Notebook: Veleno gets first playoff point

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Joe Veleno recorded his first career NHL playoff point on Sunday.

Veleno registered an assist on a Zachary Bolduc goal in the Montreal Canadiens' 6-2 Game 3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Veleno played 12:18 in the game and also recorded one shot and five hits.

What is this pass from Logan Stanley pic.twitter.com/y2LE7mKtMq

— Rink Rat Report (@RinkRatReport) May 11, 2026

Veleno has played in all four games for the Habs in their second round series against the Sabres. This is his first career appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Canadiens and Sabres are tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Thursday in Buffalo.

FLAMES SIGN ALCHORN

The Saint John Flames of the Beausejour Senior Hockey League have announced another signing with Sea Dogs connections.

Forward Zachary Alchorn will play for the team this fall. He was the second player to sign with the club after former Sea Dogs forward Nick Blagden.

According to Elite Prospects, Alchorn hasn't played competitive level hockey since the 2023-24 season when he appeared in 14 games with the Southern Senior Hockey League's River Valley Rock.

The Grand Bay-Westfield native spent most of his junior career with the St. Stephen Aces/Fredericton Red Wings franchise. He appeared in 16 games with the Sea Dogs during the COVID season of 2020-21, recording three goals and two assists. He added a goal and four assists in six playoff games.

Notebook: Schedule coming soon

A whole lot of the Moncton Wildcats is on the schedule for the Saint John Sea Dogs this pre-season.

The QMJHL website published its pre-season schedule – or at least most pieces of it – on Wednesday. As it stands right now, the Sea Dogs will play five exhibition games with four of those coming against the Wildcats.

Here's a look at Saint John's current pre-season schedule:

Tuesday, Aug. 19: Saint John at Moncton (Dieppe UNIplex)

Wednesday, Aug. 20: Moncton at Saint John (St. Stephen Garcelon Civic Center)

Friday, Aug. 22: Saint John at Moncton (Fredericton Aitken Centre)

Thursday, Aug. 28: Saint John at Newfoundland (Summerside Wellness Centre)

Friday, Sept. 5: Moncton at Saint John (TBD)

Saint John's pre-season contest in St. Stephen was originally scheduled for Aug. 19 but has since been moved to Aug. 20.

If this is indeed Saint John's final pre-season schedule, it would be the fewest exhibition games the club has ever played.

SCHEDULE SOON

We're presumably getting closer to the releasing of the QMJHL's regular season schedule. Last season's schedule was released on May 27.

Stephane Leroux of RDS reported earlier this week that the regular season will begin Thursday, Sept. 18 with the Newfoundland Regiment hosting the Moncton Wildcats. It will be the QMJHL's first game in St. John's since 2008.

Leroux also explained how the Regiment's schedule and travel will work. Maritimes Division teams will fly to St. John's twice and play two games each time, according to the report.

Saint John's last game in St. John's was on Jan. 6, 2008.

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.

Notebook: Crickard takes silver at U17

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard is back with the team after helping Team Canada Red win silver at the U17 World Challenge in Sarnia.

Canada Red won both of their preliminary round games and earned a bye to the semifinals where they defeated the United States 7-3. In the gold medal game, Red fell 3-1 to Team Canada White.

Along with Crickard, Red's roster included Sea Dogs draft pick Cameron Chartrand, who posted two assists in four games. The 16-year-old defenseman is committed to Boston College, but the recent NCAA rule change has certainly increased hope that he may report to Saint John. Chartrand is currently playing US prep school hockey with the Bishop Kearney Selects.

Eastern Canadian players stat lines at the U17 World Hockey Challenge:

Tynan Lawrence 5GP- 3G 3A
Chad Lygitsakos 4GP- 3G
Cameron Chartrand 4GP- 2A
Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte 5GP- 2A
Maddox Dagenais 4GP- 1A
Romain L’Italien 5GP-
Jayden Plouffe 5GP-

— Austin Robson (@ARobScouting) November 10, 2024

HENRY SIGNS
Sea Dogs draft pick Joshua Henry has committed to Lindenwood University for the 2027-28 season.

Lindenwood is one of the lesser known NCAA Division I schools, playing as an independent in the St. Louis suburbs. 

It's not often a player from the Maritime Hockey League commits to a Division I program. He has three assists in 12 games with the Fredericton Red Wings this season.

