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.

Former TPS Guest Blogger Recalled to NHL

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Great news today for a player that we got to know quite well during his NHL draft year. The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that defenceman John Moore, their 1st round selection in 2009, has been recalled from AHL Springfield and is expected to make his NHL debut on Friday night in Detroit. Here is the release from Columbus.

Bad news for Kitchener and Portland?

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Both the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes are making fans of the Kitchener Rangers and Portland Winter Hawks sweat today with news that they've inked their 2010 first round picks to entry level deals.

Carolina put Jeff Skinner's name on a deal and the Islanders followed suit by signing Nino Niederreiter to a 3 year deal.

Blue Jackets Prospect Snap Shot

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The Blue Jackets are in year 10 of their existence which has seen two General Managers and 6 coaches. Columbus held the first overall pick once, taking Rick Nash in 2002, and have selected inside the top ten for their first 9 drafts. Columbus has made the playoffs just once, which means they have been extremely underwhelming considering the draft picks they’ve had.

Here now are some of those picks in recent year...

USA Trims Camp Roster by 6

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Team USA has made some cuts after their 4-2 win over the University of North Dakota on Saturday night. The 30-man tryout roster now stands at 24 players with some notable names having been dropped by USA Hockey this morning.

Meet Team OHL-International

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As the Subway Super Series moves from the QMJHL in OHL territory, the touring Russians carry a 0-2 record and have been out shot 99-48 and outscored 12-4. Game 3 of the Series goes tonight in Barrie, Ontario with the Russians having traveled from Shawinigan after their game against the QMJHL last night.

Last week I made the argument that the event should feature the Canadian CHLers playing against their European and American counterparts from the same league. You can find my reasons for feeling that way by clicking HERE. Prior to the two games against the QMJHL I released the roster of the team I would have preferred to see play. You can see the make up of Team Q-International HERE.

Following suit, here is the roster for Team OHL-International that I wish we were seeing play tonight and Monday instead of the extremely disadvantaged Russians...

Goalies

WHile it was slim pickings in the QMJHL for American or Euro goalies, that's not the case with the OHL. By my count there are 9 goalies with the required passport to play for my team and I finally narrowed it down to a quartet, they can all play a period and a half.

Brandon Maxwell of the Kitchener Rangers was a 6th round pick of the Colorado Avalanche last June. In 13 games with the Rangers this year he has a .916 save percentage and a 3.04 GAA. I'd have him sharing the Barrie game (tonight) with German Philipp Grubauer who plays for the Belleville Bulls. Grubauer was recently recognized as one of the top goalies available in 2010. Thus far he's played in 21 games for the Bulls and boasts a .912 save percentage and .327 GAA.

In the other game I would send out London Knights goalie Michael Houser, eligible for the 2010 draft by a mere two days. Houser has the third best GAA in the OHL at 2.48 but he's only appeared in 8 games. Still, his .917 save percentage suggests he's on the same pace as most of the top starters in the league. His partner on Monday night would be Robin Lehner (pictured), the Swede was taken in the 2nd by the Ottawa Senators last June. Lehner plays for the Soo Greyhounds and is in the OHL top 10 for both save percentage and GAA.

Defence

There are a few obvious choices for the blueline starting with 2010 marquee prospect Cam Fowler. The American plays for the powerful Windsor Spitfires and leads the OHL in scoring by defencemen with 29 points in 25 games. Fowler (pictured below) is listed a 6'2 and 190 lbs and is a surefire top 5 pick this June.

2009 guest blogger John Moore made the move from the USHL to the OHL this summer and now plays for the Kitchener Rangers. After arriving late from Columbus Blue Jackets camp (1st round pick, 2009) Moore finally got into action and has collected 12 points in 19 games.

Adam Comrie was a 2008 selection of the Florida Panthers. The Virginia born blueliners is now a member of the Guelph Storm after two seasons in Saginaw. HIs 17 points in 22 games with the Storm have Comrie ranked 10th in D-men scoring in the league this year. At 6'4 and 213 lbs, Comrie is definitely an interesting player to watch for in the future.

Another 2008 draftee is Michal Jordan of the Plymouth Whalers. Carolina chose the Czech native in the 4th round that year and he responded by nearly doubling his statistical output to a total of 42 points last season. Jordan has international experience with his country's junior team and even made my proposed team last year in this same exercise.

Undrafted Brian Lashoff gets a nod here as a 6'3, 204 lb two-way defender. Lashoff plays for the Kingston Frontenacs but also appeared in 6 AHL games last year with the Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) where he managed to pick up 5 points. Lashoff has 10 points so far this year with the Frontenacs.

Another undrafted player that caught my eye is Tony DeHart of the Oshawa Generals. With 21 points in 22 games, DeHart has already almost equaled his output from all 67 games last season. He is in his fourth OHL campaign but his first two years in London saw him play sparingly and contribute just 9 points over 72 games. The Missouri product easily eclipse that mark last year playing with the Generals and is well on his way to having a banner season.

The first of my two spares on my team are going to be Sarnia Sting defender Joe Rogalski, a late '91 born player from Lancaster, New York who has 14 points in 23 games this year. The second is native Pennsylvanian Tyler Hostetter who plays in his home State for the Erie Otters. Hostetter has is a bit undersized, went undrafted last year but has 14 points in 20 games this season for the Otters.

