WHL Playoff Picture: Eastern Conference

With the WHL Playoffs just a month away, teams are fighting for position and the weak are getting weeded out with every game. Today, the Eastern Conference will be given a look.

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS: Currently lead the East Division and were the second team to clinch a playoff berth. They've played better lately, although they did lose to Saskatoon yesterday in overtime. Seven points is what separates them from Prince Albert, with Moose Jaw only nine points out.

PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS: Seven points behind Brandon for the East Division lead, they also have to fend off Moose Jaw, who is just two points behind, and Regina, who are nine points behind and are playing their best hockey right now.

MOOSE JAW WARRIORS: They're in good shape to end a playoff drought that has gone on for three seasons, but they would love to not travel to either Brandon or Lethbridge for their first round match, as they have to fend off Regina.

REGINA PATS: Comfortably in the first wild-card spot, they're playing their best hockey and have a chance to overtake either Moose Jaw or Prince Albert for a division spot.

SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS: They are eight points behind Edmonton for the final playoff spot and are unlikely to claim a division spot if they do get in. They must play better hockey, which begins with scoring more goals, as only Kootenay has a worse offense.

SASKATOON BLADES: Currently just seven points behind Edmonton for the final playoff spot, they are still in the middle of a rebuild. Making the playoffs would be a bonus, but until they fix a defense that ranks only ahead of Kootenay, they won't get far.

LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES: Currently hold the Central Division lead (six ahead of Red Deer) and the Eastern Conference lead (two ahead of Brandon), but have picked a bad time to play their worst hockey, as they currently ride a three game losing streak.

RED DEER REBELS: Six points behind Lethbridge for the Central Division lead, they just broke a losing streak of their own last game with a victory over Prince George. They will still have a Memorial Cup appearance in hand, but they will need to find their game sooner rather than later if they wish to make a deep WHL run.

CALGARY HITMEN: Nine points behind Lethbridge for the Central Division lead and just three points behind Red Deer for second, the Hitmen haven't been their usual selves, as the own a paltry +13 goal differential and have a pivotal matchup with Portland tonight.

EDMONTON OIL KINGS: Seven points above the red line, they still haven't been able to find the offense that has eluded them since the 2014 Memorial Cup run. They are a woeful -26 in goal differential, and though the duo of Payton Lee and Patrick Dea won't remind anyone of either Tristan Jarry or Laurent Brossoit, they are keeping the Oil Kings in it.

MEDICINE HAT TIGERS: Nine points behind Edmonton for the final wild card spot, they have been snakebit when it comes to their goaltending, as Nick Schneider hasn't played great and Austin Lotz got hurt six games after being claimed in the overage waivers draft. The Tigers would be best to miss the playoffs, as there just isn't anything they can do if they sneak in.

KOOTENAY ICE: The worst team in the WHL, the Ice are pretty much headed to the first overall pick in the Bantam Draft this year. Not even Sam Reinhart could have saved this year's version of the Kootenay Ice.

WHL East Division Preview

Hockey season begins next month, but training camps for the junior leagues begin soon, if not now.  So, with that in mind, the 2015-16 WHL season preview begins this week with the East Division.

The Brandon Wheat Kings are the reigning Eastern Conference champions, yet are wanting to take that next step after getting trounced in the WHL Finals by Kelowna.  The Wheat Kings lose Peter Quennville and Eric Roy to graduation and are most likely going to be without Morgan Klimchuk and Rihards Bukarts.  Ivan Provorov could be gone if he sticks with the Philadelphia Flyers this season, but the Wheat Kings do return a fair amount of players, as well, as Nolan Patrick and Kale Clague will have larger roles with the team while the likes of Ryan Pilon, Jayce Hawryluk, and Jordan Papirny will be the leaders on the team.  Also, Stelio Mattheos will be in his first full season with the team.

The Moose Jaw Warriors missed the playoffs by four points, and though the team does return some good talent, they do have to replace their leading scorer in Jack Rodewald, as he graduated.  The wild card here is whether Brayden Point will be remaining with the team for the full season or if he gets traded at some point in the season.  Brett Howden figures to have a bigger role, but Zach Sawchenko needs to be better when it counts the most.


The Prince Albert Raiders are looking to this season, particularly after a rather disastrous time where the Raiders had to trade both Josh Morrisey and Leon Draisaitl and ended the Cory Clouston experiment after a season and a half.  Having Marc Habscheid for a full season should benefit the team, as will a season of relative peace within the team.  However, there isn't a heck of a lot to work from, as the Raiders will have a hard time scoring, but having someone like Brendan Guhle on the blue line will at least give the team some peace of mind on the blue line.  Nick McBride returns in goal, which is a good thing.

Despite finishing second in the East Division, the Regina Pats' rebuilding phase began in earnest last year.  Getting rid of Morgan Klimchuk, Connor Gay, and Kyle Burroughs mid-season, set the team up to build around Sam Steel, who will look to rebound after having his season cut short due to injury.  The Pats' fortunes could rest on whether Daniel Wapple returns for his overage year, as he proved to be very good in goal when given the chance to start.

