NHL Draft Preview: June 25, 2016 by HockeyNow

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NHL ENTRY DRAFT COVERAGE

ISSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TOP 50 ELIGIBLE PROSPECTS FEATURES ON PROJECTED PICKS FROM JUNIOR MAJOR JUNIOR COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL RANKS WE BREAK DOWN WHAT AUSTON MATTHEWS COULD DO FOR TORONTO NEXT SEASON

June 25, 2016

HockeyNow.ca

HOCKEYNOW June 25, 2016

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

CREAM OF THE CROP

E’RE DAYS AWAY FROM THE NHL ENTRY

Draft and we feel like a kid on Christmas. Or maybe more like a parent watching their kids on Christmas. Getting to see young men who we’ve followed for years get scooped up by pro teams is a pretty special thing. Of course, we love to say that we called it when it comes to a lot of these guys — and the truth is, in many cases we did. Look no further than our past HockeyNow Minor Hockey Players of the Year. As our regular readers know, every year, HockeyNow selects a Player of the Year in B.C., Alberta and Ontario. The award started off in B.C. in 2000, with one winner selected, and expanded into Alberta and Ontario in 2014. Projected to be selected in the first round of this year’s draft is 2013 Player of the Year Dante Fabbro, who started his career with the Burnaby Winter Club and had an outstanding season with the Penticton Vees this past year. Fabbro, a point leader at the 2016 World Championships, has been at the top of International Scouting Services’ rankings all year and currently sits at No. 19 heading into the draft. The inaugural Player of the Year winner was Colin Fraser, a PIJHL Port Coquitlam Buckeroos centreman and WHL Red Deer Rebels prospect that year. Fraser was drafted in Round 3, 69th overall, of the 2003 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and went on to win two Stanley Cups — one with the Blackhawks in 2010 and one with the Kings in 2012. Our 2002 winner, Gilbert Brulé, and 2003 winner, Karl Alzner, were both drafted in the Top 10 in their draft years. In 2002, Brulé was on the BCHL's Quesnel Millionaire and had been drafted by the Vancouver Giants. He was drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2005. And in 2003, Alzner was a PIJHL Richmond Sockeye and Calgary Hitmen prospect. He was selected fifth overall in 2007 by the Washington Capitals, where he has been ever since. In more recent years, our 2008 winner, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and 2009 co-winners, Griffin Reinhart and Morgan Rielley, were all first round NHL picks, with Nugent-Hopkins having played 313 pro games, and still going. These players managed to beat out the many other strong candidates on the preliminary lists compiled every month by our selection committee, headed by retired Vancouver Canucks defenceman Dave Babych and ISS Hockey founder and head scout Dennis MacInnis. Obviously, the winners were standout players, but our selection committee takes a lot more than hockey ability into account. On top of a great performance throughout the season, these players exemplified the best in sportsmanship, leadership and school and community participation. Once again this year, we’re narrowing in on players cut from the same cloth. We’ve been releasing preliminary lists from each region in print and online every month since November and we’re only a couple weeks away from announcing our winners in B.C., Alberta and Ontario. We have some incredible talent and leadership across the board and, even though we say this every year, this year we are truly facing the most difficult decisions yet. But, as always, our winners will stand out in one way or another and we will once again have the honour of calling them up to tell them the news that they’ve won the award. Three outstanding players will soon be presented with a trophy and a shopping spree a their local SportChek, and will also be gracing next month’s cover. Enjoy our NHL Entry Draft preview, look out for our past Players of the Year, and stay tuned for our next batch of winners!

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GET [PUBLISHED] LARRY FEIST, Publisher

NATIONAL EDITION Vol. 17, No. 9, Issue 664 - June 25, 2016

HockeyNow 3145 Wolfedale Road Mississauga, ON, L5C 3A9 Telephone:1-877-990-0520 Contents copyright 2016 by HockeyNow. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or duplicated in print or on websites without the written permission of HockeyNow. The opinions conveyed by contributors to HockeyNow may not be indicative of the views of HockeyNow or Metroland Media Group Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, neither HockeyNow nor Metroland Media Group Ltd. assume any responsibility or liability for errors or omissions.

Congratulations to Jodie from Calgary AB for finding Billy and winning a copy of Bench Bosses: The NHL's Coaching Elite. June 25, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

3 19 11

CONTENTS

JUNE 25, 2016

in this issue... 6 MINOR

11 REMEMBERING NO. 9

7 ALBERTA STRONG

12 FEMALE

AKIL THOMAS TELLS US ABOUT BEING SELECTED 12TH OVERALL AT 2016 OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

HOW ONE EQUIPMENT COMPANY CHANGED THE LIVES OF 4 YOUNG GOALIES AFTER FORT MAC FIRES

10 MOMS CORNER

WHEN IT COMES TO CELL PHONES IN CHANGE ROOMS, THIS HOCKEY MOM IS HAPPY TO PLAY ENFORCER

WE REMEMBER SOME OF THE BEST AND LESSER KNOWN QUALITIES OF THE INCOMPARABLE GORDIE HOWE

TEAM CANADA STANDOUT GOALIE EMERANCE MASCHMEYER HAS HER SIGHTS SET ON CALGARY INFERNO

14 CIS

NOW MORE THAN EVER, THE CIS IS FEATURING STAR PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN ID’ED BY NHL TEAMS

“OH MY GOD, WE

HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE.”

PAGES

15-28

Rebuilding Dreams in Fort McMurray

June 25, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

5 19 11

OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

NIAGARA ICE DOGS

MINOR

Akil Thomas was taken 12th overall by the Niagara Ice Dogs in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection this past April. He'll be looking to jump right into an organization that is coming off an Eastern Conference championship this season.

MOVING ON UP Akil Thomas reflects on how the past year shaped him into a top prospect at the 2016 OHL Priority Selection STORY | Nicholas Carafa

HEN AKIL THOMAS WOKE UP TO FRENCH TOAST – his personal favourite courtesy of his aunt – it was a sure thing that April 9, 2016 was going to turn out to be one heck of a day. With an HDMI cable connecting his computer to the family television, the Thomas clan sat and watched the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, waiting for the moment their Toronto Marlboro would begin the next step of his hockey career. It was then, when the Niagara Ice Dogs came along with the 12th overall pick, that hysteria broke out amongst the family originally from Brandon, Florida. “When my name got called, my whole family went crazy,” said the five-foot-10 centremen. “My mom probably had the biggest celebration in the room – she was crying a little bit.” Not long thereafter, the phone rang and those same Ice Dogs asked the family to come down to the Meridian

HOCKEYNOW June 25, 2016

Centre to meet everyone. Thomas would go on to sign his standard player agreement on June 4, thus becoming an official member of the reigning Eastern Conference champions. “I had the chance to make it down to watch a couple games after the draft and I got to see the atmosphere, how intense the fans were throughout the game and how intense playoff hockey was over there – it was really eye-opening,” he said. “I got a chance to meet some of the players and it’s pretty cool that I’m going to get a chance to jump in there next year and earn some ice time.” And as Thomas and all other draft picks know, earning ice time isn’t going to be easy. A lot of OHL rookies have an adjustment period where they start to familiarize themselves with new opponents that are stronger and faster than the players Thomas had been playing against in the Greater Toronto Hockey League. The first half of the season is often used as a transitional phase, where these 16-year-olds can get their feet under them. The latter half of their rookie year isn’t necessarily easier. The league isn’t as intimidating and, combined with an increased confidence and comfort level, rookies can finally showcase themselves as the players the organization envisioned at the draft. With so many eyes focused on these players during their minor midget year, the pressures to perform and impress were constantly present. Thomas feels his ability to overcome those feelings can translate to success at the OHL level.

“At the beginning of the year when I’d have a bad game, I’d get down on myself because you’re being watched all the time,” he said. “In a way, at the beginning of the season, it was scary but you understand there’s a lot of tournaments and games to show what you're all about. If you have a few bad games, it’s not the end of the world.” This frame of mind evidently witnessed him tally 33 goals and 72 points in a year where the Marlboros claimed the Kraft Cup as the GTHL’s best team during the regular season. Although Thomas managed better than a point-pergame throughout the course of the year, he credits his weekly visits with life coach Ali Khan with helping him through times of inconsistency. Thomas says the simple exercises that model themes of consistency helped his production on the ice when he encountered hiccups throughout the year. But there certainly weren’t any hiccups during his team’s run to the OHL Cup final back in March, where Thomas registered six goals and 13 points in seven games. Many players felt the need to stand out on every shift and with stellar goaltending performances from both netminders in the final, the Marlboros 2-1 double-overtime loss to the OMHA York Simcoe Express presented a steep learning curve to Thomas and his teammates. Understanding how to be resilient in spite of the ill-favoured outcome only pushes Thomas to constantly strive to get better. “It was a tough way to lose because we were playing well the entire tournament. I thought we were going to win it all, but to lose is a feeling I’m never going to forget.” His approach to adversity is something he can take into his training regimen during the offseason as he prepares to impress the coaching staff. Head coach Dave Bell stressed the importance of not coming into camp too big – with a focus on training like a hockey player, not a football player. Using a combination of cardio-based workouts and strength-building exercises, Thomas ensures there is a fair balance between building muscle while also attempting to constantly improve foot speed. Speed and agility have always been integral parts of the NHL, and the importance for younger, developing players to hone these traits early is becoming more important than ever. Putting on mass while also managing to improve explosiveness highlights a fine line between training the right and wrong way. With a goal of putting on 15 pounds of muscle, the French toast meals may have to be put on hold for a few months.

FORT MCMURRAY

FEATURE

1. Sam Hunter, Lochlan Zorn, Kolten Macauley and Nathan Crowley getting fitted for their new Vaughn equipment. 2. NHL goalies Cam Ward and Darcy Kemper helped the young goalies with new gear. 3. Billy, Michael and Cody of the goalie department at United Cycle helped the players make the right choices.