Left Wing

As we often see with "All-Star" teams, I'm going to have excess centers where one or two will have to move to the wing. For that reason, I only have 3 natural left wingers on my list. The first is Mississauga's Swedish import William Wallen. The tiny forward has 20 points, just two back of his total from last year when he was a rookie with the Majors. He's 5'8 and 170 lbs so I don't know how much of a pro future he has... just another reason why an event like I'm proposing is an interesting one for these types of players.

Rookie Jeremy Morin of the Kitchener Rangers is someone most people will recognize as a 2nd round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers at last June's NHL draft. Morin has an impressive 27 points in 21 games, third best on the strong Kitchener team. The New York product was a standout on the US-NTDP for the past two years.

A.J. Jenks was a 2008 draft pick of the Florida Panthers. The forward is now playing in his fourth season as a member of the Plymouth Whalers in his home State of Michigan. Jenks has had back-to-back 20 goals campaigns and is on pace to make it a third. The 6'2, 200 lb power forward is projected to be a solid checker at the pro level.

Right Wing

A recent guest on The Pipeline Show, Austin Watson is definitely a player of interest of for the 2010 NHL draft. He's only 9th in scoring on his own team but when that club is the Windsor Spitfires... you have to realize that 17 points is still pretty darn good.

NCAA deserter Kenny Ryan found his way North to the Spitfires after leaving Boston College on the eve of their regular season. The Toronto Maple Leafs chose Ryan in the 2nd round in the 2009 draft and so far this year he has compiled 11 points in 12 contests.

Brampton forward Philip Lane is a 2010 eligible rookie who makes my proposed roster. The Rochester, NY native has 11 points for the Battalion so far this year after 23 games played.

rounding out the right side is another Kitchener player in Gabriel Landeskog. The Swede comes recommended by OHL Prospects writer Brock Otten who suggests the 6'1, 200lb forward was overlooked by me on my initial roster I sent his way. Landeskog has 12 points in 22 games for the Rangers. As a late '92, Landeskog isn't NHL draft eligible until 2011.

Center

So with only 7 wingers on my roster, I'll add five centers and a couple of spares who also happen to be middlemen on their OHL club team. First off are two players who will actually be taking part in the real life Subway Super Series - Russians Alex Burmistrov and Ivan Telegin.


Burmistrov (pictured) is third in scoring for the Barrie Colts with 27 points but has quickly made a name for himself with scouts for the 2010 NHL draft. The dynamic pivot has a team high 18 assists to go with his 9 goals. Telegin plays for the Saginaw Spirit and has 29 points this year including 17 goals. The Saginaw forward stands 6'3 and is listed at 185 lbs.

Richard Panik is another European that was drafted last June. A product of Slovakia, the skilled center currently plays for the Windsor Spitfires and has contributed 12 points in 23 games, arguably a little disappointing considering a certain amount of hype leading into the season. The Tampa Bay Lighting took Panik in the 2nd round in 2009.

London Knights forwards Phil McRae and Jared Knight make the squad although I think the latter will have to be one of the spares considering his sluggish start to the season. McRae, a St. Louis Blues prospect, is just off a point-per-game pace with the Knights whereas his Michigan born teammate has just 15 points in 22 outings.

Erie forward Andrew Yogan has bounced back from serious injury late last season to have 24 points in 22 games so far in 2009-10. He's a late '91 so eligible this June and at 6'3 and 202 lbs you know he'll have plenty of eyes on him.

Finally, I've decided to include 2011 eligible Vincent Trochek of the Saginaw Sprit simply because I think he's earned it. The Pittsburgh native has 15 points as a 16-year-old rookie. Perhaps it's just a gesture for the youngster but he's the last player on my team.

Breakdown

Nationality: USA (18), Sweden (3), Russia (2), Czech (1), Slovakia (1), Germany (1).
NHL Drafted: 10
2010 Eligible: 9

Thanks to Brock Otten from OHL Prospects for his input.

Top 5 Tuesday:Americans On The Rise

USA hockey is holding it's Olympic team summer camp right now and it's clear with the 2010 team that youth will be served in Vancouver. Players like Patrick Kane, Erik Johnson and Kyle Okposo were born in 1988, the same year that elder statesman Mike Modano was drafted. Here's 5 players who might be ready for the 2014 games in Sochi Russia. You should see most of them at the World Junior Championship in Saskatoon/Regina this year and can catch glimpses of them with their respective junior and college programs, as well as hear from them this year on The Pipeline Show.

5. Zach Budish-Minnesota Golden Gophers
He missed almost all of his final high school season in Edina, Minnesota but was still a 2nd round pick of the Nashville Predators. Budish is a beast at 6.03, 230 pounds who will play for his home state Gophers this season. He gives the U.S.A some beef who can skate up front. A more skilled version of Dustin Byfuglien might not be ready for prime time in 2014 but is certainly one to watch at this year's WJC.

