Canada captures Hlinka Gretzky gold

Alexis Joseph and Team Canada are 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup champions.

Canada captured the gold medal of the under-18 tournament with an 8-1 victory over the United States on Saturday in Edmonton. The Canadians scored three times in both the first and second periods.

Joseph, who was dropped to Canada's fourth line for this game, was held pointless on Saturday and finishes the tournament with a goal and two assists in five games. The Saint John Sea Dogs forward was held pointless in Friday's semifinal victory as well.

Canada finished the event with a perfect 5-0 record, which included winning all three games in the preliminary round.

GAME OVER! IT'S GOLD IN EDMONTON! 🇨🇦🇺🇸

MATCH FINI! MÉDAILLÉS D’OR À EDMONTON! 🇨🇦🇺🇸

📊 https://t.co/hU5AoHBg95
📊 https://t.co/EdF5Cx7RiP #HlinkaGretzkyCup | #CoupeHlinkaGretzky | @UpperDeckSports pic.twitter.com/iGvecpEZDn

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 9, 2026

Forward Oliver Ozogany and Slovakia, meanwhile, lost 3-2 to Finland in Saturday afternoon's bronze medal game. The Slovaks blew a 2-0 first period lead in the loss.

Ozogany, who was selected by the Sea Dogs in this year's CHL Import Draft, appeared in all five of Slovakia's games, registering one assist.

The only other Sea Dog taking part in the tournament was forward Matyas Cancik, who played in just one game after suffering an injury in Czechia's opener. The Czechs finished in sixth-place.

Joseph, Ozogany advance at Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Hockey Canada Images

Alexis Joseph and Team Canada will take on Finland in the semifinals of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Friday.

Canada improved to 3-0 at the tournament with a 7-4 win over Sweden on Wednesday. They opened the event with a 7-3 win over Switzerland on Monday and followed that up with a 6-1 victory over Slovakia.

Joseph, who has been playing on Canada's second line with Brock England and Ryerson Edgar, has a goal and two assists in the three games. His goal came in Wednesday's win.

They don’t ask how 🗣️

Alexis Joseph picks up his first of the tournament on a deflection off his leg to extend Canada’s lead on the power play!#GoDogsGo | #HlinkaGretzkyCup pic.twitter.com/yBimP8EgRw

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 6, 2026

The other semifinal will feature Slovakia taking on the United States. The bronze and gold medal games will take place on Saturday.

The Slovaks feature forward Oliver Ozogany, who was picked by the Sea Dogs in this year's CHL Import Draft. Ozogany, who has been skating on Slovakia's top line, has recorded an assist in three games.

Forward Matyas Cancik, who was also a 2026 CHL Import Draft pick of Saint John and a recent signee, has appeared in just one game with Czechia after suffering an injury in the team's tournament opener. The Czechs will face Switzerland in the fifth-place game on Friday.

Joseph to wear an 'A' at Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Alexis Joseph has officially been named to Canada's roster for the upcoming Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Joseph was one of 22 players named to the team that will take part in the under-18 tournament beginning on Monday. The Saint John Sea Dogs forward will wear an 'A' on his sweater.

Meet the captains! / Voici nos capitaines! 🇨🇦

C: Landon DuPont (@HockeyAlberta)
A: Alexis Joseph (@HockeyQuebec)
A: Maddox Schultz (@hockeysask)#HlinkaGretzkyCup | #CoupeHlinkaGretzky pic.twitter.com/Yez2bgQhsd

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 1, 2026

Joseph was named to Canada's camp roster a couple weeks ago and was essentially a lock to make the team. Joseph has already represented Canada at both the under-17 and under-18 levels. 

The 17-year-old appeared in two games as an underager with Team Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championship this spring. Last fall, Joseph captained Canada Red to a gold medal at the U17 World Challenge, a tournament that saw him record six goals and seven assists in five games.

Other QMJHL players named to Canada's roster for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup include Sam Berthiaume (Cape Breton Eagles), Malik L'Italien (Halifax Mooseheads), Quinn Norman (Newfoundland Regiment) and Benjamin Veitch (Newfoundland Regiment).

