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.

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.

Post-Draft Ramblings.

So, the NHL Draft has come and gone, and there were a few surprises, the least of which was Cory Schneider going to New Jersey in a trade that indicates that Roberto Luongo is going to be the starter in Vancouver once again.  As for the Draft itself, there were some surprises, as you will see below.  Analysis of each pick, as well as who I had going (for comparison purposes) will be mentioned.  So, here goes:

1. Colorado-Nathan MacKinnon, Halifax Mooseheads

So, Joe Sakic wasn't sending any smoke signals when he said he was going to take a forward.  MacKinnon was the best of the bunch, and though the Avs need lots of help on the wing, MacKinnon did play a little on the wing, which will greatly help the Avs this year.

My pick: MacKinnon

2. Florida-Aleksander Barkov, Tappara (Fin.)

The Panthers took who they thought was the best player available in Barkov.  While Seth Jones was available, the Panthers felt comfortable enough with Dmitry Kulikov and Erik Gudbranson being their top defensemen to pick a likely second center behind Jonathan Huberdeau.  A shoulder injury is a concern, but his talent level is high, and will fortify the Panthers down the middle.

My pick: Seth Jones, Portland Winterhawks

3. Tampa Bay-Jonathan Drouin, Halifax Mooseheads

In light of the fact that Seth Jones was still on the board, the Lightning went with Drouin, who was the more dynamic player on the Mooseheads last year.  Some fans were calling for Steve Yzerman's head, but this was the right pick, as the Lightning had almost non-existent secondary scoring.  Drouin is expected to team with Steven Stamkos to provide a formidable one-two offensive punch, but in the immediate future, Drouin will have a chance to learn from Martin St. Louis on what it takes to stay in the NHL.

My pick: Drouin

4. Nashville-Seth Jones, Portland Winterhawks

Nashville needs scoring, but how do you pass up on a potential franchise defenseman here?  The Preds know a thing or two about franchise defensemen, and Jones will be learning from one of the premier players on the blue line in Shea Weber.  An already strong defensive team just got better, and Jones won't have the pressure to succeed right away, with both Weber and goaltender Pekka Rinne at the top of their respective games.

My pick: Aleksander Barkov, Tappara (Fin.)

5. Carolina-Elias Lindholm, Brynas (Swe.)

The Hurricanes were dreadful on defense, but they also didn't have much in the way of secondary scoring.  Lindholm will address the latter, and at the very least, start out as a third line center behind the Staals (that is, if they aren't on the same line).

My pick: Darnell Nurse, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

6. Calgary-Sean Monahan, Ottawa 67's

The Flames desperately needed a center and a new face of the franchise.  Monahan was very good on a bad 67's team and with his willingness to play through injury, it is possible the Flames have not only gotten their center of the future, but also the newest face of the franchise for years to come.

My pick: Monahan

7. Edmonton-Darnell Nurse, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

The Oilers desperately needed a top talent defenseman, and Nurse fits the description to a tee.  I had the Oilers taking a defenseman, but thought Nurse would be off the board to Carolina, as they too, have had problems on the blue line.  The Oilers were happy that the top-ranked defenseman not named Seth Jones fell to them here, as Nurse provides physicality and some offense.

My pick: Rasmus Ristolainen, TPS Turku (Fin.)

8. Buffalo-Rasmus Ristolainen, TPS Turku (Fin.)

Ristolainen wouldn't fall very far from where I had him.  Ristolainen provides the Sabres yet another physical defenseman who has the size and is great in his own end.  Obviously, this is a message being sent to Tyler Myers to pick up his game or else move.  But, that's not the only message being sent to Myers...

My pick: Valeri Nichushkin, Traktor Chelyabinsk

9. Vancouver (from New Jersey)-Bo Horvat, London Knights

Vancouver got this pick in a deal that sent Cory Schneider to New Jersey.  For a guy that played pretty well the last two years, the Canucks didn't get more out of the Devils here.  However, the Canucks would turn that pick into Bo Horvat, who played well with the London Knights and was clutch in the OHL playoffs.  Should be able to slide into the third center role with the Canucks this season if needed.

