Saturday Morning Special - Sept 10

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It's not every show that we have a member of the NHL Hall of Fame on the program but that was the case today. Plus we spoke with another CHL General Manager, a WHL assistant coach who was in Europe this summer spreading the gospel of hockey, we heard from a writer from USCHO.com who has been outspoken against the CHL scholastic program and we chatted with the head coach from one of the top CIS hockey programs in Canada.

Saturday Morning Special - March 12

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This was another one of those shows that kind of came together late in the week as a player we had lined up had to cancel yesterday and a couple other guests were tough to track down and get confirmations from. In the end, we did what we always do; we talked CHL with one of the best play-by-play guys in the game, looked more at the 2011 NHL Draft, checked in on the NCAA playoffs, talked Calder Trophy and also updated listeners on the CIS playoffs.

This n' That - Early July '10

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A surprisingly busy start to the NHL off-season has provided plenty of fodder for fans around the league. There have also been other rumblings from the major junior, minor pro and NCAA ranks as well, some of which has gone largely unnoticed by the mainstream media. As always, when it affects the future of hockey, it attracts the attention of The Pipeline Show.

Top 5 Tuesdays: CIS Freshmen Classes

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I know a lot of people don't pay much attention to University hockey in Canada but it's really to bad. I know plenty of NHL teams that regard the CIS as an untapped source for free agents that is only getting better and better every year. As more and more CHL players are choosing CIS instead of the ECHL or Europe, the quality of play is on the rise. The crop of players not longer eligible for Major Junior that is headed to CIS programs this season is another prime example of late bloomers who will continue to attract the attention of the NHL during the Student-Athlete phase of their hockey careers.

A few months ago the San Jose Sharks signed forward Kevin Henderson away from UNB. Joel Ward of Nashville played 4 years of CIS hockey for PEI and has since gone on to AHL success and is now a regular player for the Preds.

There aren't tons of NHL players with CIS backgrounds but there are some out there and the numbers are growing. Here now are the top 5 incoming freshmen classes in CIS hockey for 2009-10.

5. St.FX

The X-Men announced their group back on July 22nd and it includes a few WHL grads including goalie Joey Perricone (pictured) who spent 5 years with the Moose Jaw Warriors. The California native will now head to the East coast for his X-Men uniform.

Also headed to St. FX from the WHL is Swift Current defenceman Spencer McAvoy. The Edmonton product is a good two-way blueliner who chipped in 39 assists and 44 points for the Broncos last season. At 6'3 he's got good size and I always thought he skated well and played with poise on the back end. I liked him as a potential pro camp invite and that may still happen, but if not, then the X-Men get a pretty good rearguard.

St. FX has 4 other Major Junior players coming in: Brennan Wray (Red Deer), Nick Pageau (Belleville), Josh Day (Brampton) and a pair of QMJHL alum in Ryan Sparling (Saint John) and Murdoch MacLellan (Cape Breton).

4. Manitoba

The Canada West Conference as largely been a two-team battle for the last couple of decades but slowly the likes of UBC, Calgary and Manitoba are closing the gap. The incoming Bisons are led by Ian Duval, a Winnipeg product. Duval began his WHL career with Regina before being dealt to Calgary. From there he bounced from the Hitmen to Swift Current and finally to Kelowna, all withing the last season. Duval was a point per game player this year and was an often overlooked part of Kelowna's WHL championship offence.

Another Winnipeg kid who returns home to play CIS is Brandon Lockerby of the Edmonton Oil Kings. The converted forward put together a 35 point campaign playing on the backend for the Oil Kings and should add some offence and speed to the Bisons no matter where they decide to play him in their line up.

3. Alberta

Alberta has been the cream of the crop in Canada West for many years now but they no longer appear to be the program that is attracting the top players out of the WHL. That's not to say who they have secured are bad players, quite the contrary really, but the Golden Bears incoming class doesn't compare to those of the past.

Netminder Travis Yonkman is the headliner and slated to be the starter now that Aaron Sorochan is no longer in the picture. I've heard that the New York Rangers have invite Yonkman to their camp though so his future isn't quite set just yet.

