State of Play: April 23, 2016 B.C. by HockeyNow

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

THE SEARCH FOR THE 2016 HockeyNow MINOR HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR CONTINUES

PROSPECT PROFILE

FEATURING THE NATION’S TOP DRAFT ELIGIBLE PROSPECTS

TOP 30 NHL PROSPECTS AUSTON MATTHEWS ZURICH ZSC (SuiA)

JESSE PULJUJARVI KARPAT (FINE)

PATRIK LAINE TAPPARA (FINE)

ALEXANDER NYLANDER MISSISSAUGA (OHL)

PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS CAPE BRETON (QMJHL)

+ Full List Inside

INSPIRE + CONNECT + LEAD

OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

TORONTO, ONT

MERKLEY, JENKINS, JULY 15-16, 2016 GOGOLEV, MCBAIN: OUR LOOK MATTAMY ATHLETIC CENTRE AT THIS YEAR'S TOP PICKS

VANCOUVER, BC JULY 22-23, 2016

FORTIUS SPORT & HEALTH

OUR TRYOUT SURVIVAL GUIDE

6 TIPS FOR GETTING THROUGH THE TRYOUT SEASON

QMJHL FINAL 4

WILDCATS & SEA DOGS BRINGING MARITIME PRIDE TO SEMIFINALS

STATE of PLAY WE CHECK IN WITH GIRLS MINOR HOCKEY TO SEE HOW FAR WE'VE COME AND HOW FAR WE STILL NEED TO GO

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: April 23, 2016

A LOOK AT THE 2016 B.C. PARADE OF CHAMPIONS HockeyNow.ca

Our speakers include...

GARDINER MACDOUGALL Head Coach, University of New Brunswick

Strength & Conditioning Coach, Anaheim Ducks

MARK FITZGERALD

BOB BOUGHNER

JAMES MIRTLE

JAY WOODCROFT

STEVE SPOTT

BLAKE NILL

JEREMY RUPKE

Assistant Coach, Edmonton Oilers

Assistant Coach, San Jose Sharks

Head Coach, UBC Football

Hockey Writer, Globe & Mail

Founder, How to Hockey

MIKE JOHNSTON Former NHL Coach

BARB AIDELBAUM

Professional Skating Coach

**Stay tuned for more speaker announcements**

LOCATIONS AND VENUES TORONTO, ONT

VANCOUVER, BC

Advanced tickets are on sale until May 15th

$469+tax

regular priced tickets $500+tax • Panel discussions • Keynote Presentations • Guest Speakers

DATES July 15-16, 2016

DATES July 22-23, 2016

VENUE Mattamy Athletic Centre

VENUE Fortius Sport & Health

èMinor hockey DISCOUNTS listed on inside back coverè

• On-ice Demonstrations • Exhibitors section featuring the latest coaching technologies • HEROS charity Reception • Complimentary gift bag and conference golf shirt • Opportunity to network with coaches from all over the world

Formerly the Maple Leaf Gardens, the Mattamy Athletic Centre has transformed into an impressively advanced athletic facility while preserving the treasures of its past.

Fortius Sport & Health is an integrated athlete development centre strengthened through philanthropy and focused on optimizing human performance for life.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

THE SEARCH FOR THE 2016 HockeyNow MINOR HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR CONTINUES

PROSPECT PROFILE

FEATURING THE NATION’S TOP DRAFT ELIGIBLE PROSPECTS

TOP 30 NHL PROSPECTS AUSTON MATTHEWS ZURICH ZSC (SuiA)

JESSE PULJUJARVI KARPAT (FINE)

PATRIK LAINE TAPPARA (FINE)

ALEXANDER NYLANDER MISSISSAUGA (OHL)

PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS CAPE BRETON (QMJHL)

+ Full List Inside

OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

MERKLEY, JENKINS, GOGOLEV, MCBAIN: OUR LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S TOP PICKS

OUR TRYOUT SURVIVAL GUIDE

6 TIPS FOR GETTING THROUGH THE TRYOUT SEASON

QMJHL FINAL 4

WILDCATS & SEA DOGS BRINGING MARITIME PRIDE TO SEMIFINALS

STATE of PLAY WE CHECK IN WITH GIRLS MINOR HOCKEY TO SEE HOW FAR WE'VE COME AND HOW FAR WE NEED TO GO April 23, 2016

A LOOK AT THE 2016 B.C. PARADE OF CHAMPIONS HockeyNow.ca

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

ANOTHER ONE IN THE BOOKS

ND YET ANOTHER season flies by. As minor hockey associations across the country say goodbye to a long season of sweat and tears, wins and losses and hopefully a lot of fun, we at HockeyNow have been putting together another edition of our Parade of Champions. The Parade of Champions is a time honoured annual event in these parts, where we get a chance to shine a light on some of the names and faces of minor hockey players, volunteer coaches and parents that make this great sport possible. We hope you enjoy leafing through the winners—a big congrats to all of them. Also on our radar right now, of course, are the upcoming RBC Cup and Memorial Cup. This year, the road to the RBC Cup started with an outstanding 131 teams from coast to coast, all vying for a spot in the final race. That alone makes this one of the—scratch that—THE toughest trophy to win in hockey. We’re getting down to the last few teams now and plan on bringing our readers along every step of the way to see how the final contenders earned a chance to compete. The Memorial Cup is no second sister to the RBC Cup. The Memorial Cup doesn’t include quite as many teams, but in order to get a seat at the table, teams need to win their way through their conference and league to finally battle it out against two other conference and league winners, plus a host. No easy feat. We’re excited to once again feature an extensive Memorial Cup preview in our May issue, so stay tuned. Throughout all this, we’re narrowing in on the final preliminary lists for the HockeyNow Minor Hockey Player of the Year award, which will be presented to a player in each B.C., Alberta and Ontario. The award is centred around what we value most in minor hockey: leadership, sportsmanship, ability and skill, and community involvement. Past winners have included Memorial Cup and Stanley Cup winners, amongst others. We’re getting down to the last few weeks before making our final selections, so keep an eye on our Player of the Year section online to track your favourites. We’ll be choosing our winners in June and announcing them in July. Finally, we’re setting our sights on yet another exciting spring season. Every year, we see the number and calibre of spring tournaments grow and this year promises to bring us some of the best action yet. So keep picking up our print edition, check us out online and follow us on Twitter and Facebook as we cover major spring tournaments across Canada. As always, thanks for reading and see you at the rink!

We absolutely love hearing from you. So, tweet us about what’s going on with your team or your world—tweet us anything that you want to talk about.

LIKE US ON [FACEBOOK]

B.C. EDITION Vol. 18, No. 5, Issue 660 - April 23, 2016

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COVER IMAGE Erin Morris Submitted photo

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Congratulations to Ryan from Calgary AB for finding Billy and winning a Bauer Youth Training Shirt. British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

5 19 11

NDMHA is seeking a Director of Hockey Operations NDMHA is a Tier 2 Minor Hockey Association providing recreational and competitive hockey programs for children and youth in North Delta. NDMHA has approximately 600 players from Initiation Hockey 1 to Juvenile and are committed to providing the best hockey experience for all our players. As a Director of Hockey Operations, you will have the opportunity to: • Create, develop and implement an intensive skills development program to improve player’s hockey skills and give coaches the tools to continue the skills program throughout the season as part of their team practices. • Oversee and direct the day-to-day operations of the entire on-ice hockey program. • Develop relationships with Division Directors and team coaches to deliver the best minor hockey program in BC We offer a competitive salary with potential to earn more based on your ability to offer additional clinics. If you are interested in taking your hockey career to the next level we invite you to review the entire job description at www.ndhockey.com and submit your application directly to vp1@ndhockey.com

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

NDMHA Rep A Team Head Coach Positions 2016-2017 North Delta Minor Hockey is now accepting applications for Rep ‘A’ Team Head Coaches for the 2016-17 season. Opportunities are available in all divisions and at both the A1 and A2 levels. If you are passionate about development, are qualified and committed, apply now -a competitive honorarium will be given to successful non-parent candidates based on experience and division. Coaching applications and more information can be found on our web site: www.ndhockey.com Please forward your resume & application to: vp1@ndhockey.com

2016 PARADE

PG 30

EVERY ISSUE 8 | WHL Max Gerlach earns spot in NHL Entry Draft contention

9 | OHL Ryan Merkley headlines OHL Priority Selection

10 | QMJHL Maritime Division makes up half of teams in Final Four

12 | CJHL League is set for strong showing at NHL Draft

14 | MINOR HockeyNow Minor Hockey Players of the Year finalists at OHL Draft

20 | ON THE COVER GROWING THE GAME: THE CRUCIAL POINT FOR WOMEN'S HOCKEY IS NOW

32 | FEMALE Team Canada looks ahead to next world championship

36 | NCAA UND Fighting Hawks stand to win title once again

37 | CIS Ottawa Gee-Gees prepare for a return to CIS

32 FEATURES 11 | PROSPECT PROFILE Top draft eligible prospect from junior ranks

19 | NHL DRAFT ISS hockey top 30 ranked prospects

25 | TRYOUT SURVIVAL Our guide to getting through tryouts in one piece

British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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WHL

MEDICINE HAT NEWS PHOTO

MAJOR JUNIOR

Medicine Hat Tigers forwards Max Gerlach and Matt Bradley celebrate a goal during a WHL contest at the Canalta Centre on March 1, 2016.

Medicine Hat Tigers forward Max Gerlach corrals the puck during a WHL game on January 13, 2016 at the Canalta Centre.

was definitely an exciting year and a good learning year, but I’m excited to be one of the guys up front and a big part of the team coming forward.” Gerlach has a pair of teammates who have recently been through the ups and downs of the NHL draft. Centre Matt Bradley, drafted 131st overall by the Montreal Canadiens, and goaltender Nick Schneider, overlooked in immediately made an impact with the Tigers, notching the draft only to be signed by the Calgary Flames before the team’s first-ever goal on their new home ice at the the start of the WHL season, both offer different takes Canalta Centre. He followed that goal up with a strong on the situation, and Gerlach says there’s comfort in inaugural season, finishing second among WHL rookies knowing a draft pick isn’t everything. “I talk to Matt here and there about what he did. We with 30 goals, and adding 15 assists for sixth on the team had similar paths with strong rookie seasons,” said Gerin points. lach. “He said just not to think about it too much. If it “Ever since that first game, scoring the first goal at the comes and goes and your name’s not called it’s not that Canalta Centre, it’s been pretty exciting,” said Gerlach. big of a deal. You hear about so many guys going to camp “After that, I just started gaining momentum through and doing well and getting a contract.” the first half of the season.” Schneider is currently playing with Calgary’s AHL Gerlach struggled through the early part of 2016, posting only two goals in 12 games through the month affiliate Stockton Heat, where he recorded a 3-4 record of January, but as the Tabbies found their bearings and through his first seven professional games, while Bradley made a valiant push for the postseason, Gerlach found finished the WHL season with 23 goals and 28 assists in his game as well. 68 games. “It was pretty tough on me and my confidence,” GerGerlach is now back at his home in Flower Mound, lach said of his January run, adding he leaned on the Texas, attending school and working on conditioning experience of others to battle through. “It was great to while anxiously awaiting the NHL draft. learn from guys who already had previous seasons of “Now that I’m back here I’ve got to have a full school experience in the league. I was pretty lucky in that day and then start working out and skating,” he said. aspect.” “You’ve just got to take it day by day, Gerlach knows that corps of veteran train for any upcoming camps if I get players, and even some of his fellow rookinvited to any. If my name gets called I’ll ies, helped him get through the rough be ready to go, but I’m just going to be patch. While the Tigers just missed the a kid right now, enjoy going to school playoffs in a heartbreaking Game 73 tieand work out and skate every day.” breaker loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings, Tigers defenceman David Quenneville Gerlach says he walked away from the is also on many scouts’ radars for the THE MEDICINE HAT season a stronger player thanks to the NHL draft. The 18-year-old offensive TIGERS, ESTABLISHED guidance of his teammates. defenceman finished the season with 14 IN 1970, HAVE WON 2 “Being able to learn from Ty [Stanton], goals and 41 assists from the back end, NATIONAL MEMORIAL with all his years up in Medicine Hat, and is expect to follow in the footsteps CUPS, 5 WHL LEAGUE being there four years and being their of his two older brothers, Peter and John, CHAMPIONSHIPS captain, I think that was key in my dewho were drafted by the Columbus Blue AND 7 DIVISION velopment and progressing and getting Jackets in 2013 and the New Jersey Devils TITLES. over that hump in January,” he said. “It in 2014, respectively.

TARGET LOCKED

We talk to Medicine Hat Tigers sniper Max Gerlach about the hard choices that led him to a spot at the NHL Entry Draft table STORY | Ryan McCracken

HEN MAX GERLACH OPTED OUT of NCAA eligibility to sign with the Medicine Hat Tigers in July of 2015, he had his sights set on the NHL draft. Now the 18-year-old Texas native is months away from the big day, and he’s earned his place in the conversation with a 130 ranking from International Scouting Services. “I feel very fortunate,” said Gerlach. “When you’re on a list with that calibre of guys and anything that involves the NHL it’s obviously pretty special.” The young American prospect admits it was a difficult choice to sign with the Tigers last off-season, as it forced him to uproot his life in the States—where he was currently playing in Colorado—and forge a new path in the Great White North. “It was definitely a big decision to sign with the Tigers. I was pretty far away if you think about it,” he said, adding it was a life-changing choice made with the support of his family. “We felt very comfortable with it coming up to camp and seeing where I was going to be.” The decision has paid off in volumes. Gerlach

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

AARON BELL/OHL IMAGES

OHL

MAJOR JUNIOR

FIRST ROUND DRAFT RECAP

Ryan Merkley was drafted first overall by the Guelph Storm in the OHL Priority Selection Draft.