To expect anything other than more growing pains for the Saskatoon Blades would be something of a folly.  Coach/GM Bob Woods is still trying to reestablish the team's sources after a rather handling by the previous regime, and certainly, that began last season, as Niktita Scherbak and Nelson Nogier were both sent out during the season.  However, all not bare, as Mitchell Wheaton and Connor Gay will join Brycen Martin as possible leaders on the team that will eventually be welcoming their first round picks in this year's Bantam Draft, something the Blades couldn't have done the previous five seasons.

If there's a team that is destined for a fall, it is the Swift Current Broncos.  Despite the best efforts of Landon Bow in goal, the Broncos too often didn't have enough scoring to help him out.  Now, the question of whether or not Bow will be one of the overage players to be on the team lurks, as he is one of nine 1995 birthdays on the roster from last season.  The team is also likely to lose both Dillon Heatherington and Brett Lernout, both of whom could turn pro.  The only sure things to be on the roster this season that are proven players will be Jake DeBrusk and Glenn Gawdin.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

The player you see is Collin Valcourt, and he currently plays for Mountfield HK in the Czech Republic.  Why would I be writing about a player that is currently playing on a team in the Czech Republic?  Well, Valcourt was one of the players acquired by the Saskatoon Blades in 2013 in their ultimately ill-fated run to the Memorial Cup that year. Valcourt was acquired by the team from Spokane that year in exchange for a first round pick in 2015, and as luck would have it (for Spokane), the Blades would finish dead last this year, thus giving the Chiefs a great chance at winning the first overall pick in this year's bantam draft.  The lottery was held yesterday, and true to form, the Chiefs will be picking first, meaning they will have benefited from yet another brain fart from the previous management of the Blades (Brandon and Vancouver were the beneficiaries in last year's draft).

Speaking of benefiting from other people's mistakes, the Moose Jaw Warriors hold the fourth and sixth overall picks in this year's bantam draft.  The Warriors have their own sixth overall pick plus the fourth overall pick that comes from Kamloops in a 2013 trade for Joel Edmundson in the Blazers' ultimately unsuccessful attempt to topple the Portland Winterhawks' reign at the top of the Western Conference, which is now at four years.

WHL Playoff Picture: Eastern Conference

This year, the WHL is following the NHL's lead in the playoff format, going with three automatic qualifiers from each division plus the next two teams in each conference, and yes, the pairings are the same as it is in the NHL.  With the playoffs a month away, it's time to see where each team is in the race.  The Eastern Conference is first, so here goes (the teams will be listed in accordance to where they are in the playoff standings, as listed on the WHL site):

EASTERN CONFERENCE

East Division

1. Brandon Wheat Kings: Lead the conference in points and is the first team in the playoffs for the conference.  They currently hold a 19 point lead on the nearest division rival in Regina and are almost certainly going to be the top seed in the conference.

2. Regina Pats: Despite trading away some of their top stars this season, the Pats are comfortably in second place in the division, and appear to be headed for a home ice advantage against the third ranked team in the division, which appears to be...

3. Swift Current Broncos: Nine points clear of Moose Jaw for the last spot in the division playoff race, the Broncos are not out of the woods yet, as they still have some division games to play, and that could be big if they don't fare well there.

Central Division

1. Medicine Hat Tigers: They lead the division by six points ahead of Calgary, but their hold on the division lead is fairly tenuous.  The Tigers also didn't make many moves at the trade deadline, which could come back to haunt them.

2. Calgary Hitmen: Just six points back of Medicine Hat, they are also in a fight to maintain home ice advantage for the first round, as they are just three points ahead of Red Deer.  Picking up Brendan Burke helps their goaltending, but by how much remains to be seen.

3. Red Deer Rebels: Eight points clear of Edmonton for the last automatic division spot, the Rebels are also gearing up for next year, when they will be hosting the Memorial Cup tournament.

The Rest

1. Edmonton Oil Kings: The defending league and Memorial Cup champions find themselves fighting for their playoff lives.  Fortunately, they have a 10 point lead on Moose Jaw, but don't appear to be in position to move into the division qualifiers at this point.

2. Kootenay Ice: Dead in the water before Sam Reinhart came back from his NHL audition, the Ice suddenly find themselves occupying the last wild card spot.  Like Swift Current, they are nine points above the cut-off line.

3. Moose Jaw Warriors: The Warriors need to pick up their game if they want to qualify for the first time since 2012.  This will be easier said than done because they don't score enough to offset the sometimes porous defense.

4. Prince Albert Raiders: Back by 11 points, the Raiders are pretty much thinking of next year, as the trades of both Josh Morrisey and Leon Draisaitl have left the Raiders bereft of any difference makers.

5. Lethbridge Hurricanes: The Brad Robson/Drake Berehowsky experiment was an abject failure, and both were shown the door mid-season.  However, they don't occupy the cellar at the moment, thanks to a strong week. Oh, and they're not making the playoffs, a feat that will mean the Hurricanes will see playoff-free hockey for the sixth straight season.