4. John Carlson-London Knights
This is one guy I think will end up being a absolute steal in a few years. The Washington Capitals snagged him 27th in the first round of 2008. Last year with the Knights he quarterbacked their pp and put up 16 goals, 76 points in just 59 games. Carlson is close to being physically ready to play pro, and has 16 games of AHL hockey under his belt, including helping Hershey win the Calder Cup championship this spring. Providing he doesn't make the caps this year, he'll be team USA's top blueliner in Saskatchewan. At their summer camp he scored a power play goal along with 7 assists in 6 games.

3. Kyle Palmieri-Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Will USA hockey forgive and forget? They kicked Palmieri off their U-18 team last year for off ice issues. Some say he wouldn't rat out teammates, but the official reason has never been revealed. This year he'll attend Notre Dame instead of playing in Guelph where some thought he might end up after being turfed from the team last year. In 4 plus years, I'm sure USA hockey will welcome him back into the fold, after all he was at their World Junior summer camp. At 5.10 and 190 pounds he was nearly a point per game player with the U18 team while putting up 51 pim.

2. John Moore-Kitchener Rangers
John Moore and John Carlson have 2 things in common. The same first name and the potential to be the guys in their drafts that makes people wonder how they slipped so far. Moore was drafted by Columbus 21st in 2009, right before where the Oilers were hoping to draft him, if they could have snagged another first round pick. He was slated to play for Colorado College, but is heading north to Kitchener and might instantly be the best skating defenceman in the entire CHL. After 2 years in the USHL it will be interesting to see if he can have the success that Carlson had in his first OHL season.

1. Jordan Schroeder-Minnesota Golden Gophers
We started with a Gopher on this list and we'll end with one. Schroeder will certainly have plenty of experience wearing the stars and stripes should he be on the radar for the Olympics in 4 plus years. The offensive dynamo will represent the States for the 3rd time this year in Saskatoon/Regina. The 5.08, 175 pound centre might be small but he oozes skill with 45 points in 35 games as a freshman with Minnesota last year. At the summer evaluation camp for team USA's world junior team he racked up 14 points in 6 games. The Canucks grabbed him 22nd overall last June and in 4 years he might be playing on a line with fellow prospect Cody Hodgson, as well as getting set to face Hodgson on the international stage again.

Tune in tonight as we may speak to one of the above players, as well as Oilers forward Patrick O'Sullivan, Air Force head coach Frank Serratore, and Jaden Schwartz who helped Canada win the Ivan Hlinka tournament. As well as BAD ASS trivia and your questions to the ST. ALBERT SOURCE FOR SPORTS inbox, pipeup@thepipelineshow.com.

Wednesday Re-Set

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Last night we put on the foil and talked about some real old time hockey with one of the most down to earth hockey celebrities we've had the pleasure of having guest on the show.

The movie Slap Shot is held in a special place for most hockey fans, and most sports fans for that matter. It's a movie that is shown somewhere around a thousand times over the course of a season on various team buses or at parties and most people can rattle of several of the hilarious lines from their favorite scene.

Of course the movie is best remembered for the Hanson Brothers and their antics on and off the ice. It's a Paul Newman flick but I think even he knows that in the scenes they shared, he wasn't the star.

Last night we had the chance to speak with Dave Hanson, author of Slap Shot Original - The Man, The Foil, The Legend.

He played Jack Hanson in the film and has more great stories than we could possible fit in a segment on our show - even two segments, but that's how long we went with him last night.

Want to now how much of the movie was fiction and how much came from actual events? You'll be stunned. What was Newman like? Did they really wear foil in real life? How did the famous dressing room speech scene come together? (see below - language warning!)


It's all here: Part 1 and Part 2.

When you're done listening to the conversation with Dave Hanson I know you'll want to buy the book. You can do that HERE.

Also on the program last night was our old friend John Moore. Newly signed to a pro contract by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Moore now knows that he'll be playing in Kitchener next year instead of at Colorado College. Hear him talk about the draft, the BJ's prospect camp, playing with Teddy Ruth and about becoming a pro hockey player... HERE.

Great news if you were a fan of Moore from the Pipeline, the blog that the player wrote for us during the 2008-09 season: He's agreed to continue it as his career goes tot eh next level playing for the Rangers in the OHL next season.

Our final guest of the night was the GM of the Tri-City Americans Bob Tory. With no coach and several key players off the roster from last year, Tory talked about how he sees his team shaping up for 2009-10.

We also played Bad Ass Trivia, Slap Shot style - how many of these question would YOU have gotten right?

Moore From the Pipeline - Part 4

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The Pipeline Show is excited to bring you a series of guest player blogs by some of the top players eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. For a complete recap of the blogs so far, click on '2009 Guest Blogs' under 'Labels' down the right-hand side of your screen. To date we have heard from John Moore from the Chicago Steel in the USHL, Ethan Werek of the Kingston Frontenacs, Dylan Olsen of the Camrose Kodiaks and netminder Mike Lee of the Fargo Force.

One note before we get to Moore's latest blog... Yesterday we were directed to a story out of Colorado Springs in regards to John Moore's intentions for next season. The brief story (see HERE) makes the following assertion: "Moore expressed that he is definitely coming to CC in the fall."

