Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Notebook: CHLPA Making a Comeback

The CHLPA is making a comeback – and this time it appears to be much more legitimate.

The Toronto Star reported on Monday that Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, has restarted efforts to create a CHL players union. Glenn Gumbley is reportedly involved once again.

Also involved in the unionization effort is former Sea Dogs forward Nicholas Pard who is a part-time recruiter. From the Star:

(Pard) says he was paid $35 a week as a 16-year-old rookie working more than 40 hours a week practising, travelling and playing for the Sea Dogs. And despite three seasons in the league, he’ll never see the education scholarship he earned because he chose to continue playing hockey overseas in France when his playing days in the CHL concluded.

Pard was a fourth-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2006 QMJHL Entry Draft. In 89 career games with Saint John, the right winger registered 26 goals and 17 assists.

GRANT
Alex Grant is staying in the Ottawa Senators organization.

The Sens announced yesterday that they have signed the former Sea Dogs captain to a one-year, two-way contract.

Last season, the 25-year old recorded two goals and eight assists with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators following a trade from the Anaheim Ducks organization to the Sens. Prior to the deal, the offensive defenseman registered seven goals and 20 assists in 52 games with the Norfolk Admirals.

Grant, a 2007 fourth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, made his National Hockey League debut last season, registering two goals in two games with the Ducks.

John Moore has video of Grant and Brad Marchand training in Halifax.

JURCO
Via reader Lorne via The Score, here’s Tomas Jurco’s latest trick.



LEBLANC
Columbus Blue Jackets development camp comes to an end on Thursday. Olivier LeBlanc appears to have made a decent impression.

“Olivier LeBlanc, Columbus' seventh-round pick this year, is super talented with the puck,” writes Rob Mixer of BlueJackets.com. “Creative in small spaces, a very good passer. He's part of a great program with the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) that has churned out very good NHL players in recent years.”

The Jackets drafted LeBlanc in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Draft.

KELLY TO THE CATS
The Florida Panthers are hoping Gerard Gallant and Mike Kelly can rekindle the chemistry they found in Saint John.

"[Kelly and Gallant] had success in Saint John together and are very comfortable coaching together,'' Panthers general manager Dale Tallon told the Miami Herald. "We have a top-notch coaching staff.''

Saint John might have the largest Florida Panthers fan base in Canada right now.

RICHER
Richer was a fourth-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2007 QMJHL Entry Draft. He played in 45 games with Saint John over parts of two seasons, registering a goal and three assists.  

SC COMING TO TOWN

On an off topic note, TSN’s Kraft Celebration Tour is coming to St. Andrews next month.

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