The event takes place Aug. 3-8 in Edmonton. Canada will play Switzerland (Aug. 3), Slovakia (Aug. 4) and Sweden (Aug. 5) before the playoff round takes place Aug. 7-8. All of Canada's games will air on TSN.

Joseph is one of three Sea Dogs that will be playing in the tournament. Oliver Ozogany will play for Slovakia while Matyas Cancik was named to Czechia's roster.

Joseph invited to Hlinka Gretzky Cup camp

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Saint John Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph has been invited to Hockey Canada's under-18 team training camp ahead of the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

The invite comes as no surprise given that Joseph has represented Canada at both the under-17 and under-18 levels already. The 17-year-old appeared in just two games as an underager with Team Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championship this spring.

Just 27 players were invited to the camp and Joseph, who is one of the top prospects for the 2027 NHL Draft, is essentially a lock to make the team. The roster also includes Landon DuPont, who is considered the top-ranked prospect.

According to Hockey Canada's release, "of the 27 players, 25 suited up for Canada Red or Canada White at the U17 World Challenge, one player won a bronze medal at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (DuPont) and one represented Canada at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship (Joseph)."

Six QMJHL players earned invites: forwards Joseph, Malik L’Italien (Halifax Mooseheads) and forward Benjamin Veitch (Newfoundland Regiment); defenseman Quinn Norman (Newfoundland Regiment); and goaltenders Sam Berthiaume (Cape Breton Eagles) and Mathys Fortin (Drummondville Voltigeurs).

The annual Hlinka Gretzky Cup will take place Aug. 3-8 at Edmonton's Rogers Place and the attached Downtown Community Arena.

Canada opens the tournament against Switzerland on Aug. 3 followed by Slovakia on Aug. 4 and Sweden on Aug. 5. Playoff rounds take place Aug. 7-8.

Notebook: Lyons' improvement leads to selection

QMJHL

HALIFAX - A year ago, Brock Lyons was projected to be a fourth-round pick by QMJHL Central Scouting. The Saint John Vito's forward didn't hear his name called.

A year later, he was drafted by his hometown QMJHL team in the ninth-round. The improvements he made on the ice over the past year didn't go unnoticed by the Saint John Sea Dogs' scouting staff.

"Brock was a guy that we were looking at last year but we thought that his compete level was a little inconsistent," said Sea Dogs director of scouting Nick Lepore on Saturday following the conclusion of the QMJHL Entry Draft. "We saw the talent, we saw the skill. He's got size. He really has a lot of good tools. And then this year he really surprised us with his compete levels. Very consistent. It might be due to the fact that he was overlooked last year and he had a chip on his shoulder. He was really, really good all year."

Lyons, 17, posted 25 goals and 28 assists in 36 games with the Vito's. He also appeared in three games with the Maritime Junior Hockey League's Amherst Ramblers.

"We were following him all year. Last year we were kind of saying with Brock, if he steps up his compete level, he can be a very good player and he did that this year," added Lepore.

"By no means did we just select him because he's in Saint John. We really, really like the player. I think he can mix it up at camp as well and he can really force our hand maybe into something. He's a really good player with a lot of good tools and he has a lot of offense in his game as well. He is a shooter. Having him where we got him, it was a no brainer."

Notebook: Murnieks, Latvia finish fourth at U18 worlds

Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF

Saint John Sea Dogs forward Olivers Murnieks and Team Latvia finished fourth at the IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

The Latvians fell 4-1 to Czechia in the event's bronze medal game on Saturday. On Friday, Latvia fell 1-0 to Slovakia in the semifinals, forcing them into the third-place game.

Murnieks had one shot and was a -2 in 21:08 of ice time – which led the team. He finished the tournament with a goal and five assists in seven games.

Following Friday's game, Murnieks was named one of Latvia's top three players of the tournament.

Sweden defeated host Slovakia 4-2 in the gold medal game.

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph and defenseman Cameron Chartrand were part of Team Canada, who were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Sea Dogs draft pick Jamie Glance was a member of Team USA, who also fell in the quarterfinals.

CRICKARD MEETS MEDIA

Former Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard met with the Swift Current media via Zoom this past week.

Crickard was named the Broncos new head coach and general manager last Friday.

The Southwest Booster and Swift Current Online both have stories on the hiring. CTV also posted a couple videos.