As we keep in fairly regular contact with Moore, this news came as a bit of a surprise since the last time we had spoken, John made it clear that any decision on that subject wouldn't be made until after the NHL Draft. At that time, with the input from his new NHL team, his advisor and his family he would then weigh his options and come to a conclusion.

The defenceman signed a letter of intent with Colorado College making the Tigers his NCAA option, but he was also drafted by the Kitchener Rangers in the recent OHL Priority Selection. We contacted John earlier tonight and he indicated to us that he has not made any kind of firm commitment to Colorado College nor to the Kitchener Rangers.

Here now is the latest installment of Moore From the Pipeline written by the player himself:

Wednesday Re-Set

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We were all over the map last night on The Pipeline Show as we checked in on the playoffs in all 3 Major Junior leagues in Canada, the USHL and the AHL as well. We also chatted with an Oiler prospect who is getting ready for the biggest week of his hockey life.

Dean and I began the program by discussing the big news of the day, that being the firing of the entire Regina Pats coaching staff. Dale Derkatch was shown the door after a single year, albeit a very disappointing one, but it caught both of us by surprise. Who would be solid candidates to take over the role? (see Dean's Top 5 Tuesday post from yesterday).

We then shifted focus to the Kelowna/Calgary series and we both offered up our opinions of why the Rockets have been able to get out to a dominating 3-0 lead over the #1 ranked team in the country. The much vaunted Hitmen offence has managed just 3 goals in 3 games which is a testament to how well the Rockets have been playing. Can Kelowna goalie Mark Guggenberger be this year's Mike Murphy... the over-age goalie who finally gets drafted now that he's got a chance in the spotlight and is making the most of it.

The OHL final featuring Brampton and Windsor was next on the agenda and we talked about their epic meeting including what I consider to be the story so far - that goalies Thomas McCollum and Andrew Engelage rank 14th and 15th in save percentage in the OHL postseason... and they're in the finals!?

Dean and I then talked about the interesting case of John Moore, the USHL defenceman who was just drafted by the Kitchener Rangers last weekend despite having a NCAA commitment to Colorado College. Dean asked me what my gut feeling was in regards to where he'll end up and we touched on how we feel about that.

We continued the opening segment by explaining the Johan Motin news that he and the Oilers have verbally reached an agreement and that a contract is expected to be signed any minute now.

Dean also touched on the success that young players are having at the World Hockey Championships like Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty. We also pointed out that Jonas Gustavsson's stats in the tournament are... not so great so far.

In segment #2 we welcomed Rimouski Oceanic forward Philippe Cornet to the program for the first time. Edmonton's 5th round pick outlined what he and his team have been doing since being eliminated from the QMJHL playoffs knowing that they'll be back on the ice in ten days at the Memorial Cup. Cornet talked about several key players on the team, why he feels that Drummondville (the team that beat them) would be a better fit for them than Shawinigan and also his thoughts on Oiler camp and his chemistry with Jordan Eberle.

Segment #3 was dedicated to the USHL playoffs as we talked to Kerry Collins of the Fargo Forum. The Fargo Force are an interesting story this year - an expansion team that has reached the championship series and are two wins away from taking the Clark Cup. Its a team made up largely of league castoffs with a few notable draft eligible players springled in like goalie Mike Lee and forward Josh Birkholz. On the other side is the Indiana Ice led by future North Dakota Fighting Sioux forward Mike Cichy. We got the low-down on the series and a prediction from Kerry as well.

We stayed south of the border for Segment #4 by speaking with NHL.com writer Lindsay Kramer who covers the AHL. The upsets, the players of note, the goalies standing out and what is keeping the star career minor leaguers out of the NHL. Lindsay also gave his opinion on why the Springfield Falcons failed to live up to expectations.

Bad Ass Trivia this week centered on the WHL playoffs and the Memorial Cup and produced a few winners making me think I'm getting too soft with my questions.

Finally, closing out this week's edition of TPS was the GM of the Regina Pats Brent Parker. It was a tough day for Parker who let go his friend Dale Derkatch as well as the rest of the coaching staff in Regina. Parker talked about what went wrong this year, Dean's list of candidates, he touched on Colten Teubert's tough year, the plans for the WHL's Outdoor Game (news Dean broke on last week's show) at Taylor Field and the Bantam Draft last week as well.

It was a big, big show but next week is going to be even bigger. It's our 4th Annual Memorial Cup Coach's Show where we'll speak with the four bench bosses leading their team to the tournament to crown Canada's top CHL club. Rimouski head coach Clement Jodoin will be making his second appearance after his debut in 2007 while behind the bench in Lewiston.

Past CHL coaches who have been a part of our Memorial Cup Coach's Show include 2006's Ted Nolan (Moncton), Patrick Roy (Quebec), Don Hay (Vancouver)... 2007's Mike Vellucci (Plymouth), Willie Desjardins (Medicine Hat), Clem Jodoin (Lewiston) and Don Hay again... 2008's Peter DeBoer (Kitchener), Bill Peters (Spokane) and George Burnett (Belleville). Interesting to note that the two coaches who failed to appear on the show (Peterborough's Dick Todd in 2006 and Benoit Groulx of Gatineau in 2008) both finished dead last at the Memorial Cup.

Karma???