My pick: Max Domi, London Knights

10. Dallas-Valeri Nichushkin, Traktor Chelyabinsk

Dallas needed offense from their blue line, but Nichushkin falling to this spot was too good for them to pass up.  The best winger not named Jonathan Drouin will likely have the same questions that are asked of anyone from the KHL (see: Kuznetsov, Evgeny), but the Stars get another player that can score and take some of the pressure off of Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson in due time.

My pick: Ryan Pulock, Brandon Wheat Kings

11. Philadelphia-Samuel Morin, Rimouski Oceanic

The Flyers need defensemen.  No one in their pipeline is top of the line, and the ones that are in the NHL are not quite young anymore, and with Chris Pronger likely to retire, and both Kimmo Timonen and newly acquired Mark Streit on the wrong side of 35, the Flyers need young, top-end talent here.  Morin is seen as more ready to contribute now than the player I had here in Nikita Zadorov.  Morin can also fight when needed, and given that the Flyers are more offensively oriented on the blue line, this is a welcome addition.

My pick: Nikita Zadorov, London Knights

12. Phoenix-Max Domi, London Knights

The Coyotes needed scoring, and get it with Domi.  He scores more than his father Tie, but he also has the same work ethic.  He's not big, but his hockey sense will help him out in the long run.

My pick: Anthony Mantha, Val D'Or Foreurs

13. Winnipeg-Josh Morrissey, Prince Albert Raiders

A bit of a surprise here, as Morrissey was expected to be picked at the end of the first round.  Morrisey does provide offense and is unafraid to mix it up, despite being small by NHL standards.  Likely to replace either Ron Hainsey, Mark Stuart, or both in the future.

My pick: Elias Lindholm, Brynas (Swe.)

14. Columbus-Alexander Wennberg, Djurgarden (Swe.)

The Blue Jackets needed forwards, and Wennberg was the first picked by the team.  General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen's European connections helped in the selection of Wennberg, as he saw a lot of him while running a team in Europe, and given his track record (he was responsible for TJ Oshie being picked in the first round in 2005), it's hard to doubt his abilities as a GM here.

My pick: Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat Tigers

15. NY Islanders-Ryan Pulock, Brandon Wheat Kings

Another defenseman drafted by the Islanders, Pulock does not have the upside that last year's first round pick Griffin Reinhart does, but Pulock does have a hard shot that will work well to jump start an offense that is already pretty good.

My pick: Frederik Gauthier, Rimouski Oceanic

16. Buffalo (from Minnesota)-Nikita Zadorov, London Knights

Part two of the message being sent to Tyler Myers, Zadorov is considered more of a long term project.  He has the size, but is also quite raw, but the potential is high and he may very well surpass fellow first rounder Rasmus Ristolainen.

My pick: Robert Hagg, Modo (Swe.)

17. Ottawa-Curtis Lazar, Edmonton Oil Kings

The Sens needed scoring, and with Lazar, they get that and more, as he is future captain material.  He is unafraid to stand up for teammates and has an upside of second line center, which isn't so bad with a team that has Jason Spezza and Kyle Turris there.

My pick: Alexander Wennberg, Djurgarden (Swe.)

18. San Jose (from Detroit)-Mirco Mueller, Everett Silvertips

The Sharks aren't getting any younger on the blue line, and the dearth of prospects there meant the Sharks needed someone new.  They traded up to pick up Mueller, who shined on a Silvertips team that didn't have Ryan Murray for much of the season due to injury.

My pick: Mueller

19. Columbus (from NY Rangers)-Kerby Rychel, Windsor Spitfires

The Blue Jackets needed someone that can bring toughness and scoring, and Rychel fills both needs.  While he won't likely score 40 goals like he has in the last two years at Windsor, he will at worst, be a tough player that opposing teams hate to face and 30 goals a year is realistic for his NHL prospects.

