51 in 50

I was going to write a big feature on Emerson Etem's blazing scoring pace but realized I'd already done that story this year. So instead, re-read that one but keep in mind that the Medicine Hat Tigers forward and 1st round pick of the Anaheim Ducks now has 51 goals in 50 games.

With 15 games still left on the schedule, Etem is currently on pace for 66 goals. 70 is not out of the question and if he can hit that mark... is Pavel Brendl's 73 from 1998-99 realistic?

Etem and Smile

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The year was 1986. David Lee Roth had left Van Halen, latched onto another brilliant guitarist, and released his first full length solo album. Eat'em and Smile is full of quality songs featuring Dave at his lunatic best, Steve Vai's ridiculous skills and Billy Sheehan's crazy bass. To me it's one of the most underrated CD's from the era.

Speaking of underrated... has anyone noticed that Emerson Etem is destroying nets and goals against averages around the WHL?

Tigers take out Wheat Kings, WHL 2nd Round set

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The Medicine Hat Tigers took their first lead of their first round series with Brandon after winning game 5. They closed out the deal tonight in Winnipeg with a victory over Brandon, taking the series 4-2. The Wheat Kings had the Tigers on the ropes in game 5 with a pair of 3 goal leads but Medicine Hat roared back and scored the game winner with 25 seconds to go. Tonight they didn't need a comeback as they jumped in front for good in the 2nd and never looked back. The Wheat Kings actually had the advantage in the first outshooting Medicine Hat 12-6 but Devan Dubyk was perfect and his teammates gave him a 2-0 lead. The Tigers scored 55 seconds into the second frame and built up a 5-2 lead after 40 minutes. Brandon actually outscored Medicine Hat 3-2 in the 3rd but it wasn't enough as the Tigers take it 7-5. Emerson Etem scored twice for the Tigers while Michael Ferland had a hattrick for Brandon.

Here now is a look at the second round match ups.

WHL Playoffs: Chiefs Move On, Blades Make Statement

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Spokane booked it's ticket to round 2 and a date with Tri City after a 6-4 win over Chilliwack, winning the series 4-1. Blake Gal lit it up with a hatty including the game winner, Mitch Holmberg scored twice and Levko Koper had 3 points and was +4. A scout I spoke to Friday night told me he thinks the Chiefs are the best junior team - meaning they have the best junior players, not just the best NHL prospects - and we asked Chiefs voice Mike Boyle Saturday morning about that. He told us this year's version reminds him of the '08 Memorial Cup championship team.

Blades battle back for win, Oilers prospect breaks ankle

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Wednesday night at Rexall Place the Edmonton Oil Kings jumped out to a 4-2 lead over the top team in the WHL after 20 minutes of play. I'm sure Saskatoon head coach Loren Molleken peeled some paint in the first intermission and it worked. The Blades outscored Edmonton 6-1 in the final 40 minutes to pick up their 49th win of the season.

Team World 2010 - WHL

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So the 2010 edition of the Annual CHL vs Russia Series, known these days as the Subway Super Series, has actually been competitive this year thanks to an older entry from the visitors. Russia swept the QMJHL portion of the 6-game event but dropped the next two against the OHL. Against the OHL, Russia was outshot 90-47 overall and were held to just 5 shots in the second half on Monday's meeting.

I've previously explain at length why I would prefer to see the Canadians taking on an opponent made up of American and Europeans playing in the CHL. Recently I revealed what that team would look like in the QMJHL and then again for the OHL. With the scene now shifting to Kamloops and Prince George, it's time for my World team for the WHL.

Top 5 Tuesday: CHL Rookies

The crop of rookie this year is looking pretty good so far. Here are the 5 in scoring from across the league as of Today.

5. Geoffry Schemitsch-Owen Sound
The blueliner from Owen Sound is starting to make scouts pay attention. Not ranked by ISS in their top 30 for the 2010 draft has 2 goals, 15 points in 17 games. He's 6.01 and 180 lbs and has the coveted right handed shot. He currently sits 5th in rookie scoring across the country.

4. Emerson Etem- Medicine Hat
I watched him play Saturday night against Edmonton and he scored a beauty of a goal, his 12th already this year giving him 16 points in 15 games for the Tigers. Etem picked up the puck shorthanded in the Oil Kings corner and powered his way to the net tucking it in far side. Some scouts have said he's a little soft, but I didn't see much of that Saturday. His current pace has him racking up 57 goals in a 72 game season, but I'm betting he misses some time for the World Junior Championship.

