MOCK DRAFT TIME

NHL.com posted some mock drafts the other day following the very exciting National Hockey League Draft Lottery. As expected, the Saint John Sea Dogs were represented quite well.

Here are the results from three different NHL.com writers:

Mike G. Morreale
#4. New Jersey Devils – Jonathan Huberdeau
Retooling for new coach starts with a 105-point forward who might have best set of hands of 2011 class

#8. Columbus Blue Jackets – Nathan Beaulieu
Top-rated bluer line from the QMJHL is a transitional dynamo possessing speed, poise and a great shot

#20. Winnipeg Jets Phoenix Coyotes – Zack Phillips
Time to load up on centers; a solid skater with edge was second on team in scoring (38 goals, 95 points)

Adam Kimelman
#6. Ottawa Senators – Jonathan Huberdeau
Senators need scoring and Huberdeau filled the nets this season -- 43 goals in 67 games

#9. Boston Bruins – Nathan Beaulieu
Has good size (6-2, 174) and high level of offensive skill

#18. Chicago Blackhawks - Tomas Jurco
Hawks fans will find Jurco is more than just the guy with the fancy puck skills in all those videos

#21. Ottawa Senators – Zack Phillips
There's a reason Saint John was top team in CHL; Sens are smart to grab two of their best

Steven Hoffner
#3. Florida Panthers – Nathan Beaulieu
Something Panthers have missed since Jay Bouwmeester left: big, solid D-man who can run PP

#6. Ottawa Senators – Jonathan Huberdeau
Speedy forward with lightning-quick hands to help team in need of goals

#17. Montreal Canadiens – Zack Phillips
Racked up 95 points in 67 games in the QMJHL

#19. Edmonton Oilers – Tomas Jurco
Ridiculous hands and imagination, would complement Edmonton's youth movement

TSN’s Craig Button posted a mock draft this week as well, but for some reason only posted the first 14 picks. But, whatever, three Sea Dogs still made the list.

#2. Colorado Avalanche – Jonathan Huberdeau
He's a two-way player who can play any way you want. He can even play left wing, which can help him make the team early and then they can switch him to centre ice.

#8. Columbus Blue Jackets – Nathan Beaulieu
He's a defenceman on the rise and deservedly so. He's a well-rounded player who can add offence - just what the Blue Jackets need.

#13. Calgary Flames
Calgary needs a centre and this is a guy who plays in every situation in the game. The Flames will get lucky in the draft with him.

Ryan Kennedy, who writes the weekly “Hot List” for The Hockey News, posted THN’s top 10 for the upcoming draft on Tuesday. Jonathan Huberdeau was the lone Sea Dog, coming in at No. 4.

The Sea Dogs have been a Quebec League juggernaut all year and Huberdeau has always been front and center. The offensively gifted pivot has followed up a 105-point regular season with 16 points in six playoff games, good for second in the QMJHL. When given a choice between Huberdeau and Sean Couturier, most scouts and execs have called it a toss-up or given the edge to Huberdeau now.
Scout Says: “Great hands. I would compare them to Patrick Kane’s in Chicago. He has vision and playmaking, but those hands…unbelievable.”

TSN’s Bob McKenzie also released his latest top 10 and has Huberdeau at No. 4.

SEA DOGS NOTEBOOK

OFFICIAL SCHEDULE
The QMJHL released the official schedule for the Saint John Sea Dogs – Victoriaville Tigres quarter-final playoff series. It is the same schedule as the one reported on the Tigres’ Facebook page yesterday.

Here it is (all times local):

2011-04-08 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:30 pm
2011-04-09 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm
2011-04-12 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-13 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-15 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-18 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm
2011-04-19 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm

CUSTOM GOAL HORN
The goal horn at Harbour Station had a different tune to it in the final game of the regular season after Michael Kirkpatrick scored. A video labeled “Michael Kirkpatrick Custom Goal Horn" has popped up on YouTube.



Pretty good tune.

ON THE RISE
Central Scouting had some meetings this weekend to discuss their final rankings for upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Among the things discussed were about the top defensemen available for the draft. That list, of course, includes Sea Dog Nathan Beaulieu.