Henry, a 16-year-old defenseman, was a sixth-round pick of Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. He played at Rothesay Netherwood last year.

DRAPEAU TO BCHL

While more and more players are departing the BCHL for the CHL, former Sea Dogs defenseman Nathan Drapeau is heading the other way.

The defenseman – who will turn 20 on Dec. 28 – has signed with the West Kelowna Warriors after appearing in 11 games with the Val-d'Or Foreurs this year.

"Nathan brings experience and poise to our back end," said Warriors head coach and general manager Simon Ferguson in a news release. "He’s a Memorial Cup champion who can quarterback our power play and play in all situations. He’s a highly-coveted player and we expect him to play a big role for us.”

Drapeau spent two seasons with the Sea Dogs, helping the club win the Memorial Cup in 2022.

He has spent the past two seasons in Val-d'Or. He did not play when the Foreurs visited Saint John a couple weeks ago.

Notebook: Sea Dogs attracting small crowds early this season

The Saint John Sea Dogs have been a pleasant surprise on the ice. Off the ice, attendance for games at TD Station has not been too pleasant.

Through six home games, the Sea Dogs are averaging 2,550 fans per game, placing them 10th in the 18-team QMJHL. They're slightly behind small markets Shawinigan and Victoriaville.

Crowds are typically lower this time of year compared to the winter months – but Saint John's average attendance is down nearly 500 fans per game from where it was at this point a year ago. The Sea Dogs averaged 3,011 fans per game after six home games last season.

Saint John's last three home games have seen particularly small crowds.

Sunday, Oct. 6 - 1,859

Friday, Oct. 11 - 2,006

Saturday, Oct. 12 - 2,150

The Oct. 6 attendance of 1,859 was Saint John's smallest regular season crowd since Dec. 17, 2022 when 1,813 watched the Sea Dogs host the Cape Breton Eagles.

COMING UP

Just how "for real" is this Sea Dogs team? We could get a good indication this week.

The Sea Dogs will play three games in four nights this week, beginning with a Thursday night contest in Moncton. The Wildcats enter play on Monday with a 5-1-1-0 record and have already defeated the Sea Dogs once this season.

The Sea Dogs will then play a Friday-Sunday home-and-home against the Maritimes Division leading Acadie-Bathurst Titan, with the first game taking place at the KC Irving Regional Centre. The Titan are a surprising 7-3-0-0 this season and have won four straight games.

Sunday's game at TD Station will be Saint John's final game until Halloween night.

TSN won't air regular season CHL games this year; Dow replaces Kia

There will be no regular season Canadian Hockey League games airing on TSN this season.

Canadian sports media insider Adam Seaborn reported the news Wednesday. TSN will, however, cover every game of each league final along with the Memorial Cup which, as Seaborn notes, could end up equaling a similar amount of games.

Here's the scoop

CHL regular season will NOT be on TSN. Last year was a struggle to pull ratings on Friday nights

TSN will be covering EVERY league final game right from game 1 through to the Memorial Cup

Similar amount of games, just focused on playoffs and not regular season https://t.co/x6xNKy6kFo

— Adam Seaborn (@AHBSeaborn) September 27, 2023

TSN began airing CHL games in 2021-22, which included the 2022 Memorial Cup in Saint John. The network took over from long-time rights holder Sportsnet.

There were high hopes for TSN's coverage given how much they put into covering the World Junior Hockey Championship. But the number of games broadcast was similar to what Sportsnet had done in the recent past — and the selection of matchups wasn't great. The coverage was fine (even when done remotely), but not on the same level as the world juniors. The network is also missing that real, extremely connected CHL insider that Sam Cosentino is on Sportsnet.

In 2021-22, the CHL had regular season games air nationally on TSN and CBC. This year there will be none. But — and I've asked this question on here before — does it even matter anymore? TV just doesn't have the impact or reach that it used to — and, unless they are diehard junior hockey fans, most people aren't going to spend their Friday night watching a random junior game when there are a million other things on.

The CHL is probably better off putting its focus into making CHL TV a better product — not just quality wise, but entertainment wise as well. OneSoccer, for example, which broadcasts the Canadian Premier League and Canada Soccer matches, has studio analysts and other programming.

But even if CHL TV becomes the best hockey streaming service on the planet, will people watch? That seems to be the bigger challenge here. If people were watching, TSN would still be airing regular season games.

