The Junior Report

Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced Tuesday the 22 players who will play for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team.

The team, which features 20 players lacing up their skates in the Canadian Hockey League, will take to the ice at the 2011 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament, August 8-13 in Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia.

“It was a very competitive camp, and choosing these 22 players was by no means an easy task,” said head coach Steve Spott. “All of the players named today have earned their spot on the roster, and we look forward to getting to Europe and continuing Canada’s great tradition at this event.”

The roster was finalized Tuesday following a four-day selection camp at Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary,includes:

Goaltender: Daniel Altshuller, Nepean (CCHL); Domenic Graham, Drummondville (QMJHL).

Defence: Mathew Dumba, Red Deer (WHL); Michael Matheson, Lac St-Louis (LHMAAAQ); Adam Pelech, Erie (OHL); Derrick Pouliot, Portland (WHL); Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton (WHL); Slater Koekkoek, Peterborough (OHL); Dominic Poulin, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); Morgan Rielly, Moose Jaw (WHL).

Forwards: Andreas Athanasiou, London (OHL); Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat (WHL); Brendan Gaunce, Belleville (OHL); Scott Laughton, Oshawa (OHL); Jarrod Maidens, Owen Sound (OHL); Mathew Campagna, Sudbury (OHL); Charles Hudon, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); Félix Girard, Baie-Comeau (QMHL); Kerby Rychel, Windsor (OHL); Gemel Smith, Owen Sound (OHL); Matia Marcantuoni, Kitchener (OHL); Sean Monahan, Ottawa (OHL); Thomas Wilson, Plymouth (OHL).

Canada has won the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament three straight years, and has won 15 of 20 summer under-18 tournaments since 1991. It will play in Group A in Breclav with the Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland. Group B, which consists of Finland, Russia, Slovakia and the United States, will play out of Piestany.

Canada will face Slovakia in a pre-tournament game in Piestany on Saturday, August 6 before opening the tournament against Sweden on Monday, August 8. The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals on Friday, August 13, with the gold medal game scheduled for Saturday, August 14.

A full schedule is available at http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/171235/la_id/1.htm.

There will be no TV or radio coverage of the event. Hockey Canada’s official website, www.hockeycanada.ca, is the place to find complete coverage of Canada at the tournament.

Forty-two of the top under-18 hockey players in the country will step on to the ice at Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary, Alta., starting today with hopes of being selected for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team.

The selection camp runs from July 30 to August 2, with hopefuls split into Red and White squads. The teams will take part in several practices and compete against each other in intersquad games on July 31, August 1 and August 2.

At the camp’s conclusion, head coach Steve Spott and assistant coaches Mario Duhamel and Don Nachbaur, along with Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada’s head scout for the men’s Program of Excellence, will select 22 players for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team to compete in the 2011 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Canada has won the last three gold medals at the tournament, and six of the last seven.

The camp roster includes 19 players from the Ontario Hockey League, 15 from the Western Hockey League, six from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, , one from the Central Canada Hockey League (Junior A) and one from the Ligue de hockey midget AAA du Québec. In total, 37 players (two goaltenders, 14 defencemen and 21 forwards) competed at the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team is one of two men’s under-18 teams that Hockey Canada assembles during each season. A second men’s under-18 team will take part in the 2012 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in the Czech Republic in April 2012, and will be comprised of available players not involved in playoffs with their respective teams.

The under-18 program, along with the regional under-17 program and the national under-20 program, make up Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, which identifies, evaluates and develops players for international competition.

For more information on Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, visit www.hockeycanada.ca.

Here are the rosters for camp:

Red Team
Goaltender: Daniel Altshuller, Nepean (CCHL); François Tremblay, Val d’Or (QMJHL).
Defence: Gianluca Curcuruto, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL); Mathew Dumba, Red Deer (WHL); Jesse Graham, Niagara (OHL); Michael Matheson, Lac St-Louis (LHMAAAQ); Adam Pelech, Erie (OHL); Derrick Pouliot, Portland (WHL); Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton (WHL).
Forwards: Andreas Athanasiou, London (OHL); Troy Bourke, Prince George (WHL); Mathew Campagna, Sudbury (OHL); Félix Girard, Baie-Comeau (QMHL); Charles Hudon, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); Scott Laughton, Oshawa (OHL); Jarrod Maidens, Owen Sound (OHL); Sean Monahan, Ottawa (OHL); Rychel, Windsor (OHL); Gemel Smith, Owen Sound (OHL); Chandler Stephenson, Regina (WHL); Thomas Wilson, Plymouth (OHL).

