Are They For Real?

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Just about every hockey team in a serious, competitive league is now active for the 2011-12 season, (the ivy league schools don't get going until Halloween weekend), and already we're seeing some surprise clubs at the top of the standings. It happens every year in every league but the question is which of these overachievers can continue on with their success and which ones will eventually come back down to Earth?

A quick look at four surprises: the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, the WHL's Kamloops Blazers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

What you missed on Tuesday NIght!!

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Tonight Guy and I chatted with prospects from 2 NHL teams, welcomed back our CHL insider, spoke to the voice of the Portland Winterhawks, and checked in with the UND Fighting Sioux. We also teed up our upcoming charity auctions where you can win a trip for 2 to Jasper Park Lodge, a Moosehead prize pack and an autographed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins jersey.

All the proceeds from our charity auctions will go towards the people of Slave Lake and here's what you can win. 2 nights at the amazing Jasper Park Lodge, 2 rounds of golf at the Stanley Thompson designed course, and a $200 spa package, with breakfast each morning. Tune in Saturday morning 10-noon MST to get your hands on a sweet prize pack and help out the fine folks in Slave Lake who were ravaged by fire this spring.

Tuesday Recap: June 7th

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No Dean Millard in studio this week as he's back in Brandon visiting his dad and helping him bail water out of his sunken basement. But the NHL draft waits for no man and so I was forced to trudge on alone (sympathy?) with a full slate of guests. We covered the NHL, NCAA, CHL, the draft, the QMJHL, Hockey Canada's summer goalie camp, the Oil Kings, the NHL combine and there was probably some other stuff in there as well.

The Class of 2011 on TPS (Oct - Nov)

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Continuing from where I left off yesterday, October and November featured a number of 2011 eligible players we'd consider sleepers or under the radar guys. Obviously we talked to more 1st round players too but it was in this point of the year that we introduced fans to a player who wasn't even ranked by Central Scouting who ended up on their final list (and will get drafted higher than he is ranked). And not just players but coaches, scouts and media folks who cover specific, key prospects as well.

Puempel On Road to Recovery

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The Pipeline Show received an update on the status of key 2011 eligible prospect Matt Puempel of the Peterborough Petes. The forward has been sidelined since February 21st but still finished the season as the club's top scorer with 69 points. The 6', 190 lb left winger is Peterbough's nominee for the Red Tilson Trophy which goes to the OHL's most outstanding player.

Top 5 Tuesdays: Surprises on 2011 Ranking

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It's the first release of the year from NHL Central Scouting and as such, the 3 CHL leagues are ranked separately as is the NCAA, USHL and European countries. Most scouts have limited viewings for players outside of their immediate areas so we often see a lot of movement from this listing to the Mid-terms.

Tonight on TPS we'll speak with E.J. McGuire, who admittedly has not seen the WHL yet, about the Central Scouting rankings.

Until then, here are 5 things that jumped out to Dean and I this morning...

Tuesday Night Recap

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Tuesday night we opened the show by discussing the struggling Brandon Wheat Kings and how they aren't getting Brayden Schenn back from the LA Kings. Tyler Pitlick was suspended 3 games for a kneeing major and how that might cool off the Oilers prospect, and ticket prices across the CHL. From there we got into our guest list...

Tuesday Night Preview

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Let's celebrate the first chilly snowfall in Edmonton and talk some hockey! It's going to be a busy show on Tuesday as we'll try and pack 5 guests into 6 segments.

We'll be speaking with an Oiler prospect who is coming off a career year but appears to have completely fallen off the NHL club's radar and isn't even listed with other prospect on the team's website.

We'll also chat with a Phoenix prospect who is in his junior year at North Dakota and a Calgary prospect who is quickly dispelling the myth that the Flames have nothing in their pipeline.

Our 2011 Draft Prospect is slated to be a guy considered by many to be a top-10 pick this June. Plus, out weekly CHL Insider stops by to talk about some current events.