Murnieks, Latvia to play for U18 bronze; Wildcats, Sagueneens a win away from final

Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF

MONCTON - Olivers Murnieks and Team Latvia will play for bronze at the IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

Latvia, coming off a major upset of the United States in the quarterfinals, fell 1-0 to host Slovakia in semifinal play on Friday. The Latvians were outshot 22-14 in the loss.

Latvia will play Czechia in the bronze medal game on Saturday morning. Slovakia will take on Sweden for gold.

Murnieks had two shots and was a -1 in 22:18 of ice time – which was the second most on the team. The Saint John Sea Dogs forward has a goal and five assists in six games at the event.

Murnieks was named one of Latvia's best players of the tournament after the game.

Par labākajiem trīs Latvijas U-18 izlases hokejistiem atzīti Patriks Plūmiņš, Olivers Mūrnieks un Martins Klaucāns 🇱🇻#U18MensWorlds #hokejs pic.twitter.com/9DkHymQPdT

— Rems Ratņikovs (@HKJ_Apskatnieks) May 1, 2026

A few other Friday night news and notes...

• The Moncton Wildcats are a win away from returning to the QMJHL final for a second straight season. Teddy Mutryn and Tommy Bleyl each had a goal and two assists in Moncton's 6-2 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Friday at Avenir Centre.
• Niko Tournas, who scored 43 goals in the regular season, ended a seven-game goalless streak with a third period marker. He hadn't scored since Game 1 of the second round.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Jacob Beaulieu left the game briefly in the third period after taking a big hit along the boards. He did return to the game and was given an unsportsmanlike misconduct at 14:24 of the third period. Beaulieu finished a +1 and had three hits.
• Former Sea Dog Elliot Dubé, meanwhile, went 3/5 on faceoffs in the loss. Max Vilen had one assist and four shots for the Wildcats.
• Armada goaltender William Lacelle left the game in the third period with an apparent lower body injury. He had to be helped off the ice following Moncton's fifth goal.
• Three of the four officials – including both referees – that worked last Saturday's Armada/Wildcats game worked this game. Last Saturday's game ended with both benches emptying onto the ice for a lengthy gathering after the game.
• Game 6 is Sunday in Boisbriand.
• The Chicoutimi Sagueneens are also a win away from the QMJHL final after defeating the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4-0. Lucas Beckman stopped all 21 shots he faced in the shutout. Game 6 is Sunday in Rouyn-Noranda.

Murnieks, Latvia upset USA at U18 worlds; Canada eliminated

Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF

Olivers Murnieks and Team Latvia pulled off a historic upset on a wild day at the IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

The Latvians defeated heavily favoured Team USA 5-2 in quarterfinal play, advancing the underdogs into Friday's semifinals against host Slovakia.

Murnieks had two assists in the victory. He also registered two shots while playing a team high 23:41.

The Saint John Sea Dogs forward, who missed most of the second half with injuries, now has a goal and five assists in five games at the tournament. His strong showing should give his draft stock a bit of a boost.

"He had a pair of assists today and has legitimately been one of the most impactful players, regardless of team," writes Steven Ellis in Daily Faceoff. "He makes so many smart passes, and he’s a wizard in the faceoff dot, too. Murnieks deserves love for his two-way game, and he’s a play-driver on a team like Latvia. Without him, the Latvians would have struggled to even make the playoffs."

Sea Dogs prospect Jamie Glance was named the United States' player of the game. He had five shots and was a -1 in 15:43 of ice time.

Glance finishes the tournament with a goal and four assists in five games.

The United States outshot Latvia 45-16 in the game – but the Latvians never trailed. Their final two goals were empty netters.

This is the first time Latvia has defeated the Americans at the under-18 level. As Canadians know, Latvia is no stranger to upsets in international junior hockey.

Team Canada, meanwhile, was also defeated in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, falling 4-2 to Sweden. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence had an assist in the loss.

Alexis Joseph and Cameron Chartrand remained out of the lineup. Joseph, who is a year younger than most of the roster, appeared in just two games before being scratched for the remainder of the tournament. Chartrand did not play in any games.

Sweden will play Czechia in the other semifinal. Czechia defeated Finland to advance.