White Team
Goaltender: Graham, Drummondville (QMJHL); Matt Murray, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Defence: Matt Finn, Guelph (OHL); Slater Koekkoek, Peterborough (OHL); Marcus McIvor, Brampton (OHL); Dominic Poulin, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); Ryan Pulock, Brandon (WHL); Morgan Rielly, Moose Jaw (WHL); Nicholas Walters, Everett (WHL).
Forwards: Luca Ciampini, Halifax (QMJHL); Brendan Gaunce, Belleville (OHL); Brendan Leipsic, Portland (WHL); Justin Kea, Saginaw (OHL); Brandon Magee, Victoria (WHL); Matia Marcantuoni, Kitchener (OHL); Chris Marchese, Erie (OHL); Ryan Olsen, Saskatoon (WHL); Connor Rankin, Tri-City (WHL); Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat (WHL); Tyrel Seaman, Brandon (WHL); Robert Trzonkowski, Calgary (WHL).

Some of the best up-and-coming, young hockey players will take to the ice in Windsor at the end of this year, for the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

On Wednesday, Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Ontario Hockey Federation, announced the Ontario city will host the annual tournament from December 29, 2011 to January 4, 2012. This will mark the sixth time in the 26-year history of the tournament that it will be held in Ontario.

“The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, as the first step of the Program of Excellence, is one of Hockey Canada’s most important events,” says Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “We have no doubt Windsor will do a first-class job in hosting the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in 2012.”

The 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will follow the same format as previous years – five Canadian entries (Atlantic, Ontario, Pacific, Quebec, West) will be joined by five international teams, with two groups of five teams. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, while the remaining three teams from each group will cross over for placement games.

The 27-game tournament will be centered out of the WFCU Centre, home of the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires, but will feature games in partner venues. The tournament host committee is currently working with communities in the Windsor area to determine which will host satellite games.

Ticket information for the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will be released later in the summer.

Hockey Canada originally awarded the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, along with the 2011 tournament, to Winnipeg, Man., in October 2009.The 2011 tournament was a tremendous success, setting a record for single-game attendance with 12,060 at the MTS Centre for the gold medal game. However, with the recent awarding of an NHL franchise to the City of Winnipeg and True North Sports and Entertainment, Hockey Canada and True North mutually agreed for True North to put its focus on the return of the Jets and made the decision to relocate the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Since the first World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (then known as the Quebec Esso Cup) in 1986, more than 1,100 NHL draft picks have played in the tournament, including nine of the last 11 first-overall selections (Ilya Kovalchuk, 2001; Rick Nash, 2002; Marc-André Fleury, 2003; Alexander Ovechkin, 2004; Erik Johnson, 2006; Patrick Kane, 2007; John Tavares, 2009; Taylor Hall, 2010; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 2011).

Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting, who was the OHL’s Rookie of the Year for the 2010-11 season, is one of 36 prospects for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft that have been invited to the NHL's research and development camp. PHOTO BY CHL IMAGES

Nearly 40 top prospects for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft will skate during the 2011 NHL Research, Development and Orientation Camp next month.

The National Hockey league will host the camp August 17-18 at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, and 36 of the top-rated players for next year’s draft have accepted invitations to participate and will showcase their playing skills as the league puts the on-ice game under the microscope with a myriad of proposed new rules, rink markings and strategies.

Participating players were selected by NHL Central Scouting and rank high on the 2012 Futures Lists. The talented group of skaters and goaltenders from the Canadian Hockey League, United States Hockey League, United States colleges and Central Canada Hockey League (Junior A) will show off their playing skills to general managers and talent evaluators from around the league in a unique best-on-best setting that commences their draft-eligible seasons.

Dan Byslma, head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Dave Tippetthead coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, along with NHL Hockey Operations staff will lead the players over the course of two days as they test a number of proposed rules changes, rink markings and strategies.

The following players have confirmed their participation:

Goalies: Daniel Althsuller, Nepean (CCHL); Chris Driedger, Calgary (WHL); Collin Olson, U.S. Under-18 (USHL); Malcolm Subban, Belleville (OHL).

Defence: Cody Ceci, Ottawa (OHL); Gianluca Curcuruto, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL); Matthew Dumba, Red Deer (WHL); Nick Ebert, Windsor (OHL); Jeremie Fraser, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL); Alex Gudbranson, Kingston (OHL); Michael Matheson, Dubuque (USHL); Ryan Murray, Everett (WHL); Derrick Pouliot, Portland (WHL); Morgan Rielly, Moose Jaw (WHL); Jordan Schmaltz, Sioux City (USHL); Jacob Trouba, U.S. Under-18 (USHL).

Centre: Andreas Athanasiou, London (OHL); Matthew Campagna, Sudbury (OHL); Cameron Darcy, U.S. Under-18 (USHL); Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia (OHL); Brendan Gaunce, Belleville (OHL); Zemgus Girgensons, Dubuque (USHL); Scott Laughton, Oshawa (OHL); Jarrod Maidens, Owen Sound (OHL); Matia Marcantuoni, Kitchener (OHL); Daulton Siwak, Red Deer (WHL).