"Nathan is a fluid skater, hard worker and reads the play well," Central Scouting's Chris Bordeleau, who specializes in the QMJHL, told NHL.com, via Fox News. "We thought he should have had more points than he had (45 points in 65 games), but overall he has the NHL quickness already. That's what is really important at this stage."

Beaulieu was ranked ninth among North American players in Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

- Thanks to Eric for the link.

THE BIG DEBATE
Also discussed at those same meetings yesterday (after a lunch break) was the debate of who is the better pick: Sean Couturier or Jonathan Huberdeau.

“Chris Bordeleau, who spends most of his time viewing players in the 'Q', opened discussions with a solid evaluation of centers Jonathan Huberdeau and Sean Couturier,” states NHL.com. “He spoke of Huberdeau's great hands around the net and Couturier's two-way acumen. Saint John defenseman Nathan Beaulieu has also been on the radar of every scout and his play was worthy of a lengthy discussion by those boys within the Conn Smythe Board Room.”

SEASON ENDING TALK
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Head Coach and General Manager Mario Durocher had a season ending question and answer session with the Cape Breton Post on Friday. His thoughts on the first round playoff sweep by the Sea Dogs:

"For a lot of guys, it was their first experience in the playoffs. I think that experience will be good. They played one of the best teams in Canada and we gave them goals. We know that we have to be in really top shape. If you have to play four games in five days and we have to play a short bench, they have to realize they have to be in good shape. They have to be bigger and stronger, so the summer will be a key thing for a lot of guys. Sometimes dumping the puck and avoiding turnovers make a difference and that’s what they did. Those were little things like that we learned from Saint John."

BUSY WEEK
It’s going to a busy week for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

On Wednesday, the annual QMJHL Awards Gala will be held in Montreal. On Thursday, the QMJHL and CHL will announce the host of the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup. Then on Friday and Saturday, Games One and Two of their quarter-final series against Victoriaville will take place.

Buckle up.

THE CASE FOR FULLERTON
A good piece from Bill Hunt of the Daily Gleaner on how little recognition former Sea Dogs goaltender Travis Fullerton gets for his winning ways with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.

"But it's another slap in the mask of Fullerton, who has quietly had a spectacular career at UNB: the first to be blamed when things go wrong, the last to be credited when they go right. Look at the season just completed: 31 goals against in 20 games in the regular season: a 1.60 goals against average. Five shutouts. Post season: nine appearances. Six wins. Two shutouts. And then solid and sometimes spectacular last weekend."

Fullerton has now won two national championships with the V-Reds.

PEACE OUT AMYOT
Former Sea Dogs defenseman Pascal Amyot finished his junior career last week as the Halifax Mooseheads were swept away by the Montreal Juniors.

"Everything goes so fast," Amyot said through tears to the Chronicle Herald. "It feels like just yesterday I was a rookie in the league and now it’s over.

"After being in this league for five years, I came to realize that you don’t know the luck you’ve had until it’s gone."

Amyot, who has to be considered one of the smartest players in junior hockey, will continue studying engineering at Dalhousie next year and will play for the Tigers in the AUS ranks.

Photo Credits: HockeyDB, Marc Henwood/Station Nation, David Connell Web Album

RED LINE REPORT: Huberdeau is Q's top prospect

Some big news out of the hockey prospect world today as USA Today released the latest Red Line Report list of top prospects for the 2011 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

The big news: the top prospect from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is no longer Drummondville Voltigeurs forward Sean Couturier.

“Just continues to take his game to new levels we never thought he would approach so soon,” reads the report on Saint John Sea Dogs forward Jonathan Huberdeau. “He has now ascended the throne as the Quebec League's top prospect.”

Red Line as Huberdeau going fifth overall in the draft while Couturier, who at this time last year was projected by most to be going first overall, has slipped all the way to eighth.

From USA Today:

While the drumbeat has been slowly building for Huberdeau the past three months, he simply has elevated his game to a level we did not expect to see out of him this year. And we can no longer deny what our gut is telling us: He has passed Sean Couturier as the Quebec League's top prospect. Couturier is in his third full year in the Q and far more physically developed than Huberdeau. Yet Huberdeau, in his second Q season, is the more assertive and aggressive player, and we believe he's performing at a higher level right now than Couturier was at this time last year when he won the Quebec League scoring crown.

