Notebook: Theme schedule announced

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs released their theme night schedule for the 2026-27 season earlier this week.

There are a few notable new themes, like Dia De Los Muertos (a popular theme in southern US markets), Hockey Benders takeover and Cirque de Sea Dogs.

The usual theme games are also returning, like Sea Dogs fight cancer, military appreciation, teddy bear toss and so on. 

Saint John will also have a 4 p.m. home game on Halloween. The Sea Dogs last played on Halloween in 2024 and had a season low crowd that night.

JOSEPH FIGHT

Here's better video of Alexis Joseph's third period fight on Friday in Cape Breton – the first of his QMJHL career.

The fight took place after Eagles defenseman Aiden McCullough put a hit on Sea Dogs forward Olivier Lemieux. Lemieux has not played since the hit.

Game Day 7: vs Huskies

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will get their first taste of the Western Conference tonight at TD Station.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies – who will be playing the fourth game of a six-game Atlantic road trip – make their lone appearance of the regular season at TD Station tonight. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Sea Dogs have only played Atlantic based teams up until this point. Saint John is riding a two-game winning streak and have collected points in four straight.

Goaltender Samuel Meloche will presumably get the start for Saint John tonight. This will be the first time the netminder faces his old club.

Stream/TV/Radio: FloHockey/None/Sea Dogs Audio Network

2026-27 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 3-1-1-1 for eight points (seventh Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Huskies are 3-2-2-0 for eight points (fifth Western/12th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Sunday. Alexander Donovan, Alexis Joseph, Matyas Cancik and Brandon Delarosbil all scored for Saint John. Samuel Meloche made 26 stops in the win. The Huskies are coming off a 6-2 loss in Halifax last night. Antoine St-Laurent and Jeremy Jarret had Huskies goals. Alexander Raymond made 28 stops in the loss.

Sea Dogs bring back third jersey

Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs are back in black.

The team announced Thursday that the popular black third jerseys – which haven't been worn in a few seasons – are returning this year. Fans will get their first chance to see them on Friday night when Saint John hosts the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies at TD Station.

The third jerseys will once again be dominantly black and feature an alternate Sea Dogs logo, one that is a spinoff of the Saint John Flames' logo. The overall design is a bit different compared to the old one and a new, New Brunswick flag inspired shoulder patch has been added.

All about the details. #GoDogsGo https://t.co/osqh5E4Ern

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) October 8, 2026

The alternate logo – like the Sea Dogs' primary logo – has been given a modern twist as well.

Judging by the photos, the Sea Dogs will continue to wear their usual blue helmets, gloves and shorts with the third jerseys.

The Sea Dogs originally debuted the black third jersey during the 2012-13 season and have worn them off-and-on since then. Most notably, the look was popular during the team's 2017 playoff and Memorial Cup run.

Drabczynski off to USHL

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Oskar Drabczynski is off to the United States Hockey League.

The Saint John Sea Dogs announced the news on Wednesday, posting in a tweet that the 18-year-old defenseman "has decided to leave the #SJSeaDogs to pursue an opportunity in the USHL. We wish Oskar the very best the rest of the way this season."

Elite Prospects has Drabczynski with the USHL's Omaha Lancers but Robert Chalmers reports that he's heading to the Fargo Force.

The news doesn't come as a huge shock given that the defenseman has been pushed down the Saint John's depth chart – and this is before Olivier Duhamel returns from injury and/or Vertti Svensk possibly joins the backend. Drabczynski has appeared in just one game with the Sea Dogs this season. 

The Connecticut native played in 44 games with Saint John last season, posting two goals and eight assists. He also appeared in two playoff games.

Drabczynski, a seventh-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft, is committed to Harvard University.

There are a few other players with Sea Dogs connections playing in the USHL this season, including former Dogs Dylan and Matthew Krayer.

Sea Dogs back to 7th in latest CHL Top-10

The Saint John Sea Dogs are back up to seventh in this week's CHL Top-10 rankings.

