Fully Completely

In my early days of this blog, I used to fuse music with hockey, and in some cases, posted old interviews from online rags that no longer exist. For today at least, I return to my roots, though for reasons that I wish were better than this. From the moment that the world, and the country of Canada found out that The Tragically Hip's lead vocalist Gord Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, it was an inevitability. Rather than wait out the time until his departure from this world, Downie and company would embark on one last tour of Canada. The tour would happen last year, with their last show happening in their hometown of Kingston, ON in a sold out K-Rock Centre. Today, the news broke that Downie finally succumbed to the disease, yet a legacy will live on, as there are many things being done in the name of finding cures. Where the Tragically Hip really leaves a legacy is within their own country, as they have long been known as Canada's band, as they embodied everything about Canada, right down to some major junior hockey clubs, particularly with the Kingston Frontenacs, who wore Tragically Hip themed sweaters for a game last season.

Rest easy, Gord, and know that a country will remember you for all you done in the time you were on this planet.

Team Orr Takes It

Photo by Brad Watson

Last night, 40 of the Canadian Hockey League's players took part in the Top Prospects Game and given that there would be people in the NHL watching this game, expectations were certainly high for the potential first round picks.  Team Orr took home the 4-3 win over Team Cherry and Jared McCann of Sault Ste. Marie took home player of the game honors, as he scored the game winner for Team Orr.

The top ranked player in the NHL Central Scouting midterm ranking amongst North American skaters Sam Bennett of Kingston did not participate in the game due to injury.  However, his teammates Roland McKeown and Spencer Watson did participate, with each player on opposite teams.  Chase De Leo (ranked 26th) hopes to make it five straight years in which a Portland Winterhawks player has been drafted in the first round, and his lone contribution to the game was two penalty minutes.  Peterborough's Nicholas Ritchie also played in the Top Prospects Game, and he ranks seventh in the most recent NHL Central Scouting rankings amongst North American skaters.  He hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jordan Staal (2006), Zach Bogosian (2008), Zack Kassian (2009), Austin Watson (2010), Matt Puepmel (2011), and Slater Koekkoek (2012) as recent first round picks to have come from Peterborough.  The QMJHL breaks into that category at number 12 with Moncton's Ivan Barbashev, who also participated in the game.  As for North American goalies, Alex Nedeljkovic of Plymouth is the top ranked of the Canadian Hockey League at this point in the season.

Clearly, at this point in the season, it looks like it will be neck and neck between the OHL and the WHL as to who will be best represented at the NHL Draft in June, and don't be surprised if it also happens for the first overall pick.

Spits Exchange

It's been a wild week for the Windsor Spitfires, as they made two major trades.  Earlier this week, the Spitfires made a major trade with the Guelph Storm, as both Kerby Rychel and Nick Ebert were sent to Guelph while Windsor got Brody Milne and several draft picks, which include Guelph's 2nd round picks from 2014 until 2018.  For perspective on how this impacts both teams, consider that Guelph is trying to match offense with Midwest Division leader Erie, and certainly, Rychel's addition to go along with Jason Dickinson and Tyler Bertuzzi is a step towards countering Erie's group of Dane Fox, Connor Brown, Andre Burakovsky, and Connor McDavid.  I'll get to how it impacts Windsor after I get to the other trade the team made this week, this time with the Kingston Frontenacs, as Ryan Verbeek was sent out and in exchange, the Spitfires will get Sam Povorozniouk and a fourth round pick in 2016.  The Frontenacs are a youthful group, with Sam Bennett, Henri Ikonen, and Roland McKeown all NHL draft eligible in 2014.  The addition of Verbeek only makes the Frontenacs younger, and given that the Frontenacs are still trying to figure out the bottom portion of their roster, Povorozniouk's departure wasn't much of a surprise, as the Fronts needed character guys, and that is where Verbeek is likely to get his chance.

As for the Spits, on the surface, it can be said that they are packing it in for the season.  However, they are only five points behind Sault Ste. Marie in the Western Division and are on a three game winning streak.  Milne gets an immediate chance to prove his worth, as he is likely lining up with 2014 NHL Draft eligible Josh Ho-Sang.  Povorozniouk will also get considerable ice time with the Spitfires, something that would be less likely with the Frontenacs squad that remains young.  The draft picks are obviously important for the Spits, as they can rebuild through the draft for years to come.  Moving Rychel was difficult, as he is the son of Spits GM Warren Rychel, but the Spits still have Ho-Sang, and with the influx of players coming in from the class, it is clear that the Spitfires are looking to keep a tradition of winning going for a while.

