NCAA Tournament Teams Set

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All six NCAA conferences have concluded their individual playoffs and the 16 teams who will partake in the annual NCAA National Tournament bracket have been finalized. Of course the six conference champs receive automatic bids and the remaining ten spots are awarded based on the NCAA's Pairwise Rankings.

The Pairwise Rankings are a complex ratings system that ranks teams based on toughness of schedule. While it sounds like it should produce a picture perfect year end bracket, the fact is that this year's 16-team list is proof that the NCAA is using a very flawed formula.

QMJHL Playoff Preview

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The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League seems to have a different playoff format every year. Last season, they moved to four divisions, with the bottom two teams overall missing the playoffs. Teams played two series to get out of their division, with an extra team from the six-team Atlantic Division crossing over. Make sense? Don’t worry, they changed it. This year, the first round stays the same, but the teams will be re-seeded 1 to 8 for the second round. Still doesn’t make sense? Well next year, of course, it will change again, with a straight 1-16 format that will make the regular season match ups more meaningful, but set up some near-inhumane first-round series. On to this year’s match ups:

OHL Playoff Preview

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The Ontario Hockey League postseason gets underway tonight with two series dropping the puck to get it all started. While a few of the opening round match ups appear to be fairly one sided, there are also two or three that may go the distance as the two teams way a lengthy battle to move onto the second round.

On Tuesday we spoke with Sam Cosentino of Rogers Sportsnet who helped break down each series for us. Using that segment from The Pipeline Show as the basis, here is our OHL Playoff Preview...

Schroeder gone, Tikhonov back, and WHL awards

While the Oilers await a decision from Michigan State defenceman Jeff Petry, the Canucks received good news regarding prospect Jordan Schroeder who signed an entry level deal today, leaving the Minnesota Golden Gophers after 2 seasons. The Canucks release can be found here. After a terrific freshman season where he racked up 45 points in 35 games he fell to just 28 points in 37 games on a Gophers team that struggled much of the season. I would expect Schroeder to be joining the Moose for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile Viktor Tikhonov has rejoined the Phoenix Coyotes after playing in the KHL for most of the year. He was assigned to San Antonio earlier this season but then returned to Russia where he scored 14 goals in 25 games. No word whether he'll say with the Ex Jets or be sent to the Rampage. Speaking of San Antonio, Kyle Turris was supposed to join The Pipeline Show last night, but something unavoidable came up and Turris will be joining us this coming Tuesday instead.

The WHL has released it's eastern conference all stars and award nominees today. The only unanimous all star selection was Regina Pats forward and Oiler prospect Jordan Eberle. The complete list can be found here.

WHL Playoff Preview

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The Western Hockey League post season gets underway on Thursday in one series with Calgary hosting Moose Jaw. Here now is a Pipeline Show playoff preview from Guy and I.

Cougars Win WHL Draft Lottery

The WHL held it's draft lottery today in Calgary and with the most balls in the bucket, the Prince George Cougars have won the first overall pick. The Cougars who finished last in the WHL this year had 6 balls, followed by the Edmonton Oil Kings with 5, Lethbridge with 4, Seattle had 3, Regina 2 and Prince Albert 1.



And that's exactly how they teams ended up after the lottery.

1. Prince George
2. Edmonton
3. Lethbridge
4. Seattle
5. Regina
6. Prince Albert

Expect the Cougars to select Alex Forsberg with the first overall pick, and give him a chance to play with his brother Jesse in 2 years time. The now 15 year old was tied for 3rd in scoring with Beardy's of the Saskatchewan AAA Midget League this year. He tallied 26 goals, 46 assists in 44 games this year and has notched a point in 17 of his last 19 games with 31 points during the span, including a 5 point game against Prince Albert. Currently he has a point in all 6 playoff games with 7 goals and 2 assists overall.

The Pipeline Show has been grilling WHL scouts for sometime now and starting next week will come out with our weekly look at the bantam draft, that lead up to the event being held in Edmonton April 29th. Keep checking back for our reports.

This n' That - March 17th

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Due to an illness in the family I'll be leaving town for a couple of days and I wanted to unload some thoughts before I do so. Have no fear, Dean and I have WHL and OHL playoff previews already in the can which will hit your screens later today and tomorrow. Plus our pal Nathan White might have a QMJHL preview for us as well so there won't be any shortage of stuff to check out here at Coming Down the Pipe while I'm away.

