Where Are They Now: A look back at the 2011 Memorial Cup champion Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will host the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia.

In doing so, the squad will compete in its fourth year-end tournament and aim to win its second-ever title after raising CHL supremacy for the first time in 2011.

In the lead up to the big showdown next spring, here is a look back at the 20 players who helped the Sea Dogs reach the pinnacle back then:

Steven Anthony – Skating in his final junior year in a career all spent with the Sea Dogs in which he posted 163 points through 244 career contests, Anthony later split part of three seasons between the ECHL and the former Central League before opting to earn an education at the University of Windsor where he then played two seasons with the varsity Lancers.

Nathan Beaulieu – Currently competing with the Winnipeg Jets, Beaulieu played one more season in Saint John after the championship run before beginning his NHL career that has totaled 10 seasons and nearly 400 games played with Montreal, Buffalo, and Winnipeg.

Alexandre Beauregard – Joining the Sea Dogs in 2011 after spending part of three seasons with Rouyn-Noranda, Beauregard later closed out his junior career in Chicoutimi before setting out on a well-traveled pro career that counted stops in the ECHL, the former Central League, overseas in France, then back home in the Quebec pro league.

Gabriel Bourret – Winning it all in his second season with the Sea Dogs, the budding blue-liner then split the next two campaigns between Chicoutimi and Gatineau before pursuing the academic route where he also played at the varsity level with the Concordia Stingers.

Mathieu Corbeil – Beginning his junior career with Halifax, Corbeil joined Saint John in 2011 before assuming the starter’s role the following season. A Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick, Corbeil later turned pro, with the majority of his playing time coming in the former Central League before heading overseas where he played part of five seasons in Slovakia, Croatia, and Austria. Corbeil later headed home to the Quebec pro league.

Jacob DeSerres – Joining the Sea Dogs in 2011 after spending the four prior seasons in the WHL with Seattle and Brandon, DeSerres capped his junior days on a high note before opting for academics at the University of Calgary where he stood in the blue paint for another four seasons with the varsity Dinos. DeSerres then got a taste of the pro ranks, with the majority of his playing time coming in the ECHL before then suiting up at the Senior-A level.

Simon Despres – Originally chosen in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Despres capped off his junior career with a Memorial Cup title before beginning in the NHL where he ultimately split six seasons between Pittsburgh and Anaheim before heading overseas to Germany where he continues to compete.

Pierre Durepos – A sophomore during the championship season, Durepos played two more campaigns with the Sea Dogs including 2012-13 when he served as the club’s captain before following up with a four-year run with the University of Moncton Blue Eagles.

Kevin Gagne – Spending part of five seasons with the Sea Dogs before closing out his junior career in Rimouski, Gagne then played part of three campaigns with the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals before heading overseas where he played in the top-tier leagues in Sweden and Germany.

Stanislav Galiev – Drafted by Washington a year prior to winning in Saint John, Galiev ultimately made 26 appearances at the NHL level, while spending the majority of his playing time – five seasons – with the Capitals’ farm club in Hershey. Galiev headed to the KHL in 2017 where he continues to play.

Danick Gauthier – Following the championship season, Gauthier played one more year with the Sea Dogs in which he led the club in scoring with 86 points before beginning a decorated pro career that counted a combined 300 appearances in the AHL and ECHL before playing part of four seasons in Scotland and Australia. The coming season will see Gauthier compete with Jonquière Marquis of the LNAH, Quebec’s top-level professional league.

Eric Gelinas – Following stops in Lewiston and Chicoutimi, Gelinas played his final season in Saint John before beginning his pro career with the New Jersey Devils’ organization, the club that chose him in the second round two years prior. The ensuing seasons saw Gelinas skate 189 games at the NHL level with the Devils and Colorado Avalanche, while this year will see him lace up with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

Jonathan Huberdeau – Huberdeau followed up on a Memorial Cup championship by being selected third overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. Debuting with the Cats in 2012-13, Huberdeau notched 31 points in 48 appearances and was ultimately recognized as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year. An offensive force, Huberdeau has emerged as one of the NHL’s most dominant scorers, finishing last season with 61 points in 55 games to earn a spot on the year-end Second All-Star Team.

Tomas Jurco – Selected in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings only weeks after winning it all with the Sea Dogs, Jurco was a part of the Red Wings’ organization up until 2017, while in the ensuing years he played at the highest level with Chicago, Edmonton, and Vegas. Jurco most recently played three games with his native Slovakia as part of the Winter Olympics qualifier.

Michael Kirkpatrick – Kirkpatrick ended his junior days on a high note in hoisting the Memorial Cup with the Sea Dogs before beginning with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men. Following school, Kirkpatrick then played three seasons in the ECHL plus a six-game trial with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.

Stephen MacAulay – A third-year forward during the Sea Dogs’ championship season, MacAulay played one more year with the club before closing out his junior career in Halifax. Later going the pro route before pursuing academics with the Saint Mary’s Huskies, MacAulay later returned to the pros in North America before heading overseas where he is currently competing in the top-tier German league.

Scott Oke – Skating in his first full-time season when Saint John claimed CHL supremacy in 2011, Oke later joined Rimouski and Acadie-Bathurst before opting for the academic route at Concordia University where he played another four seasons with the varsity Stingers.

Zack Phillips – The Sea Dogs’ second-leading scorer during their magical season, the gifted talent then returned for one more year before beginning an extensive career at the minor-pro level that counted stops across the AHL and ECHL before heading overseas. There, Phillips has played in five different countries, including this year where he will suit up in Poland for the second season running.

Ryan Tesink – Wrapping up his rookie season with the Sea Dogs with a Memorial Cup title, it was just the beginning of a successful junior career for Tesink that ultimately saw him make 183 appearances split between Saint John and Blainville-Boisbriand. The scoring winger then spent six seasons in the ECHL, while he most recently competed with the Senior-A Kedgwick Dynamo.

Mike Thomas – After captaining his squad to the championship, Thomas began his pro career the following season, seeing a combined 65 games between the AHL and ECHL before transitioning to academics where on the ice he split time between the University of New Brunswick Reds and the Senior-A River Valley Thunder.