TOP OF THE CLASS

Toronto Jr. Canadien Ryan Merkley headlines this year’s OHL Priority Selection Draft STORY | Iain Colpitts

HEN IT CAME TIME to make the first overall pick in the OHL Priority Selection Draft, Guelph Storm general manager Mike Kelly claims he wasn’t concerned about the player’s nationality or whether or not they were likely to report to the OHL right away. All he wanted was the best player available on April 9. That player turned out to be Ryan Merkley, a smooth-skating defenceman who captained the Toronto Jr. Canadiens last season—and also just so happens to be shortlisted for HockeyNow’s Minor Hockey Player of the Year Award for Ontario. Realizing it was going to be a rebuilding year, Kelly and his staff began thinking of players in which they were interested if they ended up with a high draft pick. “We probably started with 15 players in September that might fit into that category,” Kelly said. “We got it down to 10 by November, six or seven by January, probably five by February and ultimately, I would say we were down to three players we followed very, very closely by the last six or seven weeks of the season. There

was one player who was consistently on that list and one player that was consistently number one.” In the weeks leading up to the draft, Merkley was one of four players the OHL scouting community considered potential first overall picks. Also in that category were forward Blade Jenkins and defenceman Bode Wilde, both of whom are committed to the NCAA and U.S. National Team Development Program, and Merkley’s Jr. Canadiens teammate, forward Kirill Nizhnikov, who is said to be weighing his options between the OHL and returning home to Russia to play next year. “[Being drafted first overall] is certainly a big accomplishment,” said Merkley, named Greater Toronto Hockey League player of the year last season. “You want to be the best, the number one pick overall and you always shoot to go first, no matter who’s picking.” Jenkins and Wilde both went to the Saginaw Spirit, with Jenkins selected fourth overall and Wilde in the 35th slot. Nizhnikov was taken seventh overall by the Mississauga Steelheads. While Merkley, who grew up in Mississauga and now lives in Oakville, may seem like the most likely of the foursome to report, Kelly said he wasn’t taken because he was a safe pick. The Storm are building their way up to championship contender status and they want Merkley to be the centrepiece in that movement.

RELEASE THE HOUNDS Heading into the playoffs, many questioned which Niagara IceDogs would show up—the ones who showed enough promise to deserve a CHL Top-10 ranking before the season began, or the ones who were inconsistent for the much of the season. It turns out the answer is the former. Niagara exceeded expectations by sweeping the Eastern Conference-leading Kingston Frontenacs in the second round of the OHL Playoffs, setting up a conference final series against the Barrie Colts. It was one of three sweeps in the second round. After losing to the North Bay Battalion in the second round each of the last two years, the Colts turned the tables

with a sweep over the troops while the London Knights knocked the Kitchener Rangers out in four games. The Erie Otters round out the final four after disposing of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in five games. Alex Nedeljkovic has anchored the IceDogs with a 2.47 goals against average and .915 save percentage, while Josh Ho-Sang has 15 points through nine games to lead the team in scoring. There’s plenty of offence elsewhere in the league with London’s Mitch Marner and Matthew Tkachuk, Barrie’s Kevin Labanc and Erie’s Dylan Strome all averaging at least two points a game.

1 – GUELPH STORM Ryan Merkley, defence, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 2 – SUDBURY WOLVES Owen Lalonde, defence, Windsor Jr. Spitfires 3 – HAMILTON BULLDOGS Connor Roberts, forward, Grey-Bruce Highlanders 4 – SAGINAW SPIRIT Blade Jenkins, forward, Detroit Compuware 5 – FLINT FIREBIRDS Ty Dellandrea, forward, Central Ontario Wolves 6 – OSHAWA GENERALS Danil Antropov, forward, Toronto Marlies 7 – MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS Kiril Nizhnikov, forward, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 8 – PETERBOROUGH PETES Pavel Gogolev, forward, CIH Academy White 9 – SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS Barrett Hayton, forward, Toronto Red Wings 10 – OWEN SOUND ATTACK Aidan Dudas, forward, North Central Predators 11 – OTTAWA 67’S Peter Stratis, defence, Mississauga Rebels 12 – NIAGARA ICEDOGS Akil Thomas, forward, Toronto Marlies 13 – NORTH BAY BATTALION Adam McMaster, forward, Niagara North Stars 14 – BARRIE COLTS Tyler Tucker, defence, Toronto Titans 15 – SARNIA STING Tyler Weiss, forward, Don Mills Flyers 16 – KITCHENER RANGERS Giovanni Vallati, defence, Vaughan Kings 17 – KINGSTON FRONTENACS Nathan Dunkley, forward, Quinte Red Devils 18 – LONDON KNIGHTS Liam Foudy, forward, Markham Majors 19 – ERIE OTTERS Allan McShane, forward, Toronto Marlies 20 – BARRIE COLTS Jack McBain, forward, Don Mills Flyers

“We took a couple of giant steps backwards in order to go forward,” Kelly said. “We weren’t shooting for the number one pick. What we are shooting for is a championship hockey club two or three years from now.” A lot of pressure comes with being the first overall pick, but Merkley welcomes it. He enjoys rising to the occasion and did so a number of times this year on his way to scoring 44 points, including seven goals in 33 games. Merkley, who also played for Canada at the Youth Olympic Games in Norway, had to mature quickly when he was encouraged to play up a year for major bantam and minor midget. He just completed his second minor midget season and learned a lot from the previous year heading into this year’s draft. “The first year, you got exposure, got to see the scouts and what to expect come draft day,” he said. “That experience of playing against bigger, faster players really helped coming into this year.” Following Merkley, the Sudbury Wolves drafted Windsor Jr. Spitfires defenceman Owen Lalonde second overall and Grey-Bruce Highlanders centre Connor Roberts was picked third overall by the Hamilton Bulldogs. British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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MAJOR JUNIOR

QMJHL

EVEN SPLIT Maritime Division sends four squads to elite eight and sees two make final four in QMJHL Playoffs

STORY | Mike Beasley

Blainville-Boisbriand finished the regular season with 62 points, 40 less than Val-d’Or, who had been ranked fifth overall in the CHL with an impressive 49-15-3-1 record. But the Armada completed the upset in six games, capped off with an exciting 3-2 triple overtime win in Game 6. Hockey, like life, is not always fair, but the next round match-ups were aligned along with the identity of the quarterfinal combatants. During the first weekend in April, Saint John and Cape Breton began their best of seven series, as did the Shawinigan Cataractes and Charlottetown Islanders. In other quarterfinal action, Gatineau and Moncton met up. The Armada were in tough once again, their efforts against Val-d’Or were rewarded with a shot against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, the top ranked team in the Q and entire CHL. The Huskies steamrolled the Drummondville Voltigeurs in their first round match-up, with Rouyn-Noranda sweeping their opponents and outscoring them 33-4 in the four games. The outcomes of the second round were determined by April 19 with Rouyn-Noranda putting an end to Blainville-Boisbriand’s shot at a Cinderella season with the Huskies coming out on top four games to one. In the Shawinigan-Charlottetown match-up, home ice was not an advantage with both teams winning a game on foreign ice in the first four contests of the 2-3-2 format. The Cataractes went on to win Games 5 and 6 to take that series 4-2. The Gatineau-Moncton schedule was similar, with the Wildcats winning Games 4 and 5 at home to take a 3-2 series lead as the scene shifted to Gatineau for Game 6. The Wildcats made sure a Game 7 was not required as they thumped the Olympiques 7-2 on home ice to win the series four games to two. With the win, Moncton will now square off against Rouyn-Noranda in one of two semi-finals. The Huskies have lost just one playoff game this spring after sweeping Drummondville (4-0) and defeating Bla-

MONCTON WILDCATS PRIMED FOR POSTSEASON Darren Rumble likes what he sees from this year’s edition of the Moncton Wildcats. The former NHL player (Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning) and AHL coach (Springfield Falcons, Norfolk Admirals) took over the reins of the Wildcats in July 2013. There has been a direct correlation with his arrival in Moncton and the organization’s success over the last three seasons. In his first year, the club finished in 12th place with 69 points after inheriting a team that was in a rebuilding mode. Year 2 saw the Wildcats increase their point production to 95 and a second place finish in the QMJHL.

DANIEL ST LOUIS PHOTOGRAPHIC ART

HE GEOGRAPHIC ROAD MAP of the QMJHL is being well traveled this spring. From its furthest point west (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.) stretched to almost as far east as possible (Sydney, N.S.) with stops in between, this year’s playoff picture has covered some serious distance. The reason is that for the first time in recent memory, five of the six Maritimes Division teams qualified for the postseason with outstanding campaigns. The Saint John Sea Dogs were the cream of the Maritimes crop, finishing in third place overall with 90 points, followed by the No. 6 Moncton Wildcats, 83 points, No. 7 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, 82 points, No. 9 Charlottetown Islanders, 77 points, and No. 14 AcadieBathurst Titan, 60 points. The Halifax Mooseheads, the sixth member of the division, finished the season in 15th place with 50 points and were on the outside looking in when the postseason began in late March. Acadie-Bathurst didn’t make it out of the first round, losing to Saint John in five games, but the Titans division associates made it through to the quarterfinals. Moncton knocked off the Victoriaville Tigres 4-1, Cape Breton defeated Chicoutimi 4-2 and Charlottetown took care of the Rimouski Oceanic, the 2015 President’s Cup winner, in six games. After the opening round, the deck was reshuffled and many pre-playoff predictions were spoiled because of a major upset of the fourth seeded Val-d’Or Foreurs at the hands of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

inville-Boisbriand in five games. The Saint John-Cape Breton series was the standard 2-2-1-1-1 with the Sea Dogs benefiting from home ice in Game 7 with a 6-2 victory to take the series four games to three. The Sea Dogs were down 3-2 in the series but strung together a pair of victories to win the East coast battle. Saint John and the Shawinigan Cataractes will meet up in the ‘Q’s second semi-final showdown. Now that the dust has settled in the second round, two Eastern Canadian or non-Quebec based teams are still afloat and will be featured in the final four. Now isn’t that something. And in case you are wondering about an all-Maritimes final this spring? If it did occur, it will be for just the second time in QMJHL history. In the 2010 President’s Cup final, the Moncton Wildcats defeated the Saint John Sea Dogs. But the situation is bright any way you look at it. History is on the Maritimes side, with eleven of the last seventeen league finals featuring a team that is based east of the Quebec border.

The Moncton Wildcats have exceeded expectations and fought their way through the first and second round of the QMJHL playoffs. They will face the first-ranked Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the semifinals.

This past season, Rumble led Moncton to a 36-21-9-2 record and 83 points. The Wildcats are in the Maritimes Division of the QMJHL, which was extremely competitive this season with five of the six teams qualifying for the playoffs. The added pressure and challenge of playing more games against division rivals is something that helped Rumble’s team prepare for what he is hoping is a long playoff run. “Our division has been really good this year,” Rumble said. “It’s funny because a lot of the media experts predicted that the Maritimes division teams would stumble in the playoffs, but there was still four of us kicking around in the second round.” The Wildcats defeated the Gatineau Olympiques four games to two in quarterfinal action and will now face the No.1 seeded Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the league semifinals. It will be the Wildcats second consecutive season in the QMJHL’s final four. Last year Moncton was swept by the Quebec Remparts 4 games to 0 in the third round.

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

LUKE CHUDLEIGH PHOTO

BY Marshall Mackinder

SIMON STRANSKY LW – PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS

Height: 6’0" Weight: 169 lbs. Shoots: Left Born: March 29, 1998 – Oakbank, Manitoba, Canada A shifty winger who is hard to check when he is flying down the wing cutting to one direction then quickly the other. Always moving his feet making it nearly impossible to stay with him. Good set of hands around the net and can stickhandle his way around tight places. Great passer who has nearly mastered the “no-look” pass and has many highlight reel passes this season. Very patient entering the zone and will wait for defence to let him in and a direct route to the net. Quick release who will bury any rebounds kicked out to him.

TERRY WILSON/OHL IMAGES

GRADE: A creative playmaker, Stranksy is a quiet but alert winger who will never miss an opportunity to create a scoring chance. A

JORDAN KYROU

D – SARNIA STING

Height: 6’0" Weight: 175 lbs. Shoots: Right Born: May 5, 1998 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada A horrible start to the season is a distant memory as Kyrou has picked up his scoring pace and improved on his offensive numbers as well as his overall game. He brings intensity to every shift he takes on the ice and is tough to contain as he is very strong on his skates. Showcases soft hands around the net with a good scoring touch. Strong on the puck and battles well below the goal line. Draws defencemen to him then passes the puck to the open guy in the slot for a good scoring chance. Good hockey IQ and is becoming more effective as he gets stronger throughout the season.

KEVIN KLIMA

C – MONCTON WILDCATS

MONCTON WILDCATS PHOTO

GRADE: Needs to put on some more muscle to win more battles with bigger guys along the board and not get frustrated so easily. B

Height: 5’10" Weight: 164 lbs. Shoots: Right Born: June 5, 1997 – Tampa, Florida, USA A high energy sparkplug who centres his twin brother Kelly and Liam Murphy. Plays a high tempo game and is a fearless forechecker who will force the defenceman into a decision. Good puck control and can identify when he is in trouble and make a smart decision with the puck. Plays a gritty style that has made him a fan favourite. Not the strongest skater but relentless and that is what gets him attention every game out there. GRADE: Kevin is the more skilled of the Klima brothers who struggled with London in the OHL in 2014-15 before finding homes in Moncton. Kevin and Kelly are sons of ex-NHL scorer Petr Klima. C British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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CJHL

GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY

JUNIOR

AROUND THE BCHL COLLEGE COMMITMENTS As of mid-April, every single BCHL squad had at least one player with a college commitment. And a total of 119 players that toiled in the league this season had agreed to continue their hockey and education south of the border in the NCAA ranks. The majority of these players will be beginning their collegiate careers during the upcoming season. Some others will play another year in the BCHL before moving on to the U.S. And in the case of Langley Rivermen defenceman Alec Capstick, who turned 17 in February, he’s accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Notre Dame. But the plan is not to begin playing with the Fighting Irish until the 2018-19 season. Penticton Vees forward Tyson Jost is expected to be the first of many CJHL players chosen in this year's NHL Entry Draft.