3. Nino Neiderreiter-Portland
I recently saw the swiss, who seems like he can't miss, product when the Winterhawks rolled through town a few weeks back. He was impressive. His 8 goals and 17 points are tied for 2nd in rookie scoring. Neiderreiter has good size and skates well. He's not in the top 30 for ISS but could sneak in as the season rolls on.

2. Ryan Nugent Hopkins-Red Deer
Some have him the number one prospect for the 2011 NHL draft. His 10 goals, including a hattrick are second only to Etem, and his 17 points are tied with Neiderreiter. A former first round draft pick has been great for a Rebels team that has only seen 2009 37 goal man Landon Ferraro in 5 games due to a knee injury.

1. Shane McColgan-Kelowna
The Rockets don't have Jamie Benn, Tyler Myers or Michael Backlund this year, but they do have rookie Shane McColgan, who's tied with Stepan Novotny for the team lead in scoring with 18 points. The 2011 draft prospect put together a 10 point scoring streak that was just snapped on Sunday, where he had 17 points. The only blemish on the 5.10 forward is he's -4.

Interesting note, no QMJHL players in the top 5 of scoring.

Wednesday Reset - Oct. 20th

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Last night on The Pipeline Show we tried something new with Bad Ass Trivia, spoke with a former Oiler who is now an executive with the Colorado Avalanche, chatted up two prospects eligible for the 2010 NHL Draft and posed several questions to a Pioneer (some questions more than once).

First with Bad Ass Trivia - we got to thinking recently that we could have another guest each show if we changed trivia by asking a question as we go to a commercial break and take the calls off the air. That way we weren't spending part of our 2 hours/week playing trivia that listeners outside of the Edmonton area can't partake in. We tried it last night and it seemed to work so expect that to continue.

We began last night's edition of TPS with a segment of news and notes from around the hockey prospects world. We updated listeners on the QMJHL, OHL, WHL, USHL, NCAA and AHL. The show also featured a new intro, well at least a new music bed for the intro, let us know what you think of it. Hear that segment HERE.

Our first guest on the show yesterday was supposed to be Patrick Roy but apparently the Quebec Remparts had a team function so we'll have to re-schedule his appearance another week.

Instead, Dean and I had the pleasure of speaking with Jonathan Merrill, a name most fans probably don't recognize yet but definitely will by the time the draft rolls around. Merrill is a 6'3, 200 lb defender with the U18 US National Development team who will join the Michigan Wolverines next year. We talked to Merrill about the program, being a part of the USHL, his future at Michigan and of course his draft year. You can hear that interview with Jon Merrill HERE.

We also talked with another 2010 eligible prospect but this time it was a native Californian playing in Medicine Hat. Emerson Etem is another player probably off the radar of the casual fan but with the Tigers this year he already has 9 goals and 11 points in 13 games as a rookie so he's definitely making a statement. We spoke with the likable forward from Long Beach, CA about his past with the US National Development Program, playing away from home since he's been about 14, and making the move to Canada and the WHL. Hear what Emerson Etem had to say HERE.

The Denver Pioneers are off to a slower than expected start as the formerly #1 ranked program posts a 2-2 record after week 2 of the schedule. Joe Colborne (BOS) is now on the shelf with a broken finger so we had a chance to speak with the former AJHL star about the rough start for his team and also got an update on the injury. Joe also offered up his thoughts on his former team (Camrose) being awarded host status for the 2011 RBC Cup. Hear Colborne's comments HERE.

Another former Kodiak gave us his thoughts about that same topic as Dean had a chance to speak with of the Vancouver Canucks. That was one part of a segment featuring our AJHL Game of the Week and Alumni Player of the Week. Hear that Here.

Last but not least, David Oliver, Director of Player Development of the Colorado Avalanche, talked to us about a number of the prospects playing for the Lake Erie Monsters, junior, NCAA or at the NHL level like Ryan O'Reilly, Matt Duchene, Kieran Millan, Kevin Shattenkirk, Colby Cohen, T.J. Galiardi, Brock Bradford and more. Hear what the former Oiler and Michigan Wolverine had to say by clicking HERE.