It feels like we're reaching a point (or some would argue we reached it some time ago) where the CHL needs to look at some big ideas to increase its audience. Flex-scheduling to put big matchups into prime time, inter-league play, in-season tournaments, regional Memorial Cup tournament qualifiers, a completely new Memorial Cup format... hopefully the CHL is putting every possible option on the table.

It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out over the next five years or so. There will likely be a seismic shift in Canadian sports media when the NHL's deal with Sportsnet/Rogers ends in 2025-26. And we're starting to see some teams and leagues in the United States shift back to old school local TV stations, believing that reach is more valuable than a few extra tickets sold.

Somewhat related to all of this, it looks like the CHL has lost Kia as a partner. Dow, which owns the naming rights to the Saginaw Spirit's home arena, will be the presenting sponsor of the 2024 Memorial Cup.

Kia had held the naming rights to the tournament since 2019 in Halifax.

Notebook: Development camp underway

QUISPAMSIS, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs got the on-ice portion of their 2023 summer development camp underway on Saturday at the qplex.

Goaltenders, defensemen and forwards took to the ice in separate sessions in the morning. Later in the day, the three groups combined to take part in a couple hours of practices.

The sessions allowed Sea Dogs management and fans to see some of the team's top prospects on the ice together for the first time, including 2023 second-round picks Egan Beveridge, Olivier Duhamel and Benjamin Amyot. The full roster of invitees can be found here.

Sea Dogs 2nd round American draft selection Daniel Daley, from Franklin HS is also in attendance and is looking equally as impressive.

Love this drill, by the way. pic.twitter.com/DSxSI1amxb

— Brayden Olafson (@olaf1393) June 24, 2023

The group attended the Sea Dogs Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday night. Development camp continues on Sunday with a 9 a.m. practice and a 10:30 a.m. 3-on-3 series at the qplex.

This is the first time the Sea Dogs have held a development camp since 2019 due to the pandemic.

COYLE SPEAKS

One video that didn't make it into Friday night's Sea Dogs Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Gerard Gallant and Mike Kelly was this message from Charlie Coyle.

Messages from Sea Dogs alumni are starting to come in ahead of tonight's Sea Dogs Hall of Fame induction ceremony!@NHLBruins | @CharlieCoyle_3 pic.twitter.com/oQ7en6hiCs

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) June 23, 2023

Coyle, now a member of the Boston Bruins, joined the Sea Dogs for the second half of the 2011-12 season and was named the QMJHL's playoff MVP.

Bedard show carries Pats to upset win

REGINA - Greetings from Regina, where all the talk at the hotel restaurant this morning was about the show Connor Bedard put on last night.

Trailing 3-0 in the second period, Bedard posted five points - four goals and an assist - to lift the Regina Pats to a 5-3 win over the CHL No. 1 ranked Winnipeg Ice at the Brandt Centre. His fourth goal was an empty netter that came off a nice shot block by teammate Tanner Howe.

TSN's "Bad for Bedard" song, which was created for Friday's NHL trade deadline, was shown on the big screen during the second intermission on Friday.

Bedard now has 58 goals and 119 points in just 46 Western Hockey League games this season. He leads the entire CHL in points and goals. He is sixth in assists (61).

A lock to be the top pick in this year's NHL Draft, Bedard could reach the 60-goal mark this weekend with two more big upcoming games. After hosting Winnipeg on Friday (first in the Eastern Conference with 97 points), they host the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday (third, 82 points) and Saskatoon Blades on Sunday (second, 85 points).

It was a bit of a statement victory for the Pats on Friday. Winners of five straight, Regina sits sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 30-24-2-1 record. They have 11 games remaining in the regular season.

Notebook: Blagden, McCallum join UNB

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two former Saint John Sea Dogs have joined the UNB Reds for the second half of the Atlantic University Sport season.

Defenseman Kale McCallum and forward Nick Blagden will both suit up for Gardiner MacDougall's squad. Both are 20-year-olds and were still eligible to play junior hockey this winter.

McCallum, a Quispamsis native, spent two seasons in Saint John before being traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs. He's been one of the QMJHL's top offensive defensemen the past two seasons. McCallum recorded 34 points in 36 games with Val-d'Or in the first half, currently placing him sixth in defensemen scoring.

Blagden, meanwhile, appeared in four games with Saint John this season before announcing his retirement from the sport - a retirement that was short lived. He's also played with the Southern Senior Hockey League's River Valley Rock this season.