But here's a handful of items that have caught my attention lately starting with a look back at the trade deadline day swap between Phoenix and Colorado...

Top 5 Tuesday: Hobey Baker Candidates

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On Thursday the NCAA will unveil the 10 players voted into the second stage of contention for the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in U.S. college hockey. The initial 71-man list was open to public vote through to March 7th. "Phase two of fan balloting will then begin on March 19th from the list of Top Ten Hobey Baker finalists. The fans’ vote accounts for a full 1% of the total ballot in each phase in selecting this year’s award recipient."

I suspect that my pre-season Hobey candidate list won't hold up, several of the players I predicted to be in contention actually had worse years than the previous season. Still, at least one guy is on my new top 5 list and I stand by my thoughts on the others... they failed to play to their potential this year, not me!

Here are my top 5 choices for guys who will be on Thursday's Hobey Baker list...

Junior and College players copy cat NHL stars

It doesn't look like hockey players at any level are learning lessons from dangerous hits and lengthy suspensions. Take your pick from the NHL from the non spendable hits from Mike Richards on David Booth or Matt Cooke on Marc Savard to the Maxime Lapierre cheap shot on Scott Nichol which earned him a 4 game suspension and just 2 days ago Alexander Ovechkin running Brian Campbell from behind that has him watching for 2 games. All 4 hits were dangerous and has the hockey world buzzing about changes to the rules.

However it's not just the pro's who are playing reckless on the ice. Mike Liambas and Patrice Cormier were both suspended for the remainder of their OHL and QMJHL seaons respectively for head shots. Marco Scandella and Zack Kassian were also benched by their leagues, and on the weekend two more scary hits, one in the QMJHL and another in the NCAA.

Eberle to be evaluated by Hockey Canada

I reported it last night on Global Sports, and today Falcons head coach Rob Daum confirmed on the TEAM 1260 that Oilers prospect Jordan Eberle (photo courtesy Springfield Falcons) will be in Springfield tomorrow. I'm told Hockey Canada officials will monitor his play and that he could receive an invite to play for Canada at the World Hockey Championship. Last year Eberle had 9 point in 9 games with the Falcons down the stretch and if he's anywhere near that production this time around he'll likely get a late call up from the Oilers. I just spoke to Eberle and he'll join Guy and myself for a quick conversation Tuesday night shortly after 7 pm MST. More details here.

Oil Kings GM Bob Green was in Phoenix last week watching listed player Henrik Samuelsson. The Oil Kings had hoped that his older brother Philip, whom they drafted would have come north but he ended up at Boston College and is now a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect. Henrik wasn't taken in the 2009 WHL draft but shortly after the Oil Kings listed him. Bob Green is very high on the 6.02, 193 pound forward who plays for the PF Chang Midget program in Arizona and has a cannon for a shot. Sameulsson attended Oil Kings training camp last year and last week was invited to attend the United States national development camp for it's U17 team, the camp takes place March 27-30.

In all 3 CHL leagues the regular season is over and all 3 leagues today announced it's playoff schedules. Click on WHL, OHL and QMJHL for each league's schedule.

Let the Petry Watch Begin

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The 7th place Michigan Wolverines have swept the 2nd place Michigan State Spartans tonight in CCHA quarterfinal action. The Wolverines posted 5-1 and 5-3 wins to oust their biggest rival not only from CCHA playoff action but in all likelihood, bumping them out of contention for an at-large bid into the 16-team NCAA tournament as well.

That won't officially be decided just yet but with the CHA now definitely getting two entries (thanks to Niagara's upset of Bemidji State on Friday) things got a lot murkier. The fact that Northern Michigan and Ferris State have both advanced to the next round won't help MSU's cause either. Both schools were below MSU on the Pairwise rankings

I've been wrong before but at this point, I can't see how the Spartans can still possibly be alive for an at-large bid which means they are done for the year. If that's true, then a few Spartans will be making pro hockey decisions ASAP.

Eberle to the World Championship? Lights Lamp for 50th time.

Hockey Night In Canada host Elliot Friedman mentioned tonight during the Oilers/Leafs game that there is a rumour out there that Jordan Eberle will be asked to play for Canada at the World Hockey Championship in Germany starting May 7th.