The Penticton Vees had the most number of college commitments among BCHL squads. Fifteen Penticton players had accepted NCAA deals. Every single one of those was from a Division 1 school.

HIGH HOPES Coming off the back of a poor showing at the 2015 NHL Draft, the CJHL is preparing for an enviable representation at this year’s entry draft

STORY | Sam Laskaris

EVERAL CANADIAN Junior Hockey League players are expected to hear their names called at this year’s National Hockey League Entry Draft. In 2014, a total of 12 CJHL players were chosen in the pro draft. But then last year, Marcus Vela, a forward from the British Columbia Hockey League’s Langley Rivermen, was the only CJHL player selected in the draft. As for this year, there’s a chance even more than a dozen CJHL players will be scooped up at the draft, which is scheduled for June 24-25 in Buffalo. Among those who are expected to be drafted are Tyson Jost, a forward with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, who is projected to be a first-round pick. “It is cyclical,” CJHL executive director Rick Morocco said of those players from Canadian Jr. A circuits that are annually selected in the NHL draft. “But we’ve had a lot of great players that have been drafted into the NHL.” In fact, a total of 430 CJHL players have been drafted by NHL franchises during the past 45 years. Morocco is not surprised to see the large number of CJHL players who are projected to become NHL draftees this year. That’s because pro scouts have been keeping

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

rather close tabs on numerous players and have obviously been impressed with what they have seen. “A number of scouts have attended a number of our showcase events,” Morocco said. “They attended the Eastern Canada Cup, the CJHL Prospects Game and the World Junior A Challenge. And they will be out at the RBC Cup and our regional championships as well.” Morocco is also pleased that a handful of CJHL players are expected to be taken rather early on in this year’s draft. Jost was listed as the 18th best prospect available in the latest International Scouting Service rankings released in early April. According to these rankings, Jost was expected to be the lone CJHL player chosen in the opening round. A couple of others, however, were projected to be selected in the second round. Jost’s teammate, defenceman Dante Fabbro, occupied the Number 40 spot in the April ISS rankings. And another BCHL blueliner, Dennis Cholowski of the Chilliwack Chiefs, was ranked 57th. Some other CJHL players who have been generating plenty of interest among pro scouts this season are forward Brett Murray, defenceman Owen Grant and goaltender Colton Point. All three suit up for the same squad, the Central Canada Hockey League’s Carleton Place Canadians. The list of others CJHL players who have caught the eyes of NHL talent seekers this season also includes defencemen Matthew Cairns and Brinson Pasichnuk. Cairns is a member of the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Georgetown Raiders while Pasichnuk toiled with the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Morocco believes the fact various circuits in the CJHL have potential NHL draftees is a great recruiting tool. “It’s a good example for other young players,” he said. “It shows them they can develop academically and through their sport of hockey as well.”

The Chilliwack Chiefs and Rivermen were next in line. Both squads had 12 players each that had agreed offers from American schools. Prince George Spruce Kings defenceman Matthew Stief was one of the latest BCHL players to accept an NCAA deal, agreeing to attend Buffalo’s Canisius College starting with the 2016-17 season. Stief was the first Prince George player from this year’s roster to sign an NCAA deal. His signing also ensured all 17 BCHL clubs would have at least one player committed to attending a U.S. school.

DESBIENS CONTINUES PRODUCTION IN PLAYOFFS West Kelowna Warriors forward Jonathan Desbiens was one of the BCHL’s top goal scorers during regular season action. And the 20-year-old Montreal native has continued his high scoring ways in the postseason. In fact, after the opening two games of the BCHL championship series, pitting the Warriors against the Chilliwack Chiefs, Desbiens had scored a league-high 14 playoff goals. Desbiens led the Warriors in scoring this season, racking up 83 points, including 44 goals, in 58 contests. He finished in a fifth-place tie in the BCHL scoring race and his goals were the fourth most among all players in the league.

VEES HOST 2017 NATIONAL QUALIFIER A year from now, it won’t matter as much if the Penticton Vees face an earlier-than-anticipated end to their BCHL playoff run. Penticton, which finished atop the BCHL regular season standings this season, was upset in the second round of the playoffs by West Kelowna. As for next year, the Vees will be hosting the Western Canada Cup, a qualifying tournament for the national RBC Cup. As the host team, Penticton receives an automatic entry and will still compete regardless of how far it advances in the BCHL playoffs.

CJHL

AROUND THE AJHL OKOTOKS SEEKING NEW COACH The Okotoks Oilers will have a new look behind their bench next season.

That’s because James Poole, who had served as the Oilers head coach during the past six seasons, resigned on Apr. 14.

In fact, the 21-year-old blueliner, known for his defensive prowess, was the runaway winner of this year’s OJHL Fan Favourite Award.

The Okotoks Oilers are looking for a new bench boss after James Poole resigned following a six-season stint with the club.

LASERS HIRE NEW COACH The Kanata Lasers are hoping a coach with some Ontario Hockey League experience will help reverse the club’s fortunes.

He’s not the flashiest player around. But Trenton Golden Hawks defenceman Blayne Oliver certainly has his share of supporters.

The day after Poole’s resignation, the club announced it was seeking applications from those interested in the head coaching position. Résumés will be accepted until May 14.

AROUND THE CCHL

OLIVER CAPTURES FAN FAVOURITE AWARD

But it remains to be seen who will be coaching the AJHL squad.

Poole, who was also Okotoks general manager, resigned after his three assistant coaches were not offered positions to return to the club.

Jeff Jordan, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the OHL’s Ottawa 67s, has been hired as the Lasers head coach. Jordan will have a rather hectic schedule as he will also serve as the head coach of the Lasers Midget AAA team.

Fans throughout the league were allowed to vote online for their favourite player from late January through to the end of March. More than 54,000 votes were cast for 170 different players throughout the OJHL.

Being busy is nothing new for Jordan. Besides being an assistant with the 67s, he was also the head coach of the Nepean Raiders Midget AAA squad this year.

Players from 21 of the league’s 22 clubs received votes. The Orangeville Flyers were the lone team that did not have a player earn votes.

Jordan has nowhere to go but up with the Lasers Jr. A squad. During the 2015-16 season, the Kanata club managed to win just seven of its 62 regular season contests.

Oliver received 38.2 per cent of the total votes. For Oliver, the 2015-16 campaign marked his second year in Trenton. He appeared in 47 of the Golden Hawks regular season contests. He scored three goals and added 21 assists in those matches.

With their 7-54-1-0 record and 15 points, the Lasers ended up occupying the cellar of the overall league standings with the Gloucester Rangers.

Burlington Cougars goalie Andrew Lee was the runner-up for the league’s Fan Favourite Award.

BOBCATS REST UP BEFORE NATIONALS The Lloydminster Bobcats have an extended break before their next match. The Bobcats had their AJHL playoff run come to an end on Apr. 13 with a 4-1 loss to the host Spruce Grove Saints. With that victory, the Saints captured their best-of-seven AJHL semifinal series versus the Bobcats in five games. But the Lloydminster clubs still has some hockey left to play this season. As hosts, the Bobcats receive an automatic entry into the five-team RBC Cup, the national Junior A tournament. The Lloydminster squad will certainly be well rested for the Canadian tourney. The Bobcats will have just over one month to prepare for the event, which begins May 14 and continues until May 22. Lloydminster did manage to win two playoff rounds before being eliminated in the AJHL postseason. The Bobcats swept the Drayton Valley Thunder 3-0 in their best-of-five series and followed that up with a 4-0 sweep versus the Whitecourt Wolverines in their best-of-seven affair. The Bobcats staff was planning to give its players a one-week break while awaiting the national tournament. The team was also planning to have at least 15 practices before playing its first match at the RBC Cup. Lloydminster’s first game is set for May 14 versus the champion of the Western Canada Cup, which begins Apr. 30 and continues until May 8 in Estevan, Sask. The runner-up from the Western Canada Cup, which will feature teams from Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, will also advance to the nationals.

BANDITS FORWARD ENJOYING STRONG POSTSEASON

But Kanata was officially awarded 11th place in the 12-team circuit since it had two wins more than the 5-52-3-2 Rangers.

League officials also announced first and second all-star teams for this award. Oliver was one of three Trenton players named to the first all-star squad.

Jordan’s resume also includes a stint as the video coach/ goalie coach with the Team Ontario side that captured the gold medal at the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

Forwards Mitch Emerson and Danny Hanlon were the other Golden Hawks players on the first team. Besides Lee, who was on the first team, Burlington also had forward David Thomson crack the second all-star club. Trenton Golden Hawks defenceman Blayne Oliver was the runaway winner of this year's OJHL Fan Favourite Award.

BROWN NAMED LEAGUE MVP Luc Brown’s trophy case is now a lot more crowded. That’s because the Wellington Dukes forward captured his share of hardware this season. Earlier this month, Brown found out he had been selected as the OJHL’s most valuable player. Prior to that, he had been selected as the league’s most improved player. And he also captured the OJHL’s Top Scorer Award by racking up 91 points (42 goals, 49 assists) in 51 regular season outings. Brown was also named to the OJHL’s first all-star team.

ANDY CORNEAU/OJHL IMAGES

SUBMITTED PHOTO

AROUND THE OJHL

JUNIOR

KANATA HOSTS PROSPECTS CAMP Some future CCHL players will be showcasing their skills at Kanata’s Bell Sensplex. The league’s 12th annual Pre-Draft Prospects Camp will be staged Apr. 22 to 24 at the Kanata facility. The camp is restricted to Midget AA or AAA or Junior A, B or C players born from 1997 through to 2000. Camp participants will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of CCHL coaches, scouts and general managers. Those who participate in the camp will also attend off-ice seminars where they will learn more about how the CCHL operates as well as the importance of combining hockey and academics during a junior career. All camp participants will play in a minimum of four games. Coaches from various CCHL squads will be handling all of the team benches.

JR. CANADIENS HIRE ANGELIDIS Jeff Angelidis is back behind an OJHL bench.

Brooks Bandits 21-year-old forward Derek Lodermeier has stepped up his game in the playoffs.

The Toronto Jr. Canadiens have hired Angelidis as their head coach. The 38-year-old had last worked in the league during the 2010-11 season when he was an associate coach with the Milton Icehawks.

Lodermeier averaged slightly more than a point per outing during the regular season, notching 60 points in 58 matches.

Following his one year with the Icehawks, Angelidis spent three seasons coaching with the Jr. Canadiens Midget AAA squad.

But during the playoffs he managed to increase his productivity, averaging two points per game. Lodermeier racked up 18 points in his first nine playoff contests.

Angelidis spent the 2015-16 season at the Junior B level, working as the head coach/GM of the Brampton Bombers, members of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

SPRING LEAGUE APPROACHES The Central Development Hockey League season is just around the corner. This marks the third season of the circuit which features prospective CCHL players, primarily operated by staff within the league. A total of 16 teams will compete in the loop this year. Squads will play a 16-game schedule. The season begins May 2 and continues until June 24.

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(PHOTO BY ANDY CORNEAU / OJHL IMAGES)

MINOR

The Guelph Storm had their eye on Toronto Jr. Canadiens defenceman Ryan Merkley all season and selected him first overall in the 2016 OHL Draft.

CREAM OF THE CROP HockeyNow Minor Hockey Players of the Year nominees experience 2016 OHL Priority Selection Draft STORY | Nicholas Carafa

LL SEASON LONG, HOCKEYNOW HAS been keeping an eye on all the players eligible for the 2016 OHL Draft in order to find the right candidate for its Player of the Year, who best exemplifies sportsmanship, leadership, hockey ability and performance, school and community participation. Some of those players heard their name called on April 9th.

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

The Guelph Storm held the first-overall selection heading into the 2016 OHL Draft and they selected Toronto Jr. Canadiens defenceman Ryan Merkley, one of 12 GTHL players taken in the first round. Merkley was also one of 10 players on HockeyNow’s March Preliminary List of Ontario candidates taken within the first 24 picks of the draft. The combination of his skating ability and vision with and without the puck managed to impress scouts and Storm general manager Mike Kelly all season long. “It's something that even I don't understand: how did he possibly know that player was going to be there? Why did he do that, there's no one there?” Kelly told Guelph Today on Apr. 8, referring to Merkley’s uncanny and instinctive vision. “Then all of a sudden a player skates into the puck.” “He has the ability to thread a pass that not many others could,” the league's scouting service also reiterated to Guelph Today. “Ryan is a dominant player that has the ability to take over a game whenever he wants to.” Merkley follows in David Levin and Jakob Chychrun’s footsteps from the GTHL to the OHL as the Toronto-based league produced the first-overall pick for the third consecutive year. The Mississauga, Ont. native told the OHL after he was drafted that he models his game to the likes of Chicago Blackhawks’ Duncan

Keith or the Ottawa Senators’ Erik Karlsson because of the heavy minutes they’re relied upon to play while also being a catalyst for offence. The aforementioned Levin and his Sudbury Wolves had the second-overall pick and they took Windsor Jr. Spitfires defenceman Owen Lalonde. HockeyNow’s preliminary list for Player of the Year has described Lalonde as an excellent two-way defender with the skating ability and offensive skills to step into an OHL club and use his quality shot to help a 17thranked power play that scored 43 goals this season. “Our scouting staff does a great job and they’re so excited about him,” Wolves head coach David Matsos told the Windsor Star. “We’ve got to do a better job getting out of our end and it starts with the first pass and [Lalonde] is going to help our game in a lot of areas.” Barclay Branch is the Wolves general manager and for him it was a simple decision that directly addresses the needs of his club. “Owen plays the game the right way. He's a very cerebral type of player, high hockey intellect,” Branch explained to the Sudbury Star following the OHL Draft. “Any time you have an opportunity to fill a spot on your back end with that type of player, it’s kind of a no-brainer. We had a lot of elements we were looking for with our first pick and, in particular, defencemen, and he checked off every box for us.” The Player of the Year not only recognizes a player’s attributes on the ice, but their contributions to setting a significant example to their teams and communities. For Lalonde, a multi-sport athlete prior to his draft day in early April, the leadership qualities he’s brought forward are a good rationalization as to why HockeyNow has been considering him for the award all year long. “There's a fitness trainer who he has been using for a couple of years who I spoke with,” Matsos said to the same outlet. “He said, 'I haven't seen this guy play, maybe three periods of hockey, but this guy here, he's captain material.' And this is a guy who has been around a lot of hockey players. He said his work ethic in the gym is insane, his athleticism is off the charts—he excels in track and he could have went the baseball route, that's how good of a baseball player he is—I think he just decided this summer to choose hockey.” Wrapping up the top three picks is Grey-Bruce Highlanders centre Connor Roberts, who went to the Hamilton Bulldogs. Roberts is a big, 6-foot-three centre, whose shot has impressed scouts and clearly the Bulldogs all season long. A big frame means the necessity to learn how to protect the puck in the corners and throughout the play—Roberts has that skill set as well. The addition of Roberts gives the Bulldogs a promising one-two punch down the middle after the team snagged Matthew Strome in last year’s draft. He scored 19 goals and 39 points in 28 games this season and was one of the more highly-touted prospects coming into this rendition of the selection process. “We have been watching Connor closely all season and are thrilled to call his name as the third overall pick,” Bulldogs president and general manager Steve Staios said in a team news release. “Connor Roberts has all the attributes and character that we hold in high regard at the Hamilton Bulldogs and he will be a big part of our organization moving forward.” Rounding out the rest of HockeyNow’s Player of the Year Ontario hopefuls are Dennis Busby (Flint), Declan Chisholm (Peterborough), Hunter Holmes (Flint), Jack McBain (Barrie), Allan McShane (Erie), Peter Stratis (Ottawa) and Giovanni Vallati (Kitchener Rangers).