Coming outta retirement again I guess…Excited to get things started👊 https://t.co/KscIj1C7an

— Nick Blagden (@Nick_Blagden) January 11, 2023

Blagden won a Memorial Cup championship with MacDougall and the Sea Dogs last June.

“Coach Mac is an icon in Saint John,” said Bladgen in a news release. “Without him, that team wouldn’t have won the Cup. He provided us with the motivation in our toughest times.”

Heading into play this weekend, UNB sits first in the AUS men's hockey standings with a 16-3-0-1 record.

BACK IN PRINCEVILLE

Newly acquired defenseman Tristan Dassylva is back with the QJHL's Princeville Titans. The 17-year-old told the Quebec outlet CIMT/CHAU that he will spend the rest of the season with the club.

Dassylva, acquired by the Sea Dogs during the holiday trade period, made his Saint John debut on Jan. 8. He appeared in 10 games with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar earlier this season.

CIMT/CHAU notes that Dassylva was teammates with Sea Dogs rookie forward Jacob Beaulieu last season with the College Notre-Dame Albatros.

Princeville sits second in the QJHL standings behind Nikolas Hurtubise and the Terrebonne Cobras. 

Notebook: Tivey scratch a coaching decision

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs were without one of their top defenseman on Saturday.

Nate Tivey was listed as a healthy scratch by the Sea Dogs. While it is trade season in the QMJHL, the scratching was reportedly a coaching decision.

Of note from @qmjhl action today, Nate Tivey's healthy scratch was a coaching decision and not a sign the @saintjohnSeadogs rookie D is on the trading block, said head coach Travis Crickard.

— Kevin Barrett (@KevinBarrettNB) December 31, 2022

The scratch was a bold move by the Sea Dogs coaching staff given that the team was already without veteran defensemen Charlie DesRoches (injury) and Vincent Despont (world juniors). Tivey, who sits 15th in QMJHL rookie scoring with 16 points (all assists), has been on Saint John's top pairing for much of the season.

The Sea Dogs lost Saturday's game 4-1 to the Moncton Wildcats.

MACDONALD DEBUTS

Cam MacDonald had an excellent debut performance for the Gatineau Olympiques on Saturday.

After being traded by the Sea Dogs to the Olympiques on Friday, MacDonald scored two goals in his first game with Gatineau the next day. Gatineau defeated the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 5-4.

MacDonald also had four shots, four hits and went 9/17 on faceoffs in the contest. He was named the game's first star.

Notebook: Highly anticipated "Spice Up Your Game" takes place Saturday

SAINT JOHN - One of the most hyped games of the season takes place Saturday at TD Station.

The Saint John Sea Dogs will host the Moncton Wildcats in a 2 p.m. contest that will feature intermission performances by Wannabe: A Spice Girls Tribute.

"TD Station will be the place to be for an afternoon of hockey, music, and fun, as Wannabe: A Spice Girls Tribute perform during both intermissions," reads a Sea Dogs news release. "A 2 p.m. start time means the whole family can enjoy great hockey and fun performances before the ball drops on NYE."

According to the team, "lower bowl seating is officially limited and there are less than 1,000 total seats remaining."

Door will open at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.

This will be the first time the Sea Dogs have played on New Year's Eve since 2019 due to COVID restrictions.

HURTUBISE'S FUTURE

Cam MacDonald stole the headlines Wednesday when the Sea Dogs made him a late healthy scratch. But overage netminder Nikolas Hurtubise was also a healthy scratch for the game.

Dealing Hurtubise, a President Cup and Memorial Cup champion, isn't simple due to his age. Given the crowded overage goalie market and some injury issues this season, there are certainly some questions about his immediate future.

La retraite de la @LHJMQ devrais-je ajouter... Surveillez les alignements @LHJAAAQ1 prochainement.👀 https://t.co/207uhcEVXD

— jf plante (@jfplante_Droit) December 29, 2022

Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told the Telegraph-Journal (paywall) that "Nik would like the opportunity to challenge for a championship again."

Hurtubise suffered an injury in the off-season and has played in just 11 games with Saint John this season. He posted a 14-4 record to go along with a 2.88 goals against average and a .897 save percentage in the second half with the Sea Dogs last season. After appearing in just one playoff game, he was excellent for Saint John at the Memorial Cup.