I haven't heard that yet but it would be terrific for Eberle to get that chance, similar to what Jonathan Toews did after the 2007 season. Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty played last year for Canada after their rookie seasons.

Whether or not Eberle gets the call from Canada, he'll certainly get hearing from the Oilers after he wraps up his season tonight against Brandon. Eberle entered the contest with 49 goals, and notched #50 in the 2nd period. The big question is whether or not the Oilers will bring him to Edmonton or send him to Springfield?

In my opinion bringing him to Rexall Place right now is wrong. Put in him the AHL and if he plays well, reward him with a call up for the last 3 games: At home to Colorado and then on the road vs LA and Anaheim. As he did last year Eberle has played a lot of hockey this year and starting him in the AHL makes sure massive expectations aren't heaped on him. Also, if he comes to Edmonton, he might just score a few game winning goals and get them out of last place!!!!

2010 Draft Prospect Nick Bjugstad

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It's been 30 years since the first high school hockey player was taken in the NHL draft as Jay North of Bloomington-Jefferson was taken by the Buffalo Sabres in the 3rd round. One year later Bobby Carpenter of St. John's prep school became the first high schooler taken in the first round when Washington called his name 3rd overall. In 1983 high school hockey was front and centre when Minnesota took Mount St. Charles left winger Brian Lawton was selected 1st overall.

Nick Bjugstad won't equal Lawton's accomplishment but he should be able to follow in the skate strides of fellow Minnesotan Nick Leddy whom the Wild took 16th overall last year. Bjugstad is the top rated high school player according to NHL central scouting and it's not hard to see why.

He's 6.05, 190 pounds and notched 35 goals in 28 games this year for Blaine High School in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Bjugstad was the Associated Press player of the year, the Metro player of the year, and is in contention for the Mr. Hockey award - the most prestigious for any high school player - this weekend. The most common words used to describe him from coaches and scouts I've talked to, are humble, character and skill. Not a bad overall package.

The Blaine bomber likes to pattern his game after San Jose's Joe Thornton.

"He makes plays like nobody else and he's a big boy and he can skate so Joe Thornton is definitely a guy I look up to."

Bjugstad's Blaine Bengals were upset in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota State Hockey Championship on Thursday and it means a very disappointing end to his high school hockey career, even though he's in grade 11. The power forward accelerated his studies to graduate early and plans on attending the University of Minnesota next year.

"I grew up watching the Gophers, it's been a dream of mine to play for them."

I'm hoping he gets chosen to play for the States at the Under 18 World Championship so we can see the big man in action. NHL central scouting has him ranked 12th among North American skaters in their mid term report. He's also the 3rd highest American born player behind Cam Fowler and Derek Forbort.

Guy touched on the future of the current Gophers coaching staff with Bjugstad who seems destined to be a Gopher. Those answers and more here.

First overall a first for Sea Dogs

Things are almost settled in the QMJHL heading into the regular season’s final weekend.

First overall has been decided, with the Saint John Sea Dogs clinching home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs with a 5-2 win over the Halifax Mooseheads Sunday.

It’s a first in team history for the fifth-year franchise, which played in front of a pair of sellout crowds (6,488) on the weekend.

“With three games left, to clinch, it feels pretty good to go into playoffs in top spot,” said 18-year-old forward Steven Anthony, a Vancouver Canucks prospect. “There’s a lot more hockey to be played, but this was our first goal to achieve to set us in motion to have home ice all throughout this playoffs.”

Head coach Gerard Gallant has obviously had success with this group in his first year behind the bench, but he’s quick to put the regular-season accomplishment behind him.

Math Atheist

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Sometimes I get jealous of the blogging community and not just because 'Lowetide' draws visitors like Disneyland or 'Oilers Nation' reminds me daily that I have zero Photoshop skills. I get jealous of the intelligence of the various QWERTY mashers out there, specifically those in the "Oilogosphere". I'm impressed by the guys who have the ability to navigate the fine print of the NHL CBA and those who have mastered the art of stats analysis for use in their blog posts.

Speaking strictly for me, I understand that there is value, probably great value, in all the stats work that's done but it doesn't hold my attention at all. I'm not trying to say that David Staples' "error stat" isn't worth the time he spends with it but just that between that new stat and "Corsi numbers" and "Qual Comps" and whatever else is out there... I quickly get headaches.

So like Calvin, I'm declaring myself to be a math atheist.