2021 comes to a close

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Not matter what you make of 2021, it was a year none of us will forget.

Just think about the things we witnessed over the past 12 months. The Sea Dogs didn't play their first game of the year until March 9 and food and drinks were banned at what ended up being their final home game. The team played in a provincial championship into May. Everyone entering a QMJHL building had to show proof of vaccination. Oh, and the franchise was finally awarded the hosting rights to a Memorial Cup tournament.

That's just a few of the bizarre/remarkable things we saw. The Mooseheads and Eagles opted out of the "playoffs." The Titan and Islanders played a playoff series in Shawinigan. The Tigres surprisingly won the President Cup while the OHL and WHL did not name a league champion.

What a year. And let's face it - a lot of these things really sucked. Hopefully 2022 will be filled with more enjoyable, memorable moments. Those hit different.

With the year coming to a close, here's a look at our most read posts from the past 12 months.

10. Busy trade period begins Sunday
9. Report: Sea Dogs acquire overager Sevigny
8. Dufour having quite the season
7. Reports: Sea Dogs to acquire Volts' Dufour
6. The Titan appear to be in trouble

5. Notebook: QMJHL will require vaccination

4. Report: Gilbert won't return as head coach

3. Report: Crickard joining Sea Dogs' staff

2. Sea Dogs left off Swiss roster

1. Report - Sea Dogs add Chantler from OHL

Thank you for reading and may 2022 bring more hockey news than news news.

QMJHL extends season pause

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's regular season pause will extend until at least the week of Jan. 17.

The league made the unsurprising yet disappointing news on Thursday. The league had originally planned to return from its holiday break this coming Monday, Jan. 3 with games resuming on Jan. 7.

From the QMJHL:

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League today announced an extension to its Holiday break until January 14, 2022 as the increase of COVID-19 cases across its communities in Eastern Canada remains a concern.

Players will now report back to their teams no later than January 14, 2022. The QMJHL favours the return of its players within the team environment at this date for three main reasons:

1. Create a safe environment for players and staff; 

2. Support and facilitate their return to school; 

3. Allow them to practice and work out.

Updated QMJHL COVID-19 protocols will include a series of preventive testing before the arrival of players and staff within the team environment. Additional measures will be announced in the upcoming days.

The League’s regular season schedule will resume in the week of January 17, with postponed games to be rescheduled at a later date.

The league's next scheduled game is for Wednesday, Jan. 19. The Saint John Sea Dogs are currently scheduled to return to action on Thursday, Jan. 20 on home ice against the Quebec Remparts. The team has not played since Dec. 18.

COVID cancels/postpones world juniors

These unprecedented times produced another unprecedented event on Wednesday with the cancellation - or maybe postponement? - of the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta.

The announcement comes after a few more positive COVID-19 cases amongst players, resulting in more forfeited games.

From the IIHF:

In addition to ensuring the health and safety of participants, the Council has determined that with another forfeiture – the third forfeited game in two days – the sportive integrity of the event has been compromised, and the event must be cancelled.

The good news, it seems, is that the IIHF will look into rescheduling the tournament for this summer. That's positive news for both players and fans (and also ensures the IIHF/Hockey Canada gets to keep its sponsorship, ticket and TV revenue).

I'm told when players were informed of the cancellation, they were also informed work will continue to find a possibility. Many challenges remain in actually hosting. June, July and August on the table per Tardif just now during the press conference.

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) December 29, 2021

Tardif making it clear he wants to “restart the competition in a better way.”

As reported, this summer is their focus.

— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) December 29, 2021

This news comes at a time when the IIHF has been heavily criticized for its quick cancellation of the World Women's Under-18 Championship and a number of other events scheduled for January.

Sea Dogs left off Swiss WJC roster

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Noah Patenaude and Vincent Despont were both left off Switzerland's submitted roster for the World Junior Hockey Championship.

Both Saint John Sea Dogs players will miss the tournament due to injuries. From Swiss Hockey News:

In net, Lucas Rötheli (concussion, did not participate in the preparation) and Noah Patenaude (slightly banged up) will not be part of the roster. On defense, Giancarlo Chanton tested positive for Covid while still in Switzerland and had to stay home. Vincent Despont suffered an injury.

On offense, Raymond Fust did not make the cut as he is slightly bruised. The one player having tested positive for Covid-19 while in Canada, Simon Knak, got a second positive result. He has to isolate and will thus not be part of the team for the tournament.

Patenaude left for the Swiss camp having not played since Dec. 4 due to an injury. The 19-year-old was part of last year's Swiss team.

Despont, who would have been taking part in his first world junior tournament, was injured in camp.

Switzerland did not play any pre-tournament games due to COVID.  The team's first preliminary round game is Monday against Russia.

With Patenaude and Despont both missing the tournament, there are no current Sea Dogs taking part in the event. Fyodor Svechkov, a first-round pick of Saint John in the 2020 CHL Import Draft, is playing for Russia.

The Sea Dogs are on pause until at least Jan. 7 - and that might be a good thing for the team's blue line. Despont, Charlie DesRoches and William Villeneuve are all currently nursing injuries.

Notebook: Swiss game cancelled by COVID

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Noah Patenaude, Vincent Despont and Team Switzerland will head into World Junior Hockey Championship action without any pre-tournament play.

Switzerland was scheduled to play the Czech Republic on Thursday in Red Deer but the game was cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols.

It’s my understanding that one player from CZE/SUI has tested positive. That positive test will need to be confirmed. This game has been postponed for precautionary reasons. The player will be isolated. All players are tested every day. Stay tuned, as they say. https://t.co/xabs9SYo7L

— Bobby Margarita (@TSNBobMcKenzie) December 23, 2021

Switzerland's first game of the tournament is scheduled for Monday against Russia. They'll also play the United States (Dec. 28), Slovakia (Dec. 30) and Sweden (Dec. 31) in the preliminary round. All of those games will be played in Red Deer.

BIG JANUARY GAMES

If the QMJHL (including the three New Brunswick based clubs) does indeed resume play on Jan. 7, the Sea Dogs have some big games coming up.

Here's a look at some of January's marquee Sea Dogs games:

Jan. 8 vs Sherbrooke

Jan. 20 vs Quebec

Jan. 21 vs Gatineau

Jan. 27 at Charlottetown

If the league's pause goes further into January, those games against Quebec based clubs may be logistically challenging to reschedule for later in the year. Fingers crossed they happen as it would be great to see how Saint John's new lineup stacks up against some of the league's top teams.

The Sea Dogs venture to Quebec just one more time this season, visiting Baie-Comeau, Chicoutimi and Rimouski in early February.

Titan make another major move

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The Acadie-Bathurst Titan made another major move on Thursday, acquiring defenseman Miguel Tourigny from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

Tourigny leads all QMJHL defensemen in scoring with 40 points. He also leads all d-men in goals with 19.

In exchange for Tourigny, the Titan sent a 2023 second-round pick (Drummondville) to the Armada along with second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2024.

The Titan seemed likely to be in the market for a defensemen after already dealing Jaxon Bellamy and Lane Hinkley in the trade period.

Bathurst's offense, which was already quite good, has been given a major boost over the past week with the acquisitions of Tourigny; the QMJHL's leading scorer in Felix Lafrance; and Thomas Belgarde. The Titan are all in and are definitely a President Cup contender.

Eight of the league's top 12 scorers now play in the Maritimes Division. The four leading scorers amongst defensemen also play in the Maritimes. It's going to be quite a second half - whenever play resumes.

Trades will likely take a pause until after Christmas weekend. The trade period is scheduled to end on Jan. 6.