Germany, meanwhile, has been relegated from the top division following a 4-3 loss to Norway in the relegation game. They'll be replaced by Switzerland at the 2027 event.

Wildcats take series lead; quarterfinals set at U18 worlds

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

The Moncton Wildcats took a 2-1 series lead in the Gilles-Courteau Trophy semifinals on Monday.

The Wildcats scored three goals in five minutes during the second period in a 6-2 win over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada at Centre d'excellence Sports Rousseau. The Armada led 1-0 and 2-1 but could not contain the 'Cats.

The lopsided score comes after two very tight games in Moncton. The Wildcats won 3-2 in a four overtime game last Thursday and 5-4 on Saturday.

Teddy Mutryn had a goal and two assists while Tommy Bleyl had three helpers. St. Andrews native Gabe Smith scored his 12th goal of the playoffs.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen was a +1 in the win.

For the Armada, Jacob Beaulieu had two shots and took a roughing penalty in the first period. Elliot Dubé also took a roughing penalty later in the opening frame.

Despite Saturday's post-game rough stuff, nothing out-of-the-ordinary happened in this game. 

The other semifinals series, which features the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, is tied 1-1. That series resumes on Tuesday in Rouyn-Noranda.

A few other things...

• At the IIHF U18 World Championship on Monday, Canada defeated Finland 7-0 on the final day of preliminary round play. Alexis Joseph and Cameron Chartrand did not play for Canada. The Canadians finished second in Group A and will play Sweden in Tuesday's quarterfinals.
• Olivers Murnieks had an assist and two shots in 20:20 of ice time in Latvia's 5-2 loss to Slovakia. Latvia, who finished fourth in Group A, will play the United States in the quarterfinals.
• On Sunday, Murnieks had a goal and two assists in Latvia's 8-1 victory over Norway. He also recorded three shots and was a +2 in 19:36 of ice time.
• Sea Dogs prospect Jamie Glance had a goal and three assists in the United States' 11-2 victory over Germany. Glance played 18:44 and also registered five shots. The Americans finished first in Group B.
• Mathieu Joseph and the Los Angeles Kings had their season come to an end on Sunday, falling 5-1 to the Colorado Avalanche and losing the first round playoff series in four games. Joseph appeared in two of the four contests and was held pointless. He was also held pointless in 12 regular season games with the Kings.
• The only other former Sea Dog still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is Joe Veleno of the Montreal Canadiens – but Veleno has yet to dress for a playoff game. The Habs and Tampa Bay Lightning are tied 2-2 in a very tight series.
• The Truro Bearcats are Maritime Junior Hockey League champions. The Bearcats defeated the Edmundston Blizzard 5-3 on home ice on Monday to take the championship series in five games. The Bearcats will represent the MHL at next month's Centennial Cup in Summerside.

Wildcats, Sagueneens even semifinal series; post-game incident in Moncton

Embed from Getty Images

MONCTON - The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League semifinals are living up to the hype.

The Moncton Wildcats scored two goals in 51 seconds late in the third period to defeat the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 5-4 on Saturday at Avenir Centre, evening the series that at 1-1.

Also on Saturday night, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens made a statement, defeating the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 5-2 and outshooting them 35-15 to even that series at 1-1.

Neither Moncton nor Chicoutimi had lost a game in these playoffs until they both dropped their series openers.

Much of the attention on Saturday was on Moncton's third period. Justin Carbonneau scored at 4:45 of the third to give the Armada a 4-3 lead only for Caleb Desnoyers and Evan Dépatie to score at 16:04 and 16:55, respectively, to give the Wildcats a 5-4 advantage – their first lead since they opened the scoring in the first.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen scored his second goal of the playoffs in the middle frame to tie the game at 3-3. He had four shots and was a +2 in the victory.

💣 https://t.co/QWR6Bn3hJ5 pic.twitter.com/2eVZ6weLS5

— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) April 25, 2026

On the Armada side, former Sea Dogs forwards Elliot Dubé and Jacob Beaulieu were held of the scoresheet. Beaulieu was, however, given an unsportsmanlike misconduct penalty for his actions during a wild post-game scuffle between the two teams, which dragged on for several minutes.

