Saturday Morning Special - Sept 17th

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Another two-part CHL league preview, a look at goalies in the WHL and the NHL, who played well in Penticton, are Drew Doughty and Kyle Turris getting bad advice and a key prospect for 2012 makes his TPS debut. In short, another busy and interesting edition of The Pipeline Show for your Saturday morning.

Eberle to the World Championship? Lights Lamp for 50th time.

Hockey Night In Canada host Elliot Friedman mentioned tonight during the Oilers/Leafs game that there is a rumour out there that Jordan Eberle will be asked to play for Canada at the World Hockey Championship in Germany starting May 7th.

I haven't heard that yet but it would be terrific for Eberle to get that chance, similar to what Jonathan Toews did after the 2007 season. Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty played last year for Canada after their rookie seasons.

Whether or not Eberle gets the call from Canada, he'll certainly get hearing from the Oilers after he wraps up his season tonight against Brandon. Eberle entered the contest with 49 goals, and notched #50 in the 2nd period. The big question is whether or not the Oilers will bring him to Edmonton or send him to Springfield?

In my opinion bringing him to Rexall Place right now is wrong. Put in him the AHL and if he plays well, reward him with a call up for the last 3 games: At home to Colorado and then on the road vs LA and Anaheim. As he did last year Eberle has played a lot of hockey this year and starting him in the AHL makes sure massive expectations aren't heaped on him. Also, if he comes to Edmonton, he might just score a few game winning goals and get them out of last place!!!!

Top 5 Tuesday: Young Defenceman

Only once in the last 4 draft classes has a defenceman not been taking either first or second overall. So it stands to reason that there are some blue chip blueliners in the NHL right now. But not all of them have come in the top 2, 5 or even 10 on draft day. Here are are the 5 best young blueliners in my opinion.

5. Michael Del Zotto-New York Rangers
The 19 year old has shot out of the gate in New York with 2 goals 3 assists in 5 games, putting him a tie for 3rd in scoring among defenceman. The 20th pick in the 2008 draft has exploded up the depth chart in New York and is getting regular power play time on the first unit, often times with forward Ales Kotalik manning the left side. Del Zotto has one power play goal and has set up Kotalik twice by faking a shot and feeding a one timer. He leads all Ranger d-men in points and is only playing 15 minutes a night.

4. Alex Goligoski-Pittsburgh Penguins

Taken in the 2nd round of the 2004 draft, Goligoski's route to the NHL may have taken a little longer than Pittsburgh expected, but now that he's arrived full time he's making his mark. In his second full season, Goligoski has 4 points in 6 games and a plus 5 rating so far this season. Goligoski's strong play last year (20 points, +5, 45 games) allowed the Penguins to deal Ryan Whitney and he hasn't made them regret their decision. The 24 year old was drafted out of high school, then spent a year with Sioux City of the USHL. After 3 years with the Minnesota Golden Gophers he played one full season with Wilkes-Barre. Last year he split time between the big club and the AHL, but looks to be a full time Penguin now.

3. Erik Johnson-St. Louis Blues

Johnson might have drifted from peoples minds after missing all of last year due to a knee injury suffered in a golf cart incident, but he's back with the Blues and reminding people why St. Louis took him first overall in 2006. He has size at 6.04 and 234 pounds, skates extremely smooth despite tearing his ACL and MCL last year, and has terrific instincts. As a rookie he played 18 minutes a night on a Blues team that missed the playoffs. St. Louis is one of the "it" teams this year, a club on the rise that made the playoffs without the services of Johnson last year and could do some real damage with him. He's likely not even 100 per cent recovered and is just in his sophomore season, but Johnson will anchor the Blues, and maybe team USA's blueline for years to come.

2. Viktor Hedman-Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa's blueline was atrocious last year, this season it's a reason the Lightning are tied for first with Washington in the Southeast division. Tampa's blueline is an overall +3 and Matthias Ohlund and Hedman have 4 points each. There were a lot of people (not me, but Guy Flaming was one of them) who thought Hedman should have been drafted first overall, now he's making his case. The 6.06 Swede has done everything for Tampa. His 4 assists are tied for the team lead, he's +2, has 8 penalty minutes and is playing 25:40 per game, putting him top ten in the NHL among all defenceman, not just rookies.

