Erie Examiner: All They Do is Win

The Erie Otters are continuing their winning ways, and now, it's extending to an NHL city.  Wednesday, the Otters had a home game in Buffalo, NY against the Niagara Icedogs, and if you know your Sabres team this year, it's the team's fans' opportunity to see what they could be getting if they tank hard enough.  In the Otters' convincing 8-4 win, Connor McDavid did not disappoint, scoring a goal and three assists, and even when he missed, his skill was on display in the effort to get there.  Friday, the Otters had an opportunity to extend their mastery of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, something that dates back to their sweep in last year's Conference semi-finals.  Two Dylan Strome goals helped propel the Otters to a 6-4 win and extended their league best record to 10-0-0-1.  Sunday was a trip to Sudbury, and an opportunity to make a statement and a chance to add to the record.  The Otters did not disappoint, as they put an eight-spot on the Wolves, as they dominated in a 8-1 win.  McDavid and Strome have points in all 12 games so far this season.

The Otters come home for a Thursday tilt against Plymouth before welcoming Ottawa for a Saturday night game.

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.

The Big(ger) Awards Ceremony

photo by Steve Hiscock

The OHL, QMJHL, and WHL all handed out their respective awards earlier in the month, but with the Memorial Cup final set for tomorrow, the Canadian Hockey League, which houses all three leagues, handed out their own awards, as the winners in each league's categories were the finalist for the overall awards.  So, here are the awards, with the winners in bold.

Jack Link's Top Prospect of the Year: Darnell Nurse (Sault Ste. Marie), Seth Jones (Portland), Jonathan Drouin, (Halifax)

FRAM Sportsman of the Year: Tyler Graovac (Belleville), Dylan Wruck (Edmonton), Zach O'Brien (Acadie-Bathurst)

Chrysler Dodge Top Scorer of the Year: Vince Trocheck (Plymouth), Nic Petan (Portland) and Brendan Leipsic (Portland), Ben Duffy (PEI)

Home Hardware Humanitarian of the Year: Ben Fanelli (Kitchener), Cody Sylvester (Calgary), Konrad Abeltshauser (Halifax)

Subway Scholastic Player of the Year: Darnell Nurse (Sault Ste. Marie), Josh Morrisey (Prince Albert), Charles-David Beaudoin (Drummondville)

Old Dutch Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year: Mike Vellucci (Plymouth), Ryan McGill (Kootenay), Dominique Ducharme (Halifax)

BMO Rookie of the Year: Connor McDavid (Erie), Seth Jones (Portland), Valentin Zykov (Baie-Comeau)

Vaughn Goaltender of the Year: Jordan Binnington (Owen Sound), Patrik Bartosak (Red Deer), Etienne Marcoux (Blainville-Boisbriand)

Post Defenseman of the Year: Ryan Sproul (Sault Ste. Marie), Brenden Kichton (Spokane), Kevin Gagne (Rimouski)

CCM Player of the Year: Vince Trocheck (Plymouth), Adam Lowry (Swift Current), Jonathan Drouin (Halifax)