Huberdeau has been an incredible story this season. He has gone from some scouting websites and agencies not having him going in the opening round to a top-10 pick this June. As Red Line points out, the draft is all over the map this year. There is no clear No. 1, top-five, or top-10.

Huberdeau, who doesn’t turn 18 until June 4, has 102 points this season while Couturier has 95. The Sea Dogs have been one of, if the most scouted team in the Canadian Hockey League this season while Couturier was a given an opportunity to impress at the World Juniors.

A long playoff run and a possible trip the Memorial Cup would surely help maintain Huberdeau’s rise up the rankings.

The latest International Scouting Services rankings were released this week as well. Huberdeau cracked the top-10 and his projected to go ninth overall. ISS has Couturier ranked as the fourth best prospect.

Photo Credit: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

2011 DRAFT TRACKER

SALLOWS BIG ON SEA DOGS
Scout Dan Sallows continues to produce one of the best draft websites on the interweb. Last week, at the midway point of hockey season, Sallows did up a mock up draft that featured three Saint John Sea Dogs going on the opening round.

Sallows selected Jonathan Huberdeau to go eighth overall to the Buffalo Sabres.

I think they’d be best served to select athletic defenseman Dougie Hamilton or talented center Jonathan Huberdeau, with the edge going to Huberdeau. Buffalo has had success with drafting talented french forwards in the past, so history may just repeat itself.

Nathan Beaulieu is predicted to go 18th overall to the Colorado Avalanche.

Nathan Beaulieu isn’t a huge risk, considering he has some offensive potential that is off the charts, but the 6-foot-3, 191-pound blueliner may need some seasoning (ala Alex Pietrangelo) before he makes an impact. Not that the Av’s would be concerned as they are heading in the right direction and have nothing but time on their hands to let their prospects develop.

Sallows also selected Zack Phillips to go in the opening round to the Montreal Canadiens19th overall.

The Canadiens will most likely be looking for a big, skilled center, and 6-foot-1, 181-pound Zack Phillips would fit the bill. Another talented Sea Dog that has been lights out thus far this season, and it doesn’t hurt he plays in the Q either, so the Habs scouts see him a lot.

BEAULIEU AND HUBERDEAU SPEAK
Following their extraordinary display at the Top Prospects Game, The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy caught up with two Sea Dogs, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nathan Beaulieu, to talk about their experience and more.

The video can be seen on THN’s website.

Props to Al for sending this in.

McKENZIE’S RANKINGS
TSN’s Bob McKenzie released his draft rankings awhile back and even had an entire television show dedicated to them. Somehow, TSN made it through the 30-minute program without insulting Saint John as a junior hockey market or spelling names incorrectly.

McKenzie, who’s rankings are made by a collaboration of scouts’ opinions and stuff, had Huberdeau ranked at No. 9. Beaulieu was the only other Sea Dog to be listed as a first-round pick as he came in at No. 13.

Zack Phillips was ranked at No. 32 while Tomas Jurco was No. 36.

ISS RANKINGS
International Scouting Services released their top 30 for January. Huberdeau was all the way down at No. 19 while Jurco was the only other Sea Dog selected to go in the first round at No. 26.

Despite being one of the few scouting services to still have Jurco listed as a fist rounder, ISS says the Slovakian is “falling.”

The super talented Jurco was not able to showcase the abilities that have many scouts lauded as top round abilities during this year's World Junior Championships in Buffalo and Niagra Falls. In fact, Jurco seemed rather invisible and was not able to make anything happen around the puck. Jurco's struggles could not come at a worse time as other players, players who were way down the draft rankings proved to be effective and impactful weapons for their countries. The result of this is going to be a big question mark hanging over the young Slovak and teams and scouts wondering if he is able to pick it up and play at the higher levels or when the stakes are higher. Jurco should have an opportunity to silence these questions, playing with the Memorial Cup contending St. John Sea Dogs. Jurco needs to amp it up over the final part of the season and be an impact player offensively while working to take his team deep into the playoffs to be able to salvage some of his first round reputation and potential.

Obviously, these rankings get a fail because Saint John is spelt incorrectly.


BEAULIEU AND HUBERDEAU SPEAK AGAIN
Our friends at HockeyProspect.com put together a couple of interviews from the Top Prospects Game.





ON THE PROSPECTS GAME
Bruins 2011 Draft Watch shared their thoughts on all the participants at the Top Prospects game.