Also join the Bears are five local boys including Sean Ringrose (Medicine Hat), Michael MacAngus (Regina/P.A.), Ian Barteaux (Kootenay), Colin Joe (Saskatoon) and Reade Wolansky (Sacred Heart - NCAA). Ringrose scored 28 goals and had 59 points with the Tigers while Barteaux managed 39 points for Kootenay.

2. Saskatchewan

Almost always seen as the number one challenger to Alberta's CW crown, the Huskies are going to have a pretty darn good team the next few years thanks to the group they have coming in.

10 players are joining the Huskies this year including 8 with a WHL background. Among them are Brendan Dowd, a co-captain and co-leading scorer with the Edmonton Oil Kings last year. Dowd is a Saskatoon kid so he's going back home after his 29-goal season in Edmonton.

Brennan Bosch (pictured) had three consecutive 20-goal years with Medicine Hat and reached the 70-point plateau in 2007-08.

The Calgary Hitmen turned Kyle Bortis into a offensive machine after they acquired him from Swift Current. Bortis had 72 points in 2007-08 and 84 last year with the Hitmen. He scored 37 times two seasons ago so he knows how to find the back of the net.

Andrew Bailey scored 30, 28 and 28 goal campaigns during his final three seasons in Kootenay. The 5'9 forward's point totals are actually quite impressive as he rattled of 79, 87, 83 point years. The Hazlet Saskatchewan native might be one to watch in the green, black and white for the next few years.

Goalie David Reekie arrive from his 38-game stint in the USHL with the Lincoln Stars. Reekie began in the WHL but went south where he compiled a 23-10-4 record and posted a .935 sv% with a 2.01 GAA.

Another key ingredient being added to the Saskatchewan mix is Kyle Ross who is transferring from Regina where he led the Cougars in scoring in each of the last two seasons. It's a nice pick up for the Huskies and a blow to their rivals to the South.

1. New Brunswick

The V-Reds top my list based on quality over quantity. Saskatchewan might have more talent coming in but I think I like UNB's group just a hair more. The official list so far is only 3 names long but they were all captains of the WHL team last season and two also led their club in scoring.

Taylor Procyshen (pictured) finished 16th overall in the league with 81 points, 36 of which were lamplighters. The captain of the Tri-City Americans is an Edmonton product who was on the want list of the Golden Bears so you know this one has to sting for Alberta. Procyshen scored 30 goals or more in each of his last three seasons so the kid clealy has a nose for the net.

Edmonton Oil King Jeff Lee will head East if he can't find a pro contract with his name on it. The Calgary born Lee only played a year and a half in the WHL after leaving the Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks. Lee played a couple games for the Springfield Falcons in the AHL late last year after a breakout season with the Oil Kings. His 40 assists were a team high and his 62 points earned him a share of the scoring title with Brenden Dowd.

The third official recruit for the V-Reds is defencemen Ben Wright of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The former draft pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets might still get looks from the NHL but will be a huge player for UNB if he does play CIS. Wright was the leader for the 'Canes the last couple of seasons and is considered a pretty solid defensive defenceman.

Rumors are that UNB isn't done and that should he not get a pro contract, Ben Shutron will also end up in a V-Reds uniform. The former 4th round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks played in the last two Memorial Cups with finalist Kitchener in 2008 and CHL champion Windsor in 2009. That would be another great addition to their line up if in fact that comes to fruition.

The Springfield Golden Bears

Ever notice that when a new coach joins a organization, often times his former players will begin showing up as well? Mike Keenan has been around a lot and has played on a lot of different teams and it seemed to me like everywhere he went, Brian Noonan and Stephane Matteau were soon to follow. From Chicago to New York, St. Louis to Vancouver... sometimes players and coaches just have a certain chemistry and it makes sense.

Look at Brian Burke and Brad May; Vancouver, Anaheim and now Toronto.

Anyway, I was thinking about players that the Oilers could acquire next year to help out on the farm that would be (a) inexpensive and (b) familiar with the coach and that obviously leads to alum from the University of Alberta.

