The Saint John Sea Dogs shook off an embarrassing branding blunder at the Memorial Cup this week, taking it in stride in true Maritime spirit.
The Sea Dogs arrived in Windsor for the Canadian Hockey League championship only to find their merchandise being sold at WFCU Centre included items with Saint John misspelled as St. John.
Mixing up Saint John, N.B., and St. John’s N.L., or combining the two names happens all the time, according to Sea Dogs communications assistant Jamie Tozer, who was made aware of the mistake by a fan.
“Rarely happens on merchandise but it’s in the media all the time,” said Tozer. “It’s nothing new, but I will say it’s a problem that’s decreased since the Sea Dogs have been in the national spotlight the last seven or eight years.”
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The spelling mistake, which occurred on shirts and pucks, was corrected once it was pointed out to organizers. A new shipment of apparel was on display by Wednesday.
It’s not clear exactly how the error occurred. Tournament organizers didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Regardless, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions are putting it behind them, said Sea Dogs president Trevor Georgie.
“I think the Maritimes way is to forgive and move on,” he said in an interview.
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Tozer, from St. Stephen, N.B., says that many people also mistake his major junior team with the St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League.
“It’s something that bothers people back home because the Maritimes, you sometimes feel it’s us against the world and (people) can’t spell the name correctly, a lack of respect kind of thing.
“I’ve seen it all, stories wondering how the IceCaps and Sea Dogs play in the same city.”