Sea Dogs awarded 2022 Memorial Cup

There is a strong P.E.I. presence with Saint John’s QMJHL entry

SAINT JOHN, N.B. – The Canadian Hockey League announced Sept. 22 that the Saint John Sea Dogs have been awarded the hosting rights of the 2022 Memorial Cup, presented by Kia, beginning June 3, 2022.

“We are extremely excited to be granting the rights to host this event to Saint John for the first time,” said CHL president Dan MacKenzie. “The bid committee did a fantastic job of outlining how Saint John will embrace the Memorial Cup with its Maritime hospitality to create an atmosphere that both celebrates the game and leaves a lasting legacy in the community.”

Founded in 2005, the Sea Dogs have participated in the Memorial Cup three times (2011, 2012, 2017) when the club finished as QMJHL President Cup titlists before claiming CHL supremacy in their first appearance. Gerard (Turk) Gallant of Summerside and Mike Kelly of Charlottetown coached the Sea Dogs during the team’s runs in 2011 and 2012.

The 2022 rendition marks the first time the city of Saint John will host the year-end championship.

There is also a Prince Edward Island flavour with the Sea Dogs. Gordie Dwyer of Stratford is in his first season as head coach, defenceman Charlie DesRoches of Days Corner is entering his third season with the Sea Dogs and equipment manager Tyler Jay is from Charlottetown.

Dwyer and Jay previously worked with the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals of the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL).

Saint John will be one of four teams to participate in the 2022 Memorial Cup alongside the playoff champions from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. All games from the 2022 Memorial Cup will be nationally televised by TSN and RDS.

MEMBER OF SELECTION COMMITTEE

P.E.I. provincial court judge Nancy Orr, who has a long resumé as an executive member at the junior A level, served as a member of the selection committee along with Colin Campbell, senior executive vice-president of hockey operations for the NHL; Natalie Cook, vice-president of TSN/RDS, Bell Media); Dan MacKenzie, president of the Canadian Hockey League, and Sébastien Vézina (partner, Lavery Lawyers).

The Sea Dogs and the Quebec Remparts were the two clubs to submit bids to host the 2022 Memorial Cup. Cancelled the past two years due to the global pandemic, the Memorial Cup was last played in 2019 in Halifax, N.S. The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, led by New York Islanders defenceman Noah Dobson of Summerside, won their firstever CHL championship.