I hear what some of you are saying... "Um... CIS sucks, if those guys were any good they'd be playing in the AHL or something already."

I'm not going to try and change your mind on the quality of CIS hockey, you either believe it's crap or you see it as another developmental league that is no worse than on par with the ECHL (and quite possibly better than that). In my mind there are a number of solid players that come out of CIS, and the Golden Bears program specifically which is almost 100% comprised of former WHL grads. Many of those players are of the 'late bloomer' category that had they gone the NCAA route and graduated as 22-year-olds would have benefited. The CBA allows NHL clubs to hold the rights of their NCAA prospects until after graduation which obviously is a huge plus for players who need extra time to develop or recover from early career inuries.

I'm going to throw some names at you but keep in mind that two things would have to be taken in to consideration of which I don't know the answer to at the present time. The first is the contract status of the players I'm about to mention and the second is that I am assuming Rob Daum is the coach in Springfield next year. So assuming Daum is behind the bench and these players are all available, here's a few guys I think could have success in the AHL under the watch of their former CIS coach.

I'll start with Ben Thomson who had a 5-year career in Medicine Hat with the Tigers during which he had a trio of +70-point seasons and scored 31, 32 and 40 goals. Thomson played just three years for Alberta before turning pro but at the CIS school he was a standout scoring 43 points in 36 games as a rookie and following it up with 53 points in 44 games and then 54 points in 43 games in his final year.

It was in the National Final game at Rexall Place in 2005 where Thomson scored two remarkable goals. With his club trailing by a goal when Thomson would tie the game with a goal that former NHL GM Craig Button described to me by saying "That was a NHL caliber goal". Solidifying his mythic status in CIS lore, Thomson would then go on to score the O.T. winner giving the home team the National Title.

Thomson stuck around for one more year, won another Championship, then bolted for the AHL where he would play under one Rob Daum in Houston. Thomson appeared in 47 games and recorded 22 points, a pace for 38 points in a full 82-game AHL season. By comparison that pace would put him easily in the top 5 scorers in Springfield this year and keep in mind that was his rookie campaign.

Currently, Thomson is in Germany playing for Ravensburg Tower Stars in the 2nd Bundesliga, a step down from the DEL (German Elite League). As you would expect a player of any quality to do in such a league, Thomson is piling up the points. Last year he recorded 50 points in 35 games and so far this season he has 40 points in 27 games.

The pros are obvious; an offensive player that has been able to translate his WHL success to the pro level. The only con I can perceive is Thomson's size. At 5'7 and 180 lbs he's obviously not a big guy. However, if current Medicine Hat Tiger Tyler Ennis has a NHL future and other pint sized players like Justin Azevedo are proving they can play in today's North American pro game I think it's worth exploring Thomson as an option.

Next on my list is defenceman Harlan Anderson who actually had a brief stint with the Falcons last year. Anderson was an offensive minded blueliner in Moose Jaw and continued in that mold for 5 years at the UofA.

When he joined Springfield last year it looked like a perfect fit; an offensive puck-moving defenceman for a team that had none and couldn't get out of their own end. Unfortunately the former Bear struggled under Kelly Buchberger and played sparingly during his 9 AHL games.

On one occasion Anderson attempted to make a play up the ice and was criticized for his efforts when he returned to the bench. According to the person who told me about the incident, the coach snapped and practically mocked the former Bear for trying to 'play a CIS style game in the AHL'. The always consistent WHL and CIS scorer failed to register a single point during his short Springfield stint.

Subsequently Anderson looked to Europe this year and like Thomson, landed in the 2nd Bundesliga but with the Heilbronn Falcons. Not suprisingly, in Germany he has once again shown his ability to produce and has 26 points in 43 games.

Anderson was the go-to guy on the power play for the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Alberta Golden Bears. His smooth skating and accurate passing at those levels are what NHL teams covet at the top and evidently the player is still capable of being an effective offensive player. Anderson will be 27 next October and will have 6 years experience playing against men.

