Alumni Game One Week Away

The Saint John Sea Dogs’ alumni game is now just a week away from taking place at Harbour Station.

The game is the main event of the 2015 Wallace McCain Memorial Alumni Reunion. Tickets to the contest, which takes place next Saturday, Aug. 8 at 2 p.m. at Harbour Station, are now available.

The game will feature two star-studded teams made up of Sea Dogs alumni facing off against each other. A number of current NHL players have confirmed that they will attend along with several other fan favourites.

The full rosters have not been released yet, but here’s who has been confirmed so far:

Nathan Beaulieu

Simon Despres

Eric Gelinas

Mike Thomas

Michael Kirkpatrick

Jason Cameron

Zack Phillips

Stephen MacAulay

Kevin Gagne

Jonathan Huberdeau

Danick Gauthier

Brett Gallant

Sebastien Auger

Mark Tremaine

Following the game, an autograph session with alumni will take place at Harbour Station. There will then be a reception and live auction at Rocky's Sports Bar beginning at 8 p.m.

The reunion is in support of the Children's Wish Foundation and the Saint John Regional Hospital Auxiliary's Brighten Group.

Notebook: Huberdeau Excited For Reunion With Gallant

Jonathan Huberdeau is looking forward to reuniting with Gerard Gallant.

"It's good to be reunited with him and I think things are going to be good with him here,'' Huberdeau told George Richards of the Miami Herald yesterday.

"I'm excited for this. He's a guy who is intense and into the game. He keeps you up throughout the game. I think the guys are going to react to him. He wants what is best for the players.''

The fact that Huberdeau played so well under Gallant in junior no doubt had an impact on Florida’s decision to hire the former Sea Dogs coach. Huberdeau, entering his third season in the NHL, had just 28 points 69 games last year after winning the Calder Trophy in 2011-12.

The Herald reports that Huberdeau hopes to attend Gallant’s press conference tomorrow in Florida.

HABS RESPOND

The Montreal Canadiens posted the following statement on their website following the Panthers’ hiring of Gallant.

“Obviously we are disappointed to see an individual like Gerard Gallant leave our organisation, but on behalf of the management team and the entire coaching staff I would like to wish Gerard the best of luck as the new head coach of the Florida Panthers. Over the past two years, Gerard has been a valuable asset for us and contributed to the success of our team”, said general manager Marc Bergevin.

Defenseman PK Subban tweeted, “congrats to Gerard Gallant on the new coaching job! Very deserving! One of the best I've had!”

HOT TAKES

Puck Daddy’s take on the Gallant hiring: “but Gallant seems to know how to get the best out of Huberdeau. If he can do that, then this hire will be worth it.”

The Hockey News: “and as long as they weather a storm or two with Gallant, he might just be the guy to finally put this thing together.”

NBC’s Pro Hockey Talk: “he’ll have his hands full in getting this green team together and trying to get back to the playoffs.”

Panthers blog The Litter Box Cats: “it took a while, but Panthers seemed to have done their due diligence and finally gotten their man. It's time for the Gerard Gallant era in Sunrise to begin!”

Too Many Men on the Site: “it may be necessary with the Panthers' financial woes, but if you have a young team, Gerard Gallant’s track record makes him a great option.”

Unclaimed Secondary 50/50 Prize

Got this message from the Sea Dogs Foundation:

A secondary 50/50 prize of $500 at the Nov 2nd Sea Dogs game was not claimed. Ticket # is 123855. Present this ticket to the Sea Dogs office before 5:00 PM November 16th to claim your prize. If unclaimed after that date, the $500.00 proceeds will be donated to the Movember campaign.

Sea Dogs Foundation Calendars Are Back

The very awesome Sea Dogs Foundation calendars are back for another year. Calendars are $10 each. Proceeds from calendar sales will go to the Empty Stocking Fund.

The Sea Dogs Foundation website has some pictures of this year’s edition. It looks sweet.

The Sea Dogs website has more details, including where you can purchase the 2014 calendars around the city.

Additions Made To Alumni Game Roster

Three more players have confirmed that they will be taking part in the Wallace McCain Memorial Alumni Game.

The Sea Dogs Foundation and Children's Wish Foundation announced via press release today that defensemen Yann Sauve and Eric Gelinas along with goaltender Robert Mayer have been added to the roster.

Sauve, the first overall pick in the 2006 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft, played five games with the Vancouver Canucks in 2010-11. A second-round pick of Vancouver in the 2008 National Hockey League Draft, Sauve spent this past season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings.

The Sea Dogs acquired Gelinas in a deal during the holiday trading period in 2010-11. It worked out well as Gelinas helped the Sea Dogs win the 2011 President Cup and Memorial Cup. A second-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2009, Gelinas made his NHL debut this past season.