REBUILDING DREAMS Following the fires in Fort McMurray, the Alberta Hockey community bands together to help players stay in the game STORY | Ryan McCracken

HINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME FOR THE PEOPLE of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Mike Brodeur knows that as well as anyone. The former professional goaltender-turned-coach lost his home to the wildfire in May along with thousands of others — including four of his on-ice students — but he’s on a mission to ensure the young athletes can preserve a quintessentially Canadian way of life. “One of the first things I thought about was my goalies. I thought, ‘What would I do without my gear?’ I would have been just lost, because that was my life and still is obviously,” said Brodeur, who helped get young goalies Sam Huxter, Kolten Macaulay, Nathan Crowley and Lochlan Zorn suited up with new gear after losing their equipment to the blaze. “On the dark side of things, it came out pretty bright for these kids. The smiles on their

faces, it was unbelievable.” Brodeur, a Moose Jaw Warriors alumnus who spent the majority of his professional career in the AHL and ECHL and took in seven games with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, was living with his in-laws in Fort McMurray when a sunny day turned into a living nightmare. Thankfully, he and his family made it out in time. “It was pretty scary watching the smoke billow when the wind picked up,” he said. “It was all fine, sunny blue skies with no smoke and then all of a sudden it was like, ‘Oh my God, we need to get out of here now.’ With a couple of kids I was starting to panic, but we got out of there.” With their homes and belongings destroyed, along with all their goaltending equipment, hockey was suddenly out of the picture for Brodeur’s four students. That is, until he picked up the phone. While scrambling to keep his own family on its feet, Brodeur dialled up his former equipment supplier, Vaughn Canada president Scott Carter, to see if he could lend a hand. Carter, who is also affiliated with the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame, took things a step further by uniting the two groups and inviting NHL goaltenders Cam Ward and Darcy Kuemper to join the cause. “Being from the area, I think they could feel the effect personally. It’s so great they stepped up to help these kids,” said Brodeur, adding Huxter, Macaulay, Crowley and Zorn were beyond thankful for the chance to get back in

4. Mike Brodeur running some goaltenders through a few drills.

the blue paint. “Just the extra step in their stride when they showed up at United Cycle that day, you could see they were floating on air. I remember getting my first set of gear that was bought for me, it’s a different kind of feeling, and to know those guys are supporting you, it’s even better.” While Fort McMurray’s arenas are still intact, it could be awhile before Brodeur and his students get back on the ice in their hometown. Thankfully he’s been making the best of it from his current residence in Calgary, and his students, currently situated in Edmonton and Grande Prairie, can keep their on-ice dreams alive in the midst of a terrible situation. “At this moment we’ve been told the rebuild won’t be happening for a long time, if ever. In some of the areas, they’re saying it’s so toxic, they’re not sure if they’ll be able to rebuild,” said Brodeur, who has been trying to maintain his role of goaltending coach with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. “It’s a timeline where we don’t know when we’ll be back.” It’s a harrowing situation, but Brodeur says they’ve never felt alone in their struggles. In the month since losing his home, he’s seen more acts of raw compassion than he ever thought possible, and it’s been fuelling his drive to come out on top. “It’s been amazing. The Alberta Strong movement just shows how strong the community is. It’s restored my faith in humanity, 100 per cent, seeing everybody come together and help everybody,” he said. “Being a part of such a big community, it’s been nice to see, and seeing the hockey community band together too, it just shows what a great sport we’re part of.” June 25, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

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PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

Langley Knights on the move to Surrey After two years in Langley, the Knights are getting a fresh start right next door in Surrey next season.

the LEC’s main tenant, moved into the Knights former arena, the George Preston Recreation Centre, forcing the Knights out.

“It’s one of the fastest growing cities in all of Canada, so we’re excited about that and so are they,” said general manager Amar Gill.

“The rumours were already out there, so we put two and two together and said okay, I guess we’re gone,” Gill said.

Last month, a domino effect forced the Knights out of Langley. There was speculation that the WHL’s Vancouver Giants were moving out of Pacific Coliseum and into the Langley Events Centre.

“It was a very short window, probably a month. We were knocking on Surrey’s door and they were awfully excited about a junior team coming to mainstream Surrey.”

As a result, the Junior A Langley Rivermen,

The Knights now have Thursday nights booked for home games out of the North Surrey

Recreation Centre. Junior B hockey returns to Surrey for the first time in 30 years after the Surrey Saints competed in what was then known as the West Coast Junior Hockey League from 1979 to 1986. The Knights are entering Surrey at an ideal time as new arenas are being built in the city within the next few years while the North Surrey Recreation Centre is easily accessible on the SkyTrain. Knights assistant general manager Gerry Leiper hopes the move will help in the team’s recruiting efforts. “In junior B circles, you can draw from anywhere, but they have 1,400 members in Surrey Minor (Hockey Association),” he said. “Cloverdale has probably another 1,000 and Semiahmoo has around the same, so those are three associations in the same area we can draw from. Obviously we can still draw from Langley too because we’re right next door.” Gill concurs with that assessment. He has volunteered with Cloverdale Minor Hockey as a coach and manager and has great relationships within Surrey Minor Hockey. Knights players and coaches have helped out with coaching clinics in Surrey and Gill said that relationship will not only continue, but expand.

DOUG ABBOTT PHOTO

They’re taking a hands-on approach in terms of building their brand and the City of Surrey is thinking similarly. Langley Knights goaltender Naythan Lange makes a save in PJHL action against the Richmond Sockeyes. The Knights recently announced they’re moving to Surrey for next season.

PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

“I was very excited to hear their plans on how they want to grow in the community,” Gill said. “Of course, for the young kids coming through minor hockey, they want to give them something to root for and hopefully play for one day. It bridges the gap between minor hockey and junior hockey.” The Knights franchise has moved around quite a bit since it was formed in 1999. It started out as the Queen’s Park Pirates for three seasons before transferring to North Delta, where they were known as the Flyers (2003-05) and Devils (2005-14). In Langley, the Knights started out well with a 23-19-1-1 record and second place finish in the Harold Britain Conference, but won only four out of 44 games last season en route to a last place overall finish. They’ll hope a change in residence will help them advance past the first round of the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history. They made it as far as the Shaw Division finals in 2008-09.

NHL DRAFTEES GO THROUGH PJHL With so much attention focused on the NHL Draft, it’s worth noting that several players developed through the PJHL before hearing their names called on draft day. Among those players in recent memory, Kyle Turris was drafted the earliest, going third overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2007. Although he’s more well known for his success with the BCHL’s Burnaby Express, he spent the 2004-05 season with the Grandview Steelers. Andrew Ladd, drafted fourth overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2004 and Karl Alzner, picked fifth overall by the Washington Capitals in 2007, also enjoyed a season in the league before moving onto the WHL.

David Wilkie (North-West Americans 1989-90) Stephen Peat (Ridge Meadows Flames 1994-95) Ryan Hollweg (Grandview Steelers 1997-98) Jeff Tambellini (Port Coquitlam Buckeroos 1999-2000) David Jones (Port Coquitlam Buckeroos 2000-01) Tyler Eckford (Queen’s Park Pirates 2001-02)

Ladd starred for the Port Coquitlam Pirates in 2001-02 and Alzner suited up for the Richmond Sockeyes in 2003-04.

Mike Santorelli

Other PJHL alums summoned on draft day include Stanley Cup winners Troy Brouwer (Delta Ice Hawks 2001-02), Brent Seabrook (Delta 2000-01) and Colin Fraser (Port Coquitlam Buckeroos 2000-01). Here are some other draftees who went through the PJHL:

Raymond Sawada

(Port Coquitlam Buckeroos 2001-02)

(Richmond Sockeyes 2001-02, 2002-03) Brandon Yip (Ridge Meadows Flames 2001-02, 2002-03) Zach Hamill (Port Coquitlam Buckeroos 2003-04) Ben Maxwell (North Delta Flyers 2003-04) Colton Gillies (North Delta Flyers 2004-05) John Negrin

DOUG ABBOTT PHOTO

(North Delta Flyers 2004-05) Twins Kiret (10) and Jeevan Dosange of the Langley Knights are seen in PJHL action against the Aldergrove Kodiaks. The Knights recently announced they’re moving to Surrey for next season.

HOCKEY MOMS CORNER

THE TRUTH ABOUT CELL PHONES I

STAND AT THE DOOR WITH THE LITTLE RED PLASTIC BOX THAT AT ONE TIME SAT on my kids’ toy shelf, filled with Lego pieces and Webkinz. It is now being used to collect banned items which are temporarily taken from their owners’ possession. I’m on very important security detail, but it’s a thankless job. Do I work for CATSA – the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority – you ask? Well, no. I’m a Den Mom for a girls’ hockey team and I’ll collecting cell phones from the players as they enter the dressing room. Cell phones with photographic capability are not allowed in dressing rooms. In fact, picture taking is prohibited in all sports dressing rooms. Most hockey associations highlight this rule in their codes of conduct. Parents are almost always reminded of this rule at the first parents meeting of the hockey season. My kids and many of their friends are now members of local fitness clubs where it is also a fairly typical rule. For all these reasons, the players cannot pretend they never heard of the rule. So it really makes no sense why I have such a hard time enforcing it. The truth is there have been serious offences involving inappropriate taking of photos in many hockey associations. There have been at least two that I know of in my own kids’ hockey associations since I’ve been a hockey mom. I’ve been a hockey mom for sixteen years, so maybe ‘two situations’ doesn’t sound like a lot to some kids, but to a parent, that is two too many – and simply unacceptable. I’m reasonably certain that neither of these misconducts resulted in any photos being shared over the internet but sadly it’s not hard to imagine the damage that can be done to a with cell phone cameras in hockey dressing rooms. Truth is, I still get a lot of abuse. “What? I’m not giving you my phone!” “I need it for my pre-game music!”

“I need it to take a selfie!” “I need to text my mother!” “I’m not giving you my phone. Flat out, no way!” I can see the imaginary word clouds over their heads as they look at my daughter too: “Your mom is such a buzzkill!” The players feel I may infringe upon their privacy. The truth is I am not at all interested in your monosyllabic text conversations. The truth is I am not in collaboration with your mom’s investigation on your whereabouts at 11:45PM last Friday night. The players feel they need loud music in their ears before game time. The truth is, the portable speaker connected to one of the iPhones in my possession is plenty loud enough and you are free to rotate each other’s playlists through the twenty-game season. So give me your cell phone or go home. Now the real truth is your daughter may not be reading this article. The truth is I hope you share this with your daughter so my daughter doesn’t hate me when I am Den Mom. Three cheers for Den Moms – especially the ones who play by the rules.

Experience the draft live and further your career at the

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

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

2016 SPORTS MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE NHL DRAFT HOCKEY CAREER CONFERENCE Every June the NHL Entry Draft sets the future of hockey in motion, as a global onslaught of talented stickmen discover the next move of their career. But the success stories coming out of Buffalo’s First Niagara Center late next month aren’t limited to the young men in pads, those attending the Sports Management Worldwide NHL Draft Career Conference will be setting the stage for their career growth in the hockey industry too. This 2-day event will offer unique panel discussions and Q & A sessions with some of the biggest names in the world of hockey. All attendees will also have the opportunity to network with hockey industry insiders who are deeply connected to the sport. “Attending the SMWW NHL Career Conference opened doors to opportunities I wouldn’t have known about otherwise,” says Brittany Wong, Broadcast Media student at Ryerson University and 2015 Conference attendee. “The wide range of industry professionals provided something for everyone, from scouting to marketing and business operations – this conference has it all.”

HOCKEYNOW June 25, 2016

If you want to start a career in hockey or advance your current one, attending the SMWW NHL Draft Career Conference is the move you need to make. Find out who is hiring and for what roles, network with hockey executives, and learn strategies to catapult your career to the next level. “Our NHL Draft Career Conference provides an invaluable opportunity for attendees to learn about careers in the NHL while networking with some of the biggest names in the industry,” says Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, President of Sports Management Worldwide. “Agents, GM’s, Directors of Player Personnel and Marketing Executives all will be present, meeting and speaking with attendees. This is a unique event!” Past conference speakers have included team executives like the Calgary Flames Brian Burke and Detroit Red Wings Ken Holland, powerful sports agents like Pat Brisson and Rick Curran, media members like NHL Network Senior Reporter EJ Hradek, head coaches, personnel executives, scouts and more. “SMWW gets the best speakers year after year, who are all able to speak

with confidence and experience regarding a wide variety of topics in the hockey industry. Every moment at the conference was time well spent,” confirms Dylan Skubel, Ontario Minor Hockey Association Referee and Linesman. Situated in the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, the NHL Draft Career conference will take place just a few blocks from the NHL draft, and as part of conference admission attendees will receive lower bowl tickets to both days of the Draft. Outside of moderating many of the conference panels, Dr. Lashbrook will be available to all who attend with questions about their career. “I love speaking with the students and conference attendees, it gives me true joy to be able to help guide them in their career and answer any questions they may have,” humbly admits Dr. Lashbrook. “I know the attendees enjoy it too – I try to be highly informative, while also having some fun with the conversations.” There are seats still available – register today for this one of a kind event and change your future for the better!

