~
"The best team doesn't always win." - Red Berenson (head coach, Michigan Wolverines).
That about summed up the feelings of most people who watched the semi-final of the 2011 Frozen Four that saw Berenson's Wolverines upset North Dakota 2-0, abruptly ending the season for the Fighting Sioux.
At the time, UND head coach Dave Hakstol told me that it was a loss that was going to take a very long time to get over. The coach joined me on Tuesday evening's edition of TPS for a pretty candid discussion which I began by asking if he's yet gotten over that devastating defeat.
"It was one of those ends to a season, one of those losses, that I don't think you necessarily can just get over and bypass but yeah... we've turned that page and after a few days you have to turn that page and move on to the next order of business and for us that's obviously building our team and our program for this year."
I spoke at length with coach Hakstol about that process as he and the Sioux get ready for the coming year with a high turnover in player personnel, a good incoming freshmen class, the loss of one key recruit to the CHL (was he surprised?) and the hope that some former depth players will step to the fore in 2011-12.
~ The Montréal Canadiens are one of the oldest professional franchises in North American sports, even predating the creation of the modern National Hockey League. With a record 24 Stanley Cup Championships to their credit and a plethora of iconic players to have worn their sweater, the Habs are unquestionably the sport's most historic franchise.
The thought of playing for the Canadiens is a dream for many young hockey players but can also be an intimidating one as well. No hockey market is more volatile (although some may be on the same level) than Montréal as the team is covered by an army of media and are stalked by fans at every turn.
Montréal's primary minor league affiliate is the Hamilton Bulldogs, AHL champs in 2007. Currently the Bulldogs are the top team in the AHL's Western Conference.
Here is a look at the top prospects for the Montréal Canadiens.
The 2009 World Junior Championship gets underway today with 4 games, unfortunately not all are televised and those that are may or may not be available to YOU depending on where you live. I know the USA games are being carried by the NHL Network south of the border but up here at the same time we get to watch documetaries instead of actual games. Go figure.
Anyway, I decided to throw together a list of players who I have an interest in following in this year's tournament. Some on the list will be players you've heard of, some won't be. I've seen several lists from the mainstream media this week proclaiming John Tavares and Victor Hedman as "players of note" to which I say "Um... gee, thanks?"
Dean and I were proclaiming those two as players to watch LAST YEAR. It doesn't take a genius to point out that the top two rated players for 2009 are "players of note".
With that said, here's who I'm watching for this year.
Andrej Nestrasil (CZE) - He's playing in Victoriaville (QMJHL) and leads his team in scoring with 30 points in 36 games. He's only got 10 goals so far but still, he's a 6'2 195 lb 17-year-old that is enjoying a lot of success in North America already. Central Scouting and ISS consider him one of the top 2 or 3 draft eligible players from the Q but I haven't seen anyone listing him in the top 20 yet... and I'm wondering why not.
Tomas Vincour (CZE) - I see him a lot here in Edmonton but like Robin Figren last year, the Oil Kings aren't exactly top heavy when it comes to skill. I want to see what Vincour does when he's surrounded by it at the WJC. He was considered a first rounder in the summer but now seems to be appearing in the second round on most lists I've seen. A strong tournament might turn that around for him. (photo courtesy Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oil Kings)
Juha Metsola (FIN) - Frankly I'm surprised that he's not property of a NHL team already and that he was passed over twice in the NHL draft. I can understand it in his draft year because he barely played but last year he was very good for Lethbridge especially in the second half of the season and in the playoffs. He's not big but he's capable of making those spectacular athletic saves like he did against Canada in their exhibition tune up game last week. (not sure if this link will work but try here).
Harri Sateri (FIN) - If Metsola doesn't start then I assume that job will fall to the San Jose Sharks prospect. Sateri is the anti-Metsola... much bigger and more of the stereotypical technical goalie. For some reason he dropped all the way to the 4th round last year. Maybe there is a reason or maybe it was good fortune for San Jose?
