Sea Dogs claim Wagner; Forlin leaves

Moncton Wildcats

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League trade period might be over but the roster moves continue for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

On Thursday, the team announced that they've claimed 19-year-old forward Mitchell Wagner off waivers from the Moncton Wildcats. The Middle Sackville native has spent most of this season with the Maritime Hockey League's Miramichi Timberwolves but has appeared in six games with the Wildcats recently.

“Mitchell caught our eye a number of times when he recently played against us with the Wildcats," said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a news release. "When we saw he was available on waivers, we spent some time watching his games and felt he would be a solid addition to the depth of our team. He brings size, grit, and quality experience having won an MHL championship with Miramichi.”

Wagner was an eighth-round pick of the Charlottetown Islanders in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft. The games he's spent with the Wildcats this season are the only QMJHL matches he has played. He scored his first QMJHL goal against Saint John on Dec. 28.

In 22 games with Miramichi this season, Wagner has 12 goals and 12 assists.

Wagner is listed at 6'04" and 203 lbs, which makes him one of the bigger players on Saint John's roster.

18-year-old forward Parker Forlin, meanwhile, has left the team for personal reason. Forlin left the OJHL's Niagara Falls Canucks to join the Sea Dogs on Dec. 30.

Forlin appeared in three games with Saint John, recording one assist.

“When pursuing hockey dreams young men face many challenges such as living in a new city, integrating with a new team, living in a new home with a new family, attending a new school, and playing with people who speak different languages,” said Crickard. “Parker indicated a significant struggle with this adjustment as it was his first time living away from home.”

More roster additions could still be announced by the Sea Dogs in the coming days.

Sea Dogs claim Cross off waivers

Champions Hockey Instagram

The Saint John Sea Dogs have added another forward.

The Sea Dogs announced Tuesday that they've acquired 19-year-old forward Ben Cross off waivers from the Rimouski Oceanic.

The #SJSeaDogs have acquired forward Ben Cross via waivers.#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/UNyDnsdBHu

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 27, 2024

The Fredericton native appeared in 24 games with the Oceanic last season, posting three goals and three assists. 

In 2022-23, Cross captained the under-18 Fredericton Caps, recording 26 goals and 20 assists in 33 regular season games. He also appeared in three games with the Maritime Hockey League's Fredericton Red Wings that season and a game with the Oceanic (which came in Saint John).

Cross was a second-round pick of the Red Wings in the 2022 MHL Draft.

Cross appeared in two pre-season games with Rimouski last week.

Saint John's next pre-season game is Friday, Sept. 6 in Port Hawkesbury against the Cape Breton Eagles.

Akkouche claimed off waivers

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Saint John Sea Dogs forward Danny Akkouche has been claimed off waivers by the Gatineau Olympiques.

The 19-year-old forward posted four goals and eight assists in 35 games with the Sea Dogs this season. He recently played his 100th career QMJHL game.

Akkouche was used mostly as a defenseman last season but was put back up front this year. The Montreal native bounced around Saint John's lineup in the first half and was recently a healthy scratch.

A fourth-round pick of the Victoriaville Tigres in the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft, Akkouche played in three games with the Tigres in 2021-22 before joining the Sea Dogs last season.

Akkouche joins a rebuilding Gatineau team that will be in tough to make the playoffs. The Olympiques also feature defenseman Mathis Gauthier, who the Sea Dogs recently traded.

Report: Crete joining CCHL's Nationals

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It appears Yanic Crete is returning to Ontario.

After being placed on waivers by the Saint John Sea Dogs last week, Crete will reportedly be continuing his junior hockey career with the Rockland Nationals of the CCHL.

Après des passages avec les @Ottawa67sHockey et les @SJSeaDogs, Yanic Crête va poursuivre sa carrière avec les @RocklandNatsJrA dans @TheCCHL. Attaquant de 19 ans.

— jf plante (@jfplante_Droit) January 11, 2022

The 19-year-old forward joined the Sea Dogs in late October. In 21 QMJHL games, the L'Original, ON native recorded a goal and five assists while mostly playing in a third line role.