GORDIE HOWE

FEATURE

FLICKR PHOTOS

Sports reporter Ryan McCracken sits down with Gordie Howe to talk hockey at a hotel in Waterloo in 2012.

Gordie Howe (1928-2016) will be remembered for the incredible kindness and generosity he showed to his fans throughout his legendary career. FLICKR PHOTOS

REMEMBERING

MR. HOCKEY Our Ryan McCracken reminisces about meeting the late great Gordie Howe STORY | Ryan McCracken

ANY MEN ARE BUILT UP LIKE LEGENDS, BUT SO few live up to the lore. Gordie Howe was one of those few. His accomplishments on the ice are insurmountable, but it was his character away from the game that truly made him the man known as Mr. Hockey. I was lucky enough to sit down with the man himself when I was starting my journalism career as an intern with the Waterloo Region Record, and it was an experience I’ll never forget. It all started when I came across an incredible story about a man named Jeff Reitzel. After his Detroit Red Wings fanatic father-in-law, Dave Denomme, was diagnosed with terminal esophagus cancer, Reitzel made it his mission to ensure each of his final days was lived to the fullest. The lifelong Gordie Howe fan spent the final year of his life traveling across the league, and even to Sweden to see his Wings play, and even met the man himself. After Denomme’s passing, Reitzel remained a diehard Red Wings fan, and ended up forming a bond with Mr. Hockey. At a signing in Detroit, Reitzel approached Howe with one of his old game-worn Red Wings jerseys. The two struck up a conversation, Howe invited Reitzel over for a coffee, and a close friendship Gordie Howe

was born. They’ve spent holidays together, collaborated on charity projects; Reitzel’s sons even refer to the man as “Uncle Gordie.” When Howe came to visit Waterloo for a children’s hospital fundraiser in 2012, I was invited to sit down at his hotel to talk about the glory days. I was 24, but I felt like a wide-eyed five-year-old. I was about to meet Mr. Hockey. I learned some incredible things about the man, but what stood out the most was that he seemed to care as much about the fans as he did about the game. I was told a story about how he once tore a strip off a teammate for refusing to sign an autograph after a difficult loss. Howe lived for the fans and signed countless autographs over the years. During his visit to Waterloo in 2012, he and Reitzel stopped by the cemetery where Denomme is buried to pay their respects. Howe asked not only if he could come, but if he could sign the diehard Red Wings fan’s grave, as well. He even signed copies of the stories I wrote about him and Reitzel. On the ice, Howe represented everything that was great about old-time hockey. He policed his own game, he knew how to put on a show and he was at the top of his class in every area of the ice. The man became known around the world for his fierce elbows, and I can attest to the fact that he could still throw one at 84 years old. He proved it to me while demonstrating one his of lesser-known qualities — his ability to play the game ambidextrously. While a curved stick ultimately brought about a wider range of offensive capabilities, there’s no denying the spectacle of Howe’s brilliance with a flat blade. As a both a prolific scorer and a feared enforcer, the natural righty said he found it more efficient to switch hands when cutting into the zone

“THE GOAL WENT

IN AND I CAME TO THE BENCH AND SID ABEL SAID, ‘HOW DID YOU DO THAT?”

as opposed to relying on the backhand. “I thought being on the backhand down on the left side wasn’t the best world. You can get hurt that way too. I liked to be on the right hand side when I shot [from the right], that was my protection,” Howe said in 2012. “I found out that changing hands, for me, was a lot easier… Some [defencemen] led you in and they moved away from the boards so you were forced down the far right, so I changed hands and that changed their habits, and it worked.” It wasn’t just a trick for zone entry either, as Howe told me he scored a left-handed goal during a Stanley Cup final. “Sometimes they’d say just stick to your own hand, but I won a lot of things. They never really mention that in the Stanley Cup I got a goal from the left side when I shot it left-handed,” said Howe. “The goal went in and I came to the bench and Sid Abel said, ‘How did you do that?’” It’s a fitting question. How did he do it? How did a boy from small-town Saskatchewan rise to such heights without ever breaking a smile? A family man, a role model, an ambassador to the sport, the list goes on and on. Howe encompasses everything that’s great about this game. That’s why he is, and always will be, Mr. Hockey. June 25, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

19 11

CWHL DRAFT

PHOTO COURTESY OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY

FEMALE

Emerance Maschmeyer just finished a stellar season, wrapping up her college career with the Harvard Crimson and stepping into the spotlight as a potential goalie for Team Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

JULIE CHU NAMED HEAD COACH OF CONCORDIA STINGERS Montreal Canadiennes player Julie Chu has been appointed head coach of the Concordia Stingers women's hockey program, part of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) league. Chu is tied as the second-most decorated U.S. female in Olympic Winter Games history. She won three silver medals and a bronze at the Olympics. She finished her collegiate career as the all-time assist leader and point-scorer in NCAA history (the record was then surpassed in 2011).

GAME PLAN Standout Team Canada netminder Emerance Maschmeyer is vying for a spot on the Calgary Inferno at the CWHL draft STORY | Kristi Patton

HE MADE A SPLASH FOR CANADA'S NATIONAL women's team in net during the IIHF Women's World Championship, and now Emerance Maschmeyer hopes to take the Canadian Women's Hockey League by storm. "I think this puts me in the best position if I want to make the national team and be centralized in Calgary looking towards the Olympics. It is the best option for me," said Maschmeyer, speaking about why she chose the CWHL. The goaltender, who graduated from Harvard this year, had put her name into the junior draft of the National Women's Hockey League, which consists of four teams all based in the U.S. Maschmeyer said she decided to go the CWHL route (four teams based in Canada and one in Boston) instead after evaluating her goals for the next few years. "I want to play in Calgary. It is close to home and allows me to be at Canada Olympic Park where the Team Canada facility is — staff and a lot of the girls from the national team play there. I think it will be a

HOCKEYNOW June 25, 2016

good atmosphere for me to continue to improve," said Maschmeyer. It also helps that she most likely would be joining the reigning Clarkson Cup champion Calgary Inferno squad packed with stars like Hayley Wickenheiser, Meaghan Mikkelson, Bailey Bram, Brianne Jenner, Rebecca Johnston and others who have played for Team Canada as recently as their silver medal win at the IIHF World Championship in Kamloops. The Boston Pride in the NWHL chose Maschmeyer sixth overall in last season's junior draft, but do not hold any rights to her as a contract is not signed. A total of 20 players were drafted ahead of the NWHL's inaugural season. Players in that league cannot sign contracts until they are finished their collegiate careers. Maschmeyer said she is not writing off the NWHL, or any other options such as playing overseas or in a men's league like her mentor Shannon Szabados does, she just feels that at this point in her life, the CWHL is the best choice. "Right now, the Team Canada girls coming out of college are playing in the CWHL. That could maybe change in the future, but right now the CWHL is where everything is at," said Maschmeyer. While almost all of the players that seemingly are on Hockey Canada's radar play in the CWHL, the same goes for the NWHL and the U.S. national team players. And these two national women’s leagues are not the only ones that Maschmeyer has been exposed to. In her youth, she grew up around a league that preceded both the NWHL and CWHL. Maschmeyer's family was part of the Western Women's Hockey League, and specifically the Edmonton Chimos, where her older sister played

Chu served as the acting head coach of the Stingers for the 2015-16 season, stepping in for Les Lawton who was on medical leave. "We have a talented and dedicated team that comes to the rink ready to work and get better. Each day, we strive to embody our team-first culture in which each member is doing everything possible to make sure we as a team are successful," said Chu. Since graduating from Harvard, Chu has been working on her coaching résumé. She was an assistant coach for the University of Minnesota Duluth and helped them win their fourth NCAA Div. 1 title in 2008. Chu was also an assistant at Union College and plans to coach the U.S. Under 18 development team camps this summer.

and her father was the team manager, part owner and coach. "I was still pretty young when the Chimos were around but I can remember being around the league. I was focused on playing college hockey and it wasn't really until near the end of my time at Harvard that I thought about where I would play next. At this age, I am not even close to finishing hockey," said Maschmeyer. "I'm glad there is somewhere for everyone to continue playing competitive hockey and it makes me hopeful for the future." Also joining the draft is Russian star forward Iya Gavrilova, who just wrapped her playing career with the Calgary Dinos of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) league. Gavrilova also has ties to the now-defunct WWHL, where she used to play for the Minnesota Whitecaps. The 2016 CWHL entry draft, the first step toward playing in the league, is now open. All drafted prospects are invited to attend the training camp of their respective teams in September and vie for a spot on the team's 25-player roster. The entry draft takes place on Aug. 21 in Toronto.

June 25, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

13 19 11

COLLEGE

CIS

In recent years, the CIS is featuring more and more players who have been drafted or identified by NHL teams STORY | Randy Lucenti

MARC LAFLEUR PHOTO

GAINING MOMENTUM After an outstanding first year with the Carleton Ravens in CIS hockey, Brett Welychka is being touted for a pro career once his university days come to an end.

ANADIAN UNIVERSITY HOCKEY WAS ONCE RECOGNIZED AS A PLACE FOR graduating major junior players to prolong their hockey playing days and get an education, but that has changed over the past few years. The CIS has been gaining credibility and a reputation of being an excellent developmental league for those players wishing to pursue a professional career at the end of their student-athlete days. While the NCAA is known for the amount of players taken in each NHL Entry Draft (with more to come at the 2016 event later this month in Buffalo, N.Y.), the CIS rosters feature an abundance of performers who were drafted or identified by pro teams during their junior days before heading to Canadian universities. Over the past number of years, Canadian university teams have counted on major junior hockey to be their major feeding system with numbers ranging from 80 to 85 percent of the CIS rosters being made up of former CHL performers. The reason for the increased pro interest in these former draft picks — be it NHL, semipro or Europe — in CIS grads is the fact they are coming out more seasoned and mature in their mid-20's rather than out of the NCAA or major junior at 18 or 19 years of age.