Mayer just signed a two-year extension with the Montreal Canadiens. Although he has not seen NHL action, he has been a backup. Mayer has spent his entire pro career in the Canadiens system, mostly with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs.

The Sea Dogs announced several other players who will play in the game back in June.

The Inaugural Wallace McCain Memorial Alumni Weekend will be held from Friday, August 23rd to Sunday, August 25th. The game will take place at Harbour Station at 1:30 PM on Saturday, August 24^th featuring former Saint John Sea Dogs vs. UNB Varsity Reds alumni. Ticket packages are on sale now.

Today’s press release also named some of the players who will be suiting up for the V-Reds. Their roster will include former Sea Dogs goaltender Travis Fullerton, Craig Soke, Dion Campbell, Kyle Werner, Ryan Burgoyne, Ryan Seymour, Stacy Smallman, Jordan Clendenning, Kevin Werner, Chad Denny, and Steve Pearce.

Sea Dogs Notebook

MILLEN

Remember Charlie Millen? He played three games with Saint John in 2011-12, going 0-2-0-0 with a 5.38 goals against average and a 0.831 save percentage. He’s played for a bunch of teams over the past year and is currently with the Ottawa Jr. Senators of the Central Canada Hockey League.

An unreal save Millen made the other day is making its rounds round the interweb. Via Buzzing The Net:

Millen is the son of Hockey Night in Canada’s Greg Millen.

THE WEEKEND

The Sea Dogs play their first home game since January 5 tomorrow night when they host the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at 7pm. The Eagles currently sit out of the playoff picture in 17^th place overall.

On Sunday, the Sea Dogs take on the Moncton Wildcats at 3pm at the Station. Saint John is 4-1-0-0 against Moncton this season but got blasted 7-1 on Wednesday at the Coliseum.

Saint John enters action this weekend on a five-game losing streak and are 2-8-0-0 in their last 10.

NO TRADE

Another good read over at Buzzing The Net – this time on why the Sea Dogs didn’t trade Jonathan Huberdeau’s QMJHL rights.

“Nobody was close,” Mike Kelly said about the offers he got for Huberdeau. Kelly added that it was quite complicated getting the compensation part of a possible deal worked out.

Kelly also talks about the Sea Dogs rebuild and how that is going.

Sea Dogs Notebook

TOMORROW

The Sea Dogs are back in action tomorrow afternoon at Harbour Station. The Rimouski Oceanic are in town to take on Saint John at 3pm in a rematch of last year’s QMJHL final.

The Oceanic are one of the top teams in the league right now with a 16-9-1-3 record which places them fifth overall in the standings. Rimouski is led offensively by Fredericton native Peter Trainor and former Sea Dog Scott Oke.

Tomorrow, it’s another CAA Sunday Fun-day and fans can save by showing their CAA card, getting a Family pack for only $44. Tickets are available at the Harbour Station box office, online at tickets.harbourstation.ca or by calling 657-1234.

CALENDARS

The Sea Dogs Foundation announced Wednesday that they will be selling 2013 “Special Alumni Edition” calendars beginning Friday, Dec. 7.

According to the Sea Dogs release, “the calendars are $10.00 each and will be available at the office of the Telegraph Journal and at Sea Dogs home games following the release date. For every $10.00 raised through the Telegraph Journal, $2.00 of every purchase will be donated to the Empty Stocking Fund.”

“The calendars highlight some of the former Sea Dogs who have gone on to professional careers,” says Barry Reid, Executive Director of the Foundation. “We are pleased that this calendar will help to enhance our contribution to this worthwhile cause.”

BLUE JERSEYS

The Sea Dogs announced Thursday that they will be auctioning off 2011-12 game worn blue jerseys beginning next week. All the details can be found on the Sea Dogs website.

RECORDS

Jonathan Huberdeau broke the Sea Dogs all-time point record on Thursday night. As the QMJHL website noted Friday, he’s closing in on another team record.

Jonathan Huberdeau (SNB) – last night against Val-d’Or, the first of his 3 points was the 252nd in his career with the QMJHL. This officially became a new record for the Sea Dogs, outranking Michael Kirkpatrick’s mark (251). In the same vein, with 102 goals, he is only 6 goals away from the team’s record also held by Kirkpatrick (108).

With the world juniors approaching and the uncertainty about where Huberdeau will be playing in the second half, he’ll have to hurry if he wants the goal record.

Huberdeau’s accomplishments on Thursday night even made the Florida Panthers website.

Sea Dogs Notebook

THE CUP COMES TO HARVEY
The MasterCard Memorial Cup is coming to one of New Brunswick’s smallest communities tomorrow.

The Daily Gleaner reports that Sea Dogs forward Zack Phillips will be bringing the Cup to Lougheed Pub in Harvey from 11am to 1pm.

Phillips, a first round pick of the Minnesota Wild in June’s NHL Draft, recorded the Memorial Cup winning goal in a 3-1 win over the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.