Left Wing: Francis Beauvillier, Rimouski (QMJHL); Raphael Bussieres, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL); Phillip Di Giuseppe, University of Michigan (CCHA); Nicolas Kerdiles, U.S. Under-18 (USHL); Andrew Ryan, Halifax (QMJHL); Chris Tierney, London (OHL).

Right Wing: Martin Frk, Halifax (QMJHL); Scott Kosmachuk, Guelph (OHL); Colton Sissons, Kelowna (WHL); Nail Yakupov, Sarnia (OHL).

“The National Hockey League is coming off another thrilling season that reinforced our view that our game is thriving on the ice,” Brendan Shanahan, NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations, said in a statement. “However, we remain committed to observing trends, studying our game regularly and testing new ideas to ensure it keeps getting better. The Research, Development & Orientation Camp provides a perfect environment to do those things while introducing many of our top prospects to pro hockey.”

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog and Jonathan Huberdeau all sparkled at the inaugural NHL RDO Camp in August 2010 before becoming the top three selections in the 2011 NHL Draft last month.

“While our inaugural Research, Development and Orientation Camp was a great success, we expect to make this year’s event even better,” Shanahan said. “We again will assemble a remarkable percentage of the top talents eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft. And this year, we’re providing them with the guidance of two of our League’s outstanding current coaches, Dan Bylsma and Dave Tippett.”

A player’s presence certainly makes teams take note. Last season, for example, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Patrick Koudys received an invite, and the Washington Capitals, who drafted him last month 147^th overall, said they took note of him there.

“He played very well when they brought in the top prospects early in the year to Toronto when they were working on some of the rule changes,” Ross Mahoney, Caps director of amateur scouting, told Mike Vogel, a writer for the Caps at http://dumpnchase.com. “The NHL brought in (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins and a lot of these top prospects, and Patrick was there for that and I thought he played well. We saw him in Tier II the year before; he had a good year there.”

The NHL says agendas detailing which rules will be tested in each individual scrimmage as well as players participating will be released at a later date.

Hockey Canada, along with the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship host committee, has announced the schedule for the tournament, which runs from December 26, 2011 through January 5, 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton, Alta.

Groups were set based on the previous IIHF World Junior Championship results and were announced and assigned to Calgary and Edmonton in early January 2011. Group A, hosted in Calgary from December 26-31, features the defending gold medalists from Russia along with Latvia, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland. Group B, hosted in Edmonton, will feature host Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland and the United States.

Canada will open its Group B schedule against Finland in Edmonton on Monday, December 26. Canada’s preliminary round schedule at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship is as follows:

Monday, December 26, 2011- 1:30 p.m.  Canada vs. Finland, Edmonton, Alta.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011- 6 p.m.  Canada vs. Czech Republic, Edmonton, Alta.
Thursday, December 29, 2011- 6 p.m.  Canada vs. Denmark, Edmonton, Alta.
Saturday, December 31. 2011- 6 p.m.  Canada vs. USA, Edmonton, Alta.

A full schedule is available at http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/171058/la_id/1/season_id/170838/view_season/1.htm.

The medal game schedule for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship is as follows:

Monday, January 2, 2012- 3 p.m. Quarter-final, Calgary, Alta.; 7 p.m. Quarter-final, Calgary, Alta.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012- 3 p.m. Semifinal, Calgary, Alta.; 7 p.m. Semifinal, Calgary, Alta.
Thursday, January 5, 2012- 1:30 p.m. Bronze medal game, Calgary, Alta.; 6 p.m. Gold medal game, Calgary, Alta.

Highlights of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship schedule include aCanada-United States New Year’s Eve match-up in Edmonton on December 31, 2011, and arematch of the Russia-Sweden semifinal from the 2011 World Junior Championship on December 31 in Calgary (Russia came from behind to tie the game and then won the game in overtime to advance to the gold medal game against Canada).

The 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship will mark the 10th time that Canada has hosted the IIHF World Junior Championship. For more information on Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, visit www.HockeyCanada.ca/2012Juniors or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/worldjuniors and www.twitter.com/hc_wjc.

The Western Hockey League welcomes some royalty to its ranks.

The Victoria Royals is the official name of the new Victoria franchise in the WHL. The team name was announced Monday, and ownership also unveiled the logo, team colours and dark jersey at a press conference at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

The name Royals was chosen after an in depth study of possible names was concluded. Fans were given a voice in the process through internet voting, emailing and social media sites. The combination of fan input along with internal and external sources determined the moniker. Continue reading →

By Scott Rosts

Draft day is nearly here, and the speculation has started.