HOCKEYNOW June 25, 2016

While it would be odd to hear a CIS player's named called in Buffalo, a number of the Canadian stars will be watching with interest and awaiting calls from various pro organizations who either drafted them in junior or have added them to invite lists for rookie camps based on their performances in the CIS. Those lists could include the stars from this past season, including 2015-16 CIS MVP Guillaume Asselin of the UQTR Patriotes. After lighting up the QMJHL over parts of five seasons, the 23-year-old, five-foot-11, 195-pound forward, in his third season with the Patriotes, led the nation in goals (27), points (47) and game-winning goals (six, including three in overtime) in just 28 games. The two other finalists for MVP, forward Eric Locke of the St. FX X-Men and goaltender Jordon Cooke of the Saskatchewan Huskies, also cut their teeth in major junior hockey and also have a legitimate shot at a pro career. Locke, from Toronto, Ont., played for three teams in the OHL (Saginaw Spirit, Barrie Colts, Windsor Spitfires) and was drafted in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres (Round 7, 189th overall). He played the past two seasons for the X-Men. Cooke, from Leduc, Alta., played in the WHL for the Kelowna Rockets for four seasons before joining the Huskies over the past two. Another award winner, Brett Welychka of the Carleton Ravens, who was named CIS rookie of the year in 2015-16, already has a couple of NHL rookie camps (Tampa Bay Lighting and Chicago Blackhawks) under his belt, but raised the eyebrows of a number of other pro organizations, including the Montreal Canadiens, with his play this past season. The London, Ont. native played parts of six seasons in the OHL with the Belleville Bulls and London Knights prior to heading to the Ravens. The University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds have shown to be one of the best CIS schools at producing pro-ready players with three players signing directly out of the CIS to the NHL and another 28 playing in the AHL in the last 10 years. From the 2015-16 CIS champion Varsity Reds squad, the best bet to make the jump to pro in the near future is forward Francis Beauvillier. The Sorel-Tracy, Que. native played parts of six seasons in the QMJHL with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Shawinigan Cataractes, Rimouski Oceanic and Lewiston MAINEiacs and was drafted in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft (Round 6, 174th overall) by the Florida Panthers. After two successful seasons at UNB, he's added the Canadiens and St. Louis Blues among NHL teams showing interest. The Alberta Golden Bears of Canada West have also developed a number of pro-ready players, including former long-time Edmonton Oilers defenceman Randy Gregg, and this year is no exception. Heading the list of Bears is forward Jordan Hickmont, who is garnering interest from a number of NHL teams including the Oilers and Dallas Stars. The 26-year-old from Mission, B.C. played parts of six campaigns in the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings, Prince Albert Raiders and Medicine Hat Tigers. He also attended a pro rookie camp back in 2011 with the New York Rangers after coming out of junior. When it comes to CIS goaltenders, the best bet to crack into the NHL one day would be the Ravens’ Patrick Killeen. A longtime starter for the OHL's Brampton Battalion (now North Bay Battalion) over four seasons, Killeen was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (Round 6, 10th overall). After bouncing around in the Penguins minor league system, the Corkery, Ont. native was dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013. Never finding his game with Columbus, Killeen sat out the entire 2013-14 season before heading to Carleton. Since then, he has been among the CIS leaders in save percentage and goals against average. Although there was interest from the Ottawa Senators, Killeen inked an amateur tryout deal with the Calgary Flames, who appear to have some longterm plans for Killeen either with the big club or in their minor league affiliates.

FROM JUNIOR TO MAJOR JUNIOR, NCAA, HOMEGROWN AND INTERNATIONAL, OUR IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF ISS’S TOP RANKED PROSPECTS FOR THE NHL ENTRY DRAFT STORY RYAN MCCRACKEN

USTON MATTHEWS OR PATRIK LAINE, THERE WILL BE A CHANGE in trends at this year’s NHL Entry Draft. Eight of the last 10 first overall draft picks hail from Canada, while Russia’s Nail Yakupov was taken by the Edmonton Oilers in 2012 and Patrick Kane topped the charts in 2007 when he joined the Chicago Blackhawks. Laine would be the first Finnish player to ever be taken first overall at the NHL entry draft, and he’s been doing well to argue his case against Matthews with the world watching. The young Finn cracked highlight reels across the globe at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Helsinki with seven goals and five assists. But the numbers weren’t as impressive as the flair. In a 3-1 win over France, Laine set up one gorgeous goal and finished off an astonishing give-and-go feed. And suddenly, one game got everyone talking. He’s shown no lack of confidence either. Laine told Jonas Siegel of The Canadian Press that he’s every bit as worthy of the coveted No. 1 spot, and after the season he’s had it’s hard to disagree. Laine posted 17 goals and 16 assists in 46 games with Tappara this season, as well as 13 points at the world junior championship and 12 at the men’s championship. But Matthews’ résumé speaks for itself. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native nearly doubled Laine’s points per game average with the Zurich Lions of Switzerland’s National League A at 24 goals and 22 assists in 46 games. Matthews also collected 11 points at the world championship in May and three points in five games at the world juniors. Behind all the hype, however, a strong class of young players fill out the projected first round — with many calling the Canadian Hockey

League home. International Scouting Services lists 17 CHL players in the top 30, with the Ontario Hockey League boasting a commanding 12 prospects. London Knights forward Matthew Tkachuk heads up the CHL draft class at No. 4. The second Scottsdale, Ariz. native in the projected first round, Tkachuk became a household name in Canada last month when he helped lead the Knights to their second Memorial Cup alongside Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak. If all goes according to plan, Tkachuk would become Oilers property, but ISS suggests Edmonton could end up trading away their rights to fourth overall. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles forward Pierre-Luc Dubois rounds out the top five as the QMJHL’s leading prospect. The big-bodied Quebec native amassed 99 points in just 62 games this year. The Vancouver Canucks hold claim to the fifth overall pick, but given their desire for a top-tier defenceman and few projected the first round, there could be another trade early in this year’s draft. The Calgary Flames will likely still have the ability to claim Mississauga Steelheads forward Alex Nylander at sixth overall. The offensive alpha posted 75 points in 57 OHL games this year, and would fit in nicely alongside Calgary’s young talent. Calgary Hitmen defenceman Jake Bean leads the WHL’s projected picks at No. 16, but fourth overall among blueliners. The 6-foot, 175-pound two-way player nearly managed a point-per-game this season at 24 goals and 40 assists in 68 contests. In total, ISS predicts 48 per cent of the top 200 players to be taken at this year’s draft will hail from the Canadian Hockey League, with the OHL leading the pack at 42 representatives, followed by the WHL at 38 and the QMJHL at 15 for 96 total prospects hoping to turn pro.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

WINNIPEG JETS

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

EDMONTON OILERS

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

CALGARY FLAMES

ARIZONA COYOTES

BUFFALO SABRES

MONTREAL CANADIENS

COLORADO AVALANCHE

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

OTTAWA SENATORS

CAROLINA HURRICANES

BOSTON BRUINS

STORY IAIN COLPITTS

Time will tell if Auston Matthews, heavily expected to be the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, will have as lasting as an effect on the Toronto Maple Leafs as the last player they selected first overall more than 31 years ago. On June 24, Matthews will surely become the second player the Leafs drafted first overall in franchise history, joining Wendel Clark as the other pick back in 1985. As for the company Matthews will be joining, Clark had three stints with the Leafs before retiring in 2000. He instantly became a cult hero in Toronto,

someone who was tough as nails and scored more than 30 goals in a season four times. Clark was also part of a trade that gave the Leafs their last franchise centre, Mats Sundin, in 1994. For Matthews, fans can’t help but get excited when ISS compares him to Jonathan Toews, who captained the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups since 2010. It’s a far stretch to say Matthews will do the same considering Toronto still has a lot of work to do in its rebuild, but having a franchise cornerstone in place will certainly help.

SINCE 1963

2016 AUSTON MATTHEWS C

(PROJECTED TO GO 1ST OVERALL TO THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS)

MINNESOTA WILD

DETROIT RED WINGS

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

ARIZONA COYOTES

CAROLINA HURRICANES

WINNIPEG JETS

FLORIDA PANTHERS

ANAHEIM DUCKS

2007 PATRICK KANE RW (DRAFTED BY THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS)

(from Chicago)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

ST. LOUIS BLUES

BOSTON BRUINS

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

+/-

PIM

412

663

252

529

NHL CAREER STATS

+/-

PIM

161

220

-43

351

318

130

NHL CAREER STATS

GAA

SV%

136

2.87

.902

1995 BRYAN BERARD D (DRAFTED BY THE OTTAWA SENATORS) GP

619

NHL CAREER STATS

+/-

PIM

247

323

-98

500

1988 MIKE MODANO C (DRAFTED BY THE MINNESOTA NORTH STARS) NHL CAREER STATS

1,499

561

+/-

PIM

813

1,374

114

926

1983 BRIAN LAWTON C (DRAFTED BY THE MINNESOTA NORTH STARS)

(from San Jose) (from Pittsburgh)

251

2000 RICK DIPIETRO G (DRAFTED BY THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS)

(from Los Angeles)

DALLAS STARS

GP 658

2006(DRAFTED ERIK JOHNSON D BY THE ST. LOUIS BLUES)

(from NY Rangers)

NHL CAREER STATS

WWW.ZSCLIONS.CH

NHL CAREER STATS

483

112

+/-

PIM

154

266

-42

401

13 10

7 5

5 2

1 OHL

WHL

QMJHL

OTHER

OHL

WHL

QMJHL

OTHER

OHL

WHL

3 QMJHL

OTHER

*projected

2016

FINNISH HOCKEY LEAGUE

*PAST 10 YEARS

PATRIK LAINE RW

PROJECTED TO BE DRAFTED 2ND OVERALL

JESSE PULJUJARVI RW

PROJECTED TO BE DRAFTED 3RD OVERALL

2015

MIKKO RANTANEN RW

DRAFTED: 10TH OVERALL BY COLORADO AVALANCHE NHL GAMES PLAYED: 9

2013

ALEKSANDER BARKOV C

DRAFTED: 2ND OVERALL BY FLORIDA PANTHERS NHL GAMES PLAYED: 191

RASMUS RISTOLAINEN D

DRAFTED: 8TH OVERALL BY BUFFALO SABRES NHL GAMES PLAYED: 194

2010

MIKAEL GRANLUND C

DRAFTED: 9TH OVERALL BY MINNESOTA WILD NHL GAMES PLAYED: 240

June 25, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

17 19 11

AUSTON MATTHEWS

POS: Centre DOB: Sep 17/97 H/W: 6.01.5/210

ZURICH | SUIA

SIZE/STRENGTH.........Very Good DEFENSIVE PLAY.......Very Good SKATING............................. Elite PHYSICAL PLAY.........Very Good PUCK SKILLS..............Very Good COMPETITIVENESS......Excellent SHOT.............................Excellent HOCKEY SENSE.................. Elite OFFENSIVE PLAY................ Elite COMPARED TO: Jonathan Toews SKILL: Natural goal-scorer who is equally adept at passing and creating chances all over the ice.

2015-16 ZSC LIONS

PIM

JESSE PULJUJARVI

POS: Right Wing DOB: May 7/98 H/W: 6.03/203

KÄRPÄT | FINE

SIZE/STRENGTH................. Elite DEFENSIVE PLAY..............Good SKATING.......................Excellent PHYSICAL PLAY.........Very Good PUCK SKILLS..............Very Good COMPETITIVENESS....Very Good SHOT.............................Excellent HOCKEY SENSE............Excellent OFFENSIVE PLAY..........Excellent COMPARED TO: Blake Wheeler SKILL: Skilled play-making forward who oozes on-ice vision and creativity.

2015-16 KÄRPÄT

PIM

PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS

POS: Centre DOB: June 24/98 H/W: 6.02.5/202

CAPE BRETON | QMJHL

SIZE/STRENGTH...........Excellent DEFENSIVE PLAY..............Good SKATING.....................Very Good PHYSICAL PLAY...........Excellent PUCK SKILLS..............Very Good COMPETITIVENESS......Excellent SHOT...........................Very Good HOCKEY SENSE..........Very Good OFFENSIVE PLAY........Very Good COMPARED TO: Jamie Benn SKILL: Very complete and versatile character forward; can play wing or centre.