BEAULIEU IS STILL BETTER THAN YOU
The man that set the foundation for Saint John’s Memorial Cup victory is now using his Jedi GM moves in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sarnia Sting.

In just his first few months on the job, Beaulieu has made a splash with several signings. Buzzing The Net asks “has Jacques Beaulieu already won the off-season?”

It will be interesting to follow Beaulieu’s progress this season as he gets his second crack at head coaching and building a junior team.

TRADE PERIOD IS OPEN
The QMJHL Trade Period opened on Monday and had a relatively quiet opening day. As expected, former Lewiston Maineiac Cameron Critchlow was traded by the Victoriaville Tigres to the Halifax Mooseheads for a 2012 fifth round draft pick.

The Sea Dogs have yet to make any moves. The trade window closes on August 22nd.

SIGN OF THE TIMES
According to CHSJ News, the Saint John welcome signs will be getting some Sea Dogs flavour this fall.

From Country 94’s news blog:

Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News the city is having signs made to go up on the highway with a special message "Welcome to Saint John, Home of the Saint John Seadogs, Memorial Cup champions".

The Mayor says the signs have been in the works ever since the Sea Dogs brought home the Memorial Cup, and he hopes they'll be up in September for when the new season starts.

When they go up, feel free to email us a pic. (stationnation@yahoo.ca)

50/50 PRICES ADJUSTED BACK

After causing some fierce anger, the Saint John Sea Dogs Foundation had decided to revert their 50/50 ticket prices after significantly increasing their prices last week.

“The Saint John Sea Dogs Foundation has announced that the organization’s 50/50 ticket pricing structure will revert back to levels established last season for the duration of the 2010-11 campaign (incl. all exhibition and playoff games),” reads a Sea Dogs press release. “Fans will once again be able to purchase one ticket for $2, five tickets for $5, and thirty tickets for $10 beginning this Saturday night when Saint John hosts Acadie-Bathurst in QMJHL pre-season action.”

The Sea Dogs released this statement on Friday about the increase in pricing:

The Sea Dogs Foundation is pleased to announce that 50/50 jackpots are expected to be significantly larger during the upcoming hockey season, with a modest pricing adjustment set to exponentially increase the prize money awarded to winning ticket buyers.

Throughout the Sea Dogs' exhibition schedule, regular season, and 2011 playoff run, single 50/50 tickets will be sold by the Shriners at various locations inside Harbour Station for $5 apiece. Fans may also purchase a set of three tickets for $10 or a group of ten for $20.

“Our aim in adjusting the price structure this past weekend was to attempt to increase the size of fifty-fifty jackpots, which would have benefitted the charitable organizations that these draws support as well as the winning ticket holder,” Sea Dogs President Wayne Long said on Monday morning in the release. “However, upon discussing the matter with several fans as well as our foundation’s board members, we have decided to revert back to last season’s prices effective immediately. We look forward to another great season of fifty-fifty draws at Harbour Station, and we hope fans will be pleased with our decision to roll back ticket prices to their previous levels.”

The team’s website and official Twitter page clearly stated several times that the increase was put in place to make an attempt to raise more money for the charity organizations it helps support.

According to a report by a fan on Twitter, the 50/50 was unusually low at Saturday’s pre-season game at Harbour Station – even with the exhibition sized crowd.

50/50 PRICES TO BE INCREASED

A minor announcement made by the Saint John Sea Dogs today is stirring some debate.

Via a team press release, the Sea Dogs released a new pricing system by which their 50/50 ticket draws will operate this season.

“Throughout the Sea Dogs' exhibition schedule, regular season, and 2011 playoff run, single 50/50 tickets will be sold by the Shriners at various locations inside Harbour Station for $5 apiece,” states the teams website. “Fans may also purchase a set of three tickets for $10 or a group of ten for $20.”

Saint John hopes to set a new team record for the highest 50/50 total amounted in their history this year. The previous record was set on April 30, 2010 with $12,369.

Basically, this means that although the jackpot will be larger, fans will be dishing out more dough. All of this for a team that already has above average 50/50 winnings for a QMJHL team.

It will be interesting to see if this new plan works out and the jackpot continues to increase. On the one hand, a bigger pot could make more folks buy tickets. But on the other hand, by having increased ticket prices, it could become a turnoff.

The Sea Dogs website states that the pricing adjustments are “modest” which would indicate that neither the Sea Dogs or the Shriners organization believes that the modifications will have a huge negative effect.

For all the debate that this discussion will raise, the money will still go towards a good cause. All proceeds from 50/50 draws at Sea Dogs home games go towards the Sea Dogs Foundation as well as Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The Foundation is also committed to help former Sea Dogs players continue their post secondary education through a bursary program. Furthermore, the Sea Dogs Foundation supports local high school students achieve their post-secondary academic goals through a generous bursary program.