Who will be No. 1?

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels, pictured during the Home Hardware CHL Top Prospects Game, is one of the top prospects for this year's NHL Entry Draft. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

Larsson? Nugent-Hopkins? Landeskog?

There is a lot of debate over who will be the No. 1 pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft, set to begin Friday in Minnesota. Here is The Junior Report’s take on the opening round. This is not a listing of the top-30 available prospects. Otherwise this list would likely be in a different order. What it is, however, is The Junior Report’s take on who each team could (and should, in our opinion) be looking at, and in most cases, why.

The Junior Report’s Mock Draft – Round 1

1- Edmonton Oilers – Adam Larsson, D: Considered by some the best player in the draft, Larsson is definitely one of the top blueliners – something Edmonton could use. Size, offensive ability, and the opportunity to anchor the defense well into the future, he would be a top-notch defensive prospect for the Oilers – something they haven’t picked the past three years with Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi.

2- Colorado Avalanche – Gabriel Landeskog, LW: The Avs have some depth at centre, and this winger is considered to be a power forward that is NHL ready. How good would he look alongside Stastny or Duchene?

3- Florida Panthers – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C: Likely the most well-rounded and dynamic player in the draft. Florida would be lucky to have him at No. 3 – he is crafty, has great vision, and will provide much needed offense for the Panthers.

4- New Jersey Devils – Dougie Hamilton, D: The Devils haven’t made a top-10 pick in 15 years, and they could pull a surprise pick with Hamilton, who would provide them a top-quality defensive prospect. While he has NHL size, he will need some seasoning, but he has real upside as an all-round blueliner who can play in all situations.

5- New York Islanders – Sean Couturier, C: Couturier would help bolster the middle for the Islanders, becoming a great No. 2 centre behind their top gun, John Tavares. He has size, strength and is likely one of the top playmakers in this year’s draft.

6- Ottawa Senators – Jonathan Huberdeau, C: Huberdeau’s stock rose with a huge run in the playoffs, which ended with a Memorial Cup win, and Memorial Cup MVP honours. The Sens are missing a talented centre in their prospect pool, and Huberdeau provides, speed, skill and scoring.

7- Winnipeg – Ryan Strome, C: Strome had a huge year for the Niagara IceDogs, which enhanced his draft stock immensely. He is a goal scorer, which this club could desperately use.

8- Columbus Blue Jackets – Ryan Murphy, D: The Jackets already have their top forward from last year’s draft – Portland power forward Ryan Johansen – and now they could add a talented blueliner to bolster that area. Murphy offers tremendous overall skill, on both ends of the ice, including the ability to be a quarterback on the powerplay.

9- Boston Bruins – Nathan Beaulieu, D: Not only does Boston have plenty of forwards in its prospect pipeline, but it also has an aging defensive core. He is a skilled puck mover, has speed, and a lot of offensive upside. His stock likely rose with Saint John’s Memorial Cup run.

10- Minnesota Wild – Mika Zibanejad, C: This power forward quietly climbed the prospect ranks during the last half of the season. He would provide the Wild another strong centre prospect, with Mikael Granlund already in the system.

11- Colorado Avalanche – Duncan Siemens, D: With a top-three forward earlier, the Avs can boost the defense with their second pick with Siemens, a big, skilled and strong blueliner. Well-balanced game, with a powerful shot which would provide a boost to powerplay.

12- Carolina Hurricanes- Jamie Oleksiak, D: A big blueliner, but he also has mobility. Would add some power to the Carolina blueline, which could use some depth.

13- Calgary Flames- Sven Bartschi, LW: A skilled winger, he would provide some offense that the Flames could use. Had a huge year for Portland, playing alongside two of last year’s top draft picks – Ryan Johansen and Nino Niederreiter. Some suggest he could go higher, so he would be a great pick at this point.

14- Dallas Stars- Jonas Brodin, D: The Stars lack a skilled defenseman, and missed out when overlooking Cam Fowler last year. Brodin, at 17, already logged 42 games in the Swedish Elite League and showed an ability to play a dynamic game.

15- New York Rangers- Mark McNeill, C: McNeill would provide the Rangers with skill and size up the middle. A big, two-way player who can score and has a lot of offensive potential and upside. The Rangers need a goal scorer in the system, and McNeill, if he continues to improve even more, will be able to fill that need.

16- Buffalo Sabres- Joel Armia, RW: A big, skilled forward who had a strong first year in the top Finnish league. The Sabres have some talented power forwards in the system, but Armia would provide the Sabres with a highly-skilled forward, with scoring ability.

