The Draft Class of 2010 (updated)

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Every week on The Pipeline Show Dean and I interview a player who is eligible for the next NHL Entry Draft. Even during the major event specials like the Frozen Four Coach's Show and Memorial Cup Coach's Show... we still reserve a segment to introduce these young NHL hopefuls to the masses. It's what we specialize in and we're pleased to have had "exclusive" interviews with most of the Top 50 ranked players for each of the last 3 or 4 years including 2010.

Some weeks we'll substitute a scout from NHL Central Scouting or an independent agency, just for another perspective. We've had plenty of NHL scouts, NHL General Managers, CHL coaches, NCAA coaches and other media folks on as well and all have contributed to our coverage of the Class of 2010.

There is just 1 edition of The Pipeline Show to go before the June 25/26th draft and you won't want to miss the June 22nd show. It's our annual 2-hour Draft Countdown special and this year has a new and exciting twist that we think you'll really appreciate.

Until Tuesday, here's a recap of what we've done this year and who we've introduced fans to so far from the Draft Class of 2010.

We began out weekly "2010 Draft Prospect of the Week" segment way back on July 28th of 2009. From that week through the end of August here is who we had on:

July 28th: Jordan Weal - Regina Pats (Photo by Greg Johnson)
August 4th: Bob Boughner - head coach Windsor Spitfires & Team Canada (Ivan Hlinka)
August 11th: Carter Camper - Undrafted free agent forward from the University of Miami.
August 18th: Jaden Schwartz - Dynamic forward who went on to win the USHL scoring title with the Tri-City Storm.
August 25th: Burke Gallimore - Saskatoon/Seattle power forward who was passed over at the 2009 draft but remains available in 2010.

September is what we consider the start of the new season for The Pipeline Show so to kick off Season 5 we kept with our tradition of calling on the guy most consider (at that time) to be the #1 ranked player for the next draft. Here's who we spoke with that month:

September 1st: Taylor Hall - Windsor Spitfires (Photo: Aaron Bell / OHL Images)
September 8th: Alex Petrovic - Defenceman with the Red Deer Rebels.
September 8th: Derek Hulak - Undrafted forward of the Saskatoon Blades, passed over in 2009 but still eligible in 2010.
September 8th: Stepan Novotny - Undrafted forward of Kelowna/Swift Current. Passed over in 2009 but still eiligible in 2010.
September 22nd: Brandon Gormley - Defenceman with the Moncton Wildcats.
September 29th: Tyler Seguin - Our first discussion with the Plymouth Whalers center.

By October, the three CHL leagues are well underway and the NCAA also kicks off it's new season in the month. The first of the monthly independent scouting agency reports come out too.

October 6th: Gerard Gallant - Head Coach of the Saint John Sea Dogs talked about his team including 2010 eligible Russian Stanislav Galiev.
October 6th: Quinton Howden - Moose Jaw Warriors forward. (Photo John Allen)
October 6th: Jeff Truitt - GM of the Moose Jaw Warriors comments on Howden and Dylan McIlrath.
October 13th: Mark Seidel - the head of independent scouting agency North American Central Scouting talks about their rankings.
October 20th: Emerson Etem - power forward with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
October 20th: Jon Merrill - D-man with the US-NTDP
October 27th: Joey Hishon - Skilled forward of the Owen Sound Attack.

November featured the 2009 World Junior A Challenge in Summerside PEI and the annual CHL vs Russia Challenge. It also afforded us the opportunity to speak with several more key figures for the 2010 NHL Draft.

November 3rd: Austin Watson - power forward with the Windsor Spitfires (now Peterborough). (Photo OHL Images)
November 10th: Shane Berschbach - Indiana Ice and TEAM USA WJAC.
November 24th: E.J. McGuire - NHL Central Scouting Director comments on their rankings.

December is always "World Junior Month" on The Pipeline Show but we always make time for another draft eligible player.

December 1st: John McFarland - Sudbury Wolves forward.
December 8th: Nino Niederreiter - Exciting forward with the Portland Winterhawks and Team Switzerland. (Photo Soobum Images)
December 8th: Ryan Johansen - Portland Winterhawks forward.
December 8th: Brad Ross - our first conversation with the Portland Winterhawks pest.
December 8th: Troy Rutkowski - Defenceman with the Portland Winterhawks.
December 8th: Cody Kunyk - Sherwood Park Crusaders forward and eventual 2009-10 Canadian Jr.A Player of the Year.
December 15th: Stanislav Galiev - Russian forward of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Calendars flipped to 2010 and we returned with first person coverage of the World Junior Championship as Dean Millard spoke with a number of players, some of interest to the NHL Draft.

January 5th: Jack Campbell - TEAM USA goaltender who stole the show.
January 5th: Nino Niederreiter - Switzerland's breakout player.
January 5th: Taylor Hall - An impact player for Canada.
January 12th: Kirill Kabanov - Moncton Wildcats forward at the midway point of the season when all was still positive. (Photo Moncton Wildcats)
January 19th: Brett Connolly - injured forward with the Prince George Cougars.
January 19th: Marty Williamson - Head Coach of the Barrie Colts where 2010 eligible Alex Burmistrov played this year.
January 26th: Cam Fowler - Windsor Spitfires defenceman.