2015-16 CAPE BRETON SCREAMING EAGLES

PIM

112

LOGAN BROWN

POS: Centre DOB: Mar 5/98 H/W: 6.06/222

WINDSOR | OHL

SIZE/STRENGTH................. Elite SKATING.....................Very Good PUCK SKILLS..............Very Good SHOT...........................Very Good OFFENSIVE PLAY........Very Good

DEFENSIVE PLAY..............Good PHYSICAL PLAY................Good COMPETITIVENESS....Very Good HOCKEY SENSE..........Very Good COMPARED TO: Joe Thornton

SKILL: Big strong two-way centre with high skill and smarts.

GP 59

2015-16 WINDSOR SPITFIRES

PIM

TYSON JOST

SIZE/STRENGTH................Good DEFENSIVE PLAY..............Good SKATING.......................Excellent PHYSICAL PLAY................Good PUCK SKILLS...................... Elite COMPETITIVENESS......Excellent SHOT...........................Very Good HOCKEY SENSE.................. Elite OFFENSIVE PLAY..........Excellent COMPARED TO: Zach Parise SKILL: Dynamic offensive talent that creates a lot of his offense with hard work and skating ability.

GP 48

2015-16 PENTICTON VEES

PIM

104

POS: Right Wing DOB: Apr 19/98 H/W: 6.04/209

TAPPARA | FINE

SIZE/STRENGTH................. Elite SKATING............................Good PUCK SKILLS..............Very Good SHOT................................... Elite OFFENSIVE PLAY..........Excellent

DEFENSIVE PLAY..............Good PHYSICAL PLAY.........Very Good COMPETITIVENESS....Very Good HOCKEY SENSE............Excellent COMPARED TO: Dany Heatley

SKILL: Great combination of size, strength and puck skills.

2015-16 TAPPARA

PIM

MATTHEW TKACHUK

POS: Left Wing DOB: Dec 11/97 H/W: 6.01.25/195

LONDON | OHL

SIZE/STRENGTH.........Very Good DEFENSIVE PLAY..............Good SKATING............................Good PHYSICAL PLAY.........Very Good PUCK SKILLS..............Very Good COMPETITIVENESS............ Elite SHOT...........................Very Good HOCKEY SENSE............Excellent OFFENSIVE PLAY..........Excellent COMPARED TO: Andrew Ladd SKILL: Strong, skilled forward with high offensive IQ and a pro-style game.

GP 57

2015-16 LONDON KNIGHTS

PIM

107

ALEX NYLANDER

POS: Right Wing DOB: Mar 2/98 H/W: 6.00.5/179

MISSISSAUGA | OHL

SIZE/STRENGTH................Good DEFENSIVE PLAY..............Good SKATING.......................Excellent PHYSICAL PLAY................Good PUCK SKILLS...................... Elite COMPETITIVENESS....Very Good SHOT...........................Very Good HOCKEY SENSE............Excellent OFFENSIVE PLAY................ Elite COMPARED TO: Artemi Panarin SKILL: Gifted winger who projects as a top-6 player with 1st line scoring upside.

2015-16 MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS

PIM

JAKOB CHYCHRUN

POS: Left Defence DOB: Mar 31/98 H/W: 6.02/215

SARNIA | OHL

SIZE/STRENGTH...........Excellent SKATING.....................Very Good PUCK SKILLS.....................Good SHOT...........................Very Good OFFENSIVE PLAY........Very Good

DEFENSIVE PLAY.......Very Good PHYSICAL PLAY.........Very Good COMPETITIVENESS....Very Good HOCKEY SENSE..........Very Good COMPARED TO: Jack Johnson

SKILL: Two-way defenceman with exceptional physical tools.

POS: Centre DOB: Mar 14/98 H/W: 5.11/191

PENTICTON | BCHL

PATRIK LAINE

2015-16 MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS

PIM

MIKHAIL SERGACHEV WINDSOR | OHL

POS: Right Defence DOB: June 25/98 H/W: 6.02.5/206

SIZE/STRENGTH...........Excellent DEFENSIVE PLAY.......Very Good SKATING.....................Very Good PHYSICAL PLAY.........Very Good PUCK SKILLS..............Very Good COMPETITIVENESS....Very Good SHOT.............................Excellent HOCKEY SENSE............Excellent OFFENSIVE PLAY........Very Good COMPARED TO: Ryan McDonagh SKILL: Talented defender on either side of the puck with heavy shot and smart play.

GP 58

2015-16 WINDSOR SPITFIRES

PIM

11 OLLI JUOLEVI POS: LD

LONDON | OHL

DOB: 5/5/1998

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 6.02.5

12 CLAYTON KELLER POS: C

DOB: 7/29/1998

NTDP USA UNDER-18 | USHL

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 5.09.5

13 MICHAEL MCLEOD POS: C

DOB: 2/3/1998

SHOOTS: R

WEIGHT: 179

WEIGHT: 168

MISSISSAUGA | OHL HEIGHT: 6.02.25

WEIGHT: 188

14 MAX JONES POS: LW

LONDON | OHL

DOB: 2/17/1998

SHOOTS: L

15 GERMAN RUBTSOV POS: C

DOB: 6/27/1998

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 6.03

RUSSIA MHL 98 | RUSJR HEIGHT: 6.02

16 JAKE BEAN POS: LD

DOB: 6/9/1998

SHOOTS: L

DOB: 6/10/1998

SHOOTS: L

18 LUKE KUNIN POS: RW

DOB: 12/4/1997

DOB: 6/20/1998

SHOOTS: R

DOB: 3/29/1998

SHOOTS: R

DOB: 10/15/1997

NTDP USA UNDER-18 | USHL HEIGHT: 6.00

HEIGHT: 5.11.75

HEIGHT: 6.00.25

SHOOTS: L

DOB: 4/10/1998

SHOOTS: R

DOB: 12/21/1997

SHOOTS: L

SHOOTS: R

24 TAGE THOMPSON POS: C

DOB: 10/30/1997

VAL-D'OR | QMJHL HEIGHT: 6.03.5

SHOOTS: R

HEIGHT: 6.04.75

DOB: 5/26/1998

SHOOTS: L

WEIGHT: 205

HEIGHT: 6.00.25

DOB: 12/18/1997

SHOOTS: R

27 BORIS KATCHOUK POS: LW

DOB: 6/18/1998

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 6.05

WEIGHT: 185

WINDSOR | OHL HEIGHT: 6.06.75

DOB: 2/18/1998

SHOOTS: R

HEIGHT: 5.07

DOB: 8/31/1998

SHOOTS: L

30 PASCAL LABERGE POS: RW

DOB: 4/9/1998

SHOOTS: R

WEIGHT: 163

S.S. MARIE | OHL HEIGHT: 6.01

WEIGHT: 181

ERIE | OHL HEIGHT: 6.01.75

29 JACOB MOVERARE POS: LD

WEIGHT: 220

ERIE | OHL

28 TAYLOR RADDYSH POS: RW

WEIGHT: 208

CONNECTICUT | H.E.

26 ALEXANDER DEBRINCAT POS: RW

WEIGHT: 225

BOSTON UNIV | H.E.

25 LOGAN STANLEY POS: LD

WEIGHT: 193

BLAINE | MN-HS

23 CHARLES MCAVOY POS: RD

WEIGHT: 193

WEIGHT: 189

HEIGHT: 6.02.25

22 RILEY TUFTE POS: LW

WEIGHT: 196

MOOSE JAW | WHL

21 JULIEN GAUTHIER POS: RW

WEIGHT: 173

PENTICTON | BCHL

20 BRETT HOWDEN POS: C

HEIGHT: 5.11.75

WISCONSIN | BIGTEN

19 DANTE FABBRO POS: RD

WEIGHT: 178

CALGARY | WHL

17 KIEFFER BELLOWS POS: LW

WEIGHT: 205

HEIGHT: 6.02

WEIGHT: 203

POS: C

DOB: 12/6/1997

SHOOTS: R

HEIGHT: 6.03.75

POS: RW

DOB: 5/5/1998

SHOOTS: R

33 VITALII ABRAMOV POS: LW

DOB: 5/8/1998

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 6.00

WEIGHT: 178

GATINEAU | QMJHL HEIGHT: 5.08.75

34 CLIFF PU POS: C

DOB: 6/3/1998

DOB: 12/3/1997

SHOOTS: R

SHOOTS: L

36 LIBOR HAJEK POS: LD

DOB: 2/4/1998

DOB: 4/27/1998

SHOOTS: L

38 DENNIS CHOLOWSKI POS: LD

DOB: 2/15/1998

HEIGHT: 6.01.5

FARJESTAD | SWEE HEIGHT: 5.10.5

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 6.02

DOB: 6/5/1998

WEIGHT: 185

HEIGHT: 6.05

WEIGHT: 213

CHILLIWACK | BCHL HEIGHT: 6.00.25

DOB: 2/3/1998

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 5.11.75

DOB: 2/11/1998

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 5.11

DOB: 11/16/1997

SHOOTS: L

43 YEGOR KORSHKOV POS: RW

DOB: 7/10/1996

SHOOTS: L

44 ADAM FOX POS: RD

DOB: 2/17/1998

HEIGHT: 5.11.5

DOB: 5/25/1998

HEIGHT: 6.01.25

DOB: 5/12/1998

YAROSLAVL | KHL HEIGHT: 6.03

SHOOTS: R

HEIGHT: 5.10.25

DOB: 7/20/1998

SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 6.00.75

DOB: 1/30/1998

SHOOTS: L

SHOOTS: R

POS: C

SHOOTS: L

50 CHAD KRYS POS: LD

DOB: 4/10/1998

WEIGHT: 175

HEIGHT: 5.09.5

WEIGHT: 160

KELOWNA | WHL

WEIGHT: 198

DOB: 12/20/1997

WEIGHT: 185

SHAWINIGAN | QMJHL

HEIGHT: 5.10.25

48 JACOB CEDERHOLM POS: RD

WEIGHT: 201

KARPAT | FINJRA

47 DILLON DUBE POS: C

WEIGHT: 174

NTDP USA UNDER-18 | USHL

46 SAMUEL GIRARD POS: LD

WEIGHT: 198

KELOWNA | WHL

45 JANNE KUOKKANEN POS: LW

WEIGHT: 177

NTDP USA UNDER-18 | USHL

42 LUCAS JOHANSEN POS: LD

WEIGHT: 177

REGINA | WHL

41 RYAN LINDGREN POS: LD

WEIGHT: 170

BRANDON | WHL

40 SAM STEEL POS: C

WEIGHT: 176

NTDP USA UNDER-18 | USHL

39 KALE CLAGUE POS: LD

WEIGHT: 192

SASKATOON | WHL

37 JAMES GREENWAY POS: LD

WEIGHT: 172

LONDON | OHL

35 RASMUS ASPLUND POS: C

WEIGHT: 208

SARNIA | OHL

49 JONATHAN DAHLEN

WEIGHT: 175

MISSISSAUGA | OHL

32 JORDAN KYROU

HV71 | SWEJE

VICTORIAVILLE | QMJHL HEIGHT: 6.01

31 NATHAN BASTIAN

WEIGHT: 180

HV71 | SWEJE HEIGHT: 6.03

WEIGHT: 187

TIMRA | SWEJE HEIGHT: 5.11.25

WEIGHT: 167

NTDP USA UNDER-18 | USHL SHOOTS: L

HEIGHT: 5.11

WEIGHT: 185

STORY IAIN COLPITTS

TOP PROSPECTS TKACHUK, NYLANDER, BROWN AND CHYCHRUN ALL HAVE A REPUTATION TO UPHOLD LOGAN BROWN (C)

WINDSOR SPITFIRES 6’6”/222 lbs ISS RANK: 7 Scouts salivate over his size, but he moves very well for a big man too. Logan Brown uses his hulking frame to his advantage on face offs and projects well as a two-way centre at the NHL level. Brown showed great playmaking ability all year long and his high hockey IQ will surely be a welcome addition to whoever drafts him. He’s a responsible player in all three zones and went on to become one of the USA’s top players at the World Under-18 championships. Although he’s more of a playmaker than a scorer, he has a strong shot that scouts wish he’d use more often.