17- Montreal Canadiens- Boone Jenner, C: The Habs can use a big, gritty forward and Jenner can fill that role. He plays a solid two-way game, and can play in virtually any situation, and will further develop into a power forward the Habs could use.

18- Chicago Blackhawks- Thomas Jurco, RW: Jurco offers skill, with particularly sweet hands, and could be quite the playmaker. Dynamic, and would add some depth to the Hawks offense. If you haven’t heard of him, look him up on YouTube. Exciting and talented.

19- Edmonton Oilers- Ty Rattie, RW: Just another talented forward who can score. If the Oilers go with a D-man for their first pick, then a player like Rattie would complete a successful first round. He is offensively gifted, and would be just another great forward prospect for the Oilers.

20- Phoenix Coyotes- Brandon Saad, LW: Saad is a power forward with grit and size, but he can also contribute offensively. His size and strength are something missing in the Coyotes prospect pipeline.

21- Ottawa Senators- Alexander Khokhlachev, C: Skilled middle man had a strong first season in North America. He can help bolster the Sens’ depth at centre, and offers a lot of offensive flash and skill.

22- Anaheim Ducks- John Gibson, G: The Ducks need to retool in net, especially lacking a top prospect in goal. Gibson appears to be the best man available at that position in this year’s draft. A big, but athletic goalie.

23- Pittsburgh Penguins- Nicklas Jensen, LW/RW: The Pens can use an offensively talented winger to help with their depth. Jensen is big, speedy and can shoot the puck well. He would complement the Pens’ offensive tools well.

24- Detroit Red Wings – David Musil, D: Musil offers strong positional play. He has size but remains mobile. Musil, whose father was an NHLer, is capable of being a sturdy, shutdown defenseman. Much of their core of top prospects are forwards.

25- Toronto Maple Leafs – Zack Phillips, C: One of the positions the Leafs are lacking is talented centres. Phillips is a playmaker who had a big season for the QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs, with nearly 100 points – he certainly can fill that need for the Leafs. He has some grit and toughness to go with that skill – which Brian Burke likes.

26- Washington Capitals – Oscar Klefbom, D: A big blueliner who can move the puck and has a big shot. Will take time to develop, but Washington seems to have no problem with that when you look at the success of its AHL team, and the numerous Caps draftees who have suited up there before joining the big club.

27- Tampa Bay Lightning – Shane Prince, C: Prince has gone underrated, but ripped up the OHL this season. Prince has speed, can skate well and has a good shot, and would translate into an offensive forward in the NHL. Will need to answer questions of consistency, however, especially after a lack of production in his team’s brief playoff appearance.

28- San Jose Sharks – Matt Puempel, LW: San Jose will look for the best player left, and Puempel could be right there. He missed action due to hip surgery this season, but still managed career highs in goals, assists and points. He has natural talent and has proven he can score consistently. He will be another talented forward San Jose could add to its system and would be a great complement to a Couture or Pavelski.

29- Vancouver Canucks – Scott Mayfield, D: A stay-at-home defenceman with size, skill and vision. He isn’t afraid to hit, and has a nasty side to his game. Particularly if the Canucks dont resign a player like Kevin Bieksa, Mayfield can fit that type of mould.

30- Toronto Maple Leafs – Tyler Biggs, RW: When he was hired, Leafs GM Brian Burke said his team would have high levels of “pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence.” Biggs is his type of player. Not afraid to use his body or drop the gloves, he has size, strength and will be a power forward in the NHL one day. He also shows some skill offensively.

ON THE FRINGE: Other players to keep an eye on, who could crack the top-30 are centre Rocco Grimaldi, defenceman Joe Morrow, centre Mark Scheifele, winger Rickard Rakell, defenceman Connor Murphy and goaltender Christopher Gibson.

What do you think? Send us a message on Twitter, or drop us a line on our Facebook page.

The Lewiston MAINEiacs franchise will be bought out by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, opening the door for an expansion team from Sherbrooke.

The decision was announced Tuesday afternoon by QMJHL Commissioner Gilles Courteau, following a vote from league members. The financial terms were not disclosed.

“Following a vote from league embers, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is purchasing the Lewiston MAINEiacs franchise,” said Courteau. “Therefore, the franchise will be dissolved and the players submitted to a special draft which will in most likelihood be held on Friday. I am disappointed for the fans in Lewiston. The MAINEiacs enjoyed some very good moments, including a President Cup championship in 2007. I know that Mark Just and his ownership group did all that they could to save the franchise, but the situation was no longer viable.”

Details surrounding a special dispersal draft will be unveiled as soon as they become available.

“I am truly sad for MAINEiacs fans,” added majority owner Mark Just. “For those that supported the team over the past few years, I would like to thank you. Nonetheless, mounting financial losses became too much to bear for our ownership group.”