6. Saskatoon Blades: Already eliminated from playoff contention, the Blades were already in rebuilding mode, thanks to the trade of Nikita Scherbak early in the season.  Currently, the Blades find themselves in the cellar.

Winterhawks Weekly: Getting Back on the Right Track

Perhaps the road trip through Saskatchewan and Manitoba was what the Portland Winterhawks needed, and they wrapped up a six-game trek with the East Division opponents.  Tuesday, the Winterhawks defeated the Regina Pats 3-1.  However, they still could not get a winning streak going, as the Swift Current Broncos scored in the closing seconds of the game on Wednesday, making the Winterhawks' comeback from two down in the third period for naught in a 5-4 loss.  Friday, the Winterhawks were led by a three point effort from Layne Viveiros in their 5-2 win over Prince Albert.  Saturday, the Winterhawks finally achieved a winning streak, as an Oliver Bjorkstrand hat trick propelled the Winterhawks to a 6-1 win in Saskatoon.  The Winterhawks finished the trip with four wins and eight points in six games.

This coming week will be a major test, as the Winterhawks return home to take on Kelowna on Thursday and Saturday before meeting up with their WHL Finals rival from the last three seasons Edmonton on Sunday.

WHL Award Winners

Photo by Brad Watson

Today, the WHL announced the winners of the annual trophies handed out at the end of the season and will be holding the Bantam Draft tomorrow.  Saturday will be game one of the WHL finals between familiar foes in the Portland Winterhawks and the Edmonton Oil Kings.

The award winners, and the runner-up:

Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL Player of the Year): Sam Reinhart, Kootenay Ice

Mitch Holmberg was an important part of the Spokane Chiefs' push for the playoffs, leading the league in scoring and breaking the team record in goals.  However, Reinhart was equally important in the Ice's push for a playoff spot, and never more was that evident than when he helped rally the Ice together when teammate Tim Bozon was sidelined due to meningitis.

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Nick Merkley, Kelowna Rockets

One of the reasons the Kelowna Rockets were at the top of the regular season standings was because of the contributions of Merkley.  The Rockets had many contributors, and Merkley did his part.  He figures to be a bigger part of the team next season when the likes of Jordon Cooke and Damon Severson move on.  The Saskatoon Blades had a rough season, but Nikita Scherbak was a revelation, as he provided the team hope for next season with his offensive prowess.

Del Wilson Trophy (Goaltender of the Year): Jordon Cooke, Kelowna Rockets

Cooke had his best season with the Rockets, and not coincidentally, so did the Rockets as a team.  His efforts were enough to edge out Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings.  Jarry offered the Oil Kings similar results from what his predecessor Laurent Brossoit did, and he will be competing for the Ed Chynoweth Trophy starting this weekend along with the rest of the Oil Kings.

Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (Defenseman of the Year): Derrick Pouliot, Portland Winterhawks

The Winterhawks' blue line may have taken a hit prior to this season with the losses of Troy Rutkowski, Tyler Wotherspoon, and Seth Jones, but Derrick Pouliot remained.  He missed a few games due to being up with Pittsburgh at the start of the season and the WJC, but when he was in a Winterhawks' uniform, no one was more important to the team's success this season than Pouliot.  Josh Morrissey of the Prince Albert Raiders was equally important to his team, but overall, the team didn't have nearly the same amount of success that was expected of them.

Brad Hornung Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike): Sam Reinhart, Kootenay Ice

Unsurprisingly, the two finalists for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy were also the best at keeping out of the penalty box.  Reinhart only amassed 11 PIM en route to posting 105 points and leading the Ice to the Conference semi-finals.  Holmberg's record breaking season was made possible in part by him avoiding the penalty box for much of the season.

Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy (Scholastic): Nelson Nogier, Saskatoon Blades

In his senior year, Nogier averaged 96% in his classes and is expected to graduate with Great Distinction in his class.  His season may have been cut short due to injury, but it did not keep him from succeeding in the classroom.  Dominic Turgeon also excelled in the classroom while playing a pivotal third line role for the Winterhawks.

Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian): Sam Fioretti, Moose Jaw Warriors

Mitch Topping of the Tri-City Americans made an impact off the ice, but it was Fioretti that came away with this trophy.  Fioretti was one of the main players that reached out to the community of Moose Jaw in many ways, including education and anti-bullying.

Dunc McCallum Trophy (Coach): Dave Lowry, Victoria Royals

Lowry led the Royals to their best season as he oversaw the goaltending tandem of Patrik Polivka and Coleman Vollrath post stellar numbers.  Shaun Clouston helped keep the Medicine Hat Tigers afloat and guided them to the Conference Finals.

Sorry About Your Damn Luck!

