Patrick King

Stanislav Galiev has played a key role for the Sea Dogs.

The Québec Major Junior Hockey League's top team endured its share of criticism for a quiet trade deadline.

In a year where there was no shortage of impact players available, the Saint John Sea Dogs made headlines for what they didn't do. Director of hockey operations and associate coach, Mike Kelly, was criticized for not making significant moves to answer those made by rivals.

Those critics have been silenced now that the team is in the league championship series for the first time in its history, but it's turned from a fever pitch to a low mute.

"I don't think it really matters what you do at the deadline," Kelly said Thursday. "People are going to be second-guessing you if we had traded some of our young players… in three years. That just goes with the territory."

Saint John's cupboard of young players is as impressive as its win-loss record this season. The Sea Dogs are led by their veterans, but a crop of young players have emerged in the playoff run.

Those youngsters are led by two Europeans: Stanislav Galiev and Tomas Jurco. Jonathan Huberdeau, Pierre Durepos, Zack Phillips and Nathan Beaulieu also embody the bright future of the organization.

That list of players was at the top of every rebuilding team's wish list and Kelly felt more inclined to introduce his core to the rigors of playoff hockey than move them for established talent.

"Take your pick," he said when asked which players received the most interest on the trade market. "They're all high-end guys as 17-year-olds and all guys that are contributing quite a bit to our team. We just didn't think it was the proper thing to do for us at that particular time."

Saint John escaped the opening three rounds relatively unscathed, but trail Moncton 2-1 in the league championship series. Although the team is three wins shy of competing in its first Memorial Cup tournament, hosting the tournament in its next roundabout in the QMJHL in 2012 is another top priority.

By keeping those youngsters in the fold, Saint John helps ensure the team is competitive during their bid presentation next season. Kelly admitted that played a part in the decision not to move his young players.

"It's probably part of it, but there are no guarantees with who's going to host the Memorial Cup," he said. "The focus was that we had some outstanding young players that were only going to be getting better for us in years two, three, four in their development."

The Sea Dogs are involved in their toughest test of the playoffs with Moncton. The Wildcats were perhaps the most active team on the trade front ever since last year's league Most Valuable Player, goaltender Nicola Riopel, unexpectedly returned as an overage player.

Saint John dropped the first two games of the series, including a 9-3 drubbing in Game 2 on Sunday. Kelly said his team got back to the basics in Tuesday's 6-4 win by putting pressure and traffic in front of Riopel.

It's not a stretch to say the series could be determined by one of the players Saint John did acquire at the trade deadline. The Sea Dogs obtained overage goaltender Marco Cousineau and veteran defenceman Christian Morin in two trades near the deadline.

Cousineau was named the top goaltender at last year's Memorial Cup as a member of the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Although both Cousineau and Riopel would like to have at least one game back in this series, goaltending could be one of the big determining factors.

"Certainly those two guys have the opportunity to influence the series," Kelly acknowledged.

It's because of some of the veteran players on this team that Kelly felt comfortable keeping his youngsters along for the ride. His three overage players include two league champions in Cousineau and current league MVP Mike Hoffman, and another, Nicholas Petersen, who lost in Game 7 of last year's final.

"We felt with our leadership that nobody else was in that sort of position," he said. "Nobody else had the three overagers with that sort of experience so we liked that."

Saint John also liked the way its young players earned their minutes on a winning team. What those players lack in age, they make up for in determination.

"They don't ask for a birth certificate when they're handing out trophies at the end of the year," Kelly said.

If the Sea Dogs are able to win the league championship after showing confidence in their young core, they will have the last laugh.