Remembrance Week

With Veterans Day approaching in the United States and Canada holding their own time of Remembrance for those who served in the Armed Forces, it is only natural that some teams have special jerseys commemorating this time of year.  In the NHL, most teams are sporting camo practice jerseys that get auctioned off after the game.  In the junior leagues, teams are putting forth jerseys to be worn specifically for their Remembrance Day game.  In the OHL, the Peterborough Petes will wear the jersey you see above in a game against Kitchener tonight while the Kingston Frontenacs will wear a special jersey (below) in their home game tomorrow against (Surprise!) Kitchener.

What about Kitchener?  Well, the Rangers already had their special Remembrance Day jersey unveiled and while the result wasn't what they wanted (they lost to Windsor), the Rangers definitely looked sharp wearing them.

It's great seeing the hockey leagues do something special to remember those who served and in many cases, they often get the jerseys for the special occasion right, particularly in the lower leagues.

Peterborough Express: This is it!

Entering the final week of OHL play, the Peterborough Petes find themselves two points behind both Kingston and Mississauga.  Peterborough needed to win out this past week, and they did, beating Kingston 4-1 on Thursday, and Ottawa today 7-2.  Their last three games are at home on Tuesday against Mississauga, and they will hit the road against Kingston on Friday and Brampton on Sunday.  Meanwhile, Kingston has games against Belleville, Barrie, Peterborough, and Ottawa and Mississauga has games against Peterborough, Belleville, and Ottawa.  Peterborough has a great chance to sneak into the playoffs with Brampton being the only team to have clinched a spot left on their schedule.  However, both Kingston and Mississauga have a game against Ottawa, so Peterborough needs to win out here to have a shot and hope either Kingston or Mississauga falters.  Currently, it looks like Mississauga is the one faltering, as they have lost eight in a row, with two of those losses being in the shootout.

Peterborough Express: Now or Never

The Petes remain four points out of a playoff spot, behind both Kingston and Mississauga for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.  A win Thursday against Ottawa 4-3 was followed by a 6-3 loss at Sudbury on Friday and a 4-0 shutout at the hands of Sault St. Marie on Sunday.

The last five games will be the most telling in the Petes' quest for a playoff spot, as they take on Kingston twice (this Thursday and on March 15), Mississauga on March 12, Ottawa on the 10th, and close out the season at Brampton on March 17.  For those keeping score at home, that's three games against the teams the Petes are trying to catch up to, a game against the last place 67s, and the season-ender at a playoff team in Brampton.  If the Petes play well and can win all four games, it could mean a playoff spot by the time they play Brampton, but they absolutely have to take care of business on their own end.

Peterborough Express: Playoff Hopes Take a Hit

This past week was a chance for the Peterborough Petes to make up some ground on the Kingston Frontenacs and the Mississauga Steelheads for one of the final two playoff spots.  Unfortunately, things did not exactly go as planned, as the Petes won only one game of the four and remain four points behind Kingston for the last playoff spot.  The Petes lost to Owen Sound on Monday 3-2, beat Oshawa 6-3 on Thursday, and lost to Belleville 5-2 Saturday and lost to Oshawa 4-1 on Sunday.  Games this week include a home game against Ottawa on Thursday and road games at Sudbury on Friday and at Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday.  With only eight games remaining, the Petes had better take care of their own business if they want to sneak into the playoffs, but with a slow start hampering them, it may be too little too late.  Don't count the Petes out, though, as anything can happen, and the Petes are still only six points behind Mississauga for the seventh spot.

Peterborough Express: Keeping the Pressure On

Peterborough entered the week only four points out of the last playoff spot and will end the week just two out.  Thursday, they beat Brampton 3-1 to gain ground on Kingston, and on Friday, they beat Ottawa 5-1, but since Kingston also won that evening, the Petes will have to settle for that two point gain.

Monday, they host Owen Sound and they will also host Oshawa on Thursday before heading out to Belleville on Friday and Oshawa on Saturday.  Yes, a playoff spot is realistic, but you do not want to be looking past some formidable teams, and this coming week will be telling of where the Petes stand in the playoff chase.  Keep in mind that though Kingston and Mississauga both need to lose (Peterborough is only six points out of the seventh seed), the Petes need to take care of their own business and let the chips fall where they may on the other teams' fates.

Peterborough Express: Opportunity is at the Door

This weekend saw the Peterborough Petes inch closer to the number eight spot in the Eastern Conference, as Kingston is fading fast with only three points in their last 10 games to show for it.  On Thursday, the Petes won a wild one against Windsor 7-5, and beat Saginaw 4-2 on Friday.  Saturday, though, the Petes lost 4-1 to Plymouth, thus leaving the Petes only six points behind the Frontenacs for the last spot in the playoffs.  This week is another chance for the Petes to gain ground, as they hit the road to Ottawa on Wednesday to face the last place 67's.  They return home to face the Spitfires on Thursday and the Soo Greyhounds on Saturday.