The commissioner also announced that following the 2011-12 season an expansion team will be awarded to a group of investors which is led by former QMJHL and NHL all-star Jocelyn Thibault. The team will begin play in the 2012-13 season and will play its games at the Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet in the city of Sherbrooke.

“The QMJHL is very excited to welcome Sherbrooke back into its fold,” said Courteau. “With strong local ownership, I am convinced that major junior hockey will once again flourish in Sherbrooke.

In the next few days, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will work toward completing a seventeen team 2011-12 regular season schedule.

It’s an important week for young hockey players from across the globe.

The National Hockey League opened its annual scouting combine Monday. From May 30 to June 4, 102 draft-eligible hockey players will go through a battery of physical, mental and medical tests in front of scouts and other personnel from NHL teams. How they perform in interviews, or their physical tests, could ultimately play a role in where they get drafted in next month’s NHL Entry Draft.

Included in that list are a handful of players who have been touted as possible No. 1 picks. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog and Adam Larsson are all going to go through the annual process, which takes place in Toronto.

Nugent-Hopkins has been ranked No. 1 by NHL’s Central Scouting, after finishing the season with 31 goals and 75 assists, for 106 points in 69 games. He impressed during the Canadian Hockey League’s Top Prospects Game in January, as well, being named Player of the Game, and most recently he was named the Top Draft Prospect by the CHL at its annual awards.

Central Scouting’s Peter Sullivan recently told NHL.com there is high praise around the NHL for Nugent-Hopkins.

“A couple of people high up in the Oilers’ organization — and I’m not naming names — said Hopkins has the best vision on the ice since No. 99 (Wayne Gretzky),” Sullivan said, adding “he never takes a night off and he works as hard in his own end as he does in the offensive zone. It takes a special player with special skills to be able to do that.”

The NHL Entry Draft will take place June 24-25 at Xcel Energy Center, home to the Minnesota Wild. The first round takes place at 7 p.m. on June 24, with the remainder of the draft taking place the next day. The top five picks belong to the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders.

The following is the list of invitees to this year’s combine, according to NHL.com:

Continue reading →

Devante Smith-Pelly scored a pair of goals to lead the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors to a berth in the Memorial Cup final Friday night.

Devante Smith-Pelly of the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors celebrates one of his two goals to help lift the Memorial Cup hosts to the tournament final. The Majors defeated the Kootenay Ice 3-1 in the semi-final game Friday, and now face the Saint John Sea Dogs on Sunday. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

Smith-Pelly helped lift the host Majors to a 3-1 victory in the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup semi-final game at the Hershey Centre. The Majors now move on to face the Saint John Sea Dogs in Sunday’s Memorial Cup final.

Mississauga finished the first with a 1-0 lead, thanks to Smith-Pelly’s powerplay marker just over a minute into the game. He later added his second at 17:40 of the second period to give the Majors a 2-0 lead.

The Ice, however, were able to find the back of the net with just two tenths of a second left in the second period, when Joe Antilla slid the puck past Majors netminder J.P. Anderson.

In the third, both goaltenders shut the door, with Anderson turning away 14 shots – nearly half of the shots he faced all night – and Kootenay’s Nathan Lieuwen made eight saves. Chris DeSousa of the Majors rounded out the scoring, making it 3-1 with an empty-net goal with less than a minute to play.

The Memorial Cup final goes Sunday night as the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors battle the Saint John Sea Dogs live on Rogers Sportsnet and RDS starting at 7 pm. Viewers in the U.S. can tune into the NHL Network to see the action on Sunday night.

The Sea Dogs, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champs, qualified for the final by going 2-1-0 in round-robin play, including a 4-3 win against the Majors in the tournament opener.

Notes: Sunday’s final will be the host Majors’ first sell out of the season… The Sea Dogs have an incredible 12-1 record on the road in their playoffs and Cup run… Justin Shugg of the Majors will be in the hunt for his third-straight Memorial Cup title. The Carolina Hurricanes draft pick won back-to-back CHL championships with the Windsor Spitfires before being traded to Mississauga during the off-season… Russian Maxim Kitsyn has a shot at one of junior hockey’s great achievements – world junior gold and Memorial Cup title in the same season. Kitsyn, a Los Angeles Kings prospect, won a gold at the World Juniors in Buffalo in January, and instead of heading home with his Russian teammates, he joined the Majors right after.

And then there were three.

The stage is set for the Memorial Cup’s championship weekend. On Thursday night the Kootenay Ice eliminated the Owen Sound Attack in a tiebreaker game, clinching a spot in Friday night’s semi-final against the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. The winner of that game will face the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Memorial Cup final on Sunday. The Sea Dogs, winners of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League title this season, clinched a berth in the finals on Monday night.