Armada win a marathon Game 1

Embed from Getty Images 

MONCTON - Maël Lavigne scored at 7:48 of the fourth overtime to give the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada a 3-2 win in the fifth longest game in Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League history on Thursday.

The goal came soon after the Moncton Wildcats were called for too many men on the ice, which was just the fourth penalty of the game and first since midway through the third period.

Historic night in Moncton! 🥵

Maël Lavigne scores in 4th overtime, and Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand wins it 3-2 to end the 5th longest game - 127:48 - of the QMJHL history! Wow! 🤯#QPlayoffs | #proxipic.twitter.com/FtfugKIW9O

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 24, 2026

The Armada now lead the best-of-seven semifinal playoff series 1-0. The series has a funky schedule – but it works out now given how long this game went. Game 2 isn't until Saturday night.

Blainville-Boisbriand, the underdogs in this series, were certainly worthy of the win even though they trailed much of regulation. The Wildcats led 2-0 early in the third despite the play leaning towards the Armada.

The Armada outshot the Wildcats 68-40. Shots were 23-8 in favour of the Armada in the final two periods of regulation combined. This was just the second time in these playoffs that Moncton was outshot.

The Armada, who entered the game with the league's worst power play in these playoffs with a rating of 10.3%, went 2/3 on the man advantage.

Former Sea Dogs forward Elliot Dubé had plenty of ice time and finished the game with four shots. Jacob Beaulieu, meanwhile, didn't play much after being on the ice for Moncton's first goal.

On the Wildcats side, Max Vilen had one shot and finished the game a -1. He was on the ice for all three Armada goals.

The QMJHL's other semifinal series between the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies begins on Friday.

U18 worlds underway; QMJHL semifinals on deck

IIHF

MONCTON - The U18 Men's World Championship got underway on Wednesday and the semifinals of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy playoffs begin in less than 24 hours.

Here are a few Wednesday evening notes...

• Alexis Joseph and Team Canada opened the U18 Men's World Championship with a 2-1 loss to host Slovakia. It's the first time the Slovaks have defeated Canada at the event. Joseph, playing on Canada's second line, was held pointless and did not record a shot on goal in 16:08 of ice time. Cameron Chartrand did not play. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, was named Canada's player of the game after recording one assist and two shots.
• Sea Dogs prospect Jamie Glance and Team USA also opened the tournament with a loss, falling 3-2 in overtime to Czechia. Glance, playing on USA's second line, recorded four shots in 17:31 of ice time.
• On Thursday, Canada will take on Olivers Murnieks and Latvia at 9 a.m. Atlantic. The Americans have Thursday off and are back in action on Friday against Denmark.
• Also on Thursday, the QMJHL semifinals get going with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada taking on the Moncton Wildcats at Avenir Centre. There will be three former Sea Dogs in the series: Jacob Beaulieu and Elliot Dubé on the Armada and Max Vilen on the Wildcats. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
• The other semifinal series starts Friday with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies visiting the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
• Couple interesting stories in the WHL's final four: the expansion Penticton Vees have made it to the conference finals where they'll face the top-seeded Everett Silvertips. On the other side of the bracket, the Medicine Hat Tigers are back in the conference finals without Gavin McKenna. The Tigers will take on the Prince Albert Raiders.
• The OHL's conference finals have the Brantford Bulldogs taking on the Barrie Colts and the Kitchener Rangers facing the Windsor Spitfires.
• The AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs got underway on Tuesday with the Hershey Bears shutting out Matthew Highmore and the Bridgeport Islanders 2-0. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Thursday in Hershey.
• It hasn't been a great start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Sea Dogs alumni. Thomas Chabot and the Ottawa Senators trail the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 while Mathieu Joseph and the Los Angeles Kings are behind 2-0 to the Colorado Avalanche. Joe Veleno – who has not appeared in any games of the series yet – and the Montreal Canadiens are tied 1-1 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

U18 men's worlds begin Wednesday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The IIHF U18 Men's World Championship begins on Wednesday and will feature a few Saint John Sea Dogs in action.

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph and defenseman Cameron Chartrand were named to Team Canada's 25 player roster on Tuesday. It's worth pointing out that Chartrand (and two others) has not been officially registered yet, giving Canada some roster flexibility.