MATTHEW TKACHUK (LW)

LONDON KNIGHTS JAKOB CHYCHRUN (D) 6’1”/195 lbs SARNIA STING ISS RANK: 4 6’2”/215 lbs He has all the tools to be a top line power forward at the NHL. As he showed ISS RANK: 8 all season long with the Knights, especially during the MasterCard Memorial The first overall pick in the 2014 OHL draft was projected to be a top-three Cup, he could be just as physical as he is skilled. NHL pick at the beginning of the season and fell down the rankings a bit, but At 6’1” and close to 200 lbs, Matthew Tkachuk already has an NHL frame there’s no arguing he’s a near complete package. and uses it to muscle his way along the boards and hold You can’t ask for much more from a defensive prospect. onto the puck whenever he has possession. He’s a strong skater, uses his stick well defensively and His vision and playmaking ability are highly regarded and has a rocket of a shot. his quick release leads into a shot that’s very accurate, as Sarnia relied on him heavily in all situations: even OTHER shown by his Memorial Cup-winning goal. strength, power play and penalty kill. Scouts believe he needs to develop his quickness, but Has been criticized for his decision making at times, other than that, it’s very hard to find flaws in his game. but scouts have every reason to believe he’ll be a top-line defender in the NHL one day.

ALEXANDER NYLANDER (RW)

MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS 6’0”/179 lbs ISS RANK: 6 If you blink when he has the puck, you might miss something big. Alex Nylander erupted onto the OHL scene as a human highlight reel, scoring arguably the goal of the year in just his third game in a Steelheads uniform. He carries an elite skill set with quick feet and hands and a great shot. Named OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year, Nylander scored a goal and assist per game through the OHL playoffs as the Steelheads almost upset the heavily-favoured Barrie Colts by forcing the first-round series to game seven. He led Sweden in scoring as a 17-year-old at the World Junior Championships and was also his country’s top scorer at the World Under-18 Championships. He will need to show he can play physically now and then at the pro level.

TO WATCH

OLLI JUOLEVI (D) LONDON KNIGHTS 6’2”/179 lbs ISS RANK: 11

MICHAEL MCLEOD (C) MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS 6’2”/188 lbs ISS RANK: 13

MAX JONES (LW) LONDON KNIGHTS 6’3”/209 lbs ISS RANK: 14

MIKHAIL SERGACHEV (D)

WINDSOR SPITFIRES 6’2”/206 lbs ISS RANK: 10 It didn’t take long for this Russian to leave his mark in the OHL. His deadly shot was evidenced by the 23 goals he scored en route to capturing OHL defenceman of the year honours in his rookie season. Mikhail Sergachev is also strong at leading the rush or making a good breakout pass to a teammate. Confidence isn’t an issue with this youngster as he has shown the ability to handle the puck with poise. He can also lead the way in the defensive zone against a team’s top line, but scouts would like to see him use his size to his advantage more consistently. Has the potential to play regularly on the power play and penalty kill as a pro.

TERRY WILSON / OHL IMAGES

AARON BELL/OHL IMAGES

OU KNOW THE EXPRESSION “LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON?” Matthew Tkachuk, Alex Nylander, Logan Brown and Jakob Chychrun, the top four OHL players eligible for the NHL Draft according to ISS, all have fathers who had respectable – and in some cases, great – NHL careers. Tkachuk’s dad Keith surpassed the 1,000-point plateau, Nylander’s dad Michael was once coined the Swedish Wayne Gretzky, Brown’s dad Jeff played 12 years in the NHL and Chychrun’s dad, also Jeff, won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992. It’s worth noting that Nylander’s brother William was the eighth overall pick in 2014 and made his debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs in February. Mikhail Sergachev rounds out the list of OHLers in the NHL draft top10 rankings.

STORY RYAN MCCRACKEN

CANDICE WARD

WEST IS SET TO MAKE A CONSISTENT APPEARANCE IN EACH ROUND OF THE DRAFT

T FIRST GLANCE, IT MAY SEEM THE WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE IS under-represented entering the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. But when all is said and done, International Scouting Services projects 19 per cent of the top 200 prospects at the draft will hail from the Dub. Calgary Hitmen defenceman Jake Bean and Moose Jaw Warriors centre Brett Howden are the only Western representatives listed in the ISS’s first round at 16th and 20th overall, respectively, but only three teams approach the draft without at least one player projected in the top 200. CALGARY HITMEN 6’/193 lbs ISS RANK: 16 After a stellar season on Calgary’s back end, Jake Bean finds himself listed fourth among defencemen entering the big day. The Calgary native could inject some much-needed youth into the 16th overall pick-holding Detroit Red Wings, and his skill set covers a lot more than just defence. Bean racked up a staggering 24 goals and 40 assists in 68 games on Calgary’s blue line this season, setting career bests across the board. While his best attribute is undoubtedly his skating ability, Bean boasts strong puck skills, sound defence and excellent vision on the ice.

BRETT HOWDEN (C)

MOOSE JAW WARRIORS 6’2’’/193 lbs ISS RANK: 20 Brett Howden tops the Dub’s list of forwards looking to crack the NHL this season. Also a native of Calgary, Howden mirrored Bean’s numbers this season with 24 goals and 40 assists in 68 games with the Warriors. The power forward is capable of playing all forward positions, but one of his biggest strengths comes in the face off circle. Howden helped improve his draft stock with an impressive postseason campaign in Moose Jaw. In his first taste of WHL playoff action, Howden collected four goals and 11 assists through 10 contests while helping his team into the second round.

LIBOR HAJEK (LD)

SASKATOON BLADES 6’2’’/185 lbs ISS RANK: 36 ISS predicts things will start to pick up steam for the WHL’s draft class entering the second round, with nine players projected to be selected, led by Saskatoon Blades blueliner Libok Hajek. While the Blades are coming off a fruitless season, fans can find solace in Hajek’s rise to No. 36 in the draft rankings. The defender recorded 26 points in his first WHL season, and has represented his home Czech Republic in each of the last two IIHF Under-18 World Championships, where he collected three points in 10 total games. The Smrcek native excels in skating, strength and two-way awareness, and has the potential to crack a top-four defensive pairing in the NHL.

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS 6’/177 lbs ISS RANK: 39 For the second year in a row, the Brandon Wheat Kings will be sending a competent young defenceman to the draft with the hopes of a high selection. Last year, Russian blueliner Ivan Provorov led the WHL at seventh overall, now it’s Kale Clague’s turn to link up with a big league club. The puck-moving defenceman collected 37 assists and added six goals while finishing with a plus-25 for career bests in all three categories.

SAM STEEL (C)

TIM SMITH

JAKE BEAN (LD)

KALE CLAGUE (LD)

REGINA PATS 5’11’’/ 177 lbs ISS RANK: 40 Edmonton native Sam Steel is also expected to go in the second round after an incredible season with the Regina Pats. The WHL sophomore just missed out on a point-per-game average after amassing 70 points (23 goals and 47 assists) while competing in all 72 regular season contests. But Steel’s value became all the more apparent after guiding the Pats to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Red Deer Rebels with six goals and 10 assists in 12 playoff games. A strong ability to read the playing surface coupled with great speed and passing make Steel a valuable second-round acquisition with the potential to play top-six minutes in the NHL.

CONNOR INGRAM (G) OTHER

TO WATCH

LUCAS JOHANSEN (LD) KELOWNA ROCKETS 6’1”/174 lbs ISS RANK: 42

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS 6’/212 lbs ISS GOALIE RANK: 4 Connor Ingram leads the WHL’s five goaltenders in the top 10 at No. 4 after posting a .922 save percentage and a 2.61 goals against average this season. The Imperial, Sask. native put up career bests in every regular season category en route to a 34-15-5-4 record. While the Blazers ultimately lost their first-round series to the Kelowna Rockets in seven games, it was no fault of Ingram, who left the ice with a 2.12 postseason goals against average and a .938 save percentage.

CARTER HART (G) DILLON DUBE (C) KELOWNA ROCKETS 5’10”/180 lbs ISS RANK: 47

TYLER BROWN (G) REGINA PATS 6’/169 lbs ISS GOALIE RANK: 12

EVERETT SILVERTIPS 6’/177 lbs ISS GOALIE RANK: 5 Carter Hart approaches the drafted listed at No. 5 among goaltenders thanks in part to a standout season with the Silvertips. Hart closed out the regular season with a .918 save percentage and 2.14 goals against average, shaving off just enough to edge career bests in both categories. The Sherwood Park, Alta. product locked up a 35-23-1-3 record with six shutouts, and went on to lead the Silvertips into the second round with a sweep of the Portland Winterhawks.

STORY MIKE BEASLEY

ON’T EXPECT A LOT OF QMJHL PLAYERS TO HEAR THEIR NAMES CALLED at this year’s NHL Entry Draft. The International Scouting Services (ISS) recently released their list of the Top 200 skaters for the upcoming draft with only 15 QMJHL names earning a spot. However, the Q is bookending the ISS Top 20 goaltenders list, boasting the number one goalie, as well as number 20. That makes a total of 17 QMJHL players that made enough of an impression this past season to be ranked and in all likelihood be drafted into the NHL by a big league club. Nothing is guaranteed, but they stand a greater chance than those who did not crack the Top 200 list. Others from the league may also get the call but will have to enter the First Niagara Center in Buffalo with their fingers crossed, hoping that their dream of becoming the property of a big league comes true. The QMJHL have only three skaters projected to go in the first round, leading the WHL with two and trailing major junior prospect leader OHL at 12.

PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS (C)

CAPE BRETON SCREAMING EAGLES 6’2”/202 lbs ISS RANK: 5 ISS describes the top ranked player from the QMJHL as a very complete and versatile character forward that can play wing or centre. Pierre-Luc Dubois can contribute at both ends of the ice in many ways; he has hockey sense, size, skill, skating and a competitive nature with both playmaking and goal scoring abilities. This past season with the Screaming Eagles, Dubois earned 99 points in 62 regular season games and 12 points in the same number of playoff games through two rounds. It’s a pity Cape Breton didn’t advance further to give us the chance to see more of what Dubois can do. Any NHL team will like the fact the he uses his body well and battles for loose pucks in both offensive and defensive zones.