Never in my time with this blog would I ever have had a good reason to title a piece after an expression I use.  However, the Saskatoon Blades have allowed for such a phrase to be used.  While it can also be applied to the Lehtbridge Hurricanes, as they will pick second instead of first thanks to the Bantam Draft lottery, at least they will still have their pick.  The Blades, who won the lottery and thus moved up two spots to the first overall pick, will instead watch the Brandon Wheat Kings make their selection with that pick.  Why?  In May 2012, the Blades had acquired then-overager Brenden Walker for draft picks.  Somewhere along the way, the option was had by the Wheat Kings to swap first round picks in 2014, and they decided to use that.  Well, when the ping pong ball came up Blades, that meant the real winner was the Wheat Kings, who will now be building for the future while trying to win a championship in the present, as they still have those aspirations that begin with a series against the Regina Pats.  To rub salt in the wound for Saskatoon, the pick they get from Brandon has to go to the Vancouver Giants (the Nathan Burns trade from November 2012) to complete another trade.  Sorry about your damn luck, indeed.

WHL Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

The Eastern Conference has a slightly clearer idea of who's getting in, but where everyone will be remains to be solved.  So, here goes (standings accurate as of this morning and verified on the WHL website):

1. Edmonton Oil Kings: Riding an 11-game winning streak, and looking a lot like their former selves, the Oil Kings are riding Tristan Jarry's goaltending into a playoff run.  They are currently five points clear of Calgary in the Central Division and are the best defensive team in the league.  They are also the third best offensive team in the league, trailing only Portland and Kelowna.

2. Swift Current Broncos: At 64 points, they aren't too impressive, but someone has to be the East Division leader, and they are it after beating Brandon last night.  They aren't too impressive on either end, but they do have players to watch in Julius Honka and Brycen Martin.

3. Calgary Hitmen: Five points behind the Oil Kings, there is no question the Hitmen would love to surpass their provincial rival of the north.  Their momentary slip led to Edmonton taking the division lead from Calgary, but the Hitmen do have players that can give them another deep run, and it begins with goaltender Chris Driedger.  Jake Virtanen will need to step up if the Hitmen hope to make it to the finals.

4. Medicine Hat Tigers: Surprisingly the second best defensive team in the Conference, they've made a lot of their hay without Hunter Shinkaruk, who is currently out with an injury.  Marek Langhammer will need to continue his great play and players such as Curtis Valk and Trevor Cox will need to continue their great play if the Tigers hope for more than just a cup of coffee in the playoffs.

5. Kootenay Ice: The Ice is mostly Sam Reinhart, Jaedon Deschenau, and a bunch of question marks.  Tim Bozon and Zach Franko are nice secondary options, but after that, it's anyone's guess.  This is almost certainly going to have to be Reinhart's team to carry, and if he can't, the Ice won't be long for the playoffs.

6. Brandon Wheat Kings: No such hard luck on the injury front, and while it hasn't translated to a dominating performance, they do have a shot at the East Division title.  Jordan Papirny is the man in goal, and Jayce Hawryluk is the team's leading scorer.

7. Regina Pats: The trade for Boston Leier has energized the Pats and as a result, they are in playoff contention.  They still have questions to answer, such as whether Dawson McAuley can be the team's rock in goal and whether Leier and Morgan Klimchuk will get help on offense.

8. Red Deer Rebels: Widely thought to have been a seller at the trade deadline, they are currently five points ahead of Prince Albert for the last playoff spot.  They still don't score enough, and it is once again Patrik Bartosak that has to step up for the Rebels.

9. Prince Albert Raiders: Thought to have been a favorite to run away with the East Division, the Raiders are on the outside looking in and the only team in that category with any chance of making the playoffs.  Leon Draisaitl alone is not going to solve this team's offensive woes, and Cole Cheveldae is good, but not great in goal.

10-12. Moose Jaw Warriors, Saskatoon Blades, Lethbridge Hurricanes: Moose Jaw can't score, Saskatoon can't stop anyone, and Lethbridge is just flat out terrible.

Winterhawks Weekly: Keeping Pace

The Portland Winterhawks had a chance to close in on the Everett Silvertips, if not take back the U.S. Division lead this week, as the Winterhawks had two games to the Silvertips' one.  The Winterhawks' quest will have to wait one more game, as both teams won out this week, with the Winterhawks taking a harder than expected route.  Friday, the Winterhawks looked to continue their dominance over the Spokane Chiefs as they went into their arena and proved to be rude guests.  Dominic Turgeon and Mitch Holmberg exchanged goals in the first period, but it would be Oliver Bjorkstrand who gave the Winterhawks the lead heading into the second period.  Brendan Leipsic and Keegan Iverson scored for the Winterhawks in what ended up being alternating goals between the teams, as Holmberg scored both Chiefs goals to get the hat trick and send the game to 4-3 going into the third.  Holmberg's hat trick ended up being matched by the Winterhawks, as Bjorkstrand netted two of his own goals in the third period to complete his own hat trick and giving the Winterhawks yet another win against Spokane, this time being a 6-3 final.  Brendan Burke got the win and Paul Bittner came away with three assists.