MINOR

BRITISH COLUMBIA MINOR HOCKEY NEWS

ALBERTA MINOR HOCKEY NEWS

ONTARIO MINOR HOCKEY NEWS

U16 BC CUP SET TO GET UNDERWAY

BOBCATS BATTLING FOR TELUS CUP

The male U16 BC Cup gets underway on April 22, 2016 with 120 players making their way to Salmon Arm, B.C. for the event.

The Lloydminster Bobcats will have their chance at the Telus Cup after they defeated the West Valley Hawks in the best-of-three Pacific Region Championships.

RANGERS RIDING HIGH INTO TELUS CUP

Some alumni of the event include Curtis Lazar, Brent Seabrook, Brandon McMillan and Brett Connolly. This BC Cup is a means to set up the 2016 Provincial Camp being held later in July, where 40 players will be split into two teams in order to help prepare the province’s best players for national and international events. The BC Hockey Male High Performance Program was established in 1980 with the ultimate goal of preparing its players with the best means possible of being recognized for Hockey Canada’s National Junior or National Senior Team in the future. Prior to the round-robin play that begins on April 22, the players – divided into six teams – were involved in a combination of practices and off-ice testing throughout the 21st of April from 9:15 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The gold, bronze and consolation games will be held April 24, but before the seeds will be all worked out a second set play-in games will be played on the 23rd to determine the seeding heading into the final day.

The Bobcats booked their ticket in early April and they’ll play one game against the Atlantic, Quebec, West and Central Region champions as well as the host Saint John Vito’s if they want a chance at qualifying for April 23rd’s semi-finals. Travis Clayton’s team heads into the Telus Cup after simply dominating the Alberta Midget Hockey League’s (AMHL) Dodge Division. The combination of 129 goals-for and division-best 62 goals against helped the organization amass a 26-5-3 record throughout the 2015-16 season. Their first preliminary game was on April 18 against the Quebec Region Champions, the Lions du Lac St-Louis, who claimed the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League. Lloydminster wrapped up the preliminary round against the Vito’s, Saskatoon Contacts (West), Dartmouth Major Midgets (Atlantic) and the North York Rangers respectively.

GOALTENDING LEADS RAIDERS TO ESSO CUP While the Telus Cup features the best male midget AAA teams across the country, the Esso Cup is reserved for the best female midget AAA teams to compete for Canada’s National Female Midget Championship.

LADIES UNDER THE MICROSCOPE Just like the men, BC Hockey had a Female High Performance Program in place to assist in the development of female athletes in the province. BC Hockey gathered 120 women to partake in the 2016 Female U16 Provincial Identification Camp that took place at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm, BC April 13 - 17, 2016. Earlier in the year, they held the 2016 U16 Female High Performance Zone Camps and from experience, they were able to select the 120 players for April’s event. An event like this was important because it was the province’s first stage of evaluation in terms of skill level of this particular age group going forward. Once April’s camp has been completed the selected players will make their way over to Richmond, BC from July 7-10 for the Female U16/U18 Strength & Conditioning Camp. The ladies, like the aforementioned men, were divided into six teams throughout the course of the event: the Wolfpack, Wolverines, Royals, Lightning, Gators and Warriors. The six teams and 120 players are made up of 32 various teams throughout the province of British Columbia.

The Esso Cup is taking place in Weyburn, Sask. from April 17-23, 2016. The Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League is represented by the Rocky Mountain Raiders, who swept their best-of-three Pacific Region Championship series against the Northern Capitals with consecutive 3-0 victories. The Esso Cup is just another accomplishment for the Raiders this year. They claimed their first provincial championship earlier in the year and followed that up with their first pacific championship in order to snag a berth in the big championship series. All this capped off what was an incredible season for the ladies who went 23-5-2-3 in the AMMFHL and were the only team to score 100 goals throughout the season. Although they were the highest scoring team in the league, their core strength was in the crease. Erin Fargey and Kate Lloyd both started 16 games for the Raiders and while they both recorded two shutouts for their team, each had respectable feats of their own. Lloyd, the Langdon, Alta. native, lead the team in wins with 12 along with facing a team-high 431 shots. On the other hand, Fargey, the Chestermere, Alta native’s 0.930 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against average were her strong suit. It was much of the same story heading into their opening game. Lloyd turned aside 31 of 32 shots as the Raiders defeated the Brantford Ice Cats Skaters 2-1. Hailey McCallum had both goals in the second period, one shorthanded, in the effort.

A Kraft Cup and Scotiabank GTHL Playoff championship wasn’t satisfying enough for the North York Rangers. After taking down their opponents in Toronto, they set their sights on the rest of Ontario and they did just that once they captured the Central Region to qualify for the Telus Cup. A five-win effort helped Rob Vessio’s club book their ticket to Quispamsis, New Brunswick. It’ll be interesting to see if the other regions will be able to stifle this offensively gifted squad that led the Centrals in scoring with 30 goals while also having five of the top-six scoring leaders throughout the week. William Calverley and Aidan Casey led the way for the Rangers during Central Region Championships and could now call themselves the best team in Ontario after outlasting 63 other squads. The Rangers opened up their run at the Telus Cup against the Saskatoon Contacts, the West Region champs. Day 2 set them up for a date with the Atlantic champion Dartmouth Major Midgets before they took on the host, Saint John Vito’s, the day after. They wrapped up their last three preliminary games against the Lions du Lac St-Louis, the Quebec Region champs and the Pacific representative Lloydminster Bobcats.

APRIL SHOWERS BRINGS HOCKEY TRYOUTS May flowers are overrated. The GTHL and OMHA may have just wrapped up not too long ago, but it’s never too early to start thinking about the 2016-17 season. The GTHL’s tryouts began April 11, starting with five days of AAA evaluations. The ongoing 15-day period saw the AAA evaluations followed by AA and A teams respectively. With 55 teams making up the GTHL, there were plenty of roster spots filled.

OMHA WELL-REPRESENTED IN OHL GOLD CUP ROSTERS On the other hand, all the holes are filled on the OMHA’s OHL Gold Cup teams. The OHL Gold Cup is another showcase tournament that allows the best U16 players compete against one another. The event will take place in Kitchener, Ont. between May 4-8 and will host the best players coming out of minor midget. The OMHA will have 40 players divided into Team Black and Team White, with their entire rosters composed of players that were taken in April’s OHL Draft. The OHL Cup winning York Simcoe Express will have eight players participating in the event, including North Bay Battalion draft pick Rhys Forhan, who scored the game winner in double overtime back in March.

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MINOR

HockeyNow's PLAYER OF THE YEAR

BRINGING IT HOME

HockeyNow narrows in on top regional candidates STORY | Emily Whitemarsh

E COULDN’T BE PROUDER of the HockeyNow Minor Hockey Player of the Year Award and what it represents for minor hockey. For the 17th year, we will be presenting the award to a player in each B.C., Alberta, and Ontario who not only shows great hockey ability, but also brings strong sportsmanship and leadership to the table as well as proven participation in their school and community. And how do we select these fine young individuals? We rely on a selection committee—headed by B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and Vancouver Canucks alumnus Dave Babych and International Scouting Services founder and head scout Dennis MacInnis—who carefully put together monthly regional lists of their top selections. This month’s list features players who are getting noticed by major junior leagues and who, in one way or another, have shown their leadership abilities on and off the ice. As you’ll see, we have a very strong showing this year and the final decision certainly won’t be an easy one. The good news is that we don’t have to zero in on our winners just yet. The HockeyNow Minor Hockey Player of the Year awards are handed out in July, which still buys us a bit of time, but we’re certainly sharpening our pencils and paying very close attention to these exemplary players as we count down the days until the big presentation.

PRELIMINARY LIST BC 2001s, APRIL 2016

PRELIMINARY LIST AB 2001s, APRIL 2016

PRELIMINARY LIST ON 2000s, APRIL 2016

BOWEN, JASON: Chilliwack A1 (PCBHL) Tied for scoring lead at recent Tim Jardine Bantam AAA Showcase and selected to All Star team. Equally adept at scoring goals as he is at passing the puck. A well-rounded talent on offence with many weapons in his arsenal.

BROWNE, ETHAN: SP Flyers (AMBHL) A PP wizard. This guy is dangerous with any room on the ice. Big solid, balanced center that has some explosive first few steps. Great one-time slap shot, usually from the top of circle on right side.

ANTROPOV, DANIL: Tor Marlboro (GTHL) Power forward-type who shows flashes of high-end skill. He's a big winger that skates well for his size and can handle the puck. A scoring threat when ever he is on the ice. Gets PP and PK time and plays big minutes. Pro Upside.

BULAWKA, MAX: BANT PREP (CSSBP) Skilled play making centre with excellent vision and soft hands with the ability to pick apart defenses with his vision and slick passing. HORNING, CONNOR: POE Bant Prep (CSSBP) A stay at home D-man. A reliable defensive zone player that can get the puck up quickly to his forwards. Plays with poise and confidence in all situations and can log a ton of minutes when required. Has a very high panic threshold when being pressured by opposing forecheckers. LEYH, ETHAN: Yale Ban. Prep (CSSBP) Can play with anyone. Good neutral-zone player. Looks for the open man. Reads the play well. Sees the ice. Knows where his teammates are all the time. Excellent Skater. Creates scoring opportunities for his teammates. Good playmaker. MUTALA, SASHA: BWC A1 (PCBHL) A skilled goal-scorer. Has explosive smooth strides. Very good top speed. Can burn D-men with moves and puck handling. Shoots the puck very well and accurate. Hard to handle if you're a defender. RIZZO, MASSIMO: BWC A1 (PCBHL) One of the most complete bantam players out there. Can do it all in every situation. He wins face-offs. He skates fast and has explosive strides. Good puck protection. Creates scoring chances off the rush or by forcing a turnover from hounding the puck carrier and taking the body. Has a high compete level. SUKUNDA, ALEK: BWC A1 (PCBHL) He makes great plays defensively and shuts the top players down. Calm, plays under pressure and very good outlet passes. Plays in all positions and logs top minutes each game. Very reliable. Has top-2 pairing WHL potential. SVEJKOVSKY, LUKAS: DELTA BANTAM PREP (CSSBP) Excellent acceleration that he uses to create offensive scoring chances. He has an excellent wrist shot and loves to shoot the puck.

BYRAM, BOWEN: Leth Gldn Hawks (AMBHL) Remarkably gifted offensive player with natural play-making ability. An excellent skater with good speed who can change gears without hesitation and loves carrying the puck. Possesses a hard, accurate point shot. CHORNEY, CARTER: SP Flyers (AMBHL) Quality two-way player that does everything well. Is adept at taking face-offs, particularly in close and late situations. Has good puck protection abilities and is a solid playmaker. DACH, KIRBY: Fort Saskatchewan (AMBHL) Excellent skating ability and plus speed. Is a crafty offensive player with very good play-making ability that makes those around him better. Possesses naturally-gifted hands and changes speeds effectively. DYCK, CARSON: Leth Gldn Hawks (AMBHL) Speedy little offensive-minded player with good acceleration and the ability to handle the puck at high speeds. Possesses plenty of creativity, anticipation ability, and hockey sense. KEELER, LIAM: Edm. SSAC (AMBHL) Natural offensive forward with excellent hockey sense and two-way ability. Smart, heady winger who is always moving his feet, constantly looking to make an impact on the ice. KREBS, PEYTON: Rocky Mtn Raiders (AMBHL) Creative offensive player with outstanding hockey sense. Always knows where to be on the ice and can create plays out of nowhere thanks to his exceptional anticipation skills and shiftiness. One of the best skaters from his draft class. LEE, JAKE: SP Flyers (AMBHL) Good puck-carrier who frequently joins the rush. A good skater with plus mobility and above-average play-making skills. Good offensive defenceman. Plays both sides and Quarterbacks the powerplay. Competitive player who plays physical. Plays with poise and confidence in all situations and can log a ton of minutes when required.