February might be the shortest month of the year but it's the beginning of the stretch drive in junior and NCAA hockey and that means exciting times. Several players we spoke with at that point were gearing up for the playoff race in whatever league they were playing in.

February 2nd: Riley Sheahan - Canadian born forward from the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
February 9th: Beau Bennett - The top ranked Jr. A player from Canada is this BCHL forward. (Photo courtesy BCHL)
February 16th: Jaden Schwartz - We touched base again with the leading scorer in the USHL.
February 23rd: Derek Forbort - Defender with the US-NTDP who is headed to North Dakota.

In March we decided to start looking at high school players who were of interest for the June draft but began by talking with a guy who might be the first defenceman to hear his name called in 2010.

March 2nd: Erik Gudbranson - Kingston Frontenacs defenceman who has seen his stock rise during the course of the year. (Photo Aaron Bell/OHLImages)
March 2nd: Stu MacGregor - The head scout of the Edmonton Oilers comments on several key 2010 prospects.
March 9th: Nick Bjugstad - High school forward from Blaine.
March 16th: Charlie Coyle - The EJHL Rookie of the Year is considered a late 1st/early 2nd rounder.
March 23rd: Calvin Pickard - Seattle Thunderbirds netminder is one of the top goalies available in 2010.
March 30th: Brock Nelson - Another Minnesota high school player.

April brings the NCAA Frozen Four and the continuation of the CHL playoffs. It also features the World U18 Championship, the last showcase event for the vast majority of 2010 eligible prospects. The NHL Draft Lottery was held and so The Pipeline Show had a special 3-hour event.

April 6th: Jason Zucker - US-NTDP forward who also played in the WJC and U18s.
April 13th: EJ McGuire - Head of Central Scouting talked about the final rankings.
April 13th: Steve Tambellini - Edmonton GM on his thoughts after winning the NHL lottery.
April 13th: Tyler Seguin - His return to TPS was on Lottery Day. (Photo Terry Wilson OHL Images)
April 20th: Ryan Martindale - Ottawa 67s forward.
April 27th: Jack Campbell - US-NTDP netminder was unbelievable at the U18s in Belarus.

We're still in May with one more week to go. Since the CHL playoffs ended we have stepped up our interviews with 2010 guys and will continue to do so until the draft. So far in May...

May 4th: Jeff Skinner - Kitchener Rangers sniper (Photo: Aaron Bell OHL Images)
May 4th: Brad Ross - Portland Winterhawks agitator.
May 11th: Dylan McIlrath - The toughest blueliner available in 2010 comes from the Moose Jaw Warriors.
May 11th: Warren Rychel - Windsor Spitfires GM talks about Taylor Hall, Cam Fowler and Justin Shugg.
May 11th: Danny Flynn - Head Coach of the Moncton Wildcats comments on both Brandon Gormley and Kirill Kabanov.
May 18th: Mark Pysyk - Edmonton Oil Kings 2-way defenceman.
May 18th: Tyler Toffoli - Scoring forward with the Ottawa 67s.
May 18th: Justin Shugg - The other Windsor Spitfires eligible player of note.
May 18th: Gare Joyce - ESPN.com contributor with a focus on the 2010 Draft talks about Kabanov, Hall, Seguin, Gudbranson, Fowler, Gormley, Connolly and more.
May 25th: J.P. Barry - super agent with a few players eligible in 2010 like Freddie Hamilton and, not now but at the time of this interview, Kirill Kabanov.

June is obviously the stretch drive and we've been sprinting with our pre-draft interviews for the last several weeks.

June 1st: Curtis Hamilton - Power forward in Saskatoon who might be a major sleeper thanks to injuries this year. (Photo: Saskatoon Blades)
June 1st: Jarred Tinordi - Talented blueliner of the US-NTDP and son of a former NHL player.
June 1st: Sam Brittain - The top ranked player from the AJHL is the goalie headed to Denver.
June 1st: Ryan Jankowski - Assistant GM of the New York Islanders.
June 8th: Freddie Hamilton - The son of Olympic parents plays for Niagara.
June 8th: Greg McKegg - Erie Otter forward who lit it up in the second half of the OHL season.
June 8th: Kevin Sundher - The Chilliwack Bruins forward is another potential 2010 sleeper.
June 15th: Brock Beukeboom - Defenceman of the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL.
June 15th: Stephen Johns - Another stay at home, hard hitting rearguard from the US-NTDP.
June 15th: Ryan Johansen - A consensus Top-10 pick from the Portland Winterhawks.
June 15th: Tyler Pitlick - Former NCAA forward who is jumping to Medicine Hat in the WHL.
June 15th: Cam Lanigan - Goalie with the Edmonton Oil Kings who saw his stock soar in the second half of the year.
June 15th: Scott Luce - Florida Panthers draft preview with the team's head scout.
June 15th: Dmitry Chesnokov - Yahoo Sports! contributor breaks down the top Russians available in 2010.

We have one big show remaining before the Draft on June 25/26th and you won't want to miss that one. We have a special guest joining us for the entire two shows, someone who knows what it's like to prepare for a draft, who has been on the draft floor and has made the call for a NHL team. That special show goes in Tuesday June 22nd at 7-9 pm locally, 9-11 PM Eastern time. Get ready with your emails and perhaps some phone calls too and we'll dissect the Class of 2010.