Sea Dogs will rely on depth to contend

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Saint John Seadogs defenceman Thomas Chabot. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty)

A pleasant surprise came the Saint John Sea Dogs‘ way in June when Hockey Canada granted Joseph Veleno exceptional player status 48 hours before the Q draft. With the first-overall pick, acquired via trade from Drummondville, the Sea Dogs pounced on Veleno. He’s the first player in the QMJHL with the designation and will garner lots of attention in his rookie season.

The squad features seven players drafted by NHL teams last season and Luke Green is a potential first-rounder in June. The young team will be under the microscope with so much talent as they look to improve on their 10th-place finish and first-round playoff exit last season. The 2011 Memorial Cup champions have quickly re-built and could contend for the title again in the next couple seasons.

Prediction

Second in the Maritimes Division. Loaded with NHL-calibre talent, the Sea Dogs need to find consistency all season to be a serious contender.

Forwards

Last year, the lineup featured five 20-goal scorers but no single forward led the charge. It’s a group stacked with quality depth, a point confirmed in June when Samuel Dove-McFalls (98th, Philadelphia), Mathieu Joseph (120th, Tampa Bay), Spencer Smallman (138th, Carolina), Bokondji Imama (180th, Tampa Bay) and Adam Marsh (200th, Detroit) were all drafted.

The third-overall pick of the 2013 Q draft and Saint John’s top point scorer last season, Nathan Noel, surprisingly was passed on. Veleno walks onto a team with a strong supporting cast and won’t need to be the focal point of the offence. If a few of the forwards can break out this season, the Sea Dogs depth will be hard to contain.

Defence

Not many junior teams have the luxury of carrying two NHL first-rounders. The Boston Bruins nabbed the smooth-skating and physical Jakub Zboril with the 13th pick in June. Five picks later, Thomas Chabot landed with the Ottawa Senators. Both bring a combination of speed, size and hockey IQ that can burn opponents on both ends of the ice.

Luke Green showed flashes of why he was the first-overall pick of the 2014 Q draft, picking up six goals and 36 points in his rookie season. Look for him to take another step forward as a an NHL draft-eligible sophomore.

Goaltending

The crease will look different without Sébastien Auger, the team’s starter for the past three seasons who’s gone after his overage season. Two undrafted players will share goalie duties this season. Overager Marc-Antoine Turcotte joins the Sea Dogs after a pre-draft trade with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Alex Bishop, a free agent invitee last season, returns after backing up Auger. His numbers, a 3-10 record along with 4.02 GAA and .874 save percentage, need to improve.

NHL prospect watch

Bokondji Imama, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning (2015, 180th overall)

With seven players drafted in 2015, there are a plethora of prospects to watch on the Sea Dogs roster. Imama went to the Tampa Bay Lighting after being passed over in 2014 (although he did receive a training-camp invite by the Montreal Canadiens). The power forward joined the Sea Dogs at the trade deadline after three seasons in Baie-Comeau. He’s a tough customer—137 PIM last season—who brings experience, grit and can score. Imama had a goal and fighting major in the same game four times last season.

NHL Draft watch

Luke Green, D

The No. 1 pick of the 2014 Q draft looks to improve on his 36-point rookie campaign. He’s a dynamic skater and playmaker who stepped into the Q right away last season and didn’t look out of place. He was a late cut from Canada’s under-18 team for the Ivan Hlinka tournament but should have a shot at representing Canada at future international events. He’s a potential first-round pick in June.

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