Another player worth considering is Dylan Stanley who I believe, but could be wrong, was recruited to the UofA by Daum before he left for the AHL. Stanley's first of three years as a Golden Bear was under coach Eric Thurston who assumed Daum's spot. Stanley had 93 points in his third WHL season with the Tri-City Americans and scored 34 goals in back-to-back years as well.

Stanley tore up Canada West as a UofA rookie when he totalled 24 goals and had a team high 58 points in 44 games. He helped the Bears win another National Title that year and captured another with Alberta last season before turning pro.

There appears to be a pipeline between the UofA and Germany and Stanley followed it, landing with the Rosenheim Star Bulls in the Oberliga. That league is another step down from the one Thomson and Anderson are in and as such, you would expect Stanley to be able to put up some decent numbers even as a rookie. Well you'd be right. In 54 games the Edmonton native has a whopping 110 points, clearly too good for the league he's in.

He's not big either although he's not as short as Thomson. Still, 5'10 and 182 lbs raises the usual questions regarding an ability to compete in a North American pro rink. Still... with that amount of production, what's the downside to a tryout?

Finally, here are some other Golden Bears past and present who might be worthy of consideration:

- Ian Mcdonald was a Kyle Brodziak like 92-point man in his final WHL year and at 6'3 and 200 lbs could provide a power forward presence at the AHL level.

- Aaron Sorochan was arguably the best goalie at Oilers camp a couple of Septembers ago and is only getting better with age. He's picked up a pile of CIS hardware for his individual performances and should be worthy of a pro contract when his UofA days are done.

- Ben Kilgour is to the Golden Bears as Ryan Smyth was to the Oilers; a heart and soul player willing to sacrafice his body in front of the net or in the corners. He's has enjoyed three +40-point years at the UofA and his eligibility runs out at the end the month.

- Tim Krymusa spent 5 seasons with the Spokane Chiefs and then 5 more at the UofA. He's a talented 2-way guy who is also playing in Germany this year and has 29 goals and 65 points in 55 games for Passau Black Hawks in the Oberliga.

- Brad Tutschek is a former Daum player at the UofA and is playing in the DEL for the third straight year. At the UofA he was one of Daum's most dangerous offensive weapons.

Like I said before, I know many of you reading this will discount these players for their CIS background and even now playing in Germany. Consider this; Ryan Huddy was given a tryout and subsequently signed a contract this year after playing in Germany for two seasons. His stats? You can see for yourself that he simply does not measure up to the players I have listed above. Obviously his name bar played a role in getting the camp invite but... does that mean he didn't earn the contract based on his camp performance?

There are some talented players listed above and many of them enjoyed their best years playing for Rob Daum. Why wouldn't camp invites next year make a lot of sense? Clearly it couldn't fail any worse than the status quo in Springfield.

Bears leading the way in China

Canada is off to a roaring start at the World University Games in Harbin, China. The Canucks smoked the host country 13-0 in their opener and pouned Great Britain 11-2 in their second contest, they will face the Czech Republic next.

The 7 Alberta Golden Bears have been making quite the impact for Canada, as well as having Bears boss Eric Thurston behind the bench. Canadian captain Ben Kilgour netted 2 goals while fellow Bears Chad Klassen and Ian Mcdonald added singles. This after Brian Woolger netted a hattrick against China and goaltender Aaron Sorochan made 18 saves for a tournament opening shut out. Canada has outshot their opponents 149-37 in 2 games.

Should the Oilers follow the Penguins lead?

That's the question that was posed to me by 2 different people today. One an Oilers fan, the other a fellow media person. Right now with the Oilers in the middle of a playoff drive and having won 2 straight my answer was no. However if the club misses the playoffs for a 3rd straight year, then I think a change is in order (as do most fans I have spoken to) and I think if the Oilers do fire MacTavish or he steps down, then the team should follow in the footsteps of the flightless birds and promote their AHL coach. Just like Washington and Atlanta have done previously.

When I brought my theory up to another member of the TEAM 1260 recently, they pointed out to me that Bruce Boudreau and John Anderson were with their organizations for years and that Rob Daum hasn't been with this organization long enough to be promoted. Anderson yes, had been the Chicago Wolves coach for years dating back to the IHL days before taking over the Atlanta post. However Boudreau was only the head man in Hershey for 2 and a half years before being promoted to the Caps bench boss midway through last season. I would also argue that Daum's time with the Golden Bears should count a little as well, after all he was just across town from the Oilers, was known to the team and attended many games and practices to observe.