My pick: Rychel

20. Detroit (from San Jose)-Anthony Mantha, Val D'Or Foreurs

The Red Wings have been pushed around a lot lately, and with their best offensive stars on the wrong side of 30, the need for a power forward was inevitable.  Enter Mantha, who was one of only three players in the Canadian Hockey League to score 50 goals this season.  He will need to get to the rough areas more often to succeed as a scorer in the NHL, and given his size, it should be no problem if he wants it.

My pick: Shea Theodore, Seattle Thunderbirds

21. Toronto-Frederik Gauthier, Rimouski Oceanic

Center has been a sore spot for the Maple Leafs, and while Nazem Kadri has been good, the pipeline there is still woefully thin.  Gauthier doesn't figure to help right away, as the Leafs would later acquire Dave Bolland from Chicago, but when Gauthier does arrive, he will bring size and some offense.

My pick: Bo Horvat, London Knights

22. Calgary (from St. Louis)-Emile Poirier, Gatineau Olympiques

While Poirier put up great numbers on a decent Gatineau team, most did not project him to be a first round pick.  Given that the Flames needed defensemen and goaltenders, Poirier's selection makes even less sense, but like Mark Jankowski last year, Poirier is a gamble that could pay off in the long run.

My pick: Zachary Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads

23. Washington-Andre Burakovsky, Malmo (Swe.)

Surprise pick, as Burakovsky didn't put up good numbers, but he also didn't play much, either.  His upside is undeniable, and the Caps are willing to gamble on what may ultimately be a top end talent, something the Caps desperately need in their pipeline.

My pick: Valentin Zykov, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

24. Vancouver-Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat Tigers

The free-faller of the prospects this year, Shinkaruk can play both center and wing, and is a prolific goal scorer.  Injuries this past season cost him a little bit of time, but still, he managed to score 37 goals this season.  The Canucks needed top-end talent, and Shinkaruk is exactly what they asked for here.

My pick: Adam Erne, Quebec Remparts

25. Montreal-Michael McCarron, US U-18 Team

The Canadiens needed size, and that's what they get with McCarron.  They won't rush him to the big show, as he is likely headed to college (Western Michigan) or the OHL (London).  An obvious project, the Canadiens will welcome his size up front when he's ready to join.

My pick: Samuel Morin, Rimouski Oceanic

26. Anaheim-Shea Theodore, Seattle Thunderbirds

The Ducks needed secondary scoring up front, but believe that the likes of Peter Holland and Emerson Etem will fulfill expectations in time.  For this pick, the Ducks add youth to the blue line and Theodore was a pretty good player on a Thunderbirds team that was simply horrible on defense.  His own play does bear watching, but the upside is similar to Cam Fowler, who the Ducks took in 2010.

My pick: Curtis Lazar, Edmonton Oil Kings

27. Columbus (from Los Angeles)-Marko Dano, Bratislava (Slovakia)

The Blue Jackets had three first round picks to play with, and the third pick was made on a project with huge potential in Dano.  He isn't expected to come to the NHL in a few years, and with picks such as Rychel and possibly Wennberg having a chance to conrtibute sooner, the Blue Jackets can afford to wait on Dano's scoring talents to arrive.

My pick: Ian McCoshen, Waterloo Black Hawks

28. Calgary (from Pittsburgh)-Morgan Klimchuk, Regina Pats

Good player on an bad Pats team, Klimchuk got to show the world what he could do in international competition.  Similar in size to Sven Baertschi, Klimchuk is also tough, and that will work well for a Flames team that needs it.

My pick: Klimchuk

29. Dallas (from Boston)-Jason Dickinson, Guelph Storm

Dickinson had an up and down year offensively, yet the Stars saw enough of him in the post-OHL playoffs to draft him here.  Consistency is a must for Dickinson to make it with the Stars.

My pick: Ryan Hartman, Plymouth Whalers

30. Chicago-Ryan Hartman, Plymouth Whalers

With Dave Bolland and Michael Frolik both being sent out soon after this pick, Hartman will fill a void left by both players in due time.  The Blackhawks pick well when it comes to depth players (see: Saad, Brandon), and Hartman will be a fan favorite once he joins the Blackhawks.

