Inside the World of Hockey Prospects

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Tonight we previewed the CHL league that will host the Mastercard Memorial Cup, went in depth with the CHL scholarship program, spoke to a future Boston College Eagle who will play in the USHL this season and checked in on the Traverse City rookie tournament as well as went inside the AJHL.

Saturday Morning Special - June 11th

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Another fully loaded two hours of radio this morning as I packed a guest into all 6 segments of the show. With no Dean to bounce things back and forth with, I knew more guests and less me is probably the way to go.

I talked to a prospect of the Vancouver Canucks who plans on being with the big club next year. I chatted with a coach from Hockey Canada who is helping run the goalie camp in Calgary this week - and he updated listeners on the injuries to both Kent Simpson (CHI) and Sam Brittain (FLA). Daren Millard checked in for his weekly conversation and we set up Game 6, picked our playoff MVP and learned more about the new brass in Winnipeg. And of course the NHL Draft was a major focus so I spoke with 3 players eligible for the big event a couple of weeks from now.

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.

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.

This n' That

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I've been sick for the last handful of days and so I've been stuck at home (skipped a pretty entertaining Edmonton vs Saskatoon game yesterday) spending most of my time reading or watching things online. When that happens I find all sorts of things that get my mind going.

Here's a few thoughts that I've had bouncing around inside my cranium the last few days.

Top 5 Tuesday: 2011 Draft Watch

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I know what you're thinking: The 2010 draft is still 6 months away... why bother with a 2011 list? But if you know anything about what we do here at Coming Down the Pipe! and on The Pipeline Show, you shouldn't be too surprised. We always have our eyes on the future.

I keep hearing about how bad the 2011 NHL Draft is supposed to be and yet I find that to be a little misleading. Afterall, the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft was one of the strongest in recent memory and there is a blueliner available who some have told me might be the best player in his position to come out of Europe in a very long time.

It might be a bit of a down year for the OHL, compared to recent years, but does that make 2001 a weak draft class all on its own? Of course not but still I am told that the overall depth won't be the same as we've had with 2008, 2009 and the group available in June of 2010.

I still think the top end of 2011 looks pretty darn good. Here's why:

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.

Top 5 Tuesday: WHL Rookie Forwards

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I know what you're thinking: Rookie predictions for 2009-10 already!?!? Well I say... WHY NOT?

Sure WHL training camps don't even open for another 6 weeks or so but I'm really looking forward to the new season. Maybe because after two years of the Oil Kings under my nose, I'm feeling like I've got a pretty good grasp on the WHL scene. Unlike Dean, I grew up well out of WHL country in NE Alberta so I didn't get to experience the league first hand until the revival of the local team.

That said, 2009-10 looks like a terrific year for rookies, especially in respect to Edmonton-area kids. Remember that the 2008 WHL Bantam draft saw 8 local boys selected in the first round so there will definitely be lots of stories for Edmonton's junior hockey media horde to focus in on. (And by Horde I mean the 4 or 5 of us that regularly attend Oil Kings games).

With that in mind, here are my top 5 WHL rookie forwards for 2009-10. And I just wanted to add that this could easily have been a top-10 list, there are several players who could have been here - plus I didn't even look at the incoming Euro group led by Toni Rajala (Brandon).

5. Klarc Wilson (RW) - Brandon Wheat Kings
Edmonton, AB
Height: 5'11 Weight: 197 lbs
Drafted: 10th overall 2008

The Edmonton product made his WHL debut here in the City of Champions on January 28th as he joined the Wheaties for a road game against the Oil Kings. Wilson is described as a power forward in the making and as a 15-year-old he was already thicker than many in the WHL. He'll be part of a really strong Brandon club that has every intention of winning the Memorial Cup on home ice without skating in through the back door as hosts - on a team that will boast two top-10 1st round picks (Schenn and Glennie) plus Toni Rajala and whatever else Kelly McCrimmon can add to the mix, Brandon will be a force. And Wilson should be a contributor to that success.

4. Shane McColgan (C) - Kelowna Rockets
Manhatten Beach, CA USA
Height: 5'11 Weight: 170 lbs
Drafted: 13th overall 2008

Another guy who made his in Alberta, McColgan dressed for road games in Red Deer and Edmonton (first WHL goal) right before Christmas before playing twice in Kelowna in January. The diminutive Californian was with the team during the playoffs and the Memorial Cup as well so he's well versed in what it takes to win in the WHL. He'll be one of the guys expected to start filling the void left by Jamie Benn and Colin Long but it might be a little early to expect McColgan to score 40 goals and 80 points.

3. Ty Rattie (LW) - Portland Winterhawks
Airdrie, AB
Height: 6'0 Weight: 167 lbs
Drafted: 2nd overall 2008

He was an offensive dynamo on a loaded Airdrie Xtreme club during his draft year and the new-look Winterhawks would love to see some of that firepower injected into their line up this year. Rattie appeared in 10 games with Portland last year but only recorded a single point - a goal against Seattle. The Xtreme had a few players who practically lapped the field in scoring during the 2007-08 season including Rattie. There was some suggestion that his numbers were inflated from playing on a highly offensive team so he might be on a mission this year to prove a lot of critics wrong.

2. Michael St. Croix (C) - Edmonton Oil Kings
Winnipeg, MB
Height: 5'11 Weight: 165 lbs
Drafted: 4th overall 2008

Speaking of offensive dynamos... the Oil Kings should be a playoff team this year but if they get strong performances from their 2007 and 2008 drafted players like St. Croix, they could legitimately be a top 5 team in the Eastern Conference. St. Croix led his league in Manitoba in scoring and was the youngest player on Team West and the World U-17s in BC last Christmas. The forward scored and picked up an assist during his two-game stint with the Oil Kings last year. He's got loads of talent and will get the ice time in Edmonton to show it off. A potential rookie scoring title contender.

1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C) - Red Deer Rebels
Burnaby, BC
Height: 6'0 Weight: 155 lbs
Drafted: 1st overall 2008

If anyone is a favorite to win the rookie scoring race next year it would have to be Nugent-Hopkins who scored 6 points in 5 games with the Rebels which included a 4-game scoring streak. Landon Ferraro told us in March that he thinks Nugent-Hopkins is the real deal but that he hopes Red Deer fans show patience and not heap major expectations on the shoulders of a 16-year-old. I've spoken with several media people who cover the CHL or have interests in the WHL specifically and to a tee they all agree; Nugent-Hopkins has everything it takes to be a star in the league.

Honorable Mentions: Like I said, there could have been a few and even this list was narrowed down some by only going with forwards. How about Brent Benson who will play for the Saskatoon Blades next year? He had a 4-game taste last season and could be a big player sooner as opposed to later for Lorne Molleken and company.

Another Oil King to watch for is Dylan Wruck. He's a year older than the gang listed above but he played an extra season in Saskatchewan, won the league scoring race and is poised to step into a big offensive role with Edmonton. He's not a big player but Jordan Weal and Brandon Kozun are proof that at the junior level, size isn't as big a factor as talent.

(Photos Courtesy: The Hockey News, Hockey Now, Portland Winterhawks)