Crete didn't play in 2020-21 due to the Ontario Hockey League not starting up. He spent the 2019-20 and part of the 2018-19 seasons with the Ottawa 67's.

Sea Dogs make several roster moves

Photo: Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Following the completion of the winter trading period, the Saint John Sea Dogs announced a number of roster moves on Wednesday.

The team has added three players to its roster for the second half, claiming defenseman Brandon Casey off waivers from the Rimouski Oceanic; signing free agent forward Zach Alchorn; and recalling forward Carter McCluskey.

Casey, 18, has appeared in nine games with the Oceanic this season and has been held pointless. The Newfoundlander registered three assists in 33 games last season. He was a fifth-round pick of Rimouski in 2018 after playing two seasons at Newbridge Academy.

Alchorn, 19, appeared in seven games with the Moncton Wildcats 2018-19. He has spent most of the past two seasons with the St. Stephen Aces/Fredericton Red Wings organization. In 13 MHL games this season, Alchorn - a former Saint John Vito - has six goals and five assists. 

McCluskey, 17, was a 14th-round draft pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft and appeared in three pre-season games this year. Also a former Vito, McCluskey has recorded nine goals and eight assists in 12 games with the Grand Falls Rapids, placing him ninth in MHL scoring and second amongst rookies.

Overage goaltender Creed Jones, meanwhile, has been released by the team. The move doesn't come as a surprise after the Dogs acquired 20-year-old netminder Zachary Emond from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies last week.

Two Dogs claimed off waivers

SAINT JOHN - A couple more roster adjustments were made by the Saint John Sea Dogs following Monday's Quebec Major Junior Hockey League trade deadline.

The team announced that defenceman Olivier DesRoches has been claimed off waivers by the Halifax Mooseheads while forward Jeremie Jacob has been claimed by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Both players had been used sparingly by the Sea Dogs this season, falling down the team's depth chart over the past couple months.

DesRoches, 18, was acquired in a trade with the Shawinigan Cataractes during training camp. The d-man recorded two assists in 23 games with Saint John.

Jacob, 18, was a sixth round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft. He recorded one assist in 22 games with Saint John this season after recording seven goals and eight helpers in 60 contests with the club last year.

Jacob made his debut with the Titan on Wednesday night in Charlottetown.

The status of forward James White is unclear at this time. The team has not made any official announcement, but White no longer appears on the club's roster and was not announced or listed as a scratch on Wednesday.

Sea Dogs claim local Marcus Tesink

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The Saint John Sea Dogs have claimed a local talent off waivers.

The team officially - or as official as it gets, I guess - announced today that they've picked up Saint John native Marcus Tesink off waivers.

Welcome home @BabySinker @SJSeaDogs pic.twitter.com/FAlAkWHk1j

— Anthony Stella (@AnthonyStella_) August 31, 2017

Tesink, a 19-year-old defenceman, spent last season with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles where he recorded two goals and 10 assists in 54 games. He was held pointless in nine playoff games.

A former Saint John Vito's standout, Tesink was a fifth-round pick of the Moncton Wildcats in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft. He appeared in three games with the Wildcats in 2014-15 before spending the entire 2015-16 season with the team.

Tesink is, of course, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Ryan Tesink.

Despite losing a lot of defencemen to the professional ranks this off-season, the Sea Dogs now have a bit of a log jam on the backend. While many QMJHL teams are announcing their season opening lineups this week, it appears the Sea Dogs will still have a few battles for positions during the final couple weeks of training camp.

The Sea Dogs don't return to preseason play until Sept. 14, taking on the Moncton Wildcats in Fredericton.

TWO PLACED ON WAIVERS

Brandon McDonald and Clifford Mugford have been placed on waivers by the Saint John Sea Dogs. Teams have until 3.00 pm on Wednesday to claim the players.

Mugford was cut by the Sea Dogs after breaking his wrist at camp. McDonald had two fights in Saturdays 7-1 win over the Titan.

Also placed on waivers by the Drummondville Voltigeurs was former Sea Dog Andrew Howes. Howes is the younger brother of Scott Howes.

For the complete list from Metro Halifax click HERE