Teemu Hartikainen (FIN) - "Poor man's Thomas Holmstrom", that's how Oiler scouts described him to me after the draft. That's setting the bar pretty high though so it will be interesting to see if that comparison makes any sense after watching Hartikainen play with the best in the world in his age group. He's having a decent year in the top finnish league though.
Vitaly Karamnov (RUS) - He was considered a 1st round talent in 2007 but was passed over by NHL teams because he apparently had no interest in playing in North America. Oddly enough, two months later he was skating for the Everett Silvertips. Karamnov didn't get drafted again though in 2008, one NHL exec told me that "there was no progress in his development" during his WHL season. Karamnov went back to Russia and is now playing a small role with Moscow Dynamo in the KHL. (photo courtesy Everett Silvertips)
Sweden (SWE) - Honestly... with so many 2009 eligible players on the team as well as already drafted guys like Jacob Markstrom, Erik Karlsson and Mikael Backlund to check out, Sweden's games will be Must-See-TV.
Danny Kristo (USA) - He's the second youngest American in the tournament (and Schroeder is an obvious viewing target too) but his play at the 2008 WJAC in Camrose has me wanting to see Kristo on this bigger stage. He's already drafted (MTL, 2nd Round in 2008) and will head to North Dakota next year but, like with Vincour, I want to see him perform when he's surrounded by players who are as good or better than him.
The rest of the USA squad and Canadian team are packed full of intriguing players but most of them have already received the appropriate level of hype so I'll pass on adding to it.
One thing Dean pointed out to me about the USA team that I find really interesting: When was the last time that both goalies and the team captain were CHL players? With Thomas McCollum(Guelph) and Josh Unice(Kitchener) in net and Jonathon Blum (Vancouver) wearing the C... it's hard to make an argument this year that CHL players were victims of conspiracy. There are a total of 8 CHL players on the team compared to one NCAA player on the Canadian side (Cody Goloubef).
Goalies I'm watching for: Metsola/Sateri (FIN), Timo Pielmeier (GER), Jacob Markstrom (SWE). The team that wins the gold usually receives the best goaltending but although I've predicted Canada to place on top and I'm on record saying Dustin Tokarski and Chet Pickard are stellar goalies... I won't be suprised if one of the above gets some press over the next few weeks.
Today we take a look at 5 players to watch for on Team USA at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.
5. Jonathan Blum-Defence
The United States Captain has been lights out with Vancouver the past 2 years in the WHL. He notched 18 goals last year and already has 14 this season. A stand up guy off the ice, Blum was a great choice as captain but a surprising one seeing as he plays in the CHL. However counting Blum there are 8 kids who play north of the border. Blum is the only non NCAA blueliner for the stars and stripes but the highest scoring CHL player on the roster with 44 points in 28 games in Vancouver.
4. Danny Kristo-Forward The only USHL player selected, it's not known how much ice time Kristo will get, but was great at the World Junior A Challenge this past November in Camrose. The Omaha Lancer notched 3 goals and 4 assists for team USA, with 2 of his goals coming on the power play. The Montreal Canadiens 2nd round draft pick from 2008 is a point per game player in the USHL where he's more of a passer with 16 of his 23 points coming from helpers.
3. Jordan Schroeder-Forward
The only 2009 draft eligible player for team USA, Schroeder is no bit player. He was a member of last year's team, and will skate on the club's top line with Colin Wilson and James Van Riemsdyk. Last year he notched 8 points in 6 games, 7 of them assists. So far this season the 5'9" 175 pound Minnesota Golden Gopher has 21 points n 16 games as a freshman. Schroeder wants to up his stock for the 2009 draft and will use the WJC as a springboard.
2. Drayson Bowman-Forward
Bowman who plays for Spokane, didn't make last year's team despite a season where he went on to snipe 42 goals and end up with 82 points in just 66 games. This year he's actually on pace to put up less points, but being an older player got the nod from his home country. He could end up on an all WHL line with Spokane teammate Mitch Wahl and Seattle Thunderbird forward Jim O'Brien, who will be playing on the ice he hopes to skate on in a few years, as Ottawa drafted him 29th overall in 2007.
