Post by dogcatcher on Dec 24, 2007 17:07:49 GMT -4
QMJHL NOVA SCOTIAN REPORT: Patience makes perfect
MATTHEW WUEST
The Daily News
Every hockey player likes winning. But when you're the poster boy for the Saint John Sea Dogs - a QMJHL expansion club that lost 105 of its first 140 games - the victories taste much, much sweeter.
Meet Alex Grant.
"It was definitely tough joining an expansion team right from the get-go and having two losing seasons," the 18-year-old defenceman said. "But it's worth it now. It's made me mature as a player and as a person."
The Antigonish native paid his dues after the Sea Dogs picked him No. 1 overall in the 2005 draft. He suffered through back-to-back last-place divisional finishes, but this season, the Sea Dogs have exploded with a 22-10-1-2 record at the holiday break, the second-best winning percentage in the Q.
"It's a lot better when you're winning," Grant said. "For sure."
The Sea Dogs were built around Grant - now the team's captain - and an impressive defence corps.
The unit is one of the youngest and most talented in the Q, and features three No. 1 picks - Grant, Yann Sauve and Simon Despres. Top European pick David Stich, highly-touted Pascal Amyot and Jeff McNeil of Musquodoboit Harbour round things out.
The Sea Dogs have allowed 113 goals (3.22 per game), the third-lowest total in the league.
Stresses on defence
"Our identity is our solid defence corps," Grant said. "Everyone's got a little bit of experience now, and everyone has a lot of skill. Coach (Jacques Beaulieu) stresses on defence quite a bit, and it's been a key to our success.
"We've got to play smart and good defensively if we want to win."
Grant anchors the unit. He leads the team's blueliners in scoring with nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 35 games, while registering a plus-4 rating, 40 hits and 111 shots.
He's second in the Q to Drew Paris in goals by blueliners, and he's made a solid all-around impact.
Pittsburgh Penguins scout Darryl Plandowski said before the NHL entry draft in June that Grant "thinks he's an offensive guy, but you're slotting him into (the NHL role of) a physical, defensive defenceman."
The six-foot-two, 185-pound Grant - who was eventually drafted by the Penguins in the fourth round (118th overall) - said he's finally matured as far as knowing his role.
"I'm not putting up a lot of points, but I'm not worried about that anymore," he said. "As long as I go out and play consistent every night and give our team a chance to win, then I'm happy with my play."
Wearing the captain's C has been a big part of his emergence.
"Going into the year, I didn't think too much about (being named captain), and I wasn't expecting it, but I wanted it," he said. "When I found out, it was exciting. I like being the guy that teammates lean on for leadership."
Grant shares the leadership with assistant captain Ryan Sparling of Sydney. Sparling, who was the franchise's second pick after Grant in 2005, has also been there from the start.
The five-foot-10, 163-pound centre is enjoying a breakthrough campaign, with 36 points in 23 games while missing time with a shoulder injury. His points-per-game pace pro-rates to third in Q scoring had he stayed healthy.
Seven Nova Scotians
Grant, Sparling and McNeil aren't the only Bluenose content on the Sea Dogs roster. Halifax's Steven Anthony, North Sydney's Michael Kirkpatrick, Porters Lake's Matthew Stoddard and Waverley's Scott McDonald give the Sea Dogs seven Nova Scotians, more than any team in the league other than the Halifax Mooseheads.
"It's always good to have Nova Scotians on the team - it's the best province," Grant said with a laugh. "It's always fun joking around with the guys from New Brunswick or P.E.I.
"When we travel to Halifax or Cape Breton and cross the border, the bus gets going and (all the Nova Scotians) give a big cheer."
The Sea Dogs hope to hang with top teams such as the Mooseheads in the second half, and could challenge for the East Division title.
But they're also a young team, with 15 players aged 18 or younger, so, as Grant put it, "there's nowhere to go but up" in the next year or two.
The growing pains are over.