Joseph recorded two assists in pre-tournament action. He'll have plenty of eyes on him as the potential first overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Joseph posted 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 regular season games with the Sea Dogs. He added another three assists in four playoff matches.

Chartrand, meanwhile, appeared in just 35 regular season games with Saint John due to injuries. He registered two goals and five assists in those games. A strong under-18 tournament could really boost his stock heading into this summer's NHL Draft.

Canada opens the tournament on Tuesday against Slovakia.

Another Sea Dog who struggled to stay healthy this season was forward Olivers Murnieks, who is part of Latvia's registered roster. Murnieks appeared in 31 games with Saint John, posting seven goals and 13 assists – but he hasn't played since Jan. 31.

This will be the second under-18 tournament for Murnieks, who posted two assists in five games last year. He's also played for Latvia at the last two world juniors.

Latvia's first game is on Wednesday against Team Canada.

The United States features forward Jamie Glance, who was a sixth-round pick of Saint John in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft. Glance has spent the past two seasons with the USNTDP and is committed to Boston University for the 2027-28 season.

The Americans play their first game on Tuesday against Czechia.

The 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, which is taking place in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia, ends on May 2. All of Canada's games will be broadcast on TSN.

Notebook: Two Sea Dogs named to U18 camp roster

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two Saint John Sea Dogs were named to Hockey Canada's camp roster for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship.

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph and defenseman Cameron Chartrand were both named to the 23-player roster. More players are likely to be added as teams get eliminated from the CHL playoffs.

Joseph posted 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 regular season games this past season. He also captained Canada Red to gold at the U17 World Challenge this past fall, recording 13 points in five games.

Chartrand appeared in just 35 games with the Sea Dogs this season due to injuries, recording two goals and five assists. He played for Canada Red at the U17 World Challenge in 2024.

Sherbrooke Phoenix forward Thomas Rousseau was the only other QMJHL player invited to the camp. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence of Boston University also earned an invite.

The under-18 tournament takes place April 22 to May 2 in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia.

TRANSFER PORTAL OPENS

It's been a wild few days in NCAA hockey with the sport's transfer portal opening up – which is essentially college hockey's version of free agency.

Here are the Sea Dogs alumni who entered the portal:

• Charles-Edward Gravel (Mercyhurst)
• Charles Savoie (Lindenwood)
• Matteo Mann (Colorado College)

Gravel was essentially forced into the portal with Mercyhurst cutting men's hockey. Mann, meanwhile, was seemingly being pushed out of a roster spot with Colorado College adding defensemen while Savoie was likely looking for an opportunity with a team that is part of a conference (Lindenwood is an independent).

Of the three, only Savoie has found a new home. The 23-year-old, who played at Concordia University during the 2024-25 season, has joined the Lake Superior State Lakers of the CCHA.

Notebook: Lottery odds announced

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will have a 4.8% chance of winning the first overall pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft lottery.

The lottery will take place April 21 at 7:30 p.m. Atlantic and be broadcast live on RDS, the league announced this week.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who own the Baie-Comeau Drakkar's top pick, will have the best odds of winning followed by the Halifax Mooseheads – who are hosting this year's draft. The full odds are below.

18th position: Rouyn-Noranda (from Baie-Comeau) – 9 balls – 42.9% 

17th position: Halifax (from Rimouski) – 6 balls – 28.6% 

16th position: Shawinigan (from Gatineau) – 3 balls – 14.3% 

15th position: Victoriaville – 2 balls – 9.5% 

14th position: Saint John – 1 ball – 4.8%

The Sea Dogs have had good fortune in the draft lottery over the years. They won last year's and went on to select Alexis Joseph with the first overall pick.

The 2026 QMJHL Entry Draft will take place June 5-6 in Halifax.

JOSEPH MAKES ROOKIE TEAM

Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph has been named to the QMJHL's rookie all-star team, the league announced this week.

Joseph finished sixth in rookie scoring, posting 24 goals and 36 assists in 54 games.

The full team is below.