DUDAS, AIDAN: North Central (ETAmn) He’s a slick, crafty player whose skating ability and explosive speed are hard to handle. Plays with poise, patient and confidence with the puck, and can makes plays in tight. Battles hard in the corners and traffic areas despite his diminutive size. A skilled competitor who combines grit and is willing to initiate contact. Has a very high hockey IQ and knows where to be on the ice at all times. HOLMES, HUNTER: Niagara North (SCTA) Solid two way game. Possesses creativity, anticipation and hockey sense. A defensively conscientious player that contributes on both sides of the puck and uses his physicality to make a difference in all three zones. LALONDE, OWEN: Windsor (AliMin) Excellent two-way defender with good offensive skills and skating ability. Has a good point shot with quality release and can play the point on the power play. MCBAIN, JACK: Don Mills (GTHLmn) Very good size and strength center. Captain. Skating is average with choppy stride. Puck and stick skills are very good. Showed good offensive instincts in and around the net. Early OHL pick in 2016 draft. MCMASTER, ADAM: Niagara North (SCTA) One of the best skaters from his draft class. Average sized offensive forward. Very quick hands, stick handling ability. Fluid skater with a great first two steps who can explode past players at this level. Battles hard and gets to the dirty areas. Strong player, can lower his shoulder and fight through checks, does a nice job protecting the puck for his size. MCSHANE, ALLAN: Tor Marlboro (GTHL) A skilled play making centre with excellent vision and soft hands. A good puck-handler who makes those around him better and is effective at utilizing his teammates. Has underrated goal-scoring ability and a plus shot. MERKLEY, RYAN: Tor Jr. Canadiens (GTHL) Excellent skating ability and effortless stride. Can change gears at will without losing a beat, even when carrying the puck. Can find teammates all over the ice with pinpoint precision and accuracy.

VAN DE LEEST, JACKSON: Yale Ban. Prep (CSSBP) Jumps into the play - good offensive instincts. Knows how to contain his man down low. Makes a good first pass out of his zone. Uses his partner well. Communicates well. Covers for his partner when he is in trouble.

ROBERTSON, MATTHEW: SP Flyers (AMBHL) The total package on defence. Exhibits the type of poise and composure with the puck that one would expect from a 10-year veteran. Has excellent size and is efficient at clearing the front of the net and gaining possession of the puck in the corners.

ROBERTS, CONNOR: Grey-Bruce (SCTA) A big-bodied centre with natural goal-scoring ability and a plus shot. Extremely effective down low and in front of the goal as a result of his size and puck protection abilities. Very difficult to knock off the puck.

WILLIAMS, JOSH: Yale Ban. Prep (CSSBP) Showed star potential. A scoring threat whenever he is on the ice. Reads the play well. Excellent Skater. Strong on his skates. Good anticipation. Plays well away from the puck. Good Shot. Makes soft passes. Finesse player.

SMALLWOOD, JAKIN: Leduc Oil Kings (AMBHL) Well-rounded forward who plays a strong two-way game and has well above-average play-making skills. A strong passer who can find his teammates all over the ice. Is a good neutral zone player.

STRATIS, PETER: Miss. Rebels (GTHLmn) One the most complete and OHL-ready of the defenceman. Slick skater able to keep up with anyone. Reads play extremely well. Showed a nice shot that he was able to get off quick. Has the size to excel at the next level and projects as a complete two-way defender. *IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. LEADERS ARE PRESENTED AS A LIST, NOT ORDERED RANKINGS

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

IN THE COMMUNITY

HOCKEYNOW TEAM MANAGER AWARD

THREE CHEERS FOR THE HOCKEY TEAM MANAGER! STORY | Astra Groskaufmanis

OW THAT THE YEAR-END hockey party has taken place, my seventh season as a hockey team manager is also coming to an end. All that’s left to do is return all the game jerseys to the association, close out the team bank account returning any unused fees to the parents, and get my own family to clear their hockey bags out of the garage before it melts in the heat! You’ve probably heard by now, HockeyNow has announced the first annual Manager of the Year Award, sponsored by FlipGive. I asked Aaron Wilbur, Founder and Managing Director of The Coaches Site and its annual Hockey Coach Conferences, about the award. What was the inspiration behind the Team Manager of the Year Award? We recognize that behind every great coach is a great manager, whether it an NHL or a minor hockey team. So much of the heavy lifting during the season is performed by the team manager, mostly behind the scenes and largely unnoticed. During our summer conference, I often hear coaches credit their team manager for the team’s success and felt we had a great platform to recognize managers. With this award, we will get to recognize one manager in particular. What, in your opinion, is one of the strongest character traits of an effective sports team manager? Ultimately, the team manager has to be positive. Even the best teams experience setbacks during the season, like losses and injuries. While the coach manages these challenges on the ice, the manager plays a key role in navigating stakeholders through these setbacks. They’re not just a friendly face at the arena but also the voice of reason to parents. Submissions have been coming in for some time now. Can you give us a hint at the type of candidates being nominated? So far, the response has exceeded our expectations! The submissions we’ve received have been really sincere. It’s clear that parents, coaches and players all value and have great respect for the contributions that managers make to the team. We’re thrilled to team up with HockeyNow and award sponsor, FlipGive in showcasing the commitment made by so many volunteers. One last question: can hockey managers nominate themselves? Oops, was that out loud?! Like Aaron, I have no doubt you know a hockey team

manager that probably doesn’t want the recognition but should get the recognition. Nominate your manager today for the FlipGive Team Manager of the Year Award. As a proud sponsor of the Team Manager of the Year Award, FlipGive will provide winners with $500 for their 201617 FlipGive team fundraising campaign along with many other surprises. Also make sure you tell your team staff about the TeamSnap Hockey Coaches Conference as the early bird registration fees will expire soon. Registration is here. The Toronto conference will be held July 15-16, 2016 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre located in Maple Leaf Gardens and the Vancouver conference will be held July 22-23, 2016 at Fortius Sports & Health athletic development centre in Burnaby, BC.

British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

POS

BIRTH

SHOT

HT.

WT.

TEAM

LEAGUE

AUSTON MATTHEWS

9/17/1997

6.01.5

194

Zurich ZSC

SuiA

JESSE PULJUJARVI

5/7/1998

6.03

203

Karpat

FinE

PATRIK LAINE

2/3/1998

6.04

209

Tappara

FinE

ALEXANDER NYLANDER

10/15/1997

6.00.5

179

Mississauga

OHL

PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS

3/2/1998

6.02.5

202

Cape Breton

QMJHL

MATTHEW TKACHUK

12/11/1997

6.01.25

195

London

OHL

JAKOB CHYCHRUN

3/31/1998

6.02

215

Sarnia

OHL

MIKHAIL SERGACHEV

6/25/1998

6.02.5

206

Windsor

OHL

MICHAEL MCLEOD

4/19/1998

6.02.25

188

Mississauga

OHL

OLLI JUOLEVI

4/14/1998

6.02.5

179

London

OHL

LOGAN BROWN

6/20/1998

6.06

222

Windsor

OHL

CLAYTON KELLER

7/29/1998

5.09.5

168

NTDP USA Under-18

USHL

MAX JONES

2/17/1998

6.03

205

London

OHL

GERMAN RUBTSOV

6/27/1998

6.02

176

Russia MHL 98

RusJr

JAKE BEAN

2/3/1998

5.11.75

173

Calgary

WHL

KIEFFER BELLOWS

3/14/1998

6.00

196

NTDP USA Under-18

USHL

LUKE KUNIN

3/29/1998

5.11.75

193

Wisconsin

BigTen

TYSON JOST

3/15/1998

5.11

191

Penticton

BCHL

JULIEN GAUTHIER

3/5/1998

6.03.5

225

Val-d’Or

QMJHL

RILEY TUFTE

4/10/1998

6.04.75

205

Blaine

MN-HS

CHARLES MCAVOY

12/21/1997

6.00.25

208

Boston Univ.

H.E.

TAGE THOMPSON

10/30/1997

6.05

185

Connecticut

H.E.

NATHAN BASTIAN

12/6/1997

6.03.75

208

Mississauga

OHL

BRETT HOWDEN

3/29/1998

6.02.25

193

Moose Jaw

WHL

ALEXANDER DEBRINCAT

12/18/1997

5.07

163

Erie

OHL

PASCAL LABERGE

4/9/1998

6.01

175

Victoriaville

QMJHL

TAYLOR RADDYSH

2/18/1998

6.01.75

203

Erie

OHL

BORIS KATCHOUK

6/18/1998

6.01

181

S.S. Marie

OHL

VITALII ABRAMOV

5/8/1998

5.08.75

172

Gatineau

QMJHL

CLIFF PU

6/3/1998

6.01.5

192

London

OHL

GOALIE

POS

BIRTH

CATCHES

HT.

WT.

TEAM

LEAGUE

EVAN FITZPATRICK

1/28/1998

6.02.5

222

Sherbrooke

QMJHL

JOSEPH WOLL

7/12/1998

6.02.5

198

NTDP USA Under-18

USHL

2016 ISS HOCKEY RANKED PROSPECTS L OGAN BROWN IS A BIG CENTRE with an offensive upside who knows how to create scoring chances. He has a good combination of size, strength and skill. He has a smooth long stride and is almost unstoppable through the neutral zone. The Windsor Spitfire has high end hands and feet that you wouldn't typically associate with a player of his size. Brown likes to rush and push with the puck. He does good work along the boards and makes things difficult for opposing defence. He is the type of player that can play anywhere in the top nine and helps teams win games.

TERRY WILSON / OHL IMAGES

PLAYERS GOALIES

PLAYER

British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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COVER STORY

BY KRISTI PATTON

GROWING THE GAME

WITH A MAJOR DIVIDE IN FEMALE MINOR HOCKEY AND PARTICIPATION NUMBERS DWINDLING IN RECENT YEARS, THE CRUCIAL POINT FOR WOMEN’S HOCKEY IS NOW

ANADA'S NATIONAL WOMEN'S TEAM and two-time Olympic gold medalist Meaghan Mikkelson remembers meeting Hayley Wickenheiser, Danielle Goyette and Cassie Campbell in her youth. For many, these names, some of the best to ever play the game, don't resonate. For Hockey Canada, it is essential that every young girl with an inkling to play hockey that they do. “I remember meeting [Hayley Wickenheiser] when I was young and getting to meet someone on Team Canada at that age, it gives you the dream to one day also be on the team,” said Mikkelson. Success at the elite levels in the female game in Canada translates to not only dreams of opportunity, but role models, a sense of history and nostalgia for future players. All things for which the male side of the game has to help grow the grassroots. "I think ‘crucial’ is the word I would use," said Mandi Duhamel, manager of female development with Hockey Canada, of the importance of spreading the word. "Girls can name off a hundred players in the NHL, but can't name three of the 23 players trying to make the Olympic team next season. That is something we have to do a better job of by getting in touch with parents and coaches, so the girls aren't talking about Sidney Crosby, they are saying ‘Marie-Philip Poulin’ and ‘wow, you skate just like Danielle Goyette.’" While touring communities around B.C. last month, Duhamel was sticking to her promise by interacting with kids of all ages in skill sessions and meet and greets with the women's national team. Mikkelson's story of meeting female hockey role models that pushed her dream into a reality is one that is shared by many members of the senior national program. It even rings true for players that weren't yet born when those aforementioned top female players were winning their first gold medals at the Olympics or at world championships. Countless, yet measurable. “We are in a unique position to capture the inspiration that our high performance players on Team Canada generate at events like women’s worlds, to demonstrate how fun and accessible hockey is to more Canadian females, and to provide targeted skills development sessions to those who are involved in hockey," said Duhamel. In 1991, one year after Canada won the inaugural IIHF Women's World Championship, female participation in Hockey Canada branches grew by 39 per cent to 11,341 participants. The next big growth spurt came after women's hockey was first played in the Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics; 37,748 girls

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

PHOTO BY GLENN HAWKINS

DUE TO A LACK OF HIGHER LEVEL PROGRAMS FOR GIRLS IN POCKETS THROUGHOUT CANADA, MORE ADVANCED PLAYERS LIKE ERIN MORRIS, DUBBED “THE BEAST” BY ONE OF HER COACHES, OFTEN FIND THEMSELVES PLAYING ON BOYS SQUADS. MORRIS IS ONE OF FOUR FEMALE PLAYERS ON HER ERINDALE BOYS MINOR HOCKEY TEAM.

British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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KRISTI PATTON/HOCKEY NOW

Russian forward Iya Gavrilova, who plays with the University of Calgary Dinos, is draped in her bronze medal speaking with media after beating Finland at the IIHF Women's World Championship.

THE REST OF THE WORLD 22

were playing by that time. Those numbers doubled to 73,791 by the time two more Olympic Games passed, with Canada winning gold at both. Numbers continue to grow after the 2009-10 season, but in smaller increments (hundreds per year, rather than in the thousands before). For Hockey Canada president Tom Renney, sharing the national program success is not only getting exposure on TV or through social media, but sharing it directly with the kids who play the sport, especially when events like the IIHF Women's World Championship are hosted in Canada. "It really does help grow the game. There are a lot of young people in the stands watching these games, same thing on television through TSN, identifying with this competition any way they possibly can, and to be able to take it to the ancillary communities so they can enjoy it too, it’s paramount, because that’s what grows the game," Renney said on hockeycanada.ca. During the world championship held in Kamloops from Mar. 28 to Apr. 4, Hockey Canada made it a point to celebrate the history and legacy of female hockey by inviting past world championship teams. Yet another opportunity to tie the history of the game back to the grassroots. "It’s everything. Even back when they were playing, they were reaching out to the communities that they were in, and where they were from, to help the little girls identify with playing hockey, and we want them to continue to pay it forward. We have to pay attention to them, we have to honour them, we have to respect what they’ve done for us, and hope that because of that, they feel the need to pay it forward, and help grow the game on a consistent basis, to the point where we get to celebrate the alumni many, many times over," Renney said.

