Sea Dogs make coaching change
The Saint John Sea Dogs have made a change behind the bench.
The team released a statement Thursday evening, announcing head coach Travis Crickard and assistant coach Mark Lee were “no longer with the team.”
“We appreciate all the work that both Travis and Mark put into our team during their time in Saint John,” Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie said in the statement.
Brian Casey has been named head coach for the remainder of the season.
Casey has more than eight years coaching experience at the U Sports, U18 and Junior A levels.
He won back-to-back Atlantic University Sport championships as an assistant coach with the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men in 2016 and 2017, along with a national silver medal in 2016.
Casey was also the head coach of the Maritime Junior Hockey League’s Fredericton Red Wings from 2019 to 2021.
“We are pleased to welcome Brian to the Sea Dogs,” Georgie said. “He brings experience and a fresh perspective to our team.
“We look forward to helping us maximize the opportunity in front of us down the stretch.”
Casey said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“I am highly motivated and committed to bring passion to the Sea Dogs organization,” he said.
Crickard had been with the organization since joining as an assistant coach on Gordie Dwyer’s staff during the 2021-22 season.
After Dwyer was fired following a disappointing first-round exit in the 2022 QMJHL playoffs, Crickard remained behind the bench with interim head coach Gardiner MacDougall as the Sea Dogs claimed the Memorial Cup on home ice.
Crickard was promoted to head coach for the 2022-23 season.
He was named general manager on Oct. 4, 2024, following the firing of Anthony Stella, but was removed from the position in December.
Crickard leaves the organization with a record of 80-158 as head coach.
The Sea Dogs next play Friday night in Halifax, before returning home Saturday for a game against Charlottetown.
The team currently sits 15th in the QMJHL with a 20-30-5-0 record, and nine games to play.