The Sea Dogs moved up two spots following a 4-3 shootout win in Cape Breton on Friday and a 4-3 overtime victory over the Halifax Mooseheads on Sunday.

The Quebec Remparts were the highest ranked QMJHL team, coming in at No. 2. The Moncton Wildcats, meanwhile, were ranked sixth and the Rimouski Oceanic 10th.

The Sea Dogs were ranked seventh in both the pre-season and week one CHL Top-10 rankings. They fell to ninth last week.

Here's what the CHL website had to say about the Sea Dogs this week:

7. Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL): Saint John turned a pair of close games into four points, beating Cape Breton 4-3 in a shootout Friday and Halifax 4-3 in overtime Sunday. Dylan Rozzi’s fifth goal of the season forced extra time against the Eagles before Jamie Glance and Alexander Donovan converted in the shootout. Brandon Delarosbil then scored 30 seconds into overtime against the Mooseheads to lift the Sea Dogs to 3-1-1-1. Glance had three assists Sunday, while Matyas Cancik scored his first QMJHL goal. Alexis Joseph added a goal and an assist in that game, bringing his season totals to two goals and four assists in six games. Joseph was among the first four players named to Team CHL for the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Primaris. Buffalo Sabres prospect Samuel Meloche stopped 63 of 69 shots across the two wins. Saint John’s homestand continues with visits from Rouyn-Noranda, Charlottetown and Drummondville.

As the CHL website noted, the Sea Dogs will play three home games this coming long weekend but none will be against ranked teams – something that has been rare for Saint John so far this season.

Meloche named to Team of the Week (and some other stats)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two weekend wins have earned Saint John Sea Dogs goaltender Samuel Meloche a spot on the QMJHL's Team of the Week.

In two starts, Meloche posted a 2-0 record with a 2.87 goals against average and a .913 save percentage.

Meloche made 37 saves in Saint John's 4-3 shootout win in Cape Breton on Friday night and followed that up with a 26-save performance in a 4-3 overtime win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Sunday.

This weekend was the first time Meloche had started back-to-back games this season. He'll likely make a third straight start on Friday when his former team, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, make their lone regular season visit to TD Station.

A few other stats now that we're six games into the season...

• Dylan Rozzi and Jamie Glance each have a Sea Dogs high seven points. Rozzi leads the team in goals with five while Glance is the team leader in assists with six. Glance had three helpers in Sunday's win, including the overtime winner.
• Glance has recorded the second most assists amongst QMJHL rookies, just one less than Quebec's Carter Meyer. Glance sits sixth in overall rookie scoring with seven points.
• Brandon Delarosbil netted the overtime winner on Sunday. He has just 10 career goals in the QMJHL – but four of those have come in overtime. He netted three last season with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Oddly, all of his OT goals were scored at roughly the same time.
• Oct. 12, 2025 vs BAC: 0:33
• Oct. 25, 2025 vs VIC: 0:35
• Jan. 7, 2026 vs QUE: 0:36
• Oct. 4, 2026 vs HAL: 0:30
• The production that Matyas Cancik has had early this season pretty much forced the Sea Dogs to move him up the lineup after starting the year on the fourth line. He currently sits eighth in rookie scoring with six points (a goal and five assists).
• Saint John is averaging 15.83 penalty minutes per game, the most in the QMJHL. Fortunately, the team's penalty kill has been pretty good, sitting fourth in the league (83.3%).
• The Sea Dogs have the third best power play in the league with a rating of 38.1%. The top unit, which started the year as a five forward unit, has adapted well to the addition of Delarosbil.
• Rozzi and Alexander Donovan each have three power play goals on the year. Glance and Alexis Joseph have scored the others.
• Saint John's GF-GA by periods:
• Firsts: 10-5
• Seconds: 5-6
• Thirds: 4-8
• Saint John's past four games have all gone into extra time. The Sea Dogs played in nine extra time games all of last season.