Goaltender : Jan Larys, Drummondville 

Defenseman : Tommy Bleyl, Moncton 

Defenseman : Malik L’Italien, Halifax 

Forward : Egor Shilov, Victoriaville 

Forward : Alexey Vlasov, Victoriaville 

Forward : Alexis Joseph, Saint John

The QMJHL also announced its first and second all-star teams.

Notebook: Hlinka bronze for Team Canada

Hockey Canada

Team Canada is coming home with a bronze medal from this year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Canada fell 4-3 in a shootout to the United States in Friday's semifinal, forcing them into the bronze medal match. Canada edged Finland 3-0 on Saturday to claim the third-place spot.

The US defeated Sweden 5-3 to win gold.

Team Canada's lineup included Sea Dogs defenseman Cameron Chartrand. Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard was behind the bench as an associate coach.

Thomas Rousseau of the Sherbrooke Phoenix was the only other QMJHL player on the team.

Fredericton native Tynan Lawrence of the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks posted a goal and two assists in five games.

SEARS COMMITS

16-year-old forward Finnegan Sears has committed to Boston College for the 2027-28 season.

Sears was a sixth-round pick of the Sea Dogs in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. He's the only member of Saint John's 2025 draft class not slated to attend training camp.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

Boston College has received a commitment from 5 ⭐️ recruit Finn Sears. The Massachusetts native is the No. 9 ranked player in the US & was recently named to the U17 NTDP. Sears had 53 points in 28 games last season with Three Rivers School.

BC is on the board! pic.twitter.com/uwGPdqYlYZ

— Puck Preps (@PuckPreps) August 15, 2025

The Massachusetts native is committed to play with the USNTDP this season. He posted 22 goals and 31 assists in 28 games at The Rivers School last season.

Notebook: Gallant to the KHL

Former Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant is officially off to the KHL.

Gallant was named the head coach of the Shanghai Dragons on Wednesday after several weeks of rumours, signing a two-year deal. It's the first coaching stint in the KHL for the 61-year-old.

The Dragons made the announcement with this rather awesome video.

THE MASTER IS HERE pic.twitter.com/0hAK9XYzuU

— Shanghai Dragons (@shadragons) August 13, 2025

The Dragons are formerly the Kunlun Red Star, who were based in Beijing prior to the pandemic. The club has played in Russia since 2020 and are expected to play in Saint Petersburg this year.

Gallant, who coached the Sea Dogs for three seasons from 2009 to 2012, hasn't had a full time coaching gig since the 2022-23 season when he led the New York Rangers.

Mike Kelly, shockingly, will be joining Gallant's staff as an assistant coach.

HLINKA UPDATE

Team Canada improved to 3-0 at this year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup with a 5-0 victory over Czechia on Wednesday.

The Canadians previously defeated Finland, 5-3, and Switzerland, 9-1. Canada will play the United States in Friday's semifinals. The gold and bronze medal games are set for Saturday.

Sea Dogs defenseman Cameron Chartrand has been held pointless so far at the tournament. Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard, meanwhile, is an assistant coach with the team.

NEW VENUES

Some Sea Dogs pre-season venues have changed yet again. 

The team's Aug. 23 and Aug. 28 games – both against the Newfoundland Regiment – will be held at Fredericton's Willie O'Ree Place. The two games were originally set to be played at Fredericton's Grant Harvey Centre and Lady Beaverbrook Rink, respectively.

Both games are Regiment "home" contests. Newfoundland will be holding the first portion of their training camp and entire pre-season schedule in Fredericton due to the Canada Games taking over most venues in the St. John's area.

Tickets to both games can be purchased online.

Chartrand named to Canada's Hlinka roster

Heather Pollock/Hockey Canada

Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Cameron Chartrand has been named to Team Canada's roster for the upcoming 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Chartrand was one of 25 players named to the team that will take part in the under-18 tournament from Aug. 11-16 in Czechia and Slovakia.

The 17-year-old is heading into his first season with the Sea Dogs. In 54 games with the Bishop Kearney Selects under-16 squad last year, Chartrand posted six goals and 46 assists. He also appeared in two games with the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

Chartrand and Sherbrooke Phoenix forward Thomas Rousseau were the only QMJHL players named to the team. Muskegon Lumberjacks forward and Fredericton native Tynan Lawrence, the younger brother for former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, was also named to the team.

