#EichelWatch Begins Again

It's Darrell Young’s first week as Sea Dogs general manager and he has already been thrown into the spotlight.

It was only a matter of time before the Jack-Eichel-to-the-CHL-rumours got started – and they got started in a big way today. TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted this afternoon that there is speculation that Eichel wants to play in the OHL and take on Connor McDavid. But that would be difficult with the Sea Dogs currently owning his CHL rights.

Saint John would have to place Eichel on waivers and then have every QMJHL team pass on him in order to go to the OHL. Crazier things have happened in the CHL, but Young assured fans that the Sea Dogs will not be letting Eichel, who could challenge for the first overall selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, simply slip away.

"There is no way we're ever going to let him go to the Ontario Hockey League and I don't see any way he could get waived through our league," Young told College Hockey News. That article has plenty of interesting tidbits. Young hopes to meet with the Eichel family next week.

These rumours aren't going away any time soon - and they probably won't stop until after the World Juniors.

Some thoughts on this situation:

• If Eichel is in the CHL next year, there is just no way the Sea Dogs are not getting something. If he is with Saint John, that’s great. If he only wants to play for the Remparts, then they can send some quality draft picks Saint John’s way as payment for his rights.
• Wherever Eichel plays next season, it is probably for just one season. He’s real good. And, if the Remparts get the 2015 Memorial Cup, you’d have to think they’d want him even more. It’d be great having him play for the Dogs, but trading him might be best for the 2017 run.
• I’m surprised situations like this don’t happen more, and it’s one of the flaws with the CHL and their draft system. I don’t even know if there is a perfect fix to this.
• Boston University fans must just hate Saint John by now.
• Eichel was also pick in the 2013 KHL Draft! Let's not forget about that now!
• Some article links: College Hockey News, SB Nation, Buzzing The Net, and CJ’s video is up top
• Plenty of Sea Dogs fans have expressed their frustration with the team’s inability to get American players to report – and rightfully so. Other than Charlie Coyle, the team has had very little luck. Hopefully Young can change that.
• Young mentioned getting “a few good European players” again in the College Hockey News article. The Import Draft is going to be exciting.

Jack Eichel To OHL? [Update]

TSN’s Bob McKenzie went on Twitter this afternoon and dropped some bombs.

There are whispers elite 2015 prospect Jack Eichel may consider not going to BU if he could play head-to-head in OHL vs. Connor McDavid.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 7, 2014

But Eichel currently obliged to play in QMJHL if he goes jr instead of college. Halifax originally owned his rights, now it's Saint John.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 7, 2014

As McKenzie also noted, the only way Eichel could move to the OHL is if Saint John placed him on waivers and every other QMJHL team passed on him. That would seem unlikely, especially with the Quebec Remparts being the Quebec Remparts. But, as McKenzie also notes, far stranger things have happened in the CHL.

Eichel, who was a 10^th-round pick of the Sea Dogs in last year’s QMJHL Entry Draft, is expected to play at Boston University next season. There has been talk of him challenging Connor McDavid for the first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens here, especially with Darrell Young now running the show in Saint John. With the exception of Charlie Coyle, the Sea Dogs have had little luck attracting American players despite the city being predominantly English speaking and an hour from the border.

SB Nation’s college hockey blog has a great rundown of everything.

On a side note, how great is Bob McKenzie? The guy knows how to spell Saint John correctly.

UPDATE: Darrell Young laughs at these rumours.

Spoke to Darrell Young, GM of the Saint John Seadogs: "There is no way we're ever going to let [Eichel] go to the Ontario Hockey League."
— Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonCHN) March 7, 2014

Tomorrow Is Fan Appreciation Day

Fans can come and feel appreciated tomorrow at Harbour Station.

The Saint John Sea Dogs host the Halifax Mooseheads at 7pm on Saturday in the final home game of the regular season. As usual, the game has been dubbed “Fan Appreciation Day” and over $10,000 in prizes will be given away.

Everything from water bottles (there are a lot of water bottles) to gift certificates to a gallon of paint will be given away. The Sea Dogs website has the full list of prizes that could be won.

Saturday’s game is will also be the final regular season home game for Jason Cameron, David Weckworth, and Lukas Walter – the team’s trio of overage players. It could also be the final time Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Jonathan Drouin of the Mooseheads plays at Harbour Station.