Moore From the Pipeline - Part 3

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The Pipeline Show is excited to bring you a series of guest player blogs by some of the top players eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. For a complete recap of the blogs so far, click on '2009 Guest Blogs' under 'Labels' down the right-hand side of your screen. To date we have heard from John Moore, defenceman with the Chicago Steel in the USHL, and Ethan Werek of the Kingston Frontenacs. We have a few other players lined up who have yet to contribute.

Here now is the latest entry from defenceman John Moore

John Moore Headed to the OHL?

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Last year the London Knights lured defenceman John Carlson out of his NCAA commitment and north to the Canadian Hockey League. In similar style, Ethan Werek of the Kingston Frontenacs opted to stay in Canada rather than join Boston University where he was initially headed. Not long ago Trevor Lewis skipped the NCAA for Owen Sound.

This year it looks like John Moore of the Chicago Steel is the player mostly likely to join their club.

I had a conversation yesterday with someone out of the OHL that suggested to me that he wouldn't be surprised at all to see Moore get chosen in Saturday's OHL Priority Draft. Moore, 18, signed a written letter of intent with Colorado College last November but his name has come up a few times in conversations I've had with people who wonder if he'll actually head north to play next year.

I'm told that his name is being circulated in OHL circles as someone to consider for the draft, this wasn't the case in previous years but this is the last spring he is eligible to be selected. I am also told that 4 teams have made serious contact with Moore - the ususal suspects being London, Windsor as well as Kitchener with a surprise team kicking tires who I believe to be the Barrie Colts.

When Moore was a guest on The Pipeline Show last February, he admitted that his future wasn't set and that he'd be weighing all of his options. I recently contacted Moore, one of our guest bloggers this season, but all he would confirm for me at this point is that there has been contact with a few OHL teams and that he is still considering every option available to him. He did tell me that he would likely not be making any firm decision until after the NHL draft in June when he could get the input from the NHL team that ends up picking him up.

You can expect Moore to make a return appearance on TPS this summer when whatever choice he makes has been confirmed. At that time we'll be able to discuss the decision making process, all of the things he had to consider, the pros and the cons of both the NCAA and OHL route in regards to his playing career and to his education. Until then we can only speculate.

What will be interesting to see is who does draft him tomorrow. Kitchener, one of the teams in the hunt, picks third but with Moore decidedly on the fence it would be a big risk to take him that early. Barrie, the team I believe to have expressed an interest most recently, picks 8th. London is in the 19th spot while Windsor closes out the draft order in the 20th position.

Why should only the same three or fours teams be the ones getting the top Euros and the top NCAA defectors. If it's really a level playing field, a no one really believes it is, shouldn't Sault Ste. Marie or Sudbury have just as much success landing these types of players?

Somebody told me yesterday that the Erie Otters have interviewed a number of highly ranked players only to have been told "if you draft me, I'm going to the NCAA". Erie picks 10th overall but might have to take a player not ranked in the first two rounds just to ensure they get someone who will actually report to them. That is complete crap and it makes the league look stupid.

If I'm a team like Peterborough in the 6th overall slot... I seriously consider drafting Moore. That way, if one of those other teams are that interested in Moore than Peterborough can get fair value for him even though there may be little to no chance the player would consider suiting up for Chris Pronger's old team. Moore was Chicago's captain this year and also played in the USHL All-Star game. He's considered a top 20 pick in this June NHL Draft too so he's obviously a player who would be worth a ton to any team he'd be willing to play for.

Would a team really draft Moore simply to stick it to London, Windsor or Kitchener? I don't know but part of me would love to see it happen.

For Moore, I'm sure he's going to get a great education package from the OHL or from the NCAA so the school part isn't really an issue.

What must be the biggest factor is where he thinks he'll develop the best as a hockey player. 35-40 games in college with more time to train off the ice or 68 regular season games plus the playoffs in the OHL. Things like being able to partake in NHL training camps and end the year in the AHL are other pluses to the CHL route whereas college players don't have either of those options.

Moore will definitely be drafted on Saturday but who takes him and whether he picks the OHL over Colorado College and the NCAA won't be known for some time. From now until that time, and even beyond then, you'll be able to read a series of blog entries written by the player himself - the next installment of Moore From the Pipeline is expected on Monday.

SATURDAY EDIT: Moore was taken by Kitchener with their first pick in the second round (23rd overall).

(Photos courtesy: OHL and USHL)

Moore From The Pipeline - Part 2

The Pipeline Show is excited to bring you a series of guest player blogs by some of the top players eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. For a complete recap of the blogs so far, click on '2009 Guest Player Blogs' under 'Labels' down the right-hand side of your screen. To date we have heard from Ethan Werek, forward with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs, and John Moore of the Kingston Chicago Steel (USHL). More will be announced shortly but first, here is the second installment of 'Moore From the Pipeline'.
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Hello, this is John Moore touching base again.

After winning eight in a row, the Steel hit a rough patch and dropped four in a row. I think that we hit rock bottom when we made the trip up to Fargo, North Dakota to play the Force. I can say without a doubt that this was the worst road trip in my two years with the Steel. Looking back at the trip, I can now laugh but it was a nightmare to say the least.