1. James Van Riemsdyk-Forward This will be the 3rd, and likely last WJC tournament for the 2nd overall pick of Philadelphia in 2007. It should also be his most dominant. Van Riemsdyk has great size and soft hands, and has pretty good stats in his one and a half years with New Hampshire (60 points in 48 games so far) As mentioned above he'll skate with Colin Wilson and Jordan Schroeder. Wilson will clear out bodies and drive to the net, while Schroeder will play set up man and for the Americans sake, hopefully Van Riemsdyk will fill the net.
Now that the rosters or camp lists for several of the international WJC teams have been released we can see that Edmonton will be well represented in Ottawa.
Canada's 38-name camp includes Oiler prospects Riley Nash(1st round, 2007) and Jordan Eberle(1st round, 2008). Eberle leads the Regina Pats in scoring with 20 goals and 39 points in 31 games while Nash's season is only 8 games he has managed 5 points. Both have realistic chances to make the squad considering Eberle's previous successes with Hockey Canada and his past chemistry with players like Cody Hodgson and Matt Duchene. Nash had a solid summer camp once he was moved from the wing to his more familiar centerman role and could make for a strong 2-way pivot. Beyond those two players are a couple of WHL stars that originate from around here in Tyler Ennis(BUF 1st round, 2008) and defenceman Jared Spurgeon(NYI 6th round, 2008). Ennis is the top scorer with the Medicine Hat Tigers and despite his tiny frame, doesn't have any trouble producing at the junior level. Spurgeon, the younger brother of Oilers prospect Tyler Spurgeon, is a small two-way defenceman who might be considered a longshot to make this year's Canadian entry.
The U.S. team has no direct ties to Edmonton although one name on the roster might ring a bell with local fans. Danny Kristo(MTL 2nd round, 2008) was a standout for the Americans at the recent 2008 World Junior A Challenge held in Camrose in early November. He was to the U.S. squad in that tournament what Ales Hemsky is to the Oilers - the playmaker who will do laps in the offensive zone, sifting through defenders with the puck on a string until he can either make a dazzling assist or snipe a goal himself. He's young and might not get much playing time in 2009 but he'll be one to watch for all the same.
Although the Oilers were expecting to see their eligible Swedish prospect Johan Motinat the WJC, he didn't make the final roster. However, Slovakia has included Milan Kytnar(5th round, 2007) on their camp roster which will be held in Ottawa in mid December. Kytnar (pictured left) was red-hot to start the year, cooled down significantly for a stretch but currently has 24 points in 30 games with the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL. He managed only 22 points in Kelowna last year in 62 games.
Even the Czech Republic will have a familiar name to Edmonton hockey fans as Tomas Vincour has been invited to the week-long camp that country is having in Brampton, Ontario later this month. Vincour started the year slowly but the 2009 eligible winger has been a force for the Oil Kings over the last month or so and should be a lock to make the Czech squad. Vincour will join Dean Millard and myself on this coming Tuesday's edition of The Pipeline Show to talk about the opportunnity to play for his homeland at the WJC.
Lastly, I haven't yet seen an official list released from Finland but all indications I've gotten on the subject suggest that Oilers prospect Teemu Hartikainen (6th round, 2008) will be in Ottawa as well. The power forward has been playing in the top Finnish men's league all season and has managed to collect 5 goals and 6 points in 26 games for KalPa Kuopio. An Oiler source suggested to TPS after the draft that Hartikainen was a Tomas Holmstrom type of player; a big body who likes to battle in front of the net, get tip in goals are collected rebounds. Going by the photo below taken in August at Lake Placid, I'd say the desciption seems to fit.
