Top Five For 2013

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In January of 2010 I wrote a 'Top 5 Tuesday' that offered up the names of five players to watch in advance of the 2011 NHL entry draft. That list, released 18 months prior to the actual draft, was pretty hit and miss when you look at it now in 2011. But three of the players I mentioned did go in the top 10 including the guy who eventually was selected #1 overall.

Again, to re-read that post today is to use hindsight but when it was originally written, the guys I listed in the #4 and #5 spots really were regarded that highly. It just goes to show you how much can change for players from their 16, 17 and 18 year old year seasons in terms of their development.

That said, here's a quick list of five notables for the 2013 NHL Entry draft a full 20 months ahead of time.

Saturday Morning Special - Aug 13th

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Another jam packed edition of The Pipeline Show this morning as we went touched base with a CHL team in the QMJHL, the OHL and the WHL plus went across the border for the latest at the U20 camp in Lake Placid for USA. We also checked in with one of our regular CHL gurus for his take on the latest chapter in the never ending border kerfuffle between major junior and NCAA hockey.

Tuesday night on TPS: More money raised for wildfire victims

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Tonight on the big show we got the latest on an upcoming huge trade in the Q, discussed some upcoming coaching hires in the WHL and chatted with an American forward heading to the BCHL. We also raised more money for the victims of wildfires and flooding in the Slave Lake, Alberta region.

Last Saturday we auctioned off a similar package with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins autographed jersey and the winning bid came from O2's Taphouse in Edmonton ponying up $2800. Tonight we put up a Mark Pysyk autographed Oil Kings jersey, along with the Jasper Park Lodge golf and spa package, and a Moosehead prize package and thanks to One 9 Construction inc we were able to raise another $1600 for our cause. That's $4400 so far with one more auction to go on Saturday. We will have the JPL and Moosehead packages up for grabs along with a signed Tyler Ennis Buffalo Sabres jersey and thanks to our good friend Sam Cosentino a couple of autographed baseballs from Aaron Hill and Adam Lind!!!! That's Saturday from 10-noon mst.

Mooseheads Set to Acquire MacKinnon

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Thanks to TPS regular Kevin Forbes for the heads up who notified us that the QMJHL club in his backyard is about to land the next Big Thing. The Halifax Mooseheads have reportedly agreed on a deal that will bring in phenom Nathan MacKinnon from Baie-Comeau in exchange for two players and a trio of 1st round draft picks.

The Chronicle-Herald is reporting that something will eventually be done once the August 1st trade window arrives.

It's a lot to give up but Halifax can afford the price because they just dealt a USHL based prospect named Adam Erne to the Quebec Remparts for two 1sts and a 2nd round pick.

With MacKinnon joining Martin Frk, the Mooseheads will have two of the most highly regarded U18 players in the world on their roster.

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.

Saturday Morning Special - June 4th

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Obviously the NHL Combine was front and center on TPS this morning but we also found time to head East and get the latest on the QMJHL Midget Draft and the Dispersal Draft of the now-defunct Lewiston Maineiacs. Then we talked to one of the NHL's super agents about the stable of players he's showcased in Toronto all week. We went in depth with another independent draft guide, talked to our NHL Insider about Game 2 between Boston and Vancouver plus we revisited a discussion with Brian Burke about the greatest draft day trade ever.

TPS: Game Day from the World's Longest Hockey Game

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Saturday morning we were live at "Saikers Acres" east of Edmonton where 39 guys and one women are into their 9th day at the Worlds Longest hockey game. They are trying to raise a million dollars for a special machine at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. This is a fantastic event to support and I can say that the Cross Cancer Institute is an amazing place that helped my wife battle breast cancer a few years ago. You can donate to the cause here and watch the game online here.

Rimouski Hard After Crosby Clone

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On Tuesday night's show we told you about Nathan MacKinnon, a rising star who's turning heads at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax. There are a lot of similarities between MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby on and off the ice. The 15 year old is from Cole Harbour, just a few houses away from Crosby's family home. He currently plays at Shattuck-St. Mary's and wears the same #9 that Sidney donned when he was a Sabre. MacKinnon has put up loads of points in his younger days - 200 in 50 games as an atom, and 110 and 145 point seasons in bantam. Thankfully no one is comparing his game to Crosby's but he might be following another path of Sid The Kid.