I knew from the first minute that this road trip was going to be a long one when three teammates showed up to the rink shivering, coughing, and sneezing. They had the flu but still managed to make the trip. We climbed on the bus at 9 in the morning (when it was 60 and sunny in Chicago) and got off 14 hours later in Fargo where it was snowing.

Things started off seemingly well on Friday; we had a good pre-game skate, had a solid team meal and everything seemed to be going well... until the puck dropped.

We were dominated for 60 minutes and came out on the short end of an 8-1 shellacking. We came back the next night and lost a very close game 3-1, Fargo scored an empty netter in the last minute. Immediately after the game, we boarded the bus and drove back home.

I get some heat from my teammate Andrew Miller on account that I can fall asleep pretty easily on the bus. He isn't as fortunate, as his seat is located right next to the television, which is seemingly always on.

We got back home Sunday morning, and me and my roommates, Philip Samuelsson and Alex Simonson, had a pretty low key day. We all felt pretty run down from the travel and I felt sick. After staying home sick Monday from school, I tried to give things a go on Tuesday.

My first class, Math, was just a battle. The rest of the class was taking a quiz while my teacher was explaining the material that I had missed while I was gone. In the middle of our discussion, I got the sweats. I sweated right through my shirt and my math teacher just gave me one of those "are you kidding me" kind of looks and gave me a pass to the nurse. As a senior in high school, my 12th time around the block, I really didn't feel the need to go sit in the nurses office and shoot the breeze for four hours for her to tell me I was sick, so I just walked down the street back to my house. As it turned out, I had the flu and was pretty beat down for the next couple of days.
I didn't practice Monday or Tuesday, but got back at it on Wednesday. I lost about 10 pounds while I was sick and it looked like I was carrying a piano on my back Wednesday in practice.

We dropped a tough game to Omaha on Friday. However, we were able to climb out of the hole last night with a big shootout win over the Lincoln Stars and it felt great to finally get back in the win column.

John Moore is ranked 17th overall by International Scouting Services (Feb '09) and 8th in North America by NHL Central Scouting (mid-term rankings). The 6'2 and 189 lbs defender currently has 14 goals and 37 points in 49 games this year with Chicago in the USHL. Moore has made his NCAA commitment to Colorado College while he remains an OHL free agent having never been drafted.

(photos courtesy: USHL and Chicago Steel)

Moore From The Pipeline - Part 1

Hello, my name Is John Moore and I am really excited to be keeping a blog in the upcoming months leading up to the draft. It’s my first experience with one so I’ll ask you to bear with me!

I am from Winnetka, Illinois, which is about 20 miles north of Chicago. I grew up playing for the Chicago Young Americans and then made the switch to the Chicago Mission for my bantam and midget years. With the Mission, I had the opportunity to play for Steve Smith, who played a couple of years in Edmonton. He was a great coach and our families remain close to this day. His son, Barron, recently had shoulder surgery and so he is back in town from Peterborough where he was playing for the Petes. Barron and I are going to meet up some time this week and go bowling which should be a good match now that he is reduced to one arm (I am absolutely brutal).

I play for the Chicago Steel in the USHL, and one of the benefits of this is that I live at home during my junior career. This year, I have two teammates living with me in Alex Simonson and Philip Samuelsson. It has been a tremendous experience living with these guys and I couldn’t ask for two better roommates.

This year for the Steel has been up and down. We are a young team that was a bit inconsistent in the beginning of the year. We are currently chasing the Waterloo Blackhawks for the fourth and final playoff spot in the east division. We trail them by just three points and are just taking things one day at a time, game to game. I’ve had a lot of fun this year though and love coming to the rink everyday.

Earlier this year, our captain Mike Walsh had season ending shoulder surgery and I was named captain. It was a tremendous honor to be named captain and it is a responsibility that I have enjoyed every minute of. One thing that I definitely need to work on is my pre-game speeches though. I’m a pretty quiet kid who sticks to himself and early on my speeches were a little rough, most of the guys would start giggling—they were that bad. I’ve come a long way in that department though and most of my teammates gave me the thumbs up when I appeared on The Pipeline Show earlier this month.

John Moore is ranked 17th overall by International Scouting Services (Feb '09) and 8th in North America by NHL Central Scouting (mid-term rankings). The 6'2 and 189 lbs defender currently has 13 goals and 33 points in 43 games this year with Chicago in the USHL. He recently made his first appearance on The Pipeline Show on February 10th.

(photos courtesy: The USHL and the Chicago Steel)

Wednesday Re-Set

Last night on The Pipeline Show we double-dipped with the Springfield Falcons. We led off the program with an extended conversation with new head coach Rob Daum who talked a lot about what he expects from his players, how he feels about taking over the team in mid-stride, and what differences the Falcons fans might notice with him at the helm.

Daum also weighed in on some specific players like Colin McDonald, Ryan O'Marra, Rob Schremp, Taylor Chorney and Cody Wild to name a few.

The Springfield theme continued with the recently acquired Ryan Stone who came to the Edmonton organization from Pittsburgh via the Mathieu Garon trade. Stone began talking about how he and the team heard about the firing of Jeff Truitt, about the guilt the players are feeling and how the club will move forward from here. The former Brandon Wheat King also spoke in regards to his role within the organization as a whole and then also chimed in about his time in Manitoba during his WHL career.