JULIEN GAUTHIER (RW)

VAL-D’OR FOREURS 6’3”/225 lbs ISS RANK: 21 JulienGauthier scored 41 goals last season so he has the potential to be a Top 6 forward. He is a big, strong, scoring winger with very good hands and offensive instincts that plays a style along the lines of F Drew Stafford from the Winnipeg Jets.

Gauthier played a lot of hockey on some big stages this past season. He was selected for Team QMJHL in the Canada/Russia Series, Team Canada U20 Team, and the Top Prospect Game. Overall, Gauthier is a powerful skater with great strides and impressive acceleration. He has a ton of offensive upside with natural scoring abilities; size, skating, hands, shot, and offensive instincts.

PASCAL LABERGE (RW)

VICTORIAVILLE TIGRES 6’1”/175 lbs ISS RANK: 30 Described as a smart, one dimensional finesse style goal scorer who needs to play with skilled players, Pascal Laberge has the NHL potential to be a high risk/reward top two line forward. He picked up 58 points in 56 games in Victoriaville last season. The 2014 second overall pick in the QMJHL Draft improved his play in the second half of this season. The playoffs proved to be his best and most consistent showing. At 6’1”, Laberge has good size and compete. He's a good skater and plays the game in the quiet areas of the ice and always seems to be around the puck. He has very good vision and passing ability. Laberge will remind you of Anaheim Ducks F David OTHER Perron when you see him play.

EVAN FITZPATRICK (G) TO WATCH

VITAL ABRAMOV (LW) GATINEAU OLYMPIQUES 5’9”/172 lbs ISS RANK: 33

SAMUEL GIRARD (LD) SHAWINIGAN CATARACTES 5’10”/160 lbs ISS RANK: 46

MARK GRAMETBAUER (G) GATINEAU OLYMPIQUES 6’1”/176 lbs ISS GOALIE RANK: 20

SHERBROOKE PHOENIX 6’2”/222 lbs ISS GOALIE RANK: 1 ISS firmly believe that Evan Fitzpatrick possesses all the tools to be a quality starter in the NHL. “Fitzpatrick plays with technique and control and has the potential to become a #1 goalie in the NHL,” says one ISS scout. Fitzpatrick possesses very good hands, plays his position well, is an average puck handler, competes and has hockey sense. He is the typical butterfly style goalie who moves well laterally. Although he makes most of his saves on his knees, he still protects the top of the net with an erect stance Fitzpatrick played the majority of the games for the Sherbrooke Phoenix and ended with the second most shots against in the league (1,678) in 54 games. He didn’t wow anybody with his numbers last season, ending with an 18-26 record, 3.42 goals against average and .896 save percentage. But the bottom line for the Newfoundland native is that he will be rated on his skills and potential, not his statistics.

NICOLAS SIMONEAU, PIX M PHOTO VIDÉO

MIKE SULLIVAN

THE Q ISN’T BREAKING ANY RECORDS THIS YEAR, BUT STILL OFFERS SOLID NHL POTENTIAL

STORY RANDY LUCENTI

PROSPECTS KUNIN, MCAVOY AND THOMPSON PROJECTED TO GO IN FIRST ROUND OF DRAFT BGSU ATHLETICS

LOSE TO 200 CURRENT NCAA PLAYERS HAVE HEARD THEIR NAMES and 25 points in 37 games. He was also a member of the U.S. Under-20 team called at the NHL Entry Draft and that number will rise later this month which captured the bronze medals at the 2016 World Junior Hockey when the pro clubs add to their stable of prospects in Buffalo, N.Y. Championships. The 2015 draft was exceptional for college-trained players as three were selected in the Top 10, led by Boston University Terriers and Hobey Baker Award winner TAGE THOMPSON (C) Jack Eichel going second overall to the Buffalo Sabres. The other two were UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HUSKIES Boston College's Noah Hanifin, who went fifth overall to the Carolina Hurri6’1”/85 lbs canes, and Michigan's Zach Werenski, who went eighth to the Columbus Blue ISS RANK: 24 Jackets. Centre Tage Thompson finished second in team scoring for the University of There were also seven NCAA performers taken in the initial round and, alConnecticut Huskies with 32 points (14G, 18A) while leading the nation in though it would be a stretch to match those numbers in 2016, International powerplay markers with 13. Scouting Services (ISS Hockey) has tagged three collegians in its final Top 30 Prior to his freshman campaign at UConn, Thompson skated for the U.S. rankings. National Under-18 team as part of USA Hockey National Team Development Heading the list is Wisconsin Badgers forward Luke Kunin, followed by Program (NTDP) where he helped lead his team to a gold medal at the IIHF defenceman Charles McAvoy from BU and Connecticut Huskies forward Tage Under-18 World Championships in Switzerland, and took silver at the Five Thompson. Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic and gold at the Four Nations Interestingly, the ISS rankings have seven NCAA Division 1 bound (in 2016Tournament in Sweden. 17) players listed in the Top 50 for this year's draft. Heading that list is Penticton, B.C. native Tyson Jost at No. 7. The dynamic ADAM SMITH (LD) forward, who toiled this past season for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL, is BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY FALCONS headed to the 2016 champion North Dakota Fighting Hawks in September. 6’0/200 lbs The others are all coming out of the USHL Under-18 program. They are: ISS RANK: 103 forward Clayton Keller (headed to BU) at 12th; forward Kieffer Bellows Sharon, Ont. native Adam Smith started last season with the Newmarket Hur(BU) at 17th; defenceman James Greenway (Wisconsin) at 37th; defenceman ricanes of the OJHL before joining the Bowling Green State University Falcons Ryan Lindgren (Minnesota) at 41st; defenceman Adam just after Christmas. Fox (Harvard) at 44th; and defenceman Chad Krys In 22 games with the Falcons in 2015-16, the defenceman (BU) at 50th. scored once and had three points, but was counted on for TOP A closer look at the Top 5 NCAA ranked players is as his defensive play rather than offensive output. He had five follows: goals and 14 points with the Hurricanes in 32 games during the first half of last season and also competed for Team Canada LUKE KUNIN (RW) East at the World Junior A Challenge Tournament. USHL Prospects to Watch UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BADGERS Smith had originally committed to the Falcons for the 20165’12”/173 lbs 17 campaign, but was fast-tracked to the NCAA in 2015-16 ISS RANK: 18 because of openings on the Bowling Green blueline. Luke Kunin scored 19 times this past season as a freshman ( ) CLAYTON KELLER C with the Wisconsin Badgers, finishing with 32 points in RHETT GARDNER (C) COMMITTED TO BOSTON UNIVERSITY 34 games and was named to the Big 10 All-Rookie team. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING HAWKS 5’10”/168 lbs The Chesterfield, Mo. native captained Team USA to 6'2"/215 lbs ISS RANK: 12 a gold medal at the 2015 World Under-18 ChampionISS RANK: 134 ships, scoring six times in seven outings. Rhett Gardner helped the North Dakota Fighting Hawks to the NCAA Division 1 hockey title in 2015-16. CHARLES MCAVOY (RD) The freshman scored 11 times and finished with 18 KIEFFER BELLOWS (LW) BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS points in 41 games with UND. A strong puck handler COMMITTED TO BOSTON UNIVERSITY 6’0/208 lbs who is not afraid to throw his weight around, the Moose 6’0”/196 lbs ISS RANK: 23 Jaw, Sask. native could end up as an excellent pro player ISS RANK: 17 DefencemanCharles McAvoy has bounced up and down after a few more years of seasoning in the NCAA. the ISS rankings over the past season, but has remained Prior to heading to North Dakota, Gardner spent two at either the top or second spot among NCAA seasons with the Okotoks Oilers of the AJHL where he JAMES GREENWAY (LD) had 91 points (37G, 54A) in 106 games. He also repreprospects. COMMITTED TO UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN The Long Beach, N.Y. native had a solid freshman sented Canada West for two years at the World Junior A 6’1”/213 lbs season with the Boston University Terriers, finishing secChallenge, serving as team captain in 2014-15 and winISS GOALIE RANK: 37 ond in scoring among team rearguards with three goals ning a bronze medal in 2013-14.

STORY IAIN COLPITTS

TOP 3 RANKED PROSPECTS MATTHEWS, LAINE AND PULJUJARVI COULD MAKE HISTORY THIS YEAR

HE NHL DRAFT DISCUSSION IS CENTRED AROUND AUSTON MATTHEWS and Patrik Laine, and rightfully so. It may be a stretch to call them generational talents, but players of their calibre don’t come along often and they’re pieces any franchise can build around. Right behind them in the draft rankings is Jesse Puljujarvi, who’s sure to make the Columbus Blue Jackets very happy if they choose him with the No. 3 pick. Together, they’re set to make NHL draft history because it appears as though the top three spots in the draft will be occupied by these high-end forwards, all of whom played their draft years overseas. Projected top pick Auston Matthews is American, but after two years with the US National Team Development Program, he decided to forgo a third season and also passed on the Everett Silvertips (the WHL team that owned his major junior rights) to play for the ZSC Lions in the Swiss League. Playing for Stanley Cup and Jack Adams Award-winning coach Marc Crawford in Switzerland, Matthews finished second in team scoring and 10th in the league with 46 points (24 points and 22 assists) in 36 games. Finland’s Laine and Puljujarvi should go second and third respectively after more than holding their own against grown men with several years of experience in their country’s top league. Like Matthews, Laine passed on the CHL route, staying in Finland instead of joining the Sarnia Sting, who took him in last year’s CHL Import Draft. He was relied on heavily by Tappara, finishing second on the team in points per game with 33 (17 goals and 16 assists) in 46 games. Puljujarvi had a strong season with Karpat in the Finnish league and was named World Junior tournament MVP as he and Laine led Finland to gold and a first place finish at the World Under-18s as well. The top three are all big and skilled and should be able to contribute in the NHL right away. Matthews is considered one of the best skaters and stick handlers available in the draft and will eventually turn into a team leader. Laine is considered a pure goal scorer who some scouts believe could have

AUSTON MATTHEWS C ZURICH ZSC, SUIA ISS RANK: 1

WWW.ZSCLIONS.CH

more long term potential than Matthews and Puljujarvi since he is more of a playmaker who plays on the wing now, but could possibly transition to centre. If ISS’s rankings hold true, we might have to wait until the middle of the first round until another international skater is taken, but rest assured, there’s a lot of European talent up for grabs in the first few rounds. German Rubtsov from the Russian Under-18 team is rated 15th by ISS and Swedish defender Jacob Moverare from HV71 is ranked 29th. Rubstov is a competitive two-way forward who is skilled, intelligent and willing to do the little things it takes to win. Scouts praise his work ethic and defensive responsibility and believe he has second line centre potential in the NHL. Because of the Russian team doping scandal, he wasn’t able to compete in the World U-18 Championships, but tied for the team lead in scoring at the World Jr. A Challenge as Russia won silver. At 6’2” and 198 lbs., Moverare has a good frame for an NHL defenceman and although he’ll need some more development to get to the pro level, he should grow into a top four defenceman. He plays a strong, punishing style and turns plays aside with his strong stick work. He logged a lot of minutes for Team Sweden en route to a silver medal finish at the World Under-18 Championships. That rounds out the international skaters projected to go in round one. Round two could feature imports Rasmus Asplund (ranked 35th), Yegor Korshov (43rd), Janne Kuokkanen (45th), Jacob Cederholm (48th), Jonathan Dahlen (49th), Carl Grundstrom (53rd), Eetu Tuulola (54th) and Ilya Karpukhin (60th). Of course, let’s not forget Europeans like Alex Nylander, Mikhail Sergachev, Olli Juolevi, Vitalii Abramov and Libor Hajek who paved their paths to the draft through a season in the CHL. The CHL Import Draft takes place the week after the draft and depending on the relationships a junior team has developed with an import’s agent and the NHL team that may have drafted him, the CHL could be where they end up next year.

