Saint John Sea Dogs open training camp, don’t expect fighting rule changes to affect club

It may still be August, but hockey season is officially here.

Training camps are open across the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, including in Saint John, N.B., where 49 players, 16 of which are returning from last years squad, are taking part in Sea Dogs camp.

Of those 49 players, only one was a member of the team that won the 2022 Memorial Cup on home ice.

“We are still a team that is looking to fill our cupboards with draft picks we used to build our 2022 Memorial Cup team,” says second year head coach Travis Crickard. “We’re probably going to see a younger version of the team this year, so our focus is going to be on being as well conditioned as possible to be competitive in games.”

Returning player Nicolas Bilodeau says the energy amongst the players is high after a long summer.

“I think we have a good team,” says the young defenceman. “A good young team and we are trying to build in getting stronger and being more competitive every single night and for my part just being the best player I can every single night and bring the best for the team.”

Coach Crickard is look for general competitiveness in camp, saying roster spots are as open as he as seen in a training camp.

“This year there are some spots up front, on the backend, and even in goal that can be won in these scrimmages and in these exhibition games,” Crickard says. “I think the willingness to compete and have an impact on the team through structural play and being a good teammate are going to play a major factor in who makes the team.”

There is also a massive rule change made in the QMJHL that will take effect this season that could impact roster choices… a ban of fighting.

Under the new rules, players who engage in a fight will be ejected from the game, and the player deemed the instigator will be given an automatic one-game ban. A minimum two-game suspension will be served for players who are declared the aggressor and an additional game will be added for a player’s second fight of the season.

“I’m not a big fighting guy myself,” admits Bilodeau. “I know guys who like to fight that maybe don’t like that rule, but it is to protect the players and is a league thing.”

Crickard says the team met with the league last week to discuss the new rules, with the word ‘judgement’ coming up a lot in the meeting while everyone learns how to different what is a fighting major and what isn’t.

“Early on there is probably going to be a lot more discussion between officials and coaches,” Crickard thinks. “[Also between] officials and leadership players in terms of how penalties are called.”

Crickard doesn’t expect the rule change to have a major impact on his program, recalling only a handful of fighting majors from all of last season.

That being said, he admits that fact fighting is now outlawed could impact decisions when it comes to final roster spots.

“Now where it’s not necessarily a priority, those kind of players might take a backseat to potentially more skilled players for sure,” Crickard admits. “It is something we are talking about daily.”

The Sea Dogs skate in their first exhibition game on Tuesday at home against the Charlottetown Islanders. The team opens their regular season on Sept. 22, on the road against Acadie-Bathurst.

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