Handicapping the 2019 Memorial Cup

The 101st Memorial Cup Tournament begins tomorrow in Halifax, NS, and as is tradition, the host team will kick off the tournament in their special Memorial Cup themed uniforms. The tournament will also feature the QMJHL champion, OHL champion, and WHL champion, so who fills those roles? Let's look at the teams vying for the ultimate prize in major junior hockey.

Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)-The Mooseheads are the host team this year, which ensured their berth into this tournament. However, don't think of them as a pushover, as they actually made the QMJHL finals, falling in six games. Their NHL prospects to watch for include Jared McIsaac, Benoit-Oliver Groulx, and Antoine Morand. They are led by overager Samuel Asselin, and are backstopped by Alexis Gravel, who is a Chicago Blackhawks prospect. As with any host team, the Mooseheads are all in this year, and given that they made the league finals this year, have a great shot at skating away with the Memorial Cup.

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)-The QMJHL champion, they were the hottest team entering the league's playoffs, and this is their second appearance in four seasons, having fallen short in 2016 to London in the Memorial Cup final. Led by coach Mario Pouliot, who will look to win his second straight Memorial Cup (he accomplished the feat last year with Acadie-Bathurst), the Huskies rely on the overagers, with Peter Abbandonato Jacob Neveu, and Samuel Harvey leading the way. However, it is New York Islanders prospect Noah Dobson who is the team's best player, having also won with Acadie-Bathurst last year.

Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)-The Ed Chynoweth trophy winner, the Raiders actually had the most difficult path of the four teams, being challenged by Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Vancouver before claiming their spot in an overtime game 7 in the finals. Led by Ian Scott in goal and a glut of forwards such as Dante Hannoun, Noah Gregor, Parker Kelly, and Cole Fonstad, the Raiders are well-tested and will look to give the WHL their third Memorial Cup championship in 11 years.

Guelph Storm (OHL)-The most resilient team in the tournament, the Storm had to win three game 7s, needing to come back from a 3-0 series deficit against London and a 3-1 deficit to Saginaw in two of those series before ultimately overcoming a 2-0 series deficit to Ottawa in the finals to win the championship in 6 games. They have counted on a bounty from Owen Sound in Nick Suzuki, Sean Durzi, and Markus Phillips, as well as holdovers in Isaac Ratcliffe and Dmitry Samorukov to carry the team. The player to watch is Alexey Tropochenko, who has had a breakthrough year while impressing St. Louis Blues brass.