Jacob DeSerres and his Saint John Sea Dogs teammates have clinched a berth in Sunday's Memorial Cup final. They will play the winner of the Kootenay Ice vs. Mississauga St. Michael's Majors semi-final game to take place Friday. De Serres has been strong in net for Saint John, with a record of 2-0 and a goals-against average of 2.18. PHOTO BY AARON BELL/CHL IMAGES

On Thursday night the Ice battled back from a two-goal deficit to win 7-3 over the Attack. Owen Sound opened with two goals in the first period, but Kootenay battled back to make it 3-2 in their favour after the second period. Owen Sound found the back of the net again in the third, but the Ice added four more in the final frame – one an empty netter – to win the game 7-3. Matt Fraser and Cody Eakin led the way for the Ice, tallying two goals and an assist. The Ice enter the semi-final with a record of 2-2-0.

The Ice will face the Majors on Friday night. The Majors clinched a semi-final berth on Wednesday, when they enjoyed some redemption against the Owen Sound Attack. The Majors, who lost the OHL final to the Attack, won 3-1on Wednesday to claim their spot in the semis. Rob Flick had the game-winning goal for the Majors, while netminder JP Anderson turned away 21 shots for the victory. The Majors go into the semis with a 2-1-0 record and they have the fewest goals against, with just six goals against in their three games. Devante Smith-Pelly leads the Majors with four points in three games.

The winner of the Majors-Ice battle will face the Sea Dogs, who clinched their spot in the finals on Monday night after a 3-2 win over the Attack, in the finals. The Sea Dogs lost just one of their three games – an overtime loss to Owen Sound on Tuesday – to finish with a 2-0-1 record. Thomas Jurco is leading the Sea Dogs in scoring, with four goals and an assist in three games. Jonathan Huberdeau and Michael Kirkpatrick have four points each. Netminder Jacob DeSerres has a goals-against average of 2.18, and was undefeated in his two games of action for Saint John.

The Memorial Cup final is set to take place Sunday, May 29 at 7 p.m. at the Hershey Centre.

The bench boss who will lead Canada’s 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships entry will be announced today.

At 2 p.m. MT, Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League will announce the coaching staff that will lead Canada’s squad during the IIHF World Junior Championship, set to take place December 26, 2011 to January, 5, 2011, in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta.

The Globe and Mail is reporting Don Hay will be named head coach. The Vancouver Giants head coach will return to the bench after coaching Canada to a gold medal in 1995 with a team that was stocked with talent that included Bryan McCabe, Wade Redden, Ryan Smyth and numerous others.

Canada will be looking to reclaim gold in 2012, after winning silver the past two years.

The 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup is underway, and the rosters on this year’s

teams are filled with future NHLers.

The rosters for this year's Memorial Cup are stocked with players who are draft eligible in 2011, or who have already been drafted by NHL clubs. PHOTO BY CHL IMAGES

The host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, Kootenay Ice (WHL champs), Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL champs) and the Owen Sound Attack (OHL champs) feature 25 players who were recently drafted by NHL clubs, and 17 players that are eligible for the 2011 National Hockey League Entry Draft and have been ranked by the NHL’s Central Scouting.

Here is a rundown on players who have already been drafted, along with those who are draft eligible:

Kootenay Ice: Brayden McNabb, BUF-66th in 2009; Cody Eakin, WSH-85th in 2009; Max Reinhart, CGY-64th in 2010; Joey Leach, CGY-73rd in 2010; Drew Czerwonka, EDM-166th in 2010; John Neibrandt, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 170; Jagger Dirk, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 188.

Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors: Casey Cizikas, NYI-92nd in 2009; Brett Flemming, WSH-145th in 2009; Maxim Kitsyn, LA-158th in 2009; Devante Smith-Pelly, ANA -42nd in 2010; Justin Shugg, CAR-105th in 2010; Rob Flick, CHI-120th in 2010; Gregg Sutch, BUF-143rd in 2010; Stuart Percy, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 53; Joseph Cramarossa, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 63; Dylan DeMelo, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 121.

Owen Sound Attack: Jesse Blacker, TOR-58th in 2009; Garrett Wilson, FLA-107th in 2009; Michael Zador, TB-148th in 2009; Scott Stajcer, NYR-140th in 2009; Joey Hishon, COL-17th in 2010; Geoffrey Schemitsch, TB-96th in 2010; Jordan Binnington, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 3 goalie; Andrew Fritsch, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 84; Kevin Cutting, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 87.