PATRIK LAINE RW TAPPARA, FINE ISS RANK: 2

FINNISH HOCKEY LEAGUE

JESSE PULJUJARVI RW KARPAT, FINE ISS RANK: 3

FINNISH HOCKEY LEAGUE

June 25, 2016 HOCKEYNOW

25 19 11

STORY SAM LASKARIS

BCHL

IN THE LEAD WITH JOST AND FABBRO

UST BY TAKING A QUICK GLANCE AT HIS STATS, ONE CAN TELL THAT Tyson Jost is indeed a rather special player. Though he did not turn 18 until mid-March when the BCHL playoffs were already underway, Jost had a phenomenal 2015-16 campaign. He averaged more than two points per outing during the regular season, racking up 104 points (42G, 62A) in just 48 games. For his efforts, Jost, who was born in St. Albert, Alta., was selected as the CJHL’s Player of the Year. Thus, it’s little wonder that pro scouts are raving about Jost’s abilities. And it’s not too surprising to see that Jost is expected to be an early firstround pick at the NHL’s Entry Draft in Buffalo. In its final rankings of the Top 200 skaters eligible for the draft, the International Scouting Service (ISS) listed Jost in the Number 9 position. Besides starring for the Vees this past season, Jost also shone in a pair of international tournaments. For starters, he was the captain of the Canada West squad that captured the gold medal at the World Junior A Challenge, which was staged in a pair of Ontario communities, Cobourg and Whitby, this past December. Jost led all tournament scorers with nine points, including three goals, in four games. Following the conclusion of the Vees’ season, Jost joined the Canadian entry that participated at the world under-18 championships held in April in Grand Forks, N.D. Canada placed fourth in that 10-team event and Jost racked up 15 points, including six goals, in seven matches. Several other BCHL draft eligible players caught the attention of NHL scouts this season. And a handful of them will in all likelihood all hear their names called at the pro draft. This includes Jost’s teammate with the Vees, defenceman Dante Fabbro. Like Jost, the ISS has Fabbro tabbed as a first-rounder, slotting him into the Number 19 position in its final rankings. Fabbro had 33 points in 44 regular season games with Penticton. Like Jost, he was also part of the Canada West entry at the World Junior A Challenge and on the Canadian roster at the Grand Forks tourney. Meanwhile, two other BCHL players on the final ISS rankings are Dennis Cholowski and Colin Grannary. Cholowski, a defenceman with the Chilliwack Chiefs, is ranked 39th. And Grannary, a forward with the Merritt Centennials, is listed in the 179th position.

TYSON JOST, THE STAR FORWARD WITH THE BCHL'S PENTICTON VEES, IS EXPECTED TO BE AN EARLY FIRST-ROUND PICK AT THE 2016 NHL ENTRY DRAFT.

GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY

AJHL

FACING A REPEAT OF LAST YEAR'S DRAFT

T REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER ANY ALBERTA JUNIOR HOCKEY League players will be selected in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. No doubt though, AJHL officials are hoping they do not have a repeat of last year’s pro draft. That’s because a year ago was the first time since 1999 that not a single player from the AJHL was taken in the NHL draft. But 2015 was a bit of a rarity for the entire Canadian Junior Hockey League, comprised of 10 Junior A circuits across Canada. Just one player, from the British Columbia Hockey League, was chosen in last year’s draft. That was a huge difference from the 12 CJHL players selected at the 2014 draft. As for this year, no players from the AJHL were listed in the International Scouting Service’s final rankings of its Top 200 players eligible for this month’s draft. But this does not necessarily mean no AJHL players will be chosen this year. That’s because pro organizations were indeed paying close attention to those in the AJHL this season. One of the individuals garnering attention is defenceman Brinson Pasichnuk, an 18-year-old who has spent the past two seasons with his hometown Bonnyville Pontiacs. Though he was not on the final ISS rankings, Pasichnuk was on its rankings earlier in the season. And other scouting services and organizations making mock drafts do believe Pasichnuk will indeed be one of the 210 players chosen at the seven-round draft in Buffalo. Pasichnuk had a rather stellar sophomore season with the Pontiacs. He dramatically improved upon his 29-point rookie season in Bonnyville by collecting 65 points, including 20 goals, in 52 regular season games. Pasichnuk, who had a team-high 45 assists, finished second in team scoring, just three points behind forward Bobby McMann. Pasichnuk also likes to play a physical game, evidenced by the fact he also led the Pontiacs with 161 penalty minutes. Pasichnuk has agreed to join Arizona State University and the Sun Devils, a Division 1 team, for this coming season. With some mixed reviews of his abilities, only time will tell if Pasichnuk is indeed drafted this month. Or whether any other AJHL player becomes a surprise pick. Looking ahead to next year though, it appears at least one AJHL player will get drafted. ISS also released a list of its Top 50 prospects for the 2017 NHL draft. Cale Makar, who averaged more than a point per game in his rookie season with the AJHL champion Brooks Bandits, is ranked 46th. Makar, a defenceman, had 55 points in 54 games.

BROOKS BANDITS DEFENCEMAN CALE MAKAR IS BEING TOUTED AS A POSSIBLE PICK FOR THE 2017 NHL ENTRY DRAFT.

MATTHEW MURNAGHAN/HOCKEY CANADA

FOLLOWING A DISAPPOINTING DRAFT YEAR, THE 2016 NHL ENTRY DRAFT IS LOOKING PROMISING FOR MOST JUNIOR LEAGUES

ATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE SCOUTS CERTAINLY KEEP CLOSE tabs on those in the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Proof of this is the fact a total of 430 players from the 10 Junior A leagues across the country that make up the CJHL have been selected in the National Hockey League’s Entry Draft over the past 45 years.

OJHL

PLAYERS PROJECTED IN LATER ROUNDS

IKE OTHERS IN PRETTY MUCH ANY OTHER JOB, SCOUTS WHO WORK for professional hockey organizations agree to disagree. One scout can rave about a player’s potential while others, for whatever reasons, might not share similar opinions of that same individual. Everybody, however, is entitled to their own thoughts. And that’s what makes draft day so interesting to follow. While it can be relatively easy to pick the majority of those who will be selected early on in any draft, naming those who will be taken in the middle and later rounds can be challenging. According to the final ISS rankings, three players from the Ontario Junior Hockey League have a chance to be selected in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. They are Cobourg Cougars defenceman Sam Dunn as well as forward Josh Dickinson and blueliner Matthew Thom, who are both members of the Georgetown Raiders. Dunn, who has spent the past two seasons with the Cougars, is the highest-ranked OJHL player on the ISS rankings. He is listed as the 121st best prospect available among the Top 200 skaters that are ranked. Dickinson, who has also completed his sophomore season with the Raiders, follows close behind. ISS has him ranked 128th. And Thom, who was a rookie with the Georgetown squad, squeaks in at 191 in the ISS rankings. Only time will tell if Dunn, Dickinson and Thom do indeed get drafted this month and which teams take them. It also remains to be seen whether another OJHL player, defenceman Matthew Cairns, who also plays for Georgetown, gets drafted. He is not among those listed in the final ISS rankings. But Cairns did generate his fair share of interest among pro scouts this season. In fact, Cairns beat out Dunn, Dickinson, Thom and all other draft eligible players from his league to capture the OJHL’s Top Prospect Award. Cairns ended up with 33 points in 46 regular season matches. He added 19 points in 22 playoff contests. Though points are by no means the only indicator of a defenceman’s worth to his squad, Cairns did have more points this season than Dunn and Thom combined. Dunn earned 19 points in 47 regular season outings while Thom had 12 points in 50 games. As for Dickinson, he greatly improved upon his 23-point rookie season in Georgetown. He ended up in third place in team scoring this season, registering 53 points, including 23 goals, in 47 matches.

COBOURG COUGARS DEFENCEMAN SAM DUNN IS THE HIGHEST RANKED OJHL PLAYER IN THE FINAL ISS RANKINGS FOR THIS YEAR'S NHL ENTRY DRAFT.

TIM BATES/OJHL IMAGES

Several others are expected to be added to this list during this year’s draft, scheduled for June 24-25 in Buffalo. A closer look at some of the players that could potentially be drafted out of the British Columbia Hockey League, Alberta Junior Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League and Central Canada Hockey League follows.

CCHL

REPRESENTED BY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

HE 2015-16 CAMPAIGN WAS A RATHER MEMORABLE ONE FOR THE Carleton Place Canadians. And for their efforts during the season, some of the members of the Canadians roster could end up being rewarded by being selected in this month’s NHL Entry Draft. Two Carleton Place players, left winger Brett Murray and goaltender Colton Point, ended up on the final International Scouting Service (ISS) rankings of draft eligible players. Murray was listed 140th on ISS’s list of Top 200 skaters. ISS also released its list of Top 20 goaltenders eligible for the draft. Point was ranked 16th. Though he does not appear on the final ISS rankings, another Carleton Place player, defenceman Owen Grant, also caught the attention of pro scouts. Grant was on ISS rankings earlier in the season. Murray, Point and Grant were key members of the Canadians, who enjoyed their share of success this season. Besides winning their third consecutive Central Canada Hockey League championship, the Carleton Place club also won the Fred Page Cup for the third straight year. As a result, the Canadiens advanced to the national Junior A tournament, the RBC Cup, once again. The Canadians’ season is still deemed a success even though Carleton Place did not enjoy as much success as their previous two appearances at the nationals. Carleton Place, which advanced to the championship final at the 2014 and 2015 Canadian tournaments, failed to win a game at this year’s national event, staged in Lloydminster, the western Canadian city located on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. Murray, who packs just more than 210 pounds onto his 6-foot-5 frame, certainly has the size that pro scouts are looking for. And he also had an immediate impact with the Canadians, averaging almost a point per game in his rookie season. Murray earned 46 points, including 14 points, in 48 regular season matches. He added 13 points in 16 playoff matches. Murray, who has accepted a scholarship offer from Penn State University starting with the 2017-18 season, is expected to return to the Canadians for another year. As for Point, who is off to join New York’s Colgate University this fall, he had a league-leading 2.16 goals-against average in 33 regular season appearances. Point also recorded a 23-61-1 record and posted seven shutouts. Grant, who has committed to the University of Vermont starting in 2017, earned 23 points in 57 regular season games.

FORWARD BRETT MURRAY IS ONE OF THE CARLETON PLACE CANADIANS PLAYERS HOPING TO GET SELECTED IN THIS YEAR'S NHL ENTRY DRAFT.