Notebook: The regular season is here

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's almost that time.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's regular season is just a couple days away. The schedule opens on Thursday night with the President Cup champion and William Dufour owned Shawinigan Cataractes hosting the Gatineau Olympiques.

The schedule picks up on Friday with seven games that evening. The Saturday slate includes the Saint John Sea Dogs and Acadie-Bathurst Titan opening up their seasons at TD Station. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Sea Dogs and Titan meet again on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

Saint John travels to Charlottetown the following Friday, Sept. 30. The Dogs then play three straight games on home ice before making their first of four three-game road trips to Quebec.

MEDIA GUIDE RELEASED

The QMJHL's media guide was released on Tuesday. Here are a few things worth noting (and perhaps subject to change):

• The league's holiday trading period will take place Sunday, Dec. 18 to Friday, Jan. 6. The World Junior Hockey Championship ends on Jan. 5.
• The CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will take place Jan. 25 in Vancouver.
• The 2023 Memorial Cup, held in Kelowna, will take place Friday, May 26 to Monday, June 5.
• The final Central Scouting list for the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft will be released May 8.
• Capacity at TD Station is listed at 5,990 this season with total capacity listed at 6,190.

ROSZELL NO LONGER WITH WILDCATS

Tim Roszell is no longer the voice of the Moncton Wildcats.

The Wildcats quietly announced late Saturday that Marty Kingston will return as the Wildcats' play-by-play announcer, taking over from Roszell who had held the position for the last four seasons.

Kingston was previously the PA announcer at the Moncton Coliseum and was the team's play-by-play voice for three seasons.

Notebook: Smallman advances to AHL final

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Former Saint John Sea Dogs captain Spencer Smallman will play in the American Hockey League's Calder Cup final.

Smallman and the Wolves advanced to the league final by defeating the Stockton Heat in six games in the Western Conference final. They'll face the Springfield Thunderbirds, who needed seven games to eliminate the Laval Rocket. The best-of-seven series begins Sunday in Chicago.

Smallman recorded an assist on the goal that sent the Wolves to the final. He now has a goal and three helpers in 13 playoff games.

The 25-year-old is playing in his first Calder Cup playoffs. He's appeared in 130 career regular season AHL games with the Carolina Hurricanes' affiliate.

With the Rocket being eliminated, Joshua Roy's season is officially over. The former Sea Dogs forward appeared in just one playoff game with Laval after joining the team following the Sherbrooke Phoenix's elimination from the President Cup final.

WHO STARTS?

One of the major questions heading into Saint John's Memorial Cup opener Monday: who will start in goal?

Thomas Couture started all five of Saint John's playoff games but was pulled just 6:50 into the team's forgettable Game 5 performance, allowing two goals on four shots. The more experienced Nikolas Hurtubise, who won the President Cup with the Victoriaville Tigres the year before, had a very strong showing in relief, allowing two goals on 23 shots.

"I haven't even thought about it," Sea Dogs head coach Gardiner MacDougall told the Telegraph-Journal (paywall) on Monday.

"That's down the road. My thing is that I never usually make that decision until game day. So when game day comes, we will make that decision and move forward."

Notebook: Dogs' move nearly unprecedented

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The Saint John Sea Dogs' decision to fire their head coach this close to the start of the Memorial Cup is nearly unprecedented - but it has happened before.

Way back in 2000, the Memorial Cup host Halifax Mooseheads were swept out of the second round of the President Cup playoffs by Brad Richards and the Rimouski Oceanic. Less than two weeks after their playoff exit, the Mooseheads fired head coach and director of hockey operations Bob Mongrain and named associate Shawn MacKenzie the interim head coach.

From CBC News on April 21, 2000:

"This wasn't done lightly," said team president Ken Mounce, who added it's a move that may have been long overdue.

"This was thought of for a few months and we looked at every possible avenue and we were very sensitive to the timing," Mounce continued.

The 2000 Memorial Cup began on May 20, so these timelines are quite similar to what the Sea Dogs are working with.

The Mooseheads finished 2-1 in round-robin play and were eliminated in the semifinals.

A few people have also pointed out that the BCHL's Chilliwack Chiefs fired their head coach less than two weeks before hosting the RBC Cup in 2018. The Chiefs went on to win the national championship.

Notebook: New dates for QMJHL Entry Draft

With the Canadian Hockey League season extended a couple weeks, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has pushed its annual Entry Draft.