1. Drew Doughty-L.A. Kings

When Canada's Olympic summer orientation list came out and Drew Doughty was on it, most thought he was token young player invite. He started dispelling the theory that week, and has continued to prove he belongs so far this season. Doughty scored a beauty Tuesday night against the Islanders, and is second among blueline scorers with 2 goals and 4 assists in 5 games. The Kings like the Blues and Lightning are much improved this year with 8 points to lead the Pacific Division, and have won 4 straight. Just like with St. Louis and Tampa Bay, a young blueliner is a big reason why. Doughty led all defenceman in shots with 126 and was tied for points with 27 last year. He wasn't a finalist for the Calder trophy last year, but it won't be long before his name starts surfacing for the Norris.

As for tonight's show, we'll be joined by Tampa Bay prospect Dustin Tokarski. The goaltender has started his pro career with Norfolk, this after winning a Memorial Cup and WJC title during his junior career. Our ICU Video Focus of the Week will be the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Memorial Cup hosts recently stopped in Edmonton and skated away with a 4-1 win so we'll speak with some key players and head coach Kelly McCrimmon. The NCAA season is underway and we'll continue our season previews with Hockey East, which produced the Frozen Four champion last year. Finally, we welcome the first of many scouts to the program as Mark Seidel from North American Scouting will be our guest. 7-9 PM MST on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton or online http://www.thepipelineshow.com/. Have a question for us or one of our guests? Drop us a line pipeup@theteam1260.com.

Top 5 Tuesday: Canadians In 2014

Last week I threw out 5 guys that might be helping Team USA go for gold in the 2014 games. That was during the countries summer orientation camp. With everybody dissecting and predicting the 2010 team at Canada's 4 day event this week in Calgary, TPS will gaze down the road to the next Olympic games with 5 players who could be wearing the Maple Leaf in Russia.

5. Steve Mason-Columbus Blue Jackets
Most think Steve Mason is at Canada's summer skate to be groomed for the 2014 games, but you can bet he's not ruling out grabbing the 3rd spot for the 2010 event in Vancouver. It wouldn't be the first time Mason has exceeded expectations. In 2008 he started the WJC as Jonathan Bernier's back up before outshining the LA King prospect and leading Canada to a thrilling Gold Medal win over Sweden. He was named the tournament's top pipeman and it's MVP with a sparkling 1.19 goals against average in 5 games. This past year Mason saved the Columbus Blue Jackets playoff hopes by standing on his head when Pascal Leclaire went down with an injury. He won the Calder trophy this year and his 10 shuts outs made him a Vezina finalist.

4. Cody Hodgson-Vancouver Canucks
Hodgson was widely considered the best all around player in junior hockey last season. Before and after a terrific world junior tournament - where he led everyone in scoring - the 10th overall pick from 2008 scored 43 goals and set up 49 others in 59 games with Brampton. Whe his season was over, the CHL's Player of the Year lit the lamp twice and added 4 assists in 11 games with the Manitoba Moose as they reached the Calder Cup final in the AHL. Hodgson came close to making the Canucks last year and many think he'll do it this year, as well as challenge to get his name engraved on the Calder trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

3. Drew Doughty-L.A. Kings
There were some that thought Doughty could have went first overall in 2008. They weren't far off as the Kings snapped him up with the second pick, and he made an immediate impact in Hollywood. He tied for the rookie scoring lead among defenceman and his 6 goals and 27 points were second best among rearguards with the Kings. Doughty showed poise and skill in his 81 games with a Kings team that is on the rise but struggled last season.


2. Steven Stamkos-Tampa Bay Lightning
He was close to getting in invite from Hockey Canada, and could get a phone call in December if he comes flying out of the gate. Canada left of players like Sidney Crosby in 2006 because of his age, despite a terrific start to the season, and it won't happen again. After a slow start to his rookie campaign, Stamkos heated up down the stretch. He notched his first career hattrick on February 17th, and never looked back, putting up 16 goals and 8 assists in his final 26 games. The run was enough to get him on Canada's World Championship team where he produced 11 points in 9 games. He was also plus 9 in the tournament where Canada came up short in the Gold Medal game against Russia.