My pick: Josh Morrissey, Prince Albert Raiders

Memorial Cup Update: Halifax Did It!

photo by Steve Hiscock

In the battle of the top two teams in the Canadian Hockey League, the Halifax Mooseheads got off to a hot start, going up 3-0 on the Portland Winterhawks in the first period.  The Winterhawks climbed back to a 3-2 deficit in the second period, though, setting up a good third period.  The Mooseheads got back their three goal lead, but the Winterhawks would close to within one before an empty-net goal by Halifax would seal the Memorial Cup and a 6-4 win over the Portland Winterhawks.  Nathan MacKinnon was named the MVP of the tournament, notching seven goals and 13 points in four games.

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)

Memorial Cup Update: Knight Stomping

photo by Derek Mortensen

With every team at 1-1 to begin yesterday, every team was in a must-win mode to get that all important bye into the finals.  The Halifax Mooseheads are favored for this, thanks to a 9-2 beat down of the London Knights.  The Mooseheads stormed out to a 5-0 lead in the first period, and were up 8-2 by the second period, all but rendering that ninth goal icing on the cake.  Martin Frk, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, picked up a hat trick, Darcy Ashley added two more goals, and Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin picked up three assists each.  Seth Griffith and Ryan Rupert picked up the only London goals as goaltending once again proved to be a major problem for the Knights, as Jake Patterson was given the start, only to give way to Anthony Stolarz.  Neither fared too well against the offensive juggernaut of the Mooseheads.

Halifax will get the bye into the finals if Portland wins their game tonight against Saskatoon, but are at least guaranteed to play into Friday should Saskatoon win.  London will play tomorrow in the tie-breaker against the loser of the Saskatoon-Portland game tonight.

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: Halifax Draws First Blood

Last night was a game worthy of Main Event status, as the two best teams with the potential top three picks in this year's Draft took place.  A lopsided second period was all it took for the Halifax Mooseheads to defeat the Portland Winterhawks 7-4.  Nathan MacKinnon certainly made his case for the top overall pick, netting a hat trick in the five-goal second period for the Mooseheads.  Jonathan Drouin and Seth Jones, the other candidates for that first overall pick, also scored a goal a piece in the game.  Halifax plays tonight against Saskatoon while Portland will look to rebound against London on Monday.

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.

First Ticket Punched

The Memorial Cup picture looks one team clearer after last night, as the Halifax Mooseheads routed the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 5-1 to take the series and the President Cup 4-1.  Jonathan Drouin took home the playoff MVP (Guy LaFleur Trophy) honors, scoring 35 points in the 17 games.  The win caps off a rather impressive playoffs for the Mooseheads, as their only loss was game three against the Drakkar.  The Mooseheads will play their first game of the Memorial Cup tournament next Saturday against the WHL champion.

Playoffs Update: All the Junior Leagues

I thought about doing a Winterhawks Weekly in this space today, but since the championships are closer to being determined, today will be about the updates for all the junior league championships going on this week.  First, the USHL, where the Dubuque Fighting Saints beat the Youngstown Phantoms in the Eastern Conference Final to advance to the Clark Cup Final.  They await the winner of the Sioux Falls Stampede/Fargo Force matchup, as that series is going to be decided next game.  The QMJHL sees the Halifax Mooseheads still without a loss in the playoff season, as they are currently up 2-0 over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar while the OHL finals has the Barrie Colts and London Knights tied 1-1, with game three tonight in Barrie.  The WHL finals sees the Portland Winterhawks tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings 1-1 as the series shifts to Edmonton for game three tomorrow.

Memorial Cup Spots on the Line

I will get to the Portland-Edmonton series on Friday, when I make my predictions.  However, there are two other spots on the line for the Memorial Cup tournament, and those will be taken by the champions in the OHL and the QMJHL.