THE DIVIDE

Sarah Paul has known since she was five years old that she wants to follow in the footsteps of her female hockey heroes. Now at the ripe age of 12, she has watched two Olympic Games and names like Wickenheiser and Spooner are well-known to her. These are the players she looks up to because of their skill on the ice, the fact they won gold at the past two Olympics and for what they do for the game off the ice. Paul even attended the Wickenheiser Female World Hockey Festival, a tournament that brings together 1,500 players from as far away as Mexico and Europe to those right here in Canada. Paul lives in B.C., which is a bit behind in attracting female players to the game. In a province with 46,000 players, only 6,000 are female. In fact, they have only had a handful of players make the final cut of any of the national teams (Under-18, Under-22 and the senior national team). Only one, goaltender Danielle Dubé, has made the cut for the world championship and that was in 1996. In comparison, there are about 9,000 female players in Alberta, a province with a smaller population. That provincial hockey branch is currently undergoing a restructuring process, with player development as the single most important consideration. The restructure is locked on ensuring athletes play with their peers in skill and age and there is a bridge from grassroots to AAA programs— standards one might assume are already in place. But there is a major divide in female minor hockey. Duhamel said for many young female players the game is attractive because of the social qualities of it; namely being in the dressing room, tournament trips and the time spent with

Women's hockey has long come under the scrutiny for the disparaging gap between Canada and the U.S. and the rest of the world. An IIHF survey in 2013 showed the source for some major growth in the sport is female participation; 11 per cent of the players around the world are female. Canada and the U.S. do lead the way in numbers, considerable growth was seen in the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway and Russia. Growth is also seen in Korea, who will host the next Winter Olympic Games in 2018. While the big two continue to swap gold and silver medals, other countries are making gains performance-wise. Part of that is due to Hockey Canada programs where coaches and players help develop skills overseas at camps and through sharing hockey philosophies. Another benefit has been players coming to North America to play, including players in the Canadian Women's Hockey League and the National Women's Hockey League. Players have also found success competing at high levels in the U.S. college system and

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

Canadian university system. This season, Russians Iya Gavrilova and Alexandra Vafina led the Calgary Dinos and the CIS in scoring. They helped lift their national team to a bronze medal at the world championship last month by defeating Finland—just the third time they have taken the prize (other winning years are 2001 and 2013). "It is great for women's hockey. We wanted to do it for all the little girls watching and more will come, more attention and promotion for women's hockey," said Gavrilova. "It is not about even Russia. It is about the whole world. This was a good game, intense game and hopefully everyone enjoyed it and more girls come to women's hockey." Gavrilova said this is the first time all of their IIHF Women's World Championship games have been broadcast on Russian TV. "Hopefully there are little girls watching that will want to play hockey. I see a lot of progress and talented players at the U18 and girls coming to play hockey right now," she said. "I think it is shifting mentally in Russia. It is becoming OK that there is women's hockey and they aren't trying to fight it. They are trying to promote it and everyone loves it."

MARK BRETT/PENTICTON WESTERN NEWS

new hockey friends in between games. Then at a certain age, players either want to continue on that stream of recreational hockey or play competitive hockey. She believes that comes around peewee or late atom. "It's that peewee area where we need to get more players engaged. If we are not keeping them, then the girls in bantam ages start dropping out and there are less opportunities for them to play. For some branches, it is the challenge of traveling far distances to play and not having that age group accessible for females in their communities," said Duhamel. The distance for players to travel was also brought up in the restructuring of the Alberta female system. Cities were strategically chosen for the new stream to give players an elite option that is not too far from home. Greg Nesom, who was on the restructuring committee in Alberta, confirmed the issue was addressed in the three years of research that went into the restructuring. He said the new model offers female players a chance to play in her home community then progress to regionally-based elite teams at bantam or midget then potentially move to the top of the pyramid at midget AAA. Meanwhile in B.C., Paul is stuck exactly in the gap Duhamel addressed. Paul started her hockey career playing with girls, but after her second year she was a few steps ahead of her teammates and wasn't getting the competitiveness to drive her skills and passion for the game further. She entered the boys stream the next season. Having just wrapped up with a male peewee tier 2 team, her parents are now in a crux. "A sport school academy has offered her a spot. She is not old enough to play with them, but can practice. The next option is tier 2 here again with the boys but then she would be introduced to hitting, which is something we have to talk about. The other option is an invite to play female midget AAA, but it would be as an AP because of her age," said stepfather Frank Gould. He said it is a challenge faced by parents all over the country. "We have been to some camps recently, and all the parents in this age group are trying to decide what the best route is to take. A lot of people are concerned that girls are more susceptible to concussions when introduced to body-checking. We have heard through the grapevine stories that have ended girls’ careers," said Gould. Duhamel agrees Hockey Canada wants to zero in on this age group as much as possible. But, it is a bit of chicken before the egg scenario. "It's this limbo of keeping those numbers up as they go through the ranks. It is a challenge branches are facing but getting better at. The better a AAA bantam team, the more girls are likely to stick around at peewee, the more peewee girls there are means more competition to create those higher levels. Now you have to remember we are only 25 years into female hockey, so it is still young and branches are focusing how to grow hockey in the remote areas." Exactly the reasoning behind bringing the national team players to those rural areas during the world championship which were complemented by female jamborees, on-and off-ice components, skill camps, as well as coaching and officiating seminars. Duhamel said from her perspective girls are more in-tune with the social aspect of the sport from a young age. They come to the arena to hang out with their friends and the team dynamic plays a large role. As is the case for the daughter of HockeyNow blogger, author of Offside by a Mile - Confessions of a Hockey Mom and seasoned hockey mom Astra Groskaufmanis. Having played hockey in Ontario for 11 years, and heading into her last year of midget, Astra’s daughter Emily has never had an interest in the game outside of the rink. Starting in Timbits, Emily was playing with boys and just one other girl. "The coaches put them on separate teams, but they would always end up at centre ice talking before the game," said Groskaufmanis. Emily ended up moving associations the following year where she stayed for the next 10, all in the female stream. "I'm not sure she would have stayed in hockey if she continued in the boys stream to be honest. Putting her with all females, we saw a big change in her love for the sport. " Outside of her team and the rink, Emily doesn't follow hockey. Her mother said she doesn't care to watch the NHL and has been to a few Canadian Women's Hockey League games and enjoyed them, but it also has no influence on her. But, maybe, even at the tender age of 16, she is too old to have been exposed to female role models like Poulin, Wickenheiser et al. It wasn't lost on atom minor hockey player Patience Wittenberg, who was part of the skills development with the national team in the week prior to the world championship. She hit the ice with a number of her peers recognizing the names Wickenheiser,

Meaghan Mikkelson, defenceman for the national women's team, skates with young female players in Penticton during a skill session held with minor hockey teams.

NUMBER OF FEMALE PARTICIPANTS IN CANADA BY YEAR YEAR

# OF PARTICIPANTS

% INCREASE

2014-15

87,494

2013-14

86,612

2012-13

87,230

< 1%

2011-12

86,675

2010-11

85,827

< 1%

85,624

< 1%

2008-09

85,309

10%

2007-08

77,461

2006-07

73,791

2005-06

69,557

2004-05

65,951

2003-04

62,640

2002-03

61,177

12%

2001-02

54,563

2000-01

51,105

18%

1999-00

43,421

15%

1998-99

37,748

30%

1997-98

29,031

1996-97

27,305

14%

1995-96

23,922

26%

1994-95

19,050

23%

1993-94

15,467

25%

1992-93

12,418

1991-92

11,341

39%

1990-91

8,146

2009-10

< 1%

Mikkelson, Spooner and Poulin. The same players she saw win the gold medal on TV at the 2014 Olympics. “Meeting all the players and practicing with them was really cool. I look up to them and want to go to the Olympics one day,” said Wittenberg. Exactly the impression Hockey Canada hoped for. British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

MINI FEATURE

Buyers Beware A PARENTS' GUIDE THROUGH TRYOUT SEASON BY BEN SMITH Tryouts are perhaps the worst time of the year for players and parents alike. From the uncertainty of who’s going to make the team, to the sheer pressure put on players, not to mention those select few folks who choose to bring the “business of minor hockey” to the rink, it’s no wonder tryouts are full of tears, pain and few good memories. Believe it or not, it typically isn’t the players who make the tryout season a negative one. All players want and have to do is go out on the ice and try their best, and that’s all tryouts should be about. But it’s usually the parents and coaches that bring the extra pressure on players. With that, here are a few tips for parents and players alike to ensure your tryout season goes as smoothly as possible.

1 Be Positive

This is perhaps the golden rule for hockey tryouts. Put simply, if you as a parent have a negative attitude when it comes to tryouts, there’s no way your child will have good vibes either. Ask your child how they think they did, and be careful with your criticism, because believe me when I tell you, they already know if they had a bad showing on the ice without you telling them.

2 Keep Things In Perspective

Not every player will make the “good team” or any team at all. It’s a tricky balance for any parent to encourage their child on and raise their confidence, while preparing them for every scenario including them not making the team of their choice. It’s important for us to remember to look at the big picture and remind our children that we’ll be proud of them no matter what. This reassurance is what will give players the self confidence to ultimately succeed.

3 The Car Ride Home Is A Safe Haven

This is probably one of the most dreadful parts of the hockey experience for any player. The car ride home should always be a place of safety for any player. It’s cliché, but simply tell your child you thought they had a great showing. Constructive criticism is fine, but only if it’s asked for. And under no circumstances tell your child whether or not you think they’ll make the team.

5 Make The Coach Give You A Signature This is a big one. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the same story of a player being told by a coach well in advance of the tryout that they have a “guaranteed spot on the team,” and they shouldn’t attend any other tryouts, only to be told later on that the coach is having “second thoughts” or “likes another player more.” If a coach offers your child a spot on their team, make them sign a contract, so if the coach tries to turn their back, you’ll have a written document in your defence. This prevents a coach from pulling any tricks, and leave your kid without a spot on any team. If the coach is unable to give you a written contract, it means they aren’t serious about your child, or aren’t willing to go the extra mile, which means you’d probably benefit from going to more than one tryout anyways.

6 Don’t Put Pressure On Your Child Believe it or not, some players actually don’t want to play in the NHL or play for the “best team,” that’s located an hour from their hometown away from all their friends. We see this far too often, parents trying to live the hockey dream through their children. Let me be blunt to the parents: your shot at the NHL died a long time ago. Putting your child through countless hours of extra training or making them go to a team far away from your hometown because you feel they have better shot of being seen by scouts only makes your child lose interest in hockey. There’s nothing wrong with a player playing hometown hockey with their friends; in fact, it probably results in the players having more fun, which will make them an even better hockey player if they’re motivated and enjoying themselves.

4 Give the Coach A Break

If there’s one person who probably hates tryout season more than you and your child, it’s the coach. They have the job of breaking the news to the crying kid that they didn’t make the team, a consuming job for anybody. Never call the coach to complain about your child making or not making the team; it doesn’t do anyone any good. In addition, if you do have a concern, observe the 24-hour rule, which basically says that a parent should wait at least 24 hours after the tryout before talking to the coach, to give all parties an opportunity to get their emotions in check and have a constructive conversation.

Tryouts will never be a fun time; we all have to accept that. But there are ways to make the tryout experience a better one for all involved. So follow these tips, support your child, and remember that hockey is only a game that’s meant to be fun. British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

Outlaws wrap up historic season with fourth place finish in B.C. It wasn’t the outcome the Mission City Outlaws were looking for, but if there’s any consolation, they can say that they put up a strong fight against the eventual Western Canada champions.

round-robin record isn’t indicative of their level of play since they lost a game by one goal despite firing 50 shots on a hot goalie.

International Junior Hockey League, went on to win the Western Canadian championships, the Keystone Cup on April 17 in Regina.

By winning their first ever PJHL title, the Outlaws were one of four teams to qualify for the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the provincial Junior B championship for B.C.

That was a 2-1 loss to the 100 Mile House Wranglers, who were backed by 49 saves from Zane Stephens. To his credit, Mission’s Jeffrey Veitch also had a strong game with 38 saves as both goalies earned player of the game honours for their clubs.

Going back to the Outlaws, they started out the Cyclone Taylor Cup with a commanding 7-2 win over the Campbell River Storm, thanks to a goal and two assists from Kolby Steen.

Although they finished fourth, their 1-2

The Wranglers, champions of the Kootenay

After the loss to 100 Mile House, Mission fell 7-5 to the Victoria Cougars in a game where they came back from a 5-1 deficit to tie it. The bronze medal game wasn’t as flattering, as the Outlaws were outscored 6-2 in the final two periods en route to an 8-4 loss to Cambell River. Despite the disappointing finish, the Outlaws made their presence felt with Brody Dyck leading the tournament in scoring with eight points (four goals and four assists) in four games. He was followed closely by teammate and PJHL regular season leading scorer David McGowan, who tied Victoria’s Nathan Looysen for second with seven points (two goals and five assists).

DOUG ABBOTT PHOTO

To get to the Cyclone Cup, the Outlaws won their first ever PJHL championship, defeating the Grandview Steelers in a five-game series. Mission’s league-leading offence ran wild in that series, scoring at least six goals in four games and wrapped it up with a 7-2 win on March 26. The Mission City Outlaws celebrate after winning their first ever PJHL Championship.

Steen and Bryce Pisiak led the league in playoff scoring, each with 23 points through 16

DOUG ABBOTT PHOTO

PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

games while Dyck and Kyle Lennea averaged a point a game. ROAD TO THE CYCLONE TAYLOR CUP It’s been an eventful season for the Outlaws, who at some points had a convincing lead atop the standings, but had to fend off the Abbotsford Pilots in their final regular season game to secure top spot in the Brittain Conference. Then when the playoffs came along, they were almost upset by the Ridge Meadows Flames, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Mission won four straight to win the series. From there, it was smooth sailing as the Outlaws only lost once in the final two rounds. Here’s a recap of their run through the PJHL playoffs: ROUND 1 VS. RIDGE MEADOWS FLAMES Game 1 (Feb. 16): 5-4 Flames Game 2 (Feb. 17): 6-3 Flames Game 3 (Feb. 19): 4-2 Flames Game 4 (Feb. 20): 3-2 Outlaws (double overtime) Game 5 (Feb. 23): 3-2 Outlaws (double overtime) Game 6 (Feb. 26): 3-0 Outlaws Game 7 (Feb. 27): 4-1 Outlaws ROUND 2 VS. ABBOTSFORD PILOTS Game 1 (March 4): 5-4 Outlaws (overtime) Game 2 (March 5): 10-4 Outlaws Game 3 (March 8): 4-3 Outlaws (overtime) Game 4 (March 11): 5-4 Outlaws CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES VS. GRANDVIEW STEELERS Game 1 (March 18): 7-4 Outlaws Game 2 (March 19): 6-5 Outlaws Game 3 (March 21): 7-4 Outlaws Game 4 (March 23): 3-2 Steelers (overtime) Game 5 (March 26): 7-2 Outlaws OUTLAWS HEADLINE YEAR-END AWARDS The Outlaws were well represented in this year’s class of PJHL award winners. Leading the way was David McGowan, the regular

Brendan Murphy of the Mission City Outlaws trades punches with Reece Costain of the Campbell River Storm during the Cyclone Taylor Cup tournament in Victoria. season scoring leader with 84 points (17 goals and 67 assists) in 44 games.