Sunday was a rematch from last year's Memorial Cup tournament, as the Saskatoon Blades came calling.  Bjorkstrand and Matt Revel exchanged goals to make it even at one after one period.  Saskatoon dominated most of the second period, with Revel and Nathan Burns scoring for the Blades, to make it 4-1, with Burns accounting for two of the three goals in the period for the Blades.  However, the Winterhawks cut the lead to one at the end of the period on two Nic Petan goals.  Petan would tie the game with his third goal of the evening to open the third period, but Collin Valcourt would put the Blades back up one.  However, Portland had some magic left, as Petan and Bjorkstrand closed out the scoring in the game and the Winterhawks escaped with a 6-5 win.  Burke got the win in relief of Jarrod Schamerhorn.

The Winterhawks will be on the road this week, as they will get a chance to reclaim first place in the U.S. Division as they look to avenge an earlier loss to Everett on Tuesday.  The weekend will be spent in Alberta, as the Winterhawks get reacquainted with their WHL Finals foe from the last two years in Edmonton on Friday.  Saturday, the Winterhawks face a formidable foe in Red Deer and on Sunday, the Calgary Hitmen open their doors to the Winterhawks.

The Lay of the WHL Land

Almost two months into the season, the WHL only has two certainties going for it right now: the U.S. Division is better than we thought, and the Lethbridge Hurricanes are worse than we thought.  Apart from that, anyone other than Lethbridge is at least within striking distance of being playoff bound in March.  So, what does everyone need to do?  It's time to look at the divisions and give ideas on how it could shake out.

East Division

Currently, seven points is all that separates first place (Prince Albert) from last place (Moose Jaw).  For all of the offensive firepower that Prince Albert had, it was supposed to be better with a proven goaltender in Cole Cheveldae and an improved defensive unit that collapsed at the end of last season.  They are in the middle of the pack in that department, but have shown signs of turning it around lately, winning both games this past weekend.  Of the remaining five teams, Swift Current has to be feeling good, as they are currently on a four-game winning streak, with come from behind wins against Lethbridge and Saskatoon (they were trailing 5-1 at one point in the third period).  Saskatoon can score, as they are tied for second in the league in goals, but being the second worst in the league on defense speaks to the problems of the team's chances.

Central Division

Currently, Medicine Hat and Calgary are neck and neck for first in the division, but one almost expects Edmonton to somehow find their wheels and take the division once again.  Kootenay is a dark horse, provided that Tim Bozon can be the second line scoring option they hoped for and Red Deer's lack of offense is rearing its ugly head once more to the point that Patrik Bartosak needs to bail them out once more.  Lethbridge is basically playing for the first overall pick in the Bantam Draft, as they blew third period leads against Moose Jaw and Swift Current in recent weeks, as well as getting blown out at home against Tri-City.

B.C. Division

Kelowna has played to expectations this year, sitting at the top of the division and sweeping Prince George this weekend helped.  Victoria is not the most talented, but they do play tough, and the weekend result notwithstanding, Prince George has played tough as well.  Vancouver's early struggles seem to be over, and they may be picking up momentum going into the rest of the season.  Both Vancouver and Prince George, however, will need to do better to keep the puck out of the net, as they are the next worst teams in goals against after Lethbridge and Saskatoon.  Kamloops admitted to rebuilding when they traded Tim Bozon, and what was a daunting task of finding scoring turns into a near impossible task.

U.S. Division

The toughest division in the WHL, Portland is somehow beginning to pull away with it once again.  The top offensive team is on an 11-game winning streak despite a middle of the road defense, but like last year, goaltending only has to stop enough pucks, as the offense will take care of the rest.  Second place is a logjam, as Seattle, Everett, and Spokane occupy that spot.  The best defensive team resides in Everett, and clearly, Kevin Constantine behind the bench has made a big difference.  How much it continues to be a difference maker will depend on how well they do without Austin Lotz for a few weeks.  Spokane's played well, but they've also lost all three meetings against Portland this season, and their last seven dating back to last year's playoffs.  Seattle acquired Lethbridge's second and third leading scorers from last season, and while it's expected to help in the long run this season, it didn't help much this weekend, as they dropped decisions to both Portland and Everett.  The annual question of where the offense will come from seems to be a theme for Tri-City, but having a healthy Eric Comrie has kept them in games this season, and they are only two points behind the logjam.

Leading Scorers

Mitch Holmberg leads the league in scoring and was named the Player of the Month for October.  The next two scorers are both Winterhawks in Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorkstrand, but the real surprise is that three of the top 10 scorers are in Saskatoon, as Nikita Scherbak, Nathan Burns, and Colin Valcourt rank seventh, eight, and ninth, respectively.

Leading Goalies

Little surprise here, as Jordon Cooke has played well, earning Goalie of the Month honors, and both Tristan Jarry and Eric Comrie have continued the good play from last year over to this season.  Surprisingly, Brendan Burke only ranks 16th among eligible goalies while Chris Driedger is outside the top 20.  I don't expect either goalie to be that low for long.

More Things Missed...

