’s Reading Royals, former Sea Dog Stanislav Galiev was back in Hershey for Bears practice today.

"The immediate thought was to get him to a mid-week game," Bears coach Mark French told PennLive.com. "With the proximity to Reading and them being at home, it made sense to put him in the lineup there and bring him back for practice. We haven't thought any further than that.”

Galiev had two shots in Reading’s 2-1 overtime victory over the Elmira Jackals last night. It’ll be interesting to see what happens from here.

“Wonder if Galiev would have stayed in Reading longer if Royals weren't about to travel to Cincy and Evansville,” tweeted Royals beat writer Jason Guarente. “ECHL could be good for him.”

Russian Machine Never Breaks also has an article on the Galiev assignment to ‘AA.’

The 20-year old has an assist in nine games with the AHL's Bears this season.

PINK

The QMJHL raised a lot of money for breast cancer research again this year.

"Our 18 teams did a remarkable job again this year to raise money and awarness towards the fight against breast cancer. I am very proud to announce that we have raised a record amount of $139,444,” said commissioner Gilles Courteau in a release.

"More than 400 pink jerseys worn by the players and developed by our official supplier, Reebok/CCM, and their partners in this endeavour, SP Apparel, was sold with the proceeds being distributed to local, regional or national organizations dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. I would like to congratulate our teams for their excellent work and thank our great fans for their generosity."

THOMAS

Former Sea Dogs captain Mike Thomas has been released by his Newfoundland senior league team.

“It wasn’t an easy phone call to make. I’ve only known him for two months, but I felt like I’ve known him a lifetime,” Conception Bay North Eastlink CeeBee Stars head coach Corey Crocker told The Telegram.

The reason for Thomas being cut?

“Mike was true to our team, a great team player, but our need right now is another defenceman,” said Crocker.

Sea Dogs Notebook

SUNDAY

The Sea Dogs are back in action on Sunday afternoon at 3pm at Harbour Station. It’s Support Our Troops Day and CAA Family Fun Day. Sunday’s game will also be the last Sea Dogs home game until November 24.

Saint John will take on the Shawinigan Cataractes tomorrow for the first time since the Memorial Cup semi-final. Both teams have dramatically different rosters this season as they both enter the opening stages of a rebuild.

The Sea Dogs are having a much better start to the season than Shawinigan. The Cataractes will enter action tomorrow with a 2-13-1-1 record and sit dead last in the QMJHL.

GALIEV

Former Sea Dog Stanislav Galiev netted the shootout winner in the Hershey Bears 3-2 win over the Springfield Falcons on Friday night. From the Bears blog Sweetest Hockey on Earth:

Into the shootout, both teams scored in the first round of the skills competition to make it 1-1. Jeff Taffe for Hershey tallied in the top of the round, as Matt Calvert answered moments later. It stayed 1-1 into round seven when Stanislav Galiev in his first AHL shootout attempt bombed a slap shot to the top-shelf of the cage.

Galiev has yet to score a goal in regulation time in his AHL career. His has one assist in eight games this season.

HIGHMORE

The Sea Dogs newsletter had a brief article on Matthew Highmore. The forward, who the Sea Dogs selected eighth overall in June’s QMJHL Entry Draft, is still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.

The Dogs Bytes Newsletter reports that he “has recently started taking part in non-contact drills at practice.”

"It was exciting," said Highmore. "Anytime you can get back onto the ice after a period of time that you haven't been there is always exciting. It felt nice."

There was no mention about when he may make his QMJHL debut.