Saint John remains in the hunt for the league’s final playoff spot. They are one-point back of the 16^th-place Shawinigan Cataractes with five games left to play.

In an email to season ticket holders yesterday, the Sea Dogs stated there are less than 2,000 tickets remaining for tomorrow’s game. Sea Dogs Styles will also be having a big time sale.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

News & Notes From Wednesday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game…

• The good news for Saint John is that Shawinigan and Sherbrooke both lost last night as well. The Sea Dogs remain one-point back of the Cataractes who hold the final playoff spot with five games to go.
• Entertaining game with a wild third period. Moncton jumped out to a 4-2 lead and then Saint John came back. But Garrett Johnston would score the winner with 1:35 to play to give the ‘Cats a 5-4 win.
• With Sebastien Auger pulled, the Sea Dogs had a couple of great chances to tie the game in the final minute but couldn’t beat Alex Dubeau.
• This was the final meeting of the regular season between the two rivals. The Sea Dogs went 3-6-0-0 against the Wildcats this season.
• Matthew Highmore was named second star with two goals and an assist.
• Jurij Repe had an eventful game. Along with posting a career high three assists, Stephen Seegar’s cross crease pass went off his stick and past Auger to give Moncton a 4-2 lead at the time.
• Saint John’s third goal came just after the Sea Dogs declined a fighting invitation.
• Highmore’s game tying goal came during a delayed penalty call. Saint John did a tremendous job at maintaining puck possession for roughly a minute and applied plenty of pressure in the offensive zone.
• Even though the Dogs couldn’t pull out a win, it’s great to see the team climb back from a two-goal third period deficit and not just mail it in.
• 4,475 at the game. Great atmosphere during the third period.
• The Sea Dogs were without forwards Joey Richard (shoulder), Stephen Anderson (upper body), and Lukas Walter (suspension) along with defensemen Michael Abbott (wrist), Jeremy Doucet (upper body), and Olivier LeBlanc (upper body).
• Ivan Barbashev did not play for Moncton due to injury.

Alex Grant Traded To Senators

It wasn’t the blockbuster deal that Steven Anthony was involved in, but another former Sea Dog was moved before yesterday’s NHL trade deadline.

Former Dogs captain Alex Grant was traded by the Anaheim Ducks to the Ottawa Senators for Andre Petersson yesterday. Both are American Hockey League players and Grant has already been assigned to Ottawa’s affiliate in Binghamton.

Grant had seven goals and 20 assists in 52 AHL games with the Norfolk Admirals this season. The defenseman made his NHL debut with the Ducks in November and registered two goals in two games.

Binghamton currently sits third in the AHL’s Eastern Conference with a 33-19-1-3 record. Former Sea Dog Mike Hoffman, who is currently up with the NHL Senators, leads the AHL Senators in scoring. 

Grant leaves a Norfolk team that features Kevin Gagne. Gagne, playing in his first pro season, has two goals and 14 assists in 52 games.

RECAP: Tough One. Dogs Lose 5-4.

FINAL: Moncton 5, Saint John 4

SAINT JOHN – So close.

It looked as though the Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats were destined for overtime and the Port City squad would, at the very least, pick up a valuable point in the playoff race. But with 1:35 left in regulation, Garrett Johnston scored to give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead and they would hang on to win the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League match at Harbour Station.

Stephen Seegar had a pair of goals for Moncton while singles came from Johnston, Vladimir Tkachev, and Josh Pugsley. Alex Dubeau made 23 saves in the win. Ivan Barbashev did not play in this game.

The Sea Dogs had a pair of goals from Matthew Highmore and singles from Spencer Smallman and Oliver Cooper. Jurij Repe had an eventful game, putting up three assists and having a ‘Cats goal go in off his stick. Sebastien Auger made 30 saves in the loss.

Played in front of the most energetic weekday crowd of the season, this was a an entertaining hockey game which went back-and-forth. Saint John didn’t panic when they got down, coming back from a 4-2 deficit in the third and then nearly tying the game again in the final minute.

The good news is that Shawinigan and Sherbrooke both lost in regulation time so nothing changes in the standings. The Sea Dogs remain one-point back of the Cataractes for the league’s final playoff spot with five games to go.