A few more updates from around the leagues that somehow slipped through the cracks yesterday:

• Jonathan Drouin will spend at least one more year in Halifax after he was sent down by the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to the close of training camp.  The move gives a struggling Halifax their leading scorer from last season and Zach Fucale, two players that will be expected to shoulder the load with Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Frk, and Konrad Abeltshauser all no longer on the team.  MacKinnon could be back if the Avalanche do decide to send him down, but don't bet on it.
• The Buffalo Sabres named their captains, and no, that is not a typo.  Home games will see Thomas Vanek wear the C while Steve Ott dons the C for away games.  This isn't the first time Buffalo has gone with this arrangement, as Chris Drury and Daniel Briere did it in 2007, the last time Buffalo won a playoff series.  This move is an indicator that the Sabres are willing to keep Vanek around for at least this year and should he be traded, it means the Sabres won't have to go far for a captain, as Ott has been a community fixture since he arrived last season.
• Tampa Bay named a new captain, and it is Martin St. Louis.  In 12 years with the Lightning, St. Louis has been the face of the franchise, and though his career is winding down, he can still contribute, as evidenced by his Art Ross Trophy last season.  He has been a leader in his time with the Lightning, and now, he has the C to prove it.
• In KHL news, Ilya Kovalchuk will miss a month after colliding with teammate Alexei Ponikarovsky during the win at Vityaz last Sunday.  More on that in the SKA report coming soon, as their last game of the week is tomorrow at Ak Bars.
• In a development that has surprised few, the Saskatoon Blades are the worst team in the WHL right now, as they are the only winless team as of this writing.  It was known that half of the lineup wasn't coming back, and with the likes of Lukas Sutter contributing for Red Deer, Dalton Thrower appointed captain of the Vancouver Giants, and new ownership, the Blades are headed for a long winter.

A Team in Transition

SASKATOON BLADES

2012-13 record: 44-22-2-4 (lost to Medicine Hat in Conference quarterfinals; lost to London in Memorial Cup tie-breaker round)

The Saskatoon Blades were the host team of the Memorial Cup tournament last year, and thanks to an 18-game winning streak, had the momentum going into the WHL playoffs as they won the East Division.  Unfortunately, the Medicine Hat Tigers had other plans and the Blades were swept, meaning that they had to wait 51 days until the Memorial Cup tournament.  Their showing in the Memorial Cup tournament wasn't particularly great, but they were the only team to beat eventual Memorial Cup champion Halifax in tournament play.  This season, the Blades will be experiencing a lot of roster turnover, as well as a new head coach.  Josh Nicholls, Brenden Walker, and Michael Ferland all are gone due to graduation, and Jessey Astles, Lukas Sutter, Dalton Thrower, and Shane McColgan were all traded in the offseason.  David Nemecek and Nikita Sherbak are the new Import players, as both Matej Stransky and Andrey Makarov are likely not returning, with the latter providing a hole that needs to be filled in goal.  Patrick Johnson played well, but that was only four games, and Alex Moodie posted a 4.72 GAA.  That has the potential to spell disaster.  Nick Zajac is the surest option to return, as everyone else ahead of him in the scoring department is either gone, or has the possibility to be gone, as the Blades only have nine players that will be certain to return for next season.

Prediction: 9th in the East

A large part of the team from the Memorial Cup tournament is not coming back, with more than half either moving on or traded away.  It would not be surprising if the Blades didn't make the playoffs this year.

Winterhawks Weekly: Importing Players

The title of today's piece is somewhat misleading, as this is about more than just the Winterhawks.  Before I get to the happenings of the CHL Import Draft, however, let's get to the news of the Winterhawks.

First, the trade: the Winterhawks have acquired Shane McColgan from Saskatoon in exchange for a couple of draft picks.  With 66 points in 69 games last season, McColgan will be one overager on next year's squad, as Joey Baker will pursue educational opportunities next season and Ty Rattie and Tyler Wotherspoon are expected to turn pro (teams are allowed three overaged players).  As for the other roster move, that happened in the Import Draft, as the Winterhawks picked 60th and took defenseman Anton Cederholm.  Since teams are only allowed two import players, that meant Kiril Vorobev was cut loose, as Oliver Bjorkstrand is expected to return.

Speaking of the Import Draft, there were a few NHL players that were taken in the Import Draft, which will allow teams to see what they're getting.  Andre Burakovsky headlines this group, as he will be watched by the Washington Capitals as he tries to add to an Erie Otters team that doesn't have much beyond Connor McDavid and Oscar Dansk.  Other players drafted by NHL teams to be taken in the Import Draft were Matej Paulovic (Dallas prospect by Peterborough), Jacob de la Rose (Montreal prospect by Windsor), Dmitry Sinitsyn (Dallas/Regina), Viktor Crus Rydberg (NY Islanders/Plymouth), Fabrice Herzog (Toronto/Quebec), Cederholm (Vancouver/Portland), and Artturi Lehkonen (Montreal/Kootenay).  This year's Import Draft also marks the last year a European goaltender can be taken, as the Draft will be limited to skaters starting next season.  Daniel Gibl will be the last European goaltender selected, as he was taken 47th overall by Barrie.

Memorial Cup Update: Offense in London

photo by Derek Elvin

For all of the troubles in goal that the London Knights had, they've never had too much of a problem with the Saskatoon Blades, and thanks to a 6-1 beating of the host team, the Knights will play tonight in the semi-final game against the Portland Winterhawks.

