Into the Fog |
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Into the Fog, ed. 22
To the Max
February 20, 2007
Historically, the St. John’s Fog Devils have come out ahead in the few noteworthy trades they’ve made since joining the QMJHL. The club fleeced Gatineau last season when they traded Maxime Langelier-Parent, who no longer plays in the league, for Ryan Graham, who may score forty goals this year. Moncton gave up on Tim Spencer, and he became a Fog Devils alternate captain, leader, and fan favorite within a month of his arrival. Even the third round pick the team received as compensation for Zach Firlotte is looking pretty good, considering the Titan defender has not recorded a point in sixteen games since leaving St. John’s. However one could argue that the biggest steal in Fog Devils trade history came during Christmas 2006, when the lowly Saint John Sea Dogs made another of their notoriously ill-fated decisions, giving up on a young defenseman by the name of Maxime Dubuc. The Fog Devils pounced with the offer of a mid-round draft pick, and Dubuc joined his second expansion team in as many seasons. The rest, as they say, is history.
Dubuc, recently crowned QMJHL Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career, has been a stabilizing force on a Foggies defense corps that desperately needed stabilizing coming into 2007. With Firlotte gone, Pat O’Keefe hurt, TJ Brennan still not ready to play thirty-five minutes a night, and kids like Matt Boland and Keith Bombaugh learning the ropes, Dubuc has been just what the doctor ordered. His commitment to defense has been second-to-none, as seen in his fearless shot-blocking and incredible knack for separating his man from the puck and maximizing the use of his relatively slight frame. Offensively he’s been a real find as well, amassing twelve points in 23 games despite being a self-proclaimed dud with the biscuit. When you look at the fact that Dubuc is also leading the defense with a -1, you could actually make the case that he’s been the best defenseman in St. John’s so far this season.
Furthermore, as great as Dubuc has been on the ice, his contributions in the dressing room have been every bit as important. His great disposition has acted as a calming influence on the team when need be, and his ability to be a jokester hasn’t hurt things either. He has worked to rave reviews during his efforts at community events, and may very well be positioning himself to wear an ‘A’ on next year’s team, when Spencer and Luke Gallant have moved on.
It seems as though Real Paiement and company have done it again. They’ve gone out and taken advantage of a team that didn’t know what they had, and taken that article away for basically nothing. Meanwhile, the Sea Dogs are left to ponder how such a bad team could give up on such a good player, a good person, and a good addition to a playoff-bound team. Welcome home, Max, it’s good to see what you’ve done with the chance you’ve been given here in St. John’s.
Matthew Ryder is in his second year writing for fogdevils.com, and also writes for spectorshockey.net. He has contributed AHL and QMJHL commentary to CBC Radio One in St. John’s, and can be seen on Fog Devils Hockey on Rogers Television this season as well.
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