Sea Dogs forward William Yared took part in the team's camp this week in Oakville, ON but did not crack the roster.

There will be one other Sea Dogs connection on this year's team: head coach and general manager Travis Crickard will be an assistant coach.

Canada's first game will be Aug. 11 against Finland. Czechia, Switzerland, Sweden, United States, Slovakia and Germany will also be taking part.

Hockey is getting closer

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Folks, we're almost there.

The calendar flipping to August means that hockey is near. The Saint John Sea Dogs will play their first game of the QMJHL's pre-season in less than three weeks, visiting the Moncton Wildcats on Aug. 19.

A few news and notes...

• The QMJHL's pre-season trade period opens Aug. 1 and runs until Aug. 24.
• A new college hockey recruiting window opens on Aug. 1. While not a strict ranking, the Grand Forks Herald had Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph as the No. 2 player available behind Everett's Landon Dupont, who earned exceptional player status into the WHL.
• Sea Dogs forward William Yared and defenseman Cameron Chartrand are both taking part in Team Canada's under-18 camp in Oakville. They both suited up for Team Red on Thursday.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Oliver Cooper is returning to North America, signing with the ECHL's Florida Everblades. The 30-year-old has spent the past couple seasons in Europe. Cooper won an ECHL championship with the Fort Wayne Komets in 2021.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Matt Green will have a new home this season. According to Elite Prospects, the 27-year-old hasn't played since his final season at Dalhousie University in 2022-23.

  Signing Alert 📰
  
  Former @AmherstRamblers Matt Green has signed overseas with the Heerenveen Flyers in the CEHL🇳🇱.
  
  Green last played during the 2022-23 season with Dalhousie University, where he collected 20 points (7G,13A) in 26 games.
  
  Matt also brings a wealth of experience… pic.twitter.com/Gjh9cWomLg

  — Maritime Hockey (@HockeyMaritime) July 30, 2025

• Some bad news for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens (and the QMJHL): Tynan Lawrence, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, plans to return to the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks this season, reports Le Quotidien. Lawrence is a top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft.
• The Maritime Hockey League announced Thursday that it will adopt the IIHF's facial protection rule along with adopting the QMJHL's rule book. The move is part of a Hockey Canada pilot project.

Notebook: Sea Dogs attend USA Hockey Festival

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Three players with Saint John Sea Dogs connections recently took part in USA Hockey's Boys National 17 Festival in Amherst, NY.

Sea Dogs forward Matthew Krayer recorded a goal and two assists in six games with the Massachusetts District, who finished fourth at the event. Defensive prospect Brian McFadden, a seventh-round pick of Saint John in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft, was also part of that team and registered a goal in six games.

Both Krayer and McFadden recently took part in Sea Dogs development camp in Quispamsis.

Defenseman Oskar Drabczynski, a seventh-round pick of Saint John in this year's draft, registered two assists in six games with the New England District, who finished second.

According to USA Hockey, "the Boys National 17 Festival is a District team-based tournament format, but the priority is still to improve and showcase the players participating. Players will experience a competitive, age-specific environment with on-ice training (drills, small area games, competitions, etc.) and off-ice training (strength & conditioning, team building, mental skills, nutrition, classroom, etc.)."

CRICKARD NAMED TO HLINKA STAFF

Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard has been named an associate coach for Team Canada at this year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which will take place Aug. 11-16

From Hockey Canada:

Crickard recently completed his third season as the head coach of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs and was promoted to general manager in October 2024. He also spent time with the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Ottawa 67’s (2013-14) and Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Kelowna Rockets (2014-19). Crickard has won three gold medals with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the IIHF U18 World Championship, twice as an assistant coach (2024, 2025) and once as a video coach in 2021. He also won a silver medal as the head coach of Canada Red at the 2024 U17 World Challenge. Crickard was an assistant coach for Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, finishing fourth. He was a member of Canada Black at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as a video coach (2016)—winning a silver medal—and an assistant coach in 2017.

Mathieu Turcotte will be the team's head coach. Rick Steadman of the London Knights will join Crickard behind the bench as an assistant.

Sea Dogs forward William Yared and defenseman Cameron Chartrand have both been invited to Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp later this month in Oakville.