A veteran Saint John Sea Dogs forward has been sent to Gatineau in what the team’s president describes as a “difficult trade.”

The Sea Dogs received a first-round selection and a second-round selection in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft in exchange for Cam MacDonald.

These are important early round draft selection for the Sea Dogs, which hosted and won the 2022 Memorial Cup.

“This was a difficult trade to make. Everyone loves and respects Cam here,” Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie said in a statement on Friday.

“He has been a strong presence for our group on and off the ice. It could be his last season of junior hockey and we wanted to give him an opportunity to push for another championship.”

MacDonald, who is a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, scored a goal and added two assists in the Memorial Cup final against the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Drafted by the Sea Dogs in the third round of the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft, MacDonald has 29 points in 27 games this season and a total of 117 points in 124 QMJHL games.

“Thank you to the Sea Dogs for giving me the opportunity to win a Memorial Cup and building the team that we had. Lots of memories came over my 2.5 years that I will forever be grateful for,” MacDonald said in a statement.

Before signing with the Sea Dogs in June 2020, MacDonald was previously committed to Boston College.