9 Games In; Who Stays and Who Goes?

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are the first team in the NHL to hit the nine game point of the season. The Pens are the only team as a matter of fact but the rest of the league will have caught up to them in the next couple of days. And that's when it gets interesting for a number of rookies around the NHL.

By my count there are 15 players left who could theoretically be sent to the CHL. Many of the 15 are definitely not headed that way as they have come from Europe or NCAA and so would either be assigned to the AHL or simply return overseas.

Still, here's a quick rundown of the 15 players to watch and whether I think they get the red tag in their locker or not.

Rookie Watch: Columbus Blue Jackets

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Each Day until September 15th TPS will take a look at one team from the East and one team from the West and spotlight a few rookies to watch for this season. Today in the West it’s the Columbus Blue Jackets.

What you missed on Tuesday NIght!!

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Tonight Guy and I chatted with prospects from 2 NHL teams, welcomed back our CHL insider, spoke to the voice of the Portland Winterhawks, and checked in with the UND Fighting Sioux. We also teed up our upcoming charity auctions where you can win a trip for 2 to Jasper Park Lodge, a Moosehead prize pack and an autographed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins jersey.

All the proceeds from our charity auctions will go towards the people of Slave Lake and here's what you can win. 2 nights at the amazing Jasper Park Lodge, 2 rounds of golf at the Stanley Thompson designed course, and a $200 spa package, with breakfast each morning. Tune in Saturday morning 10-noon MST to get your hands on a sweet prize pack and help out the fine folks in Slave Lake who were ravaged by fire this spring.

Tuesday Night On TPS

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Tuesday night we welcomed the top rated goalie (by NHL central scouting) for the NHL draft, a GM fresh off firing his head coach, a Commissioner turned head coach and our CHL insider with news of the Chilliwack Bruins potential sale and relocation.

Coaching Changes, top ranked goalie, and CHL playoffs tonight on TPS

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Tonight we'll find out from Seattle G.M. Russ Farwell why he made his coaching change today, and what the TBirds need to do in order to get back into the WHL post season.

We'll also speak with new Michigan State University head coach Tom Anastos about leaving his post as Commish of the CCHA to become a head coach, and what the new Big Ten Hockey Conference will do for College hockey.

The top ranked goaltender according to NHL Central Scouting is John Gibson of the U.S. National Development team. He'll try and lead the States to another gold medal at the U18 World Championship next month.

Guy and I will debate on who the best player in the WHL is right now...Ryan Johanssen of Portland or Brayden Schenn of Saskatoon, as well as what we think is the best story line in the WHL post season right now.

And our CHL insider Sam Cosentino will fill us in on what the big stories are in the OHL and QMJHL.

7-9 pm mst on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton or online here.

WHL Playoff Notes:Rebels grab 2-0 lead

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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins wasn't the main story on Saturday night, but he did get the party started for fans at the Enmax Centrium. RNH and Andrej Kudrna picked up Saturday where Friday ended with Nugent-Hopkins 3rd straight goal going back to game 1. After that the Oil Kings did a pretty good job of shutting down and targeting physically the budding star for most of the night. It was Brett Ferguson and Adam Kabeitz who did the damage instead. Both had 3 points as the Rebels grabbed a 2-0 lead in the series. The shots were even at 28, but that was about it, as Edmonton's power play is sputtering. It's 0-9 in the two games and only has clicked once all season vs. Red Deer. The Series shifts to Edmonton for game 3 Monday night (TEAM 1260, SHAW TV)

CHL Goes High Tech, Johansen Signs With Jackets

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The Canadian Hockey League unveiled their new websites today, with every team coming under one umbrella...finally. In the past there were some terribly outdated sites that lacked information. Even the 3 different league sites (WHL, OHL, QMJHL) were miles apart when it came to consistency. All the details can be found here.

Meanwhile Columbus has signed 2009 4th overall pick Ryan Johansen to an entry level contract. Aaron Portzline has the details here. I agree with Aaron that it's unlikely Johansen will stick with the Jackets this year, which is a relief to everyone in Portland where the centre will continue to develop in the WHL. It sounds like the Islanders will keep Johansen's Winterhawk linemate Nino Neiderrieter with the big club this year, and if Johansen somehow sticks with CBJ it would decimate the Hawks high hopes this year.

Things you hear on draft day

Only a few more hours now before we know who comes out on top, Tyler or Taylor. But there are so many other interesting stories in round one and beyond.

The biggest wild card of the first round has to be Brett Connolly. He put up 30 goals as a 16 year old, but played only 16 games (putting up 19 points) because of a reoccurring hip injury. Scouts have told me if Connolly was healthy this year, he would be challenging Hall and Seguin for the top spot. So Connolly's potential is top 3, but his injury might drop him out of the top 5. Not the top 10 though. I'm told Florida has informed the Connolly camp they will be taking a defenceman, most likely Eric Gudbranson. Tampa Bay is calling the Prince George Cougars every hour it seems, trying to get a health update. Just in case he broke his hip getting out of the shower???? So the Lightning really like him. Atlanta didn't fly Connolly in for a visit, but the Minnesota Wild did, and have told the Prince George Cougar he won't get passed him if he's available. Meaning the free fall, if it happens, will end at 9.

Kirill Kabanov was on with Neilson and Chase this morning on the TEAM 1260 live from LA. It was interesting that he said one of his former agents (he's on his 3rd this year) told him to leave Moncton for the Russian Under 18 team. I have it on good authority that his father is the one who advised him to do this. Dmitry Chesnekov of yahoosports.com joined TPS recently and said compared to Kabanov's fathers, Carl Lindros might be father of the year.