Saint John Sea Dogs: Jacob DeSerres, PHI-84th in 2008; Simon Després, PIT-30th in 2009; Éric Gélinas, NJ-54th in 2009; Steven Anthony, VAN-187th in 2009; Stanislav Galiev, WSH-86th in 2010; Mathieu Corbeil-Thériault, CBJ-102nd in 2010; Stephen MacAulay, STL-164th in 2010; Jonathan Huberdeau, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 3; Nathan Beaulieu, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 5; Zack Phillips, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 15; Tomas Jurco, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 20; Scott Oke, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 44; Ryan Tesink, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 47; Gabriel Bourret, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 92; Aidan Kelly, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 94; Jason Cameron, 2011 eligible-ranked No. 124.

The Ontario Hockey League draft is underway, as the next wave of young future stars prepare for the next chapter of their hockey careers.

The draft started Saturday at 9 a.m., but the Barrie Colts announced yesterday they would take Aaron Ekblad with the opening pick of the draft. You can follow the draft live online, at the Ontario Hockey League website,at http://ohldraft.ilap.com/ps2011/

Aaron Ekblad of the Sun County Panthers, centre, was the top pick of the Ontario Hockey League draft by the Barrie Colts. Photo by CHL Images

Here are results from the opening round:

1. Barrie Colts – Aaron Ekblad – D – Sun County Panthers
2. Peterborough Petes – Nick Ritchie – LW – Toronto Marlboros
3. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – Darnell Nurse – D – Don Mills Flyers
4. Sarnia Sting – Ryan Kujawinski – C – Sudbury Jr. Wolves
5. Belleville Bulls – Jordan Subban – D – Toronto Marlboros
6. Sudbury Wolves – Nick Baptiste – RW – Ottawa Jr. Senators
7. Brampton Battalion – Brandon Robinson – LW – Toronto Jr. Canadiens
8. Kingston Fronteanacs – Max Domi – C – Don Mills Flyers
9. London Knights – Bo Harvat – C – Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs
10. Guelph Storm – Hunter Garlent – C – Welland Tigers
11. Plymouth Whalers – Mitchell Dempsey – LW – Cambridge Hawks
12. Erie Otters – Stephan Harper – LW – Burlington Eagles
13. Windsor Spitfires – Jordan Malleta – C – St. Catherines Falcons
14. Kitchener Rangers – Brent Pedersen – LW – Waterloo Wolves
15. Saginaw Spirit – Nick Moutry – LW – York Simcoe Express
16. Oshawa Generals – Cole Cassels – F – Ohio Blue Jackets (USA)
17. Ottawa 67′s – David Perklin – LW – Toronto Marlboros
18. Mississauga St. Michaels Majors – Spencer Martin – G – Toronto Jr. Canadiens
19. Niagara IceDogs – Adam Bateman – D – Don Mills Flyers
20. Owen Sound Attack – Zach Nastasiuk – RW – Barrie Jr. Colts
21. Mississauga St. Michaels Majors – Scott Teskey – RW – Toronto Jr. Canadiens
22. Barrie Colts – Alex Yuill – D – Quinte Red Devils

The Ontario Hockey League is gearing up for its draft.

The 2011 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection, presented by State Farm, takes place this Saturday May 7, beginning at 9 a.m. and can be followed online at www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

It is the fourth straight year that media and fans can watch the first three rounds live on the 2011 OHL Priority Selection Draft Show presented by State Farm beginning at 9 a.m. Host Terry Doyle will be joined on set by Phoenix Coyotes amateur scout and former Peterborough Petes general manager Jeff Twohey, and GTA Scout Tim Cherry of OHL Central Scouting to provide analysis, interviews, and video footage of the next wave of OHL stars.

The OHL’s Priority Selection preview and media guide is currently available onlien at the OHL website. The document features a complete list of all players eligible for the 2011 OHL Priority Selection, full order of selection, prospect profiles with 2010-11 season statistics, and draft history from all 20 OHL member clubs. There is also a preview show on the OHL website, hosted by Doyle and Director of OHL Central Scouting and Player Development Rob Kitamura as they highlight 10 of the top prospects eligible for the draft on Saturday.

Last season 301 players were selected including 172 forwards, 97 defencemen, and 32 goaltenders. The Greater Toronto Hockey League led the way with 72 players selected including 15 from the Toronto Young Nationals. Seventy players were selected from the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, followed by 62 players selected from hockey programs in the United States. There were 48 players drafted from the ALLIANCE, with 24 selected from the Ottawa District Hockey Association, 13 from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association, 10 from Hockey Northwestern Ontario, and two from various other programs in Canada. A total of 175 players of the 301 selected competed at the 2010 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament. Alex Galchenyuk was selected first overall by the Sarnia Sting.

The Barrie Colts will be holding a press conference today at 3 p.m. to announce their first overall selection of the draft. It is expected they will select 15-year-old Aaron Ekblad, who was granted exceptional status, which makes him eligible for the OHL draft a year early, a few weeks ago.