Obviously what Daum does in Springfield the rest of the way will have to factor in, and so far he hasn't been able to lift the Falcons out of their funk. They were doubled in shots Sunday night losing 3-1 in Toronto and dropped their 11th straight. But let's not expect Daum to be like that dude who turned water into wine, or...


...Bruce Dickenson who puts his pants on one leg at a time and then makes solid gold records. Daum has consistently showed in the past he can coach an up tempo, exciting, offensive and successful style. In his 10 years at the U of A he had a better than .790 winning percentage. His first year in Houston of the AHL he won 50 games, and while he struggled coaching the Aeros in year 2, it's because the Minnesota Wild didn't replace Patrick O'Sullivan who was traded to LA or goaltender Josh Harding who was called up to the big club. Oilers fans remember the great run Edmonton went on last year, almost making the playoffs, but what you might not know is that Daum had a profound effect on the run. Daum played a big part in the team's breakout and helped out the power play. For that he was rewarded with a scouting position. Sure the team made a promise to Jeff Truitt in Springfield, but I think that was a mistake. When the job came available, Daum should have been the choice, and if the Oilers need a new coach in the off season, I think he should get his shot as head coach here, before another team lures him away to their bench.

Golden Bears Invade Colorado

The defending CIS champion Alberta Golden Bears take their show on the road this weekend for a trio of contests with top NCAA schools and as always, they're doing it in enemy territory.

It all gets going tonight as the Golden Bears square off against the Denver Pioneers. The 3-games in 3-days schedule certainly doesn't favor Alberta and their opponents are no pushovers either.

The Pioneers have been a highly respectable program for decades and have produced a plethora of NHL talent including soon to be Hall of Fame inductee Glen Anderson. Paul Stastny and Matt Carle are two recent stars who began to shine as Pioneers.

Current standouts in Denver include Rhett Rakhshani (NYI), Tyler Ruegsegger (TOR) and Joe Colborne (BOS) seen on the left.

Sunday night's game has them taking on Air Force, which can't really be described as a NCAA power but they aren't to be underestimated either. Players don't normally go on to fame and fortune from this program because, well because they obviously have an inclination to join the U.S. Air Force.

Eric Ehn (pictured) was the biggest name in the program in recent years but the Hobey Baker finalist has moved on. The Falcons do still have last year's leading scorers though in Brent Olson, Jeff Hajner and Greg Flynn. Their best player actually might be in net where Andrew Volkening was often a standout last year including a fantastic overtime game against highly ranked Miami (of Ohio) in the opening round of the NCAA National tournament.

Monday night the Golden Bears will face what might be the stiffest test, at least according to the recently released NCAA poll. The Colorado College Tigers are the 5th ranked program in the NCAA just edging the Pionners to 6th.

Like Air Force, it could be argued that the top Tiger is between the posts in goaltender Richard Bachman (DAL). Not to be confused with Stephen King's writing alter-ego, Bachman (pictured) was striking fear into the opposition (ZING!) all during his freshman year and now as a sophomore might be the top goalie in the NCAA. Chad Rau (TOR) leads the attack but Billy Sweatt (CHI) will be one to watch for as well.

As for Alberta, they might not be household names for a lot of fans but they have some players who can definitely be considered late bloomers with pro potential. Netminder Aaron Sorochan is now in his 4th year with the Bears and has two National Titles under his belt. Ben Kilgour is the senior player on the squad and after a terrific WHL career with the Tri-City Americans, he'll have pro options in 2009-10.

Ian MacDonald, Jason Fransoo, Jesse Gimblett, Eric Hunter (CHI & NYR)... these are all players worth keeping tabs on because their careers won't end when their CIS eligibility expires.

My personal prediction for the Bears this weekend: 1-1-1 with a win against Air Force, a tie either tonight in Denver or on Monday against Colorado College.