NHL Draft Watch and more

It’s late June. So naturally, things are heating up in this hockey offseason.

The NHL Draft gets underway at 7 p.m. tonight in Montreal. What a scene it will likely be up north. Last year in Ottawa, it was amazing to witness how many devoted fans of the Canadian hockey teams show up just for the draft.

I wonder how Montreal fans will react when Toronto’s management appears on the jumbotron at the Bell Centre. How will St. Lawrence alumnus Jacques Martin do in his first draft as the Habs' new head coach?

One prospect to watch in the later rounds Saturday is 2010 SLU prospect Sean Logue. The left wing is the 141st-ranked North American skater according to the NHL’s Central Scouting Service. Logue played for South Shore in the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) this season. He was recognized by USA Junior Hockey Magazine more than a week ago. Scroll down to see his story.

- Game times have been released for the Saints’ 2009-10 schedule. They’re located on the team’s page on St. Lawrence’s athletic Web site. It’s interesting to see just one afternoon home game this season (not counting the season-opening exhibition against Toronto on Oct. 4). SLU hosts Princeton at 4 p.m. on Feb. 13.

- Two more former Saints have been hired for coaching positions. Two-time captain Dan Laperriere was named as an assistant of the Lake Erie Monsters on Wednesday. The Monsters are the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate.

The Avs also tabbed Eric Lacroix as the team’s director of hockey operations. He was a pro scout for the Phoenix Coyotes this past season and served as a co-owner/assistant coach of the Arizona Sundogs – the 2008 President Cup champions in the Central Hockey League champions.