The two-day event will now take place July 4-5, which is the Monday and Tuesday following the final week of the 2022 Memorial Cup in Saint John. From the QMJHL:

The 2022 Entry Draft was initially scheduled to take place on June 17-18, 2022. However, with the recent schedule adjustments, the draft’s first round will now take place on the evening of Monday, July 4, while rounds 2-14 will occur the next day.

As originally planned, the QMJHL Entry Draft will once again, sadly, be virtual rather than on an arena floor.

Of note, the 2022 NHL Draft is scheduled to be held just a few days later, taking place July 7-8 in Montreal.

DUFOUR EARNS HONOURS

William Dufour: he's still pretty good.

The Sea Dogs forward was named the QMJHL's player of the week on Monday. He's the first Sea Dog to win the award this season, although defenseman Vincent Sevigny did win the honour twice already this year while he was a member of the Victoriaville Tigres.

Dufour was also named to the QMJHL's team of the week.

The New York Islanders prospect recorded three goals and five assists during Saint John's three-game road trip in Quebec last week. He had a 20-game point streak and seven-game goal streak come to an end last Friday in Rimouski.

Notebook: Who will be in Saint John?

Embed from Getty Images

Could the Saint John Sea Dogs face some familiar franchises this June?

It's certainly possible that one or more teams the Sea Dogs have faced at previous Memorial Cups could make their way to Saint John in a few months. In the OHL, the Mississauga Steelheads (formerly the St. Michael's Majors (2011)) and London Knights (2012) currently sit atop the standings based on winning percentage.

	Team	GP	Record (Points)	Win %
1	Mississauga Steelheads	35	23-8-1-3 (50)	.714
2	London Knights	32	21-10-1-0 (43)	.672
3	Kingston Frontenacs	32	20-9-3-0 (43)	.672
4	Barrie Colts	30	18-9-3-0 (39)	.650
5	Guelph Storm	32	19-10-2-1 (41)	.641

The Windsor Spitfires (2017) currently have the eighth based winning percentage. The Owen Sound Attack (2011) and Erie Otters (2017) are long shots to win the OHL championship.

In the WHL, the Winnipeg Ice (formerly the Kootenay Ice (2011)) have the best winning percentage while the Edmonton Oil Kings are third (2012) and Seattle Thunderbirds fifth (2017).

	Team	GP	Record (Points)	Win %
1	Winnipeg Ice	37	29-6-2-0 (60)	.811
2	Everett Silvertips	38	27-7-2-2 (58)	.763
3	Edmonton Oil Kings	39	27-9-2-1 (57)	.731
4	Kamloops Blazers	36	24-11-1-0 (49)	.681
5	Seattle Thunderbirds	35	21-10-4-0 (46)	.657

The one other QMJHL team the Sea Dogs have faced in Memorial Cup play, the Shawinigan Cataractes (2012), have a legitimate shot of making it as well. The Cataractes currently have the fifth best winning percentage.

Notebook: Memorial Cup dates could change

In an interview with Global News this week, QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau mentioned that the dates for the 2022 Memorial Cup could be changed.

“We’re even prepared to modify our playoff format," Courteau said about the QMJHL's desire to complete its regular season schedule. "We’re even looking at the possibility of pushing back the start of the Memorial Cup a week or two later.”

Courteau added that he remains confident the league will be able to restart the week of Feb. 1. If the QMJHL is to play a full 68-game schedule, the regular season will very likely need to be extended - which would create the need to adjust playoff scheduling/formatting.

The Memorial Cup is currently scheduled for June 4-13.

“In terms of the Memorial Cup, all stakeholders are resolved to have it here in June,” Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told Global. “It is still five months away and there has been no talk of cancellation.”

The Global News piece - which the league shared on its Facebook page - is worth the watch/read. 

TALKING 'BOUT PRACTICE

Courteau also told Global News that the league's three New Brunswick teams have asked for permission to practice in another province. New Brunswick's current COVID-19 restrictions only allow people to practice with their household bubble.

Radio-Canada reported Wednesday that the Sea Dogs are looking into practicing in Riviere-du-Loup while the Acadie-Bathurst Titan are looking at Mont-Joli.

Riviere-du-Loup is home to Centre Premier Tech, a 3,000-seat arena that hosted the Telus Cup in 2015.

CHL on TSN makes its debut

Kingston Frontenacs Twitter

The Canadian Hockey League made its much anticipated debut on TSN Friday night with a doubleheader.