Compared to some years when the tournament has been void of either Oiler prospects or players from this area, the 2009 event should be much more interesting for fans to watch. The addition of the Edmonton Oil Kings will only add to that from now on and perhaps there will be some benefit to tickets sales post-WJC for the local WHL club too. Once Tomas Vincour gets on the world stage, it will be interesting to see if local fans take more interest in the second year franchise realizing exactly what has been available to them for the past 18 months.
It's the second year in a row that the Oil Kings will be represented after forward Robin Figren (NYI) turned heads in Prague last year.
Plus one can only speculate but perhaps an 2009 draft eligible player in the tournament will hear his name called out be the Oilers this June in Montreal.
(photo credits: the WHL, the Saskatoon Blades, the Edmonton Journal, Getty Images)
An apology to George Lucas for that headline, (please don't sue me), but the evil empire to the south showed exactly why no one should take them lightly at the World Junior A Challenge as they beat Canada East 5-3 to close out the round robin.
With the win the Americans, Germans and Eastern Canucks all finished with 1-1 records but thanks to goal differential Pool B finishes:
1. Canada East 2. Germany 3. United States
With Pool A wrapping up yesterday, the teams completed the round robin in this order:
1. Canada West 2. Russia 3. Belarus
That puts the playoff picture into focus and features a dandy match up on Thursday afternoon between Russia and USA with the later game being Germany and Belarus. The winner of those two games will go on to play Canada East and West in the semi finals on Saturday.
Hands up if you predicted before the tournament that Germany or Belarus would be in a semi-final game.
Back to tonight's game for a few highlights. For me the best player on the ice was #18 for USA, Danny Kristo. The Montreal Canadiens pick had 2 goals and a helper and was a thorn in the side of Canada East all night. He had a running feud with Canada's bench openly taunting them after each of his goals. Canada responded in the third by putting him solidly on his ass with two thunderous hits courtesy of #4 David Pratt and #6 Dustin Darou. I discussed it all with Kristo and head coach Mark Carlson after the game.
Kristo (pictured) wasn't named player of the game for Team USHL/USA though. That nod went to #15 Craig Smith who did have a very good game with 2 goals and an assist as well.
Calgary Flames draft pick #17 Nick Larsen had spurts where he stood apart as well.
Canada East, for much of the game, looked pretty vanilla. I actually felt the same way about the US after their loss to Germany as I did about Canada East tonight; outside of a couple of players... they had nothing going on.
#10 Brandon Pirri (pictured) was shifty, creative and dangerous. He ended up with a goal and an assist but the pass he made on the set up was one of the game hilights. I spoke with him after the game which you can hear exclusively at The Pipeline Show.
#9 Marty O'Grady was chosen as the top player for Canada East but even with his 2 goals I can't really say he impressed me all that much. I prefered the performance of #11 Zach Hervato even though he didn't hit the score sheet.
#25 Defenceman Braden Birch, a Chicago draft pick, was decent as was #5 Mike Wills but the two on the backend that made me take notice more was the pair I mentioned earlier for their physical play.
One guy I was actually disappointed in tonight was #6Seth Helgesen, the highly touted blueliner for USA. The only time I thought he stood out was on a bad pinch that directly led to a goal against. Other than that, pretty pedestrian performance. I did talk to him afterwards though to get a player profile.
All in all, outshooting Canada 44-24 made for a nice bounce back game for USA after sleeping against Germany on Tuesday. If they take a page from Canada's playbook, they'll be a stiff test for Russia in the playoffs.
Speaking of Russia... there is a very interesting thread discussion going on at the message boards at Hockey's Future in regards to the Russia/Canada game on Tuesday. Although Russian head coach Vladimir Plyuschev said "Nyet" to Canadian media who wanted to discuss the game he apparently was more than happy to vent in Russian paper "Sport-Express".
All I can say is that it would have been great to hear his side of things after the game... we all wanted to talk to him about it and I think his version needed to be heard, but not this way.
If you haven't seen it yet... here's the brief TSN recap of that game:
"The best team doesn't always win." - Red Berenson (head coach, Michigan Wolverines).