OHL Championship (J. Ross Robertson Trophy)

(1) London Knights vs. (2) Barrie Colts

The Knights had little trouble getting to this point, sweeping Saginaw in the opening round, disposing of Kitchener in the following round, and beating Plymouth on the way to defending their championship.  The best team on offense and the third-ranked team on defense (only Owen Sound and Belleville posted better numbers), the Knights have some players, as Max Domi, Seth Griffin, and Chris Tierney lead the way up front while Olli Maatta and Scott Harrington lead a stout blue line.  Anthony Stolarz has shined in his first season with the Knights.  The Knights are coached by Dale Hunter, who briefly led the Washington Capitals to a playoff berth last year.

The Colts led the Eastern Conference in goals scored while being tied for fourth in the league in goals against.  Sweeps against Kingston and Oshawa were followed by a hard fought seven game series win against Belleville, and the Colts are lead by Mark Schiefele, Zach Hall,  and Mathias Niederberger.  Dale Hawerchuk is the head coach of the Colts.

QMJHL Championship (President Cup)

(1) Halifax Mooseheads vs. (2) Baie-Comeau Drakkar

The Mooseheads are the only team in all three leagues to not have lost a playoff game so far.  Sweeps against Saint John, Gatineau, and Rouyn-Noranda have led the Mooseheads to an almost certain spot in the Memorial Cup.  It's no secret that the Mooseheads are led by potential first overall picks in Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon, as a whopping 347 goals in the regular season (13 more than the Winterhawks) will attest.  But don't sleep on the defense, as they led the league in that category, too, and Zachary Fucale, another 2013 NHL Draft prospect, is a major reason for that.  Dominique Ducharme is the head coach of the Mooseheads.

The Drakkar were tied for second in offense and were second in defense, and had a slightly harder time getting to this point.  Sherbrooke and Victoriaville were victims of sweeps before the Drakkar were taken to six games by Blainville-Boisbriand in the semifinals.  Zach O'Brien led the team in points while Philipe Cadorette helped backstop the team to victory.  Eric Veilleux is the head coach.

Rematch!

With the Edmonton Oil Kings finally putting away the Calgary Hitmen last night, that sets up a rematch of last year's WHL finals...only this time, the Winterhawks have home ice advantage.  The Oil Kings won that match-up 4-3 and represented the WHL in the Memorial Cup.  This year, the Winterhawks hope to change that, and with a high-scoring offense, this is the best of the three finals happening that will determine Memorial Cup spots.  The other match-ups are the London Knights vs. Barrie Colts in the OHL, and the Halifax Mooseheads vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the QMJHL, and Halifax is the only team to not have a loss in this year's playoffs.  Predictions will come Friday, as tomorrow will be a recap of the WHL awards that will be handed out tonight.

Midweek Streaking

Because the Winterhawks have four games this week, I will take this time to start with last night's game, since the weekend will be busy.  The Winterhawks made it seven in a row and 12 at home after coming from behind to win at home 7-5 against Everett.  Brendan Leipsic led the way with four goals and is second behind teammate Nic Petan in scoring.  The trio of Petan, Leipsic, and Ty Rattie have more than 40 points each, and are clearly the go-to guys on a team that has Seth Jones finding his offensive touch at the right time and Oliver Bjorkstrand emerging as a solid secondary scorer.  In the last 20 games, the Winterhawks have only lost once, and that hot streak now has them just behind the Halifax Mooseheads in the latest Canadian Hockey League rankings.  Games against Tri-City (twice) and Seattle are looming this weekend.

Moose Streaks

The Halifax Mooseheads are the only other team in the CHL that can claim only one regulation loss, after the Kamloops Blazers lost in regulation on Thursday.  Today, the Mooseheads were aiming for their 15th straight victory, but would be denied in a shootout loss.  Still, 15 games with at least a point in the standings is nothing to sneeze at, and with a record of 16-1-0-1, they are only one win less than Kamloops.  Despite the loss, Halifax is still the class of the QMJHL, and having a potential first overall pick in next year's draft (Nathan McKinnon) has a profound effect on the team's chances of representing the QMJHL in this year's Memorial Cup.