BEST GOALTENDER: Kurt Russell, Richmond Sockeyes

Also on the list was teammate and runner up to the scoring crown Bryce Pisiak, who led the league with 47 goals among his 82 points.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: David Padgham, Aldergrove Kodiaks

After guiding Mission to its second straight Brittain Conference title, Brad Veitch picked up coach of the year honours as well.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Braeden Gurney, Grandview Steelers MOST INSPIRATIONAL PLAYER: Tim Chow, Grandview Steelers

Here’s the rest of this year’s award winners: HERE’S THE REST OF THIS YEAR’S AWARD WINNERS: BEST DEFENCEMAN: Jordan Andrews, Richmond Sockeyes

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Keito Lee, Port Moody Panthers EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: Doug Paterson, Richmond Sockeyes

2016 PORT MOODY PANTHERS

SPRING PROSPECT CAMP May 20 - 23 | Pitt Meadows Arena Complex This camp focuses on identifying future players and players ready to compete for roster spots at our main camp in August. Players are encouraged to register early as space is limited. We are looking for players who have the desire, attitude and commitment to playing at the highest level. Level of compete along with a good attitude will contribute to your success in moving forward at the camp. Players from this camp may be invited to our main camp, offered a roster spot, or affiliated with our team during the 2016-17 Pacific Junior Hockey League season. PLAYER REQUIREMENTS Age Category: Players born through the years 1996-2000 2015-16 Team: Players must have a minimum level of Midget AA playing experience Goaltenders: All goaltender positions are by invitation only. REGISTRATION Included on our website is Spring Camp registration and medical forms. Cost: $210 (including tax) Payment for the camp must be included with the completed application form and can be made online via credit card. NOTE: Prior to May 1, 2016, refunds will ONLY be granted for cancelation due to inability to participate for medical reasons. A physicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter will be required in ALL circumstances. Regardless of circumstances, absolutely no refunds will be granted after May 1, 2016. Other than cancelation for medical reasons as defined above, ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS WILL BE GRANTED.

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

BCIHL SEASON WRAPS UP WITH A BANG Selkirk College continued their run of dominance in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League in March, capturing a fourth consecutive league championship with a series sweep over Trinity Western University in front of a packed house at the Castlegar & District Recreation Complex. The Saints were locked in a three-way race for top spot in the BCIHL for much of the regular season, but a strong finish earned first place as well as home ice advantage through the playoffs. They were pushed to the brink by the University of Victoria in a three-game opening round series win that saw the Vikes become the first team to ever defeat Selkirk in a postseason game on their home ice. But ultimately, a Selkirk College victory combined with Trinity Western’s first round win over SFU set up a finals match-up between the Saints and Spartans for the second time in three seasons. Game 1 of the Finals saw the hosts skate to a 5-1 win on the strength of a trio of power-play goals in the second period. Eventual BCIHL Playoffs MVP Ryan Edwards had four assists, while linemate Dallas Calvin notched a pair of goals with Ashton McLeod, Ryon Sookro and Jamie Vlanich providing the rest of the offence. Selkirk College’s first goal on Friday night was scored just 24 seconds into the first period when McLeod’s shot from the point eluded TWU starter Silas Matthys. That set up a Game 2 on Saturday in which TWU needed a win to keep their season alive. The Spartans came out strong in the first period, forcing 2015/16 BCIHL Goaltender of the Year James Prigione to make several key saves to keep the game tied at zeroes after 20 minutes. The third-year goaltender continued his strong play early in the second period at which point the Spartans had an edge in shots. The Saints opened the scoring late in the second period after forward Alex Milligan was hooked down on a breakaway by Spartans defender Jeremy McIntosh. On the ensuing powerplay, Milligan buried a Jamie Vlanich pass to give the Saints a 1-0 and bring the raucous crowd of over 800 to their feet. Overall, the Saints threw 20 shots at Matthys in the middle period but only came away with a 1-0 lead after 40 minutes.

Five minutes into the third period, TWU forward Dirk de Waal found the equalizer when worked his way out of the corner and beat Prigione high over the blocker side to tie the game. The Spartans kept the pressure on, but Prigione and the Saints defence were up to the task. And midway through the frame, the Saints’ top line of Edwards, Calvin and Sookro came through when it mattered most. Calvin fed Sookro, who got a pass off to Edwards and the team’s leading scorer in the post-season buried the opportunity. The Spartans didn’t quit and came hard in the final minutes, but that goal stood as the winner in a 2-1 title-clinching victory. Edwards finished the playoffs with 10 points in five games, matching former SFU star Jaime Laprise for the most points ever scored in a BCIHL postseason. The former Beaver Valley Nitehawks standout was one of a number of local products who played a starring role for the Saints. He, along with Calvin, Vlanich, Sookro and assistant captain Arie Postmus all took their first strides in minor hockey in the Trail and Nelson areas. “That had to be right up there as far as big goals I’ve scored,” said Edwards, who has notched plenty in his career. “It’s a good feeling to score a goal like that in a game like this and it’s pretty special to win in front of a huge crowd like that.” First year Saints head coach Brent Heaven took over behind the bench last summer. After Saturday’s game, he said it took a group effort to make more hockey history at the Castlegar arena. “We had some ups and downs this year, but overall from start to finish I think we showed people that we deserved the championship this year. It’s a long season and we accomplished what we set out to do. I couldn’t be prouder of the boys and our staff that helped make it possible. This doesn’t happen without everybody working together." “It’s a great accomplishment. Four in a row doesn’t happen very often and we are very honoured to be part of an exclusive group,” said Heaven. “We’re going to enjoy this and then get ready for a fifth.”

MINOR

PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONS

2016 PARADE HockeyNow celebrates B.C.'s Hockey Championships

PEEWEE TIER 1 Burnaby Winter Club

PEEWEE TIER 2 Greater Vernon

PEEWEE TIER 3 Merritt

PEEWEE TIER 4 Fernie

PEEWEE FEMALE Richmond Ravens

BANTAM TIER 1 Burnaby Winter Club

BANTAM TIER 2 Campbell River

BANTAM TIER 3 Vanderhoof

BANTAM TIER 4 North Okanagan

PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONS

BANTAM FEMALE Kelowna

MAJOR MIDGET Valley West Hawks

MIDGET TIER 1 Prince George

MIDGET TIER 2 Aldergrove

MIDGET TIER 3 Whistler

MIDGET TIER 4 Prince Rupert

MIDGET FEMALE Richmond

JUVENILE North Vancouver

SENIOR MALE AA Fort St. John

MINOR

Provincial championships still in progress (at press time): Junior A SENIOR FEMALE A South Fraser TNT

JUNIOR B Mill House Wranglers

FEMALE

NATIONAL WOMEN'S

THE GOLDEN POINT KRISTI PATTON/HOCKEY NOW

U.S. leaps to No.1 in world rankings after Team Canada loses in overtime final at IIHF Women’s World Championship

Canadian netminder Emerance Maschmeyer during an exhibition match prior to the IIHF Women's World Championship. The goaltender earned an IIHF Directorate award for performance during the tournament.

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

STORY | Kristi Patton

ANADA'S NATIONAL WOMEN'S team fell one goal short of winning the IIHF Women's World Championship. "It's a tough one," said forward Meghan Agosta of the 1-0 loss to the U.S. "We have to take this and remember what if feels like and continue training harder to get back on top." Unlike the high scoring affair at last year's championship in Sweden, where the U.S. defeated Canada 7-5, the two teams skated into overtime at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, B.C. tied 0-0. U.S. forward Alex Carpenter had several opportunities to put the game away earlier in the night, so with the puck sitting unattended just a shove away from crossing the line and gold she made sure she was the one to do it. "I did see it sitting there," said Carpenter. "I thought the original shot went in but I wanted to make sure." The shot, off the stick of Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, got past Canadian netminder Emerance Maschmeyer and plunked off the post into the crease behind her as the scramble began. It ended with Carpenter giving the U.S. the 1-0 win at the 12:30 mark in the overtime period. "It got pretty quiet so I wasn't sure if it went in," said Carpenter referring to the deafening crowd at the Kamloops Sandman Centre. "I wasn't sure if Joce's (Lamoureux-Davidson’s) shot went in, but regardless, it went in and that's what counted." The win gave the U.S. their third world championship gold medal in a row and leaps them over Canada for top spot in the IIHF Women's World Ranking.

U.S. goaltender Alex Rigsby was sharp for the duration of the tournament and across the ice, Canadian goalie Emerance Maschmeyer, who was awarded top goaltender by the IIHF Directorate, made 35 saves in the final game. Maschmeyer, who just finished her career with the Harvard Crimson, announced in the weeks after the tournament that she has registered for the 2016 Canadian Women's Hockey League draft. Last year she was chosen by the Boston Pride in the National Women's Hockey League draft. "She is an unbelievable goaltender and she has a bright future in this program," Agosta said of Maschmeyer. "She kept us in and she battled hard to give us a chance. I'm happy she is Canadian and it is unfortunate we couldn't get the win for her." Hayley Wickenheiser, playing in her 13th world championship for Canada, said she felt the powerplay unit wasn't keeping it simple enough and the U.S. players were doing a great job of blocking lanes and keeping pucks from getting to the net. Goaltending on both sides, Wickenheiser said, was outstanding. "They had it. We had it. It came down to a bounce. We have to figure out a way to elevate so it doesn't come down to a bounce," she said. Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin said that they are definitely tired of seeing the world championship go to the U.S. "Yeah we are. It really hurts. Every time you work so hard for something and you get a silver, that's hard," said Poulin. Meghan Duggan, captain for the U.S. team, said going against their arch rivals in their home building made the win that much sweeter. She added having a big crowd that brought lots of energy to the game was a bonus for the sport of women's hockey. "It was a fantastic showcase of our sport I think. Obviously, no secret, they are cheering against us so I think to score that goal and hear a pin drop in the building except for our 100 parents sitting up in the nosebleeds—it is a great feeling," said Duggan. The U.S. now will go into the world championship next year as the host (Plymouth, Michigan) and three-time defending gold medalists. They have won seven of the last nine world championships. "It is huge. We get the world championship on home ice next year and I'm sure those guys will be looking to get some revenge on us," said Duggan. Canadian defenceman Meaghan Mikkelson confirmed that. "I guarantee we'll spend this entire summer and the entire next year training so that when we play them on their home turf, we will be ready."

HOCKEY MOMS CORNER

LOST AND FOUND: ‘BIN’ THERE, DONE THAT! T

HE MINOR HOCKEY SEASON is winding down across Canada now. Many arenas have started removing the ice and making room for the lacrosse season. Most hockey moms are also winding down their hockey seasons (unless they have kids in hockey year-round), and can finally take a breather from their kids’ crazy schedules. For the most part, the hockey moms I know have their acts together. We’re hockey moms, after all! We’re the general manager and referee in one. We call the play and the penalties. There is, however, one end-of-season task that could probably blow the whistle on all hockey moms’ shatterproof image of being exceptionally organized. It’s that humiliating rummage through the local arena’s Lost and Found bin to see if any of it belongs to you. And guess what? It does. What do you find in that lost and found bin at the local rink? If you’re like me it could well be any of the following: • That mouthguard you replaced two months into the season, just one week shy of the association announcing they were no longer mandatory. • The public library book you borrowed just after Christmas – the late fee has long since paid for its replacement. • The Grade 3 English comprehension book that your son reported missing.

MAY 2-6 2016 RICHMOND ICE CENTER

for players born 1996-2001 Camp fee $225 • Minimum of three showcase games plus All-Star game • In affiliation with one or more BCHL teams (Guaranteed Junior A scouting) • Players from Prospect Camp will be offered position or Main Camp spot • No new player will be picked on the 2016-2017 team without attending this camp

• A water bottle (that even had a label with your child’s name on it!). • The team hoodie (the one year you all decided NOT to put kids’ names and numbers on).

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.DELTAICEHAWKS.COM OR CONTACT OWNER/ HEAD OF SCOUTING WESLEY MUSSIO E-MAIL: OWNER@DELTAICEHAWKS.COM

• A flask – not mine, I swear (even though my initials are clearly visible on the cap). • Last year’s 4-on-4 jersey that was used for practices this year. • One skate guard – and only one skate guard. • One size 2 winter boot – which begs the question: how on earth did the child make it home? – but let’s not hazard to guess to the answer. • A pair of dollar store sunglasses – though your other four pairs are safe and sound in your glove compartment (at least you think they are). • Your daughter’s very floral pencil case. • One soother; just needs a little rinse and it’ll be good as new. • Your hockey mom scarf – good thing we all have back-ups! Oh, and look! There is my lost leather glove. Every. Single. Year. My sister-in-law always prays to St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost items, when she loses something. I just look in the arena lost and found bin. St. Anthony’s either given up on hockey moms, or given them hope! It’s very likely you would never retrieve all these items from one single arena lost and found bin, but wouldn’t that be nice? It’s also entirely possible that you don’t ever want to retrieve any of these items from any arena lost and found bin, which is entirely understandable! I pray that you never lose the things that are most important during the hockey season – your friendships, your sanity, your sense of humour – or your children for that matter! Three cheers for the lost and found bin – may we all be less ‘lost’ and more ‘found’!