On Huberdeau:

Watching him a little last year, you knew he had the height, hands and creativity to be a skilled offensive pivot, but the revelation this season has been the way he's filling the net. Wednesday's top prospects game was no exception, as he pounced on David Musil's rebound, patiently waited for a sprawling Christopher Gibson to take himself out of the play and then slid the puck into the open cage. That kind of poise and patience is a hallmark of any legitimate goal scorer.

On Phillips:

He's not the fastest guy out there or all that dynamic, but man-- when he's around the net and the puck is nearby, chances are, it will be behind the goalie soon. He finished off a nice play with RNH when the diminutive center took the puck hard to the net, backing Honzik deep into the cage along the goal line. Phillips pounced on the loose puck sitting in front of the Cherry netminder and calmly flipped it over the Czech goalie.

On Beaulieu:

He was involved at both ends of the ice and showed off the kind of mobility and puck skills to be a factor in the offensive dimension. He scored one of the Orr goals when he jumped in from the point, gathered a pass and then rifled a wrist shot to the back of the net.

Some scouts like Beaulieu more than others, but he plays with an edge, has some toughness to him and can do pretty much everything well even if he doesn't have the kind of dynamic upside of Murphy or even Hamilton.

On Jurco:

Puckhandler extraordinaire had some chances early, but either couldn't get the bouncing puck to settle or wasn't able to get his shots past Liston. As the game went on, like many of his teammates, Jurco was less and less visible. The winner of the breakaway event in the skills competition is one of those guys who can electrify with one shot and shift, but when he's out of the play, he's really out of it.

CHL.ca VIDEO
Yet another video from the Top Prospects Game, this one from CHL.ca. Very long video.


2011 Draft Watch is a feature running through the entirety of the 2010-11 season that features links, video, and rankings of Saint John’s ‘Big Four.’ Any content found on the internet that would fit in this post can be sent to stationnation@yahoo.ca

YOUNG GUNS GETTING IT DONE

Another big win for the Saint John Sea Dogs last night produced another big game for a talented trio of players.

The line of Jonathan Huberdeau, Zach Phillips, and Tomas Jurco combined for four goals and six assists in a 7-2 road win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last night.

The “Bachelor Line,” as Sea Dogs play-by-play man Tim Roszell has coined them, has produced well all season. But in the last six games – all wins for Saint John – the line has taken it up a notch.

Here is a look at their production during the Sea Dogs’ six game winning streak:

Zach Phillips
November 13 vs Bathurst: 0G-1A-1Pts
November 14 vs Quebec: 0G-0A-0Pts
November 21 at Moncton: 2G-1A-3Pts
November 26 vs Bathurst: 2G-1A-3Pts
November 28 vs Halifax: 2G-1A-3Pts
December 1 at Bathurst: 1G-4A-5Pts

Total points over past six games: 7G-8A-15Pts
Total points this season: 27GP-20G-18A-38Pts

Jonathan Huberdeau
November 13 vs Bathurst: 0G-0A-0Pts
November 14 vs Quebec: 1G-1A-2Pts
November 21 at Moncton: 0G-2A-2Pts
November 26 vs Bathurst: 0G-2A-2Pts
November 28 vs Halifax: 1G-3A-4Pts
December 1 at Bathurst: 3G-1A-4Pts

Total points over past six games: 5G-9A-14Pts
Total points this season: 27GP-19G-23A-42Pts

Tomas Jurco
November 13 vs Bathurst: 1G-0A-1Pts
November 14 vs Quebec: 1G-1A-2Pts
November 21 at Moncton: 0G-2A-2Pts
November 26 vs Bathurst: 1G-0A-1Pts
November 28 vs Halifax: 1G-0A-1Pts
December 1 at Bathurst: 0G-1A-1Pts

Total points over past six games: 4G-4A-8Pts
Total points this season: 27GP-14G-14A-28Pts

To put it another way, the three have combined to score 16 of the Sea Dogs’ 40 goals over the past six contests.

All three players are highly touted for the upcoming National Hockey League Entry Draft, and producing in their selection year will definitely help their cause.

SEA DOGS NOTEBOOK

DELISLE PLAYING TONIGHT
Steven Delisle is expected to suit up for his first professional hockey game tonight with the Central Hockey League’s Fort Wayne Komets, reports The Journal Gazette.