1. John Tavares-New York Islanders
Like fellow first overall pick Steven Stamkos, John Tavares should be ready to don the Team Canada jersey for the 2014 games in Russia. If Tavares lives up to the lofty expectations set before him, he should be scoring between 40-50 goals by the tim his 4th NHL season rolls around. A player I've compared Tavares to, Dale Hawerchuk had 53 in his 4th season, although it was a more free flowing offensive time. Still Tavares is a goal scorer and with 215 lamp lighters in junior he'll be counted on for some big time offence. Until the Olympics Tavares should get a couple of chances to suit up in the World Championship as the Islanders aren't expected to go deep in or even make the playoffs in the next few years.

A few honourable mentions go to Luke Schenn of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche, Evander Kane of the Atlanta Thrashers, Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues, Tyler Ennis of the Buffalo Sabres, Karl Alzner of the Washington Capitals and David Perron of the St. Louis Blues. Have I missed someone on your list? Do I have someone that you don't? Pipe up with a comment below.

Staying Power

Now that every team has played atleast 10 games, it's time to look at those youngsters who have passed the magic mark of 9 games and look destined to stay in the NHL.

Oscar Moller, of the LA Kings scored twice, giving him 4 on the year and helping the Kings against Calgary Saturday night. Moller has 6 points in his 10 games with LA who weren't sure before the 9 game mark if they were going to keep the now former Chilliwack Bruin of the WHL. Saturday night Moller was all over the ice, and as usual shooting from every direction, which led to his 3rd tally this year. Unlike Moller, there wasn't much doubt about his teammate and Kings rookie blueliner Drew Doughty who had just one assist heading into action Saturday night, but a league leading (heading into Saturday) plus 6 when it comes to NHL freshmen.



The guy drafted 3 spots after Doughty this past June also isn't going back to Junior. Luke Schenn played his 12th game in comeback victory over New York Saturday, and picked up an assist, his 3rd on the season. Schenn has been physical, has racked up 17 minutes in penalties, and is playing more than 21 minutes a night. I was one of the guys who thought going back to Kelowna would have been a good move as the Rockets could be Memorial Cup contenders this year and Schenn would surely captain Team Canada at the World Juniors, but he certainly hasn't looked out of place in the NHL thus far.

Maybe the biggest surprise of this year's crop of rookies is Philadelphia D-man Luca Sbisa. Most (myself included) expected the 19th overall pick last June, to end up back in Lethbridge helping the Hurricanes to a 2nd straight WHL Eastern Conference Championship. But injuries in Philly and great play by the Italian born, and Swiss raised blueliner have kept in the city of brotherly love, where Sbisa has 5 assists and is averaging almost 25 shifts per game.

The Kitchener Rangers weren't likely expecting the Great Dane Mikkel Boedker back this season, in fact former Rangers head coach Peter Deboer told TPS before last year's Memorial Cup that Boedker was NHL ready, even before he was drafted. Boedker was drafted 8th overall and before Saturday night was averaging a point every 2nd game for Wayne Gretzky's EX-JETS. His terrific speed and vision on the ice has Boedker playing in the desert dogs top 6.

A couple of other notes, both Zach Bogosian and Alex Pieterangelo are hurt right now, and if their injuries linger on, would the Thrasher and Blues think of sending them back? I highly doubt it, but who knows. Brandon Sutter is also hurt, but he won't be returning to Red Deer, and the Saskatoon Blades are hoping to get Colton Gillies back, will it happen? Maybe. Gillies is playing less than 10 minutes a night for Jacques Lemaire's Wild and has only played 8 games. The Blades are a great team this year and Gillies might be better off leading the charge in toon town, rather than going into the wild and sitting on the bench.

There's a few others out there who have made it past the 9 game mark, let me know who has impressed you thus far.