ASTRA GROSKAUFMANIS

Ottawa mom of 3 poking fun at motherhood, middle age and minor hockey! Author of Offside by a Mile – Confessions of a Hockey Mom WEBSITE: astragroskaufmanis.com TWITTER: @mydustbunnies British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

APRIL 2016 LAKE PLACID, NY April 28 - May 1. Lake Placid Cup. Male & Female. Adult Rec. All Levels. goals@chehockey.com or chehockey.com CLEARWATER BEACH, FL Apr. 29 - May 1. Clearwater Beach Weekend Hockey Tournament. Male & Female. Adult Rec. All Levels. info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com NIAGARA FALLS, ON Apr. 29 - May 1. Niagara Falls Weekend Hockey Tournament. Male & Female. Adult Rec. All Levels. info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com NASHVILLE, TN April 29 - May 1. Nashville Cup. Male. Adult Rec. All Levels.

goals@chehockey.com or chehockey.com QUEBEC CITY, QC April 29 - May 1. Quebec Cup. Male & Female. Adult Rec. All Levels. goals@chehockey.com or chehockey.com MONTREAL, QC April 29 - May 1. Montreal Cup. Male. Adult Rec. All Levels. goals@chehockey.com or chehockey.com BEDFORD, SALEM, TYNGSBORO, MN April 29 - May 1. OneHockey 2016 3rd New England Spring Showcase. Male. Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA. info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com NASHVILLE, TN April 29 - May 1. Nashville Cup. Male & Female. Adult Rec. All Levels. goals@chehockey.com or chehockey.com BURNABY, BC Apr. 29 - May 1. BC SPRING SHOW-

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

DOWN. Male. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA , A, B. tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com CHICAGO, IL Apr. 29 - May 1. CHICAGO CUP. Male. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA , A, B. tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com TORONTO, ON Apr. 29 - May 1. TORONTO CUP. Male. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA , A, B. tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com OTTAWA, ON Apr. 22 - 24. 12th Annual Ottawa Little Senators Spring Cup - Weekend 1. Male. Novice - Minor Bantam. AAA. tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca/littlesens1

MAY 2016 NIAGARA FALLS, ON May 6 - 7. Niagara Falls Weekend Hockey Tournament. Male & Female. Adult Rec. All Levels. info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com TORONTO, ON May 6 - 8. TORONTO MAY MADNESS. Male. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA , A, B. tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com OTTAWA, ON May 6 - 8. 12th Annual Ottawa Little Senators Spring Cup - Weekend 2. Male & Female. Novice - Bantam. AAA. tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca/littlesens2

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

BURNABY WINTER CLUB WINS 2016 WESTERN CANADIAN BANTAM AAA CHAMPIONSHIP BRUINS TAKE HOME HARDWARE FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE SEASON The Burnaby Winter Club Bruins certainly have a flair for the dramatic.

The Raiders kept pushing the pace and were rewarded with two goals to tie the game at the midway mark of the third period.

The Bruins held off a late push from the host Rocky Mountain Raiders to win 3-2 in the gold medal game of the Western Canadian Bantam AAA Championships on Sunday, Apr. 3 in front of a packed house at the Pason Centennial Arena in Okotoks, Alta.

Rocky Mountain then had a golden opportunity to take the lead with a power play opportunity in the final three minutes of regulation.

It marks the Bruins’ fifth win at the prestigious event and eighth appearance since 2001.

That’s when Rizzo, the tournament’s leading scorer, decided the outcome of the gold medal game for the Bruins with a spectacular shorthanded breakaway goal with 2:35 on the clock.

The championship weekend featured elite level 13- and 14-year-old male players in Western Canada, many of whom will be selected in the upcoming 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.

The hometown favourites had another shot on the man-advantage in the final minute, but could not connect with the extra-attacker and the Bruins hung on for the big win.

Five teams, representing all four western provinces, competed in a round-robin format tournament which ran from Mar. 31 to Apr. 3.

“I have to admit it was a nerve wracking final two minutes, I’ve never been so happy to see the time wind down and the game come to an end,” admitted Batchelor.

Alberta was represented by two teams, the Alberta champion Lethbridge Val Matteoti Golden Hawks and the Rocky Mountain Raiders, who were hosting the event. Other teams representing their respective provinces were the Winnipeg Monarchs (Manitoba), Yorkton Xerox Terriers (Saskatchewan) and the Burnaby Winter Club Bruins (British Columbia). “At the beginning of each season we make it our ultimate goal to participate in Westerns,” said head coach John Batchelor.

The Bruins will attempt to do it all again next season. Batchelor will have the nucleus of five returning 2002 birth years to lead the charge as the Burnaby Winter Club go for three consecutive Western Canadian Bantam AAA Championships. For more information on the tournament go to okotoksbantamchampionship2016.com

“We couldn’t have asked for more from the kids, the team was undefeated the entire round-robin and won the gold medal in dramatic fashion, so needless to say I am very proud of their efforts and the achievement.” The Bruins cruised through the round-robin portion of the event with wins over Yorkton (5-0), Lethbridge (4-1), Winnipeg (3-1) and their foes in the final, Rocky Mountain (4-3). Their match-up against Rocky Mountain in the preliminary round didn’t mean anything as both squads had qualified for the final. But everything was on the line between the two teams a day later. Burnaby appeared to be in control of the final game and enjoyed a 2-0 lead after two periods on goals by Henry Rybinski and Massimo Rizzo. But to their credit, Rocky Mountain entered the third period with a determined effort and a lot of encouragement from the hometown crowd.

British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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COLLEGE

NCAA

RINSE AND REPEAT Fresh off their NCAA Frozen Four win, the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks are poised to keep the crown at home for at least another year STORY | Randy Lucenti

T TOOK THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA 16 years to return to the top of the NCAA Division 1 men's hockey world, and the Fighting Hawks have a very legitimate chance of repeating the feat in 2016-17. Still basking in the glow of their 5-1 victory over the top-ranked Quinnipiac Bobcats in the Frozen Four final before a capacity crowd at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Fla., the Hawks will return basically intact next season as they attempt to repeat as national champions. The cream of the crop in college hockey is losing just four seniors to graduation and that bodes well for head coach Brad Berry from Bashaw, Alta. who became the inaugural first-year head coach to guide his club to the national crown. Of the four seniors, the biggest loss for ND will be Whitby, Ont.'s Drake Caggiula who scored twice in the final win over the Bobcats and also netted a pair in the Fighting Hawksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 4-2 victory over the University of Denver Pioneers in the championship semifinals. His effort in Tampa earned him the Frozen Four most outstanding player award. Caggiula, who is undrafted, finished second in team scoring to linemate Brock Boeser during the regular season with 42 points (19g, 23a) and ended his college career on a 13-game point streak.

UND ATHLETICS PHOTO

RICHMOND SOCKEYES PROSPECTS CAMP

Boeser, one of 11 freshmen on the championship squad, has announced that he would be returning for another campaign with North Dakota rather than turning pro. The 19-year-old was drafted in the first round (23rd overall) in the 2015 NHL draft by the Vancouver Canucks. The six-foot, 191-pounder had 60 points (27G, 33A) in 42 games this past season and had four points (1G, 3A) in the Hawksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; final game victory. Boeser and sophomore Nick Schmaltz, who will also return in 2016-17, joined Caggiula on a forward unit dubbed the 'CBS' line this past year. The trio was unstoppable during the two-game Frozen Four mini-tournament as they combined for a plus-17 rating in their two outings and had seven points in the championship match (3G, 4a) Also eligible to return next season are six sophomores, including starting goaltender Cam Johnson, and six juniors from 2015-16. The returnees include Canadians Troy Stecher from Richmond, B.C., Matt Hrynkiw from Saskatoon, Sask., Rhett Gardner from Moose Jaw, Sask. and Danys Chartrand from Winnipeg, Man. Despite the number of possible returnees next season, North Dakota recruiters have commitments from 14 players (eight forwards, five defencemen and a goalie), including three Canadians. The leading prospect from north of the border is forward Tyson Jost, who hails from St. Albert, Alta. and has played for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL for the past two seasons. The sniper, who is expected to be a first round pick in the upcoming NHL draft, racked up 104 points (42G, 62A) in just 48 regular season games this season and has added 14 more points (6G, 8A) in 11 playoff games to date. Jost was also a member of Team Canada which captured gold at the Ivan Hlinka summer tournament as well as leading Canada West to the title at the World Jr. A Challenge, where he was named MVP. Also headed to North Dakota from the Vees are defencemen Gabe Bast and Colton Poolman. Bast, a 19-year-old from Red Deer, Alta., has played the past two seasons in Penticton where he was named to the second all-star team in 2014-15. Poolman, from East Grand Forks, Minn., had a 40-point season (3G, 37A) in this his first campaign in Penticton. The other Canadian hoping to crack the powerful North Dakota lineup is defenceman Andrew Peski from Orleans, Ont. Peski played this past season with Tri-City Storm of the USHL, tallying 18 points (2G, 16A), after playing parts of three seasons with the Brockville Braves of the CJHL. On paper, the Fighting Hawks look poised to make a run at a repeat next season which would give them their ninth national title and tie them for most in NCAA history with Michigan. Now they just have to go out on the ice and prove it.

MAY 30 - JUNE 3 FEE: $225.00 RICHMOND ICE CENTRE FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: RICHARD PETROWSKY / GM richsockgm@shaw.ca www.richmondsockeyes.com

HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

Brock Boeser, a key member of the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks national championship team, has announced he will be returning for another season rather than turning pro.

CIS

COLLEGE

FROM THE GROUND UP The Ottawa Gee-Gees men’s hockey program is undergoing a full rebuild before its return to CIS in the fall

STORY | Randy Lucenti

HE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA Gee-Gees men's hockey program, sidelined due to a suspension since Mar. 3, 2014, will return to CIS play for the 2016-17 season. An incident during a trip by the varsity squad to Thunder Bay, Ont. on the weekend of Feb. 1, 2014 led to sexual assault charges against a pair of players and the subsequent suspension of then head coach Real Paiement. The decision placed an indefinite hold on the men's hockey program, which was formed in 1889. The 1889 squad, then known as the 'Garnet and Grey', played in the Ottawa City Hockey League. The team, along with all other varsity teams at the school, became known as the 'Gee-Gees' in 1940. The Gee-Gees’ return to college hockey for its 125th season began last July with the naming of a new head coach in the person of Patrick Grandmaitre. The 37-year-old Hull, Que. native seems to be the perfect fit to revitalize the program, which is starting from square one as far as recruitment is concerned. “I see it as an opportunity and I’m looking forward to this opportunity to build something from scratch and to build it into something strong and to establish a continuity of success and producing good character people,” he said at the time of his announcement.

SHAWN MUIR / OJHL IMAGES

Four-year OJHL veteran Matt Dunlop of the Markham Royals is the first player to commit to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees for the 2016-17 CIS season.

After captaining both the Victoriaville Tigers and the Since that time, the bench boss has added a staff (equipQuebec Remparts during a five-year stint in the QMJHL, ment manager David Bellochi, goalie coach Matthew Grandmaitre went on to become a student athlete as well Dopud, team manager and statistician Liam Houlahan, as team captain at St. Francis Xavier University, leading offensive assistant coach Jean-Francois Lavergne and the team to a CIS title in 2004 as well as a pair of rundefensive assistant coach Brent Sullivan) while continuing ner-ups in 2001 and 2003. He also played four years of to fill out his roster. pro in Germany. The player commitments included six-foot-six defenceHe is also no stranger to the Gee-Gees sports philosman Anthony Beaulieu and forward Antoine Pouliot of ophy, having been an assistant coach with the women's the Sainte-Agathe Montagnards, Cody Drover, Mathieu program since 2010. Newcomb and Michael Poirier of the Dieppe CommanOn Jan. 12 of this year, Grandmaitre began the arduous dos and Marco Azzano of the Markham Royals. task of rebuilding the program by welcoming defenceman Beaulieu and Pouliot have been key pieces in the Matt Dunlop as the first recruit to officially commit to best-ever season for the Montagnards. The club posted the team for 2016-17. a record of 44-8-1-2 in the LHJQ, with Pouliot contribDunlop is a four-year OJHL veteran, having played uting 54 goals in 52 games. three seasons with the Stouffville Spirit before toiling for The trio of Commandos come with championship the Markham Royals this past campaign, where he was experience, having captured the MHL’s Kent Cup last an assistant captain. season. Drover and Newcomb lead the team in scoring “He is exactly the kind of player we are looking for; this season, with 73 and 68 points respectively, with he has the right mindset,” said Poirier adding 33 points from Grandmaitre at the time. “He’s the blue line. kept going to school while Azzano will be joining playing at the junior level, Markham teammate Dunlop which shows his maturity. All in Ottawa. Azzano was third across the board, he’s hit a lot on the team in scoring with 47 of marks.” points this season, helping the Grandmaitre followed that Royals to first place in the move up a couple of weeks OJHL North division. later by adding a second player With most CIS rosters numfrom the OJHL in the person bering 25 players, the Geeof centre Brendan Jacome, 20, Gees still have a ways to go of the Georgetown Raiders. with just five forwards and Jacome, from Caledon, three defencemen committed Ont., is also a four-year OJHL to the 2016-17 season, but veteran who averaged better with a dedicated head coach than a point per game this past Patrick Grandmaitre and staff, resurrecting the proseason while g o i n g University of Ottawa Gee-Gees gram from out of the ashes is head coach penalty-free. more than doable.

“[MATT DUNLOP HAS]

KEPT GOING TO SCHOOL WHILE PLAYING AT THE JUNIOR LEVEL, WHICH SHOWS HIS MATURITY. ALL ACROSS THE BOARD, HE’S HIT A LOT OF MARKS.”

British Columbia | April 23, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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HOCKEYNOW April 23, 2016 | British Columbia

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THE MOST INNOVATIVE MINDS IN HOCKEY JULY 15-16 2016 Mattamy Athletic Centre | Toronto JULY 22-23 2016 Fortius Sport & Health | Vancouver

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