The 20-year old defenseman had spent the earlier portion of the 2010-11 campaign with American Hockey League’s Springfield Falcons but had not played in a game.

If you haven’t heard, his rights were traded to Saint John last week from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in exchange for a 12th round draft pick in the 2012 QMJHL Entry Draft. At the moment, it looks unlikely that he will return to junior for an overage season. But crazier things have happened.

"If he comes great, it's just an asset we have,” said Sea Dogs associate coach and director of hockey operations Mike Kelly said to the Telegraph-Journal on Monday. “If he doesn't, then he doesn't. At the very least, we have control over where he goes if he comes back (to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League). Right now, he's focused on being a professional hockey player.''

Judging by the comments sections of a few Fort Wayne newspapers, Komets fans are in panic mode after a disappointing start to the season. They sit last in the Turner Conference with a 2-6-1 record.

SEA DOGS TOP POWER RANKINGS

After earning 17 of a possible 18 points in their last nine games, the Sea Dogs are the toped ranked QMJHL team in this week’s edition of the Open Ice Hockey Power Rankings.

Only the Sea Dogs, Lewiston Maineiacs, and Shawinigan Cataractes were 2-0-0-0 last week.

The rankings are calculated using a formula based on weekly and season long play.

SAUVE SKATING

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Yann Sauve and his mysterious ways are still with the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose.

“Sauve is skating as he plods his way back from a concussion suffered in September,” reported the Winnipeg Free Press on Saturday.

Sauve is still a long shot to return to Saint John despite the bizarreness surrounding the 20-year old's injury after her was hit by a car in Vancouver during Canucks rookie camp.

“I don’t have a target date, if that’s what you’re asking,” said Moose head coach Claude Noel to the Winnipeg Sun on November 11. “He doesn’t look good for a guy who hasn’t been on the ice for awhile.”

BTN DYNAMIC DOZEN

The crew over at Buzzing The Net have created a revolutionary new program to help determine the question that has been asked for years – who really is Canada’s best junior hockey team? As just about everyone has come to accecpt by now, the BMO CHL MasterCard Top Rankings are a corrupt system based more on opinion than hard, cold, solid, statistics.

“So, our alternative: periodically, we'll give the top 12 teams across the three leagues listed by RPI, as calculated by friend of the blog Rob Pettapiece,” wrotes BTN’s Neate Sager. More info on the system can be found in the post.

The Sea Dogs, ranked third in the CHL Rankings, are listed seventh in the Dynamic Dozen.

The Sea Dogs are crazy talented, with QMJHL highs of 18 wins and 105 goals scored, but drop down thanks to weak schedule through the first third of the season. (How weak? Fifty-seventh of 60 teams.)

Saint John is No. 3 in the poll and has shown enough to convince almost anyone they are favourites to win the Presidents' Cup after falling two wins short last May.

The Montreal Juniors are ranked sixth and the Quebec Remparts are tied for eleventh.

FC’S DRAFT RANKINGS
Scouting services across the land are slowly producing their first batch of draft rankings for the 2011 crop of prospects.

The website Future Considerations released their top 60 earlier this week. Sea Dogs on the list were defenseman Nathan Beaulieu at #15, forward Tomas Jurco at #21, forward Jonathan Huberdeau at #23, and forward Zach Phillips at #51.

HOLIDAY PRICES
‘Tis the season for Sea Dogs holiday ticket packages. There is no greater gift.

AT THE STATION
The annual Rhoda’s Christmas Festival thing is at Harbour Station all weekend long as the Sea Dogs hit the road for their only trek this month.

On Thursday, Mamma Mia is in town which means that commercial that has been played at games over the past few months will no longer be stuck in everyone’s head. The Sea Dogs return to home ice Friday against Bathurst.

FLEABURN WEEKEND
The official Facebook page of the official Sea Dogs mascot Fleaburn indicates that he will be attending the Saint John Christmas parade on Saturday.

“Way pumped for the Santa Clause parade Saturday Night,” wrote the furry beast.

MOCK DRAFTS
Two NHL.com writers released their first mock drafts for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Adam Kimelman has three Sea Dogs as projected first rounder’s.