Will Beau Bennett become a Predator. I know one of their scouts is pushing really hard for Nashville to take him. I guess we'll see what kind of influence he has. The scout has been able to suggest some gems in the past for Nashville.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been desperate for a centre for a long time. Today on Nielson and Chase, CBJ beat writer Aaron Portzline said Columbus might trade down. If so, would Portland's Ryan Johanssen be worth dropping down for? He finished 2nd on team scoring this year, and led them in post season points, putting up 2 more then Nino Niederriter. Johanssen has great vision and is a set up man with size. When he bulks up he could be a force with Rick Nash in a few years.

Can't wait for it all to go down. Guy and I along with Corey Graham will be your hosts for The Pipeline Show Draft Day coverage, starting at 5 pm mst on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton, where you can also listen online.

Hockey Canada U18 & U20 camps

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Hockey Canada announced the training camp invitees for it's U20 team and U18 team this week.

Take a look, any surprise omissions or additions?

We'll be speaking with one of the U20 invitees this Tuesday, a player who is also draft eligible for 2010, as Ryan Johansen of the Portland Winterhawks will join us.

Rise of the Winterhawks

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Junior hockey left Edmonton in 1976, and surfaced in Oregon as the Portland Winterhawks. A team that in it's 34 seasons has won 8 WHL Western Conference championships, 4 league titles and 2 Memorial Cups, with their last coming in 1997-98. That team featured current NHL stars Marion Hossa and Brendan Morrow, while in the past several other 'Hawks have flown to the NHL. Cam Neely, Wayne and Dave Babych, Andrew Ference and Clint Malarchuk to name a few.

However the last few years have been extremely lean for Portland, who have finished last in the U.S. division for 3 straight seasons. Two of those years the Hawks were basement dwellers for the entire league, and won just 11 games in 2007-2008.

This year, things are different for the Winterhawks, and it all started with new owner Bill Gallacher, who purchased the team just over a year ago. He made immediate changes on the bench, hiring former NHL assistant Mike Johnston, as well as former NHL player Travis Green. But with Gallacher came changes off the ice as well. Rumours of players having to buy their own sticks or travel to Canada for medical treatment have disappeared and pride is being restored to the Winterhawks.

The one benefit to finishing so low in the standings is very good bantam draft picks. Ty Rattie, and Brad Ross are contributing, as well as import draft pick Nino Niederreiter of Switzerland has people talking resurgence for Portland.

Thursday they rolled through Edmonton to the tune of a 5-2 victory. Yes the Oil Kings are without franchise defenceman Mark Pysyk as well as fellow blueliner Henrik Tervonen and forwards Clayton Cumiskey, TJ Foster and Rhett Rachinski due to injury, but that doesn't diminish how impressive the Hawks are right now.

The win moves them to the top of the entire WHL standings and it doesn't look like their ready to move off the perch anytime soon. So exactly why are the Hawks flying high again?

It starts behind the bench. The entire Portland staff was gutted last year. From coaches to trainers. Mike Johnston is using his 9 years of assistant coaching experience with L.A. and Vancouver to develop a winning attitude. Guy Flaming and I caught up with the head hawk before tonight's game. You can hear his thoughts on why he chose to coach in the WHL rather than pursue another NHL position, as well as making the transition to dealing with millionaires to teenagers, and just who some of his key players are, by clicking here.

Before I get into who impressed me tonight, think about how refreshing it might be for goaltender Kurtis Mucha? After this year, he'll have been a Hawk for 5 full seasons. He's seen it all. He also turned heads at Oilers training camp and was actually offered an AHL contract, but chose to return to Portland. That wouldn't have happened without an ownership change last year. We also spoke to Mucha before Thursday's victory and you can catch that conversation here.

Mucha is one of the reasons why Portland is on top of the WHL right now, but he's far from the only one. Thursday overage forward Chris Francis was terrific setting up 3 goals to vault him to the top of Portlands scoring leaders. He now has 15 points, just 4 back of the league leaders. Luke Walker and Spencer Bennett, Francis' linemates, were also very good picking up a goal and assist each. The trio was Portland's best line in my opinion Thursday night, but there was another impressive line, filled with youth, size and skill.

Swiss forward Nino Niederreiter at 6.02 203 lbs, Brad Ross at 6.01 173 lbs, and Ryan Johansen (from Port Moody, not Sweden) at 6.03 188 lbs make up one of the best lines in the league, and they're all likely to be drafted this June. ISS has the Swiss as an almost can't miss, ranking him 6th among WHL prospects. Ross and Johansen are 19th and 20th respectively. The 3 amigos were nearly unstoppable against Edmonton, especially on the cycle and combined for 2 goals and an assist. I was really impressed with Johansen who was used on the power play and penalty kill as well. His favorite player is Joe Thornton and he reminds me of another Joe...as in Colborne who was a Bruins first round pick in 2008 and is now at Denver University. Like Colborne did at his age, Johansen needs to fill out, but that will come in time. Niederreiter really caught Guy's eye, and I was impressed with his speed. We both like Ross' grit and he scored a beauty of a goal, burning down the left side, crossing in front of Torrie and tucking it in on the backhand.

And then there's defenceman Troy Rutkowski. The Edmonton product has 13 points so far this year. He's 6.01 and 220 lbs. One scout told us tonight he might be even better if he slims down a bit, but I was impressed, and so is ISS who have him ranked 17th.

So if you haven't picked up the theme here, check out the Hawks at a rink near you soon.