"It's definitely been rewarding in helping to get this organization off the ground," Grant said. "It's good that we've turned the corner and we're going to be known as a winning organization from here on in."
mwuest@hfxnews.ca
MATTHEW WUEST
The Daily News
Every hockey player likes winning. But when you're the poster boy for the Saint John Sea Dogs - a QMJHL expansion club that lost 105 of its first 140 games - the victories taste much, much sweeter.
Meet Alex Grant.
"It was definitely tough joining an expansion team right from the get-go and having two losing seasons," the 18-year-old defenceman said. "But it's worth it now. It's made me mature as a player and as a person."
The Antigonish native paid his dues after the Sea Dogs picked him No. 1 overall in the 2005 draft. He suffered through back-to-back last-place divisional finishes, but this season, the Sea Dogs have exploded with a 22-10-1-2 record at the holiday break, the second-best winning percentage in the Q.
"It's a lot better when you're winning," Grant said. "For sure."
The Sea Dogs were built around Grant - now the team's captain - and an impressive defence corps.
The unit is one of the youngest and most talented in the Q, and features three No. 1 picks - Grant, Yann Sauve and Simon Despres. Top European pick David Stich, highly-touted Pascal Amyot and Jeff McNeil of Musquodoboit Harbour round things out.
The Sea Dogs have allowed 113 goals (3.22 per game), the third-lowest total in the league.
Stresses on defence
"Our identity is our solid defence corps," Grant said. "Everyone's got a little bit of experience now, and everyone has a lot of skill. Coach (Jacques Beaulieu) stresses on defence quite a bit, and it's been a key to our success.
"We've got to play smart and good defensively if we want to win."
Grant anchors the unit. He leads the team's blueliners in scoring with nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 35 games, while registering a plus-4 rating, 40 hits and 111 shots.
He's second in the Q to Drew Paris in goals by blueliners, and he's made a solid all-around impact.
Pittsburgh Penguins scout Darryl Plandowski said before the NHL entry draft in June that Grant "thinks he's an offensive guy, but you're slotting him into (the NHL role of) a physical, defensive defenceman."
The six-foot-two, 185-pound Grant - who was eventually drafted by the Penguins in the fourth round (118th overall) - said he's finally matured as far as knowing his role.
"I'm not putting up a lot of points, but I'm not worried about that anymore," he said. "As long as I go out and play consistent every night and give our team a chance to win, then I'm happy with my play."
Wearing the captain's C has been a big part of his emergence.
"Going into the year, I didn't think too much about (being named captain), and I wasn't expecting it, but I wanted it," he said. "When I found out, it was exciting. I like being the guy that teammates lean on for leadership."
Grant shares the leadership with assistant captain Ryan Sparling of Sydney. Sparling, who was the franchise's second pick after Grant in 2005, has also been there from the start.
The five-foot-10, 163-pound centre is enjoying a breakthrough campaign, with 36 points in 23 games while missing time with a shoulder injury. His points-per-game pace pro-rates to third in Q scoring had he stayed healthy.
Seven Nova Scotians
Grant, Sparling and McNeil aren't the only Bluenose content on the Sea Dogs roster. Halifax's Steven Anthony, North Sydney's Michael Kirkpatrick, Porters Lake's Matthew Stoddard and Waverley's Scott McDonald give the Sea Dogs seven Nova Scotians, more than any team in the league other than the Halifax Mooseheads.
"It's always good to have Nova Scotians on the team - it's the best province," Grant said with a laugh. "It's always fun joking around with the guys from New Brunswick or P.E.I.
"When we travel to Halifax or Cape Breton and cross the border, the bus gets going and (all the Nova Scotians) give a big cheer."
The Sea Dogs hope to hang with top teams such as the Mooseheads in the second half, and could challenge for the East Division title.
But they're also a young team, with 15 players aged 18 or younger, so, as Grant put it, "there's nowhere to go but up" in the next year or two.
The growing pains are over.
"It's definitely been rewarding in helping to get this organization off the ground," Grant said. "It's good that we've turned the corner and we're going to be known as a winning organization from here on in."
mwuest@hfxnews.ca