Seth Griffith, Bo Horvat, Ryan Rupert, Nikita Zadorov, Chris Tierney, and Kyle Platzer all scored for the Knights and Jake Patterson rebounded from a horrific effort against Halifax on Tuesday to stop the Blades on all but one shot.  The Blades didn't have that same sense of urgency that was present in the three previous games they played, and it led to Andrey Makarov's worst game this tournament, as he was pulled after the Zadorov goal made it 6-0.

Memorial Cup Update: Knockout Round Starts Tonight

The round robin portion of the Memorial Cup Tournament concluded with a 4-2 win by the Portland Winterhawks over the Saskatoon Blades.  The win puts the Winterhawks in the semi-finals, where they will await the winner of tonight's game between the London Knights and the Saskatoon Blades.  The Halifax Mooseheads will play again on Sunday, where they will await the winner of the Portland-London/Sasktoon game on Friday.

Derrick Pouliot opened the scoring for the Winterhawks in the second period, but Shane McColgan tied it for the Blades in the period.  The third period proved kind to the Winterhawks, as Chase De Leo, Brendan Leipsic, and Ty Rattie all scored.  The Blades made it 4-2 with a Josh Nicholls goal, but that was all they could muster.

As for tonight's game, the Blades will need to keep up the physicality, as they don't have nearly enough offense to keep up with the Knights.  Andrey Makarov played fairly well for the first two periods, but he will need to rediscover that consistency he had for the first two games if the Blades are to advance.  The Knights have all the talent, but goaltending has been an issue.  Anthony Stolarz has struggled in net, dating back to the OHL finals against Barrie, and Jake Patterson, while good in relief, was exposed in the game against Halifax.

Memorial Cup Update: Hometown Madness

Photo courtesy of CHL/WHL/Derek Mortensen

The Saskatoon Blades accomplished something that has happened only 11 other times this season: they defeated the Halifax Mooseheads.  Behind a two goal effort from Matej Stransky and sterling goaltending from Andrey Makarov, the Blades handled the Mooseheads a 5-2 defeat, thus evening their record in round robin play of the Memorial Cup Tournament.  Stephen MacAuley and Nathan MacKinnon scored for Halifax.

The Blades don't have the offensive talent the other three teams possess, but there was a reason they had an 18-game winning streak towards the end of the regular season, and that was defense.  The Blades rely on a physical game to win their games, and playing to that strength has helped in their quest for the Memorial Cup, particularly when the Blades saw the likes of Edmonton, Swift Current, Calgary, and Red Deer (all defensively strong teams) on a regular basis.  The Mooseheads close out round robin play against London tomorrow while the Blades will take on Portland on Wednesday.

Memorial Cup Update: It Begins...

The Memorial Cup Tournament kicked off last night with the London Knights defeating the Saskatoon Blades 3-2.  The Blades opened the scoring with a Josh Nicholls goal, but the Knights responded with goals from Brett Welychka and Seth Griffith.  Nicholls added another goal to tie the game, but a third period goal from Nikita Zadorov put the Knights ahead for good.  The Blades looked good despite the near two month layoff, thanks largely to Andrey Makarov, who played far better than in the Medicine Hat series.  The Blades broke out special jerseys for this game, as you can see from the likes of Duncan Siemens and Michael Ferland.  The Blades play tomorrow against Halifax while London will play Monday against Portland.

Memorial Cup: The Fantastic Four

With the Memorial Cup Tournament set to kick off tomorrow, today is a preview of the tournament that has been running under its current format since 1983, when the Portland Winterhawks took home the trophy.  This year's tournament is in Saskatoon, SK, and features the Saskatoon Blades, London Knights, Halifax Mooseheads, and the Portland Winterhawks.  Now, let's look at each team, how they got here, and the why they have a chance to take home the trophy.

The Halifax Mooseheads were the most dominant team in the QMJHL and were going back and forth with the Portland Winterhawks in the CHL Power Rankings for much of the season.  Led by the dynamic duo of Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin, the Mooseheads are more than a two man team.  Detroit Red Wings prospect Martin Frk and top goaltending prospect Zachary Fucale are also important players in the Mooseheads' success.  The President Cup champions blazed through Saint John, Gatineau, Rouyn-Noranda, and Baie-Comeau, needing just 17 games to clinch their spot in the Memorial Cup Tournament, and can take home the trophy if Drouin remains the dynamic player that could make him a top three pick and MacKinnon shows the game that has him already being talked about with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux.

The London Knights were the best team in the OHL in the regular season, and like every team in this year's tournament, they have their own talent.  Led by Bo Horvat and Max Domi at forward and Olli Maatta and Scott Harrington on defense, the Knights are a team to watch.  Their road to the Memorial Cup wasn't quite as easy as Halifax's, as they swept Saginaw and dispatched Kitchener and Plymouth in five games each before running into trouble with Barrie, twice blowing big leads, yet they prevailed with 0.1 seconds in regulation to win their series.  Goaltending will be the key to any success the Knights have, as they switched Anthony Stolarz with Jake Patterson midway through the Barrie series.  The Knights have enough talent in front of whoever gets the start in goal to possibly take home the Memorial Cup this year and carry momentum into next year, when they will be hosting the Memorial Cup Tournament.