The first game featured a surprising upset with the Sudbury Wolves - led by a four-goal performance by David Goyette - defeating Shane Wright and the Kingston Frontenacs 8-4. The second game saw the Prince George Cougars defeat the Vancouver Giants 3-2 in overtime.

The doubleheader was the first of 10 regular season games set to be broadcast on television by the network. TSN.ca will continue to air quite a few other games - including some involving the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The future of hockey lives here!

The puck drops on a #CHL doubleheader, Friday on #TSN, the TSN App & TSN Direct: https://t.co/LireDcbFaW#TSNHockey @CHLHockey | @OHLHockey @TheWHL | @QMJHL pic.twitter.com/utMFwWyJ4q

— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) January 13, 2022

The CHL and TSN are focusing on Friday night broadcasts. Next Friday's match - COVID permitting - will feature the Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats taking on the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Notebook: More on the Desnoyers deal

Halifax Mooseheads

More details on the expected Elliot Desnoyers trade have surfaced.

Mikael Lalancette of Le Soleil reports that the Saint John Sea Dogs will acquire the Halifax Mooseheads captain in exchange for prospect Natan Grenier and a first-round pick. Grenier, 16, was a first-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft and has five goals and 18 points in 24 games with the Seminaire St-Francois Blizzard this season.

On me confirme que les Sea Dogs ont remporté le derby Elliott Desnoyers des Mooseheads. Il était l’un des 4 joueurs de la #LHJMQ au Mondial junior. Annonce à venir lors de la fin de la période des transactions. #lesoleil

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) January 2, 2022

This deal will likely have other pieces attached to it come the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft this summer.

The QMJHL's trade deadline is this Thursday, Jan. 6.

DUBE SWEEPSTAKES OVER

20-year-old forward Pierrick Dube will be joining the Shawinigan Cataractes.

Transaction 🔁

Les Cataractes ont acquis l’attaquant de 20 ans, Pierrick Dubé du Le Drakkar de Baie-Comeau .

En retour, les Cats cèdent le vétéran de 20 ans, Marc-Antoine Pépin et un choix de 3e ronde en 2022.

🗞 https://t.co/eFHrzxvdkA#JusquAuBut pic.twitter.com/ktl3u1ZfBz

— Cataractes de Shawinigan (@Cataractes_Shaw) January 2, 2022

Dube started the season with the nearby Trois-Rivieres Lions of the ECHL where he recorded a goal and three assists in 10 games. He was released by the club a few weeks ago with, reportedly, intentions on returning to the QMJHL.

Dube played with both the Quebec Remparts and Chicoutimi Sagueneens last season, posting solid numbers. His QMJHL rights are currently owned by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

Notebook: Quebec capacities coming down

COVID-19 restrictions are coming to all 18 arenas in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Like New Brunswick, the Quebec government has announced that capacity at arenas must not exceed 50% and social distancing must be maintained. The new rules begin Monday, meaning the 12 Quebec-based clubs can have full capacity at their games this weekend.

Confirmé : les capacités d'assistances seront réduites à 50% dès lundi dans la LHJMQ.

- maximum de six personnes par bulle familiale;
- distanciation d’un banc entre les bulles familiales;
- retrait des billets debout;
- port du masque en tout temps;
- passeport vaccinal.

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) December 17, 2021

The six Maritimes Division clubs have similar restrictions now in place. Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia are taking similar routes.

The big unknown, of course, is how long these restrictions will be in place. The QMJHL is scheduled to return from its holiday break on Dec. 28.

MORE CHANGES COMING

Saturday's Sea Dogs game at TD Station will be interesting with first come first serve style seating due to the province's mandatory order that began on Friday night, which limits capacity at sports and entertainment facilities at 50%.

The Sea Dogs confirmed in an email to fans on Friday that some of Saturday's setup will be temporary.

We released information (Thursday) about other important changes for this game, including first-come first serve seating, social distancing, TD Station concessions being closed, and the City of Saint John closing the Pedway. Please read through the changes for the game on Saturday so you can plan your visit accordingly.

Please note that these are not long-term solutions, but simply how we are best managing this Saturday's game given current public health guideline changes and the quick turnaround. We will continue to work with TD Station and Public Health as things evolve and work on the optimal experience for you moving forward.

Last season the Sea Dogs had a socially distanced seating map setup, which will presumably be making its return.