The Saint John Sea Dogs have announced a couple of intriguing training camp invites.
In 94 career regular season OHL games, the Binbrook, ON native posted 13 goals and seven assists. He added two goals in 29 playoff games.
20-year-old forward Matthew Hlacar – a recent Memorial Cup champion with the Kitchener Rangers – and 19-year-old defenseman Jayden Connors – who was this year's Maritime Junior Hockey League playoff MVP – have both been invited to Saint John's training camp next month.
Hlacar was a seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2025 NHL Draft. He's spent the past two seasons with the Rangers and is more known for his physicality than his offensive numbers.
In 94 career regular season OHL games, the Binbrook, ON native posted 13 goals and seven assists. He added two goals in 29 playoff games.
It'll be interesting to see how Hlacar performs at training camp. He'll need to have a strong camp to take one of the team's overage spots. It's interesting as well to see Saint John inviting a gritty forward from Ontario – something Jim Hulton did a lot of during his time with the Charlottetown Islanders.
Connors, meanwhile, also has OHL roots. The Toronto native has appeared in four career OHL games, including three last season with the Sudbury Wolves. Connors spent most of 2025-26 campaign with the MHL champion Truro Bearcats, posting seven goals and 19 assists in 32 regular season games and another two goals and seven helpers in 17 playoff contests.
Connors, who was considered one of the MHL's top defensemen last season, also has BCHL and OJHL experience. He's committed to the NCAA's University of New Hampshire for the 2027-28 season.
Sea Dogs training camp will begin next month ahead of the team's pre-season schedule. Saint John's first exhibition game is set for Aug. 26 in St. Stephen where they'll host the Moncton Wildcats.