#6 Florida Panthers – Jonathan Huberdeau: “Big (6-foot-1) and talented -- just what GM Dale Tallon likes.”
#13 Tampa Bay Lightning – Nathan Beaulieu: “Talent is obvious; he was one of two Draft-eligibles invited to Canada's summer WJC camp.”
#14 Minnesota Wild – Tomas Jurco: “Size, skating and puck skills make him a good fit for coach Todd Richards' system.”

Mike Morreale has three Dogs in the top 30 as well:

#10 Carolina Hurricanes – Jonathan Huberdeau: “Size, skating and puck skills make him a good fit for coach Todd Richards' system.”
#16 New York Rangers – Nathan Beaulieu: “Beaulieu could turn out to be the next Mike Green or Duncan Keith; great off the transition.”
#17 Phoenix Coyotes – Tomas Jurco: “Slovakian star is a big-bodied forward offering exceptional skill and fantastic vision.”

7 DOGS MAKE CENTRAL SCOUTING LIST

After much anticipation from fans, scouts, and wannabe scouts, National Hockey League Central Scouting released their preliminary rankings for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft this morning.

Not surprisingly, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League portion of the rankings was dominated by Saint John Sea Dogs players. A total of seven players appeared on the list of the league’s top 25 skaters entering draft eligibility with five of them being placed in the top 10.

"It's going to be a better year than the past couple, but I've seen some of the kids in Ontario and they're looking pretty good, too," Central Scouting's Chris Bordeleau, who scouts the QMJHL, told NHL.com. "We can't get too overly excited. I'm kind of prudent, because it's happened before. I don't want to get too excited too early, but the top 15 players out of the 'Q' are looking all decent."

Drummondville Voltigeurs forward Sean Couturier, who many have pegged as the first overall pick in this June’s draft in Minnesota, was the top ranked QMJHL skater.

In the #2 slot was Sea Dogs leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau. The second year forward has 15 goals and 15 assists in 23 games this season while playing most of the year on a line with Tomas Jurco and Zach Phillips.

Third-year defenseman Nathan Beaulieu came in at #3. The yet-to-turn-18-year-old has three goals and nine assists in 23 matches with the league leading Sea Dogs. The offensive d-man sits third on the team in points by defenseman.

Jurco, probably the most well known Sea Dog player after his appearance on TSN, has had a hot-and-cold season so far and finds himself ranked 6th. He is fourth on the team in points with 23 (12 goals and 11 assists) but has been a bit inconsistent at times.

There were some significant surprises as the top 10 came to a close. Rookie forward Scott Oke came in at #9 while fellow rookie forward Ryan Tesink was ranked 10th. Both players came ahead of second year forward Zach Phillips, who has been on the draft radar for a year now.

Oke has three goals and one assist in 20 games while Tesink has five goals and 10 assists in as many tilts. Both have been solid this season playing on the fourth line, especially Tesink who has been mentioned in the draft equation over the past couple of weeks. This is the first time Oke has made an appearance that we know of.

Nothing against Oke or Tesink, but to have the two placed ahead of Phillips is puzzling. The Fredericton native sits third in team scoring with 13 goals and 11 assists while being able to keep up on one of the most talented lines in the league with Huberdeau and Jurco. The majority of draft rankings/articles released so far this season have him going mid-to-late second round this summer.

Central Scouting doesn’t give reasoning behind their placement of players.

The only other Sea Dog listed was rookie defenseman Guillaume Cloutier who was ranked 16th. Cloutier, drafted by Saint John in this past summer’s QMJHL Entry Draft, has one goal, three assists, and an impressive +14 rating in 21 games.

"This is our first list in which we assign numbers to players and are forced to get off the fence and decide who is No. 1 and No. 2, No. 17 and No. 18," Director of Central Scouting E.J. McGuire told NHL.com. "There's a little bit of fun pressure involved, but the purpose of these lists hasn't changed. We're out to serve the 30 NHL teams. And as much as this process has evolved into a news event, we're not trying to make that much of a splash. We've also put the disclaimer out that our mid-term release (Jan. 10) and even this list, is subject to refinement."

McGuire will be appearing on The Pipeline Show tonight.

Only one Sea Dog player has ever been selected in the first round of the NHL Draft - Simon Despres in 2009 when he went 30th overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins.