Game Day 8: vs Phoenix

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to start a new winning streak tonight on home ice.

After having a four-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday, the Sea Dogs will try and rebound tonight against the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Game time is 7 p.m. at TD Station.

Tonight's game will be an early season test for the Sea Dogs. The Phoenix, with a 5-1-0-0 record, sit second overall in the QMJHL and were ranked fourth in this week's CHL Top 10.

Saint John could have a new addition in their lineup tonight following the signing of Zachary Morin on Thursday. Eriks Mateiko, meanwhile, is set to wear the captain's 'C' for the first time.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/Sea Dogs Radio/CHL TV

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 4-3-0-0 for eight points (fourth Maritimes/sixth Eastern/10th QMJHL) while the Phoenix are 5-1-0-0 for 10 points (second West/third Western/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 home loss to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Sunday. Olivier Duhamel and Darien Reynolds scored for Saint John. Charles-Edward Gravel made 22 saves in the loss. The Phoenix are coming off a 2-1 home win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Saturday. Charles-Antoine Beauregard and Hugo Primeau scored of Sherbrooke. Linards Feldbergs made 35 saves in the win.

Morin officially signs with Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's official: Zachary Morin is a Saint John Sea Dog.

The Sea Dogs officially announced the signing of the 17-year-old forward on Thursday evening. Speculation surrounding Morin's future began last week when he returned home to Quebec, leaving the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms. Behind the scenes, there was never much doubt that Morin would join the Sea Dogs after he left the Phantoms – but securing his release from the USHL club held up the process until now.

“This is an amazing opportunity,” said Morin in a Sea Dogs news release. “They have a tradition of winning and have had so many great players develop there. Thank you to the Sea Dogs organization, Trevor and Travis, for having such a strong interest in me and my future. I want to be an important part of the team and help them achieve their goals, and continue to develop as a player and person."

Morin recorded eight goals and 11 assists in 54 games with Youngstown last season. He posted an assist in four games this season before leaving the club.

Morin is/was committed to Boston University for 2026 and, given what is going on with the NCAA right now, could remain a commit. The Sea Dogs' news release made no mention of the commitment while the QMJHL's release simply stated that Morin chose the USHL route "because he was interested in joining Boston University afterwards."

Prospect writer Robert Chalmers notes that Morin has deleted his BU commitment from Instagram.

“We’re delighted that Zachary chose our league," said QMJHL commissioner Mario Cecchini. "The QMJHL is an optimal path for hockey development, and also a combination of studies and sport that has nothing to envy other leagues. We wish him every success in the QMJHL.”

The Sea Dogs selected Morin in the eighth-round of this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. He was considered a long shot to report – and the team no doubt would have secured his rights earlier in the draft if they believed the odds were good. Morin was a first-round pick of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft but his rights were relinquished, putting him into the 2024 draft pool.

The signing gives the Sea Dogs some much needed offensive depth. The team's release said he is expected to make his debut this weekend.

Saint John hosts the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Friday and Victoriaville Tigres on Saturday.

Mateiko named Sea Dogs captain

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Eriks Mateiko has been named the 22nd captain in Saint John Sea Dogs history.

The Sea Dogs made the announcement on Wednesday. The decision comes as no surprise as Mateiko was considered a strong candidate to be captain last year but the team opted to name him an alternate.

The Latvian is just the second European captain in Sea Dogs history, joining Czechia's David Stich. Stich was Sea Dogs captain for 24 games in 2008-09 following the Alex Grant trade.

Overage defenseman Nate Tivey, meanwhile, was named an associate captain, a term used by the Utah Hockey Club earlier this week for Lawson Crouse's role. Alternate captains will be Nicolas Bilodeau, Matteo Mann and Tyler Peddle. 

Bilodeau and Mann will wear letters on the road while Peddle will do so at home.

“We are very excited to announce Eriks, Nate, Tyler, Matteo, and Nicolas as our captains,” said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a news release. “As key members of the team, they provide great leadership, create a positive environment in the dressing room, and embody what it means to be Humble, Hungry, and Honoured to represent their families, the Sea Dogs, and the City of Saint John.”

Peter Reynolds served as Sea Dogs captain last year before being traded to the Halifax Mooseheads. The team did not have a captain in the second half.

Charlie DesRoches was the last Sea Dog to serve as captain for a full season, doing so in 2022-23.

Morin soon to be a Sea Dog

Zachary Morin is expected to soon be a Saint John Sea Dog.

 

Morin arrived in Saint John on Tuesday, less than a week after news broke that the highly touted forward had left the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms. His last game with the Phantoms was on Sept. 28.

Mikael Lalancette of le Soleil first reported the news. SN has confirmed it.

There was never much doubt over the past week that Morin would join the Sea Dogs – it was just a matter of when. Securing his release from the USHL has held up the process.

Earlier this year, the Sea Dogs signed forward Dylan Rozzi – who was a Youngstown draft pick who even attended the USHL club's summer training camp.

Morin was in his second year with the Phantoms, recording an assist in four games. He recorded eight goals and 11 assists in 54 USHL games last year.

The 17-year-old was an eighth-round pick of Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. He was passed over due to his college hockey plans. Morin was selected in the first round of the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada but his rights were released, allowing him to get picked by Saint John a year later.

This is definitely a pleasant surprise for the Sea Dogs. Saint John certainly wouldn't have left him exposed until the eighth round if they thought there was a strong chance he'd report.

Morin should provide an offensive boost to a Sea Dogs team that doesn't have a lot of offensive depth. He's also projected to be picked in the 2025 NHL Draft, so there will be a few more eyes on the Sea Dogs now.

What's also interesting is that this is all happening at the same time as the NCAA considers removing its current rules that ban CHL players from playing college hockey. Morin is a 2026 Boston University commit and, in theory, could remain one. But we'll see what happens.

NCAA vote to be made in November

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We'll have to wait another few weeks for the NCAA's decision on Canadian Hockey League player eligibility.

The NCAA announced Tuesday evening that the proposed rule change will be considered during a meeting next month. If approved, CHL players – who the NCAA currently considers to be professionals – would become eligible for college hockey beginning Aug. 1, 2025.

Here's the NCAA's statement on the proposal:

The Division I Council on Tuesday introduced a proposal to change rules for preenrollment activities in men's ice hockey and skiing, which would enable prospects who participate in major junior ice hockey or on professional teams to retain NCAA eligibility as long as they are not paid more than actual and necessary expenses as part of that participation.

The introduction of the legislation is not final until the council's meeting concludes Wednesday.

"As the council continues its review of the full spectrum of NCAA eligibility rules, this proposal, focused on a singular issue, represents a pragmatic step in aligning skiing and men's ice hockey with other sports in terms of allowable preenrollment activities," said Josh Whitman, athletics director at Illinois and chair of the council.

The proposal will be considered during the council's November meeting. If approved, the proposed effective date would be Aug. 1, 2025.

There was a chance the proposal was going to be looked at this week but pushing it a month doesn't change much. Most believed CHL players would not become eligible until next season at the earliest.

College hockey teams are already preparing for the rule change, which could dramatically shift the hockey development ecosystem.

Regarding the impending CHL-NCAA news: Not only are schools already calling agents to gauge interest on their young clients, they're also calling CHL teams right now to get phone numbers for kids.

— Ryan Kennedy (@THNRyanKennedy) October 8, 2024

It will be interesting to see how the CHL responds to these changes. In public, league officials have endorsed the idea of giving players as many options as possible. Behind the scenes, there are no doubt concerns over losing elite talent early. We'll see how this all shakes down.

Several Sea Dogs on NHL opening night rosters

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A new National Hockey League season is officially underway and a number of Saint John Sea Dogs alumni are on opening night rosters.

Seven former Sea Dogs will start the year on NHL rosters. On Tuesday, Mathieu Joseph and the St. Louis Blues were in Seattle while Charlie Coyle and the Boston Bruins visited the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

Here's the full list.

Jonathan Huberdeau - Calgary Flames

Charlie Coyle - Boston Bruins

Matthew Highmore - Ottawa Senators

Thomas Chabot - Ottawa Senators

Mathieu Joseph - St. Louis Blues

Joe Veleno - Detroit Red Wings

Julien Gauthier - New York Islanders

While Highmore is officially on Ottawa's roster, he is listed on the team's season-opening injured reserve after sustaining an injury in a pre-season game. He'll likely be assigned to the Belleville Senators once healthy.

There are a few other former Sea Dogs who could be called up from the American Hockey League at some point this season. That list includes Boko Imama (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jeremie Poirier (Calgary Flames), Yan Kuznetsov (Calgary Flames), William Dufour (New York Islanders) and Joshua Roy (Montreal Canadiens).

Other Sea Dogs alumni likely to spend the season in the AHL and would be considered long shots to get an NHL call up: Spencer Smallman (Washington Capitals), Cedric Pare (Toronto Maple Leafs), William Villeneuve (Toronto Maple Leafs), Vincent Sevigny (Montreal Canadiens), Riley Bezeau (Carolina Hurricanes) and Philippe Daoust (Ottawa Senators).

One Sea Dogs alumnus who is absent above: Mike Hoffman. The 34-year-old spent last season with the San Jose Sharks and was released from his PTO with the Edmonton Oilers a few weeks ago. He remains a free agent.