The Saskatoon Blades are hosting this year's Memorial Cup Tournament, which means they automatically have their spot regardless of whether they win their league tournament or not.  That is not to say they don't have talent, as the likes of Dalton Thrower, Lukas Sutter, Matej Stransky, and Andrey Makarov are good players.  An 18-game winning streak this season propelled them to the East Division title this year, but getting swept out of the first round by Medicine Hat was not how the team wanted to get momentum going into this year's tournament.  Home ice can mean something, and the Blades are hopeful it will translate for them in the same way it did for Shawinigan last year.

The Portland Winterhawks are the WHL champions and they dominated much of the league play.  They made the Memorial Cup on their third straight try, beating Everett, Spokane, Kamloops, and Edmonton (who beat them last year to get into the Memorial Cup Tournament) to get here.  Of all the teams in the tournament, the Winterhawks have the most talent, with Brendan Leipsic, Nic Petan, and Ty Rattie being the top three scorers in the league.  Defensively, the Winterhawks are deep, with Derrick Pouliot, Troy Rutkowski, Tyler Wotherspoon, and Seth Jones comprising the top four.  Mac Carruth is the man in goal, and was a major spark in the team's fortunes when he returned to the team from Rockford of the AHL earlier in the season.  Adversity does not get this team down, as they had some sanctions handed down to them, which included coach Mike Johnston getting banished from the bench for the season.  The Winterhawks have the talent to take home the Memorial Cup, and are tested in just about every way possible this year, so nothing surprises them.

Winterhawks Weekly: Saskatoon or Bust

Sunday, the Portland Winterhawks proved that the third time was the charm as they closed out the series against the Edmonton Oil Kings in convincing fashion with a 5-1 win to win the Ed Chynoweth Trophy and secure their ticket to Saskatoon for the Memorial Cup tournament that begins on Friday.  An early goal by Travis Ewanyk put the Oil Kings up 1-0, but it was all Winterhawks from there, as Ty Rattie reached 50 goals for his WHL playoff career with a hat trick and was named the playoff MVP.  Oliver Bjorkstrand and Taylor Leier added a goal a piece, as the Winterhawks will next play on Saturday against Halifax in their first game of the round-robin tournament.

The Memorial Cup will also see Saskatoon (the host team) and the winner of tonight's Barrie-London matchup, as that series is going a full seven games.

WHL Playoffs Preview: Eastern Conference

With the Ed Chynoweth Cup Playoffs starting this week in the WHL, today is a preview of all eight matchups.  So, let's get to it.:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Edmonton Oil Kings vs. (8) Kootenay Ice

Edmonton once again dominated the Eastern Conference in the regular season and are looking to repeat as Ed Chynoweth champions.  Michael St. Croix is the team's engine on offense, but the Oil Kings make their living on defense, and with players like Griffin Reinhart, Henrik Samuelsson, and David Musil, they are a tough team to play against.  And we haven't even gotten to the goaltending duo of Laurent Brossoit and Tristan Jarry yet.  Kootenay is primarily Sam Reinhart and everyone else.  He's a guy to watch for in the 2014 NHL Draft, but he won't get Kootenay past Edmonton.

Prediction: Edmonton in 4

(2) Saskatoon Blades vs. (7) Medicine Hat Tigers

Saskatoon will host the Memorial Cup this year, so they will be assured of playing in May.  However, their recent 18-game winning streak suggests that they aren't willing to settle for that.  Led by the stellar goaltending of Andrey Makarov, the Blades are a tough team to score against, and both Dalton Thrower and Duncan Siemens are getting hot at the right time.  Their offense is led by Matej Stransky.  Medicine Hat is led by Curtis Valk and Hunter Shinkaruk.  However, there isn't a heck of a lot beyond those two.

Prediction: Saskatoon in 5

(3) Calgary Hitmen vs. (6) Swift Current Broncos

Calgary is a team that will undoubtedly be motivated by the success of the rival Oil Kings.  Led by Cody Sylvester, Jake Virtanen, and Victor Rask, the Hitmen have a formidable team, and Chris Driedger is capable of stealing a few games.  The Broncos aren't a team that will wow anyone, but their steady pace got them here.  Led by Graham Black and Adam Lowry, the Broncos could surprise here.

Prediction: Hitmen in 7

(4) Red Deer Rebels vs. (5) Prince Albert Raiders

The Rebels aren't known as an offensive team, as evidenced by their leading scorer only having 59 points (Rhyse Dieno).  However, their defense is what will carry them.  Led by Matthew Dumba and goaltender Patrik Bartosak, the Rebels can match the Oil Kings in that category.  Offense is a concern, though.  The Raiders started off hot, but tailed off pretty bad down the stretch, losing their grip on the East Division.  Mark McNeill leads the team, but the real question is if the Raiders can rediscover their early season mojo.

Prediction: Rebels in 6