Another jam packed edition of The Pipeline Show this morning as we went touched base with a CHL team in the QMJHL, the OHL and the WHL plus went across the border for the latest at the U20 camp in Lake Placid for USA. We also checked in with one of our regular CHL gurus for his take on the latest chapter in the never ending border kerfuffle between major junior and NCAA hockey.
We began today's show by having a discussion with the new head coach of the Sarnia Sting, Jacques Beaulieu. Coach Beaulieu gave us a scouting report on 2012 eligible forwards Alex Galchenyuk and Nail Yakupov (above). Next, we got the Sarnia version of the injury to incoming defenceman Connor Murphy - far shorter than the 3-4 months we've heard before today. Brett Ritchie, Brandon Maxwell and more including coach Beaulieu's son Nathan Beaulieu (MTL) and what happened in Saint John.
Next it was off to Lethbridge where we were joined by the voice of the Hurricanes, Pat Siedlecki. Do the 'Canes have the club this year to not just get back into the playoffs but to make some noise or will it be another year of being falling short for coach Rich Preston. Who will be the go-to guys, will Brandon Anderson be expected to play upwards of 60 games again? What about the two new incoming imports? Pat filled us in all of the above.
We closed the first hour of the show by speaking with Cam Russell, the General Manager of the Halifax Mooseheads. Obviously the acquisition of Nathan MacKinnon was front and center in our interview but we also discussed potential 2012 NHL 1st rounder Martin Frk (above) and the expectations surrounding him this year. How will the team be different under new head coach Dominique Ducharme compared to the last year or two? Are the Mooseheads going to follow the example of the Moncton Wildcats and try to pursue Americans to consider the Q in the near future?
Hour #2 began with a lengthy talk with Yahoo! Sports writer Neate Sager who has been his usual busy self over at Buzzing The Net. We covered his recent work that includes CHL Commissioner David Branch's stated intentions to meet with Paul Kelly (College Hockey Inc.) and discuss under the table payments to players as a lure to the CHL. We also talked about how one OHL GM let it leak out that another team's player was quietly being shopped, where Daniel Altshuller is going to end up and a top 5 list of the most likely juniors to stick in the NHL. A loaded segment.
Julie Robenhymer from Hockey Buzz was up next and she gave us her account of the U20 camp in Lake Placid. She began with her interpretation of what happened to Sarnia defenceman Connor Murphy and after speaking with the player on Friday, her outlook for his recovery is much different than his coach's. Julie also talked about who stood out to her, the battle to be the back up to Jack Campbell and also a quick rundown of the Swedish team at the event.
We closed the show talking about the win for Canada at the Ivan Hlinka tournament, a trade involving the son of a former NHLer that sees him leave the AJHL for the WHL and more.
If you missed it live you can click the archive and catch the parts you missed.
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