Edmonton product Kieran Millan also joined us in the opening hour. He's the top freshman goalie in the NCAA this year and just helped the #1 ranked Boston University Terriers to another victory in the annual Beanpot tournament. We spoke about why BU was the right fit for him, the fact that he's still undrafted, the positives about possibly getting overlooked again this June and much more.

Our guest representing the 2009 Draft Prospect Performer of the Week was defenceman John Moore of the USHL's Chicago Steel. Moore talked about the WJAC in Camrose, the USHL All-Star game last week and what those two showcase events mean to him this year. He also talked at length about what the resurgence of the Chicago Blackhawks has done for hockey at all levels in and around the city.

For any and ALL of the above interviews you can hit the archives by clicking HERE.

Top 5 Tuesday

Right now there isn't a European in the top 10 of CHL scoring, but a quick glance at the rookie scoring leaders and several imports lead the way. Having said that most teams don't succeed without a successful "Euro" and with that The Pipeline Show presents 5 players to watch for in this summer's CHL Import draft.

5. Tomas Tatar-Slovakia


Tatar was easily the most dynamic Slovakian at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa this year, piling up 7 goals and 4 assists in 11 games. He certainly caught the eye of my co host Guy Flaming with his superior skills and flare for celebrating.

We at TPS thought he might have been show boating a little, but after speaking with Oilers prospect, and Tatar WJC teammate, Milan Kytnar, we came to find out he's not a hot dog and just "didn't know what to do for celebrations." At 5.11 and 170 pounds, Tatar is being projected as a late second round pick right now for the upcoming draft, but should be a top 5 pick in the import draft, especially if he shows a willingness to come overseas and improve his game. A conversation with his countrymen Kytnar might help to sway him.

4. Jacob Josefson-Sweden

A versatile forward who can play both C/LW who is projected to be a top 10 pick in this June's NHL draft. However he might be a risk reward type guy for a CHL team. He might stay in Sweden until the WJC, then bolt for Canada, much like Mikael Backlund did recently, joining Kelowna. (By the way Backlund is scheduled to join Guy and myself tonight on TPS) Backlund's reason for leaving his home country was a lack of playing time. Josefson suffered a similar fate during the WJC in Ottawa where he failed to register a point. The 6.00 187 pound pass first player is strong on the puck and very smart, and could turn an average player into a sniper. The Rockets picked up Backlund 43rd overall in 2007, so watch for a team to take a chance on Josefson.



3. Robin Lehner-Sweden

Last year a Swedish netminder was the 3rd pipeman to be taken, as Florida snatched Jacob Markstrom with the first pick in the 2nd round. This year history could repeat itself as Robin Lehner is projected by ISS to be a 2nd rounder and the 3rd best goaltender available. The sweet stats on this Sweede are his size. He's 6.03 and 200 lbs, and reportedly moves extremely well. Lehner is said to have a never quit attitude who has the ability to win games by himself. There are a number of CHL teams who could use a stand out tender, including next year's Memorial Cup hosts, which could be the carrot dangled in front of him that gets him across the pond.

2. Stanislav Galiev-Russia

The first of 2 Russians on the list, and guy who's already used to the North American game. Galiev is currently with Indiana of the USHL where he's racked up 18 goals, 23 assist for 41 points in just 39 games. At 6.01 and 182 lbs the slick forward can dangle with the best of them and as a sizzling shot. Right now he's a top 20 pick for 2010, and I'd be shocked if he didn't jump to the CHL next year where he would get more exposure than the always improving USHL. Galiev could be the 2nd player picked even though a guy like Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi is a better prospect, there is a greater chance that Galiev will play in the CHL.



(Like Barry Manilow, Kirill "Copacabana" Kabanov is also of Russian ancestry)
1. Kirill Kabanov-Russia

Affectionately dubbed, "Copacabana" by TPS, Kabanov impressed me at the World Junior A Challenge in Camrose this past November. More so for his passion than his talent, even though his passion/temper landed him in hot water with the referees and his coach. The 6.03, 176 pound Left Winger who's a right handed shot, notched 3 goals, 4 assists and 12 penalty minutes in just 4 games for a very young Russian squad. It's not the first time he's dominated the point and penalty minute sheet in an international tournament either. At the 2008 World U-17 tournament, Kabanov had 11 points in 5 games to go along with 28 penalty minutes. Can dominate a game with his all world skill and will challenge Taylor Hall to be the first overall selection in the 2010 NHL entry draft. Will want to up his draft stock and that will come by jumping to the CHL.

You can here the November interview TPS did with Kabanov, where he basically told us there was a CHL bidding war for him here.



Tonight on TPS we're all over the map starting with Boston University goaltender Kieran Milan. The Edmonton product led his Terriers past rival Northeastern in the final of the Beanpot tournament with 23 save performance in a 5-2 win. From there we hope to speak with Springfield Falcon forward Ryan Stone whom the Oilers picked up in the Mathieu Garon trade with Pittsburgh a few weeks back. We'll find out how Stone is adjusting to Springfield where life has not been fun lately. Stone played junior hockey in Brandon, the same league as the Kelowna Rockets (okay it was a cheap way to mention the Wheat Kings) where Mikael Backlund is trying to lead the Rockets deep into the playoffs. So far so good for Backlund who has 13 points in 13 games for Kelowna who has clinched a playoff spot, hasn't lost in their last 9 regulation games, and could sneak into 3rd in the west. Finally from the WHL we'll check out the USHL where 2009 draft prospect John Moore plays for the Chicago Steel. The USHL is an underrated league that is starting to produce a large number of NHLers. You can catch the show live from 7-9 PM mountain time on the TEAM 1260 in Edmononton, or online around the world at http://www.thepipelineshow.com/. But as Guy likes to say, if you miss it live, click the archive.

Top 5 Tuesday

Today we take a look at the top 5 players to keep your eye on for the 2009 NHL entry draft, should you head out to Camrose and take in the World Junior "A" Challenge.

5. David Pacan-Right Winger-Cumberland-CJHL-Canada East
The top prospect on an Team Canada East squad that has 19 draft eligible players and 2 who were snagged last year. At 6.03, 190 pounds David Pacan has vertical size that the scouts like, but will need to bulk up to make an impact down the road. Hoever Pacan doesn't shy away from rough play as evidenced by his 22 penalty minutes in 17 games, and he also seems to have a nose for the net with 19 points along the way, 9 of them on the power play. The word is Michigan State, Boston College and Clarkson are interested in the forward.

4. John Moore-Defence-Chicago-USHL-United StatesA former Sports Management World Wide, ISS, Hockey Now and TPS 2009 top prospect performer of the week, John Moore is hoping to parlay a solid start to the USHL season into a good showing with team U.S.A in Camrose. The biggest asset for the 6.03, 195 pound D-man is his feet, and how fast he is on them. A great skater, who makes smart passes, Moore is on pace for a 49 point season with Chicago, which would blow away his 15 point rookie campaign. Moore has verbally committed to Colorado College for next year, and scouts say is trying to play more physical this year, as he prepares for the college life.

3. Dmitry Orlov-Defence-Metallurg-RusDi-Russia
Right Winger Anton Burdasov would be the top draft eligible Russian to watch in Camrose, and was originally named to the squad, but an injury kept him out. So instead keep your eyes on defenceman Dmitry Orlov, as opposing forwards daring to cut across the middle will have to. Orlov was the Russian captain at the Ivan Hlinka tournament last spring, he's reportedly a good puck mover that plays a simple game, and despite being only 5.10 and 176 pounds, like to get physical. Right now Orlov is the 14th ranked European according to ISS, but a good showing in Camrose could move him up the ladder.

2. Dylan Olsen-Defence-Camrose Kodiaks-AJHL-Team Canada West
For the second straight year, a Camrose Kodiak could be taken in the first round, as Dylan Olsen is hoping to follow in the skate strides of former teammate, and current Denver Pioneer Joe Colborne. Colborne was drafted 16th overall by the Boston Bruins last June, and right now ISS has Olsen ranked 29th overall. The 6.02, 195 pound blueliner is the top rearguard for the Kodiaks, runs the PP and uses physical play to ensure his own end is taken care of. Olsen makes a great first pass, but the one aspect that could use improvement is his skating. He's not a bad skater, but could use more quickness.

1. Seth Helgeson-Defence-Sioux City-USHL-United States
At 6.04, 220 pounds it's not hard to imagine what kind of D-man Seth Helgeson is. The 2nd year Sioux City Musketeer is a powerful force in a shut down role, that isn't afraid to drop the gloves and persuade his opponents not to come near his net. But that's not all the Faribualt, Minnesota product can do. He has 5 points in 8 games this year, including a pair of power play goals. Helgeson has verbally committed to the Minnesota Golden Gophers for next year, and is currently ranked 25th overall by ISS for this June.

2009 Draft Performers of the Week - Sept. 28/08

Each week SMWW, ISS, The Pipeline Show and Hockey Now recognize the top 2009 draft eligible player from the QMJHL, OHL, WHL and USHL based on their play over the course of the previous week. Here are the four winners for the week that was...

OHL - John Tavares (Oshawa Generals)

Second week in a row for Tavares who now has 10 points in 4 games with the Generals. Tavares will appear on The Pipeline Show on Tuesday night (Sept 30th) which can be heard live between 7-9 PM mountain time on the TEAM 1260 or via the archived audio files afterwards at The Pipeline Show.

WHL - Evander Kane (Vancouver Giants)

The Giants played 4 games in 5 nights and their 2006 1st round Bantam draft pick came away with 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points. Kane is projected by many as a player who could go in the top 10 of the 2009 NHL draft.

QMJHL - Gabriel Lemieux (Shawinigan Cataractes)

Born September 28th, Lemieux was barely too young for the 2008 draft. Now in his 3rd QMJHL season he is currently tied for the league lead in scoring by a defenceman. He had 3 points in 3 games last week.

USHL - John Moore (Chicago Steele)

4 points, a +6 rating and 14 PIM... those were John Moore's stats during the USHL preseason tournament that was played last week. He's an Illinois native and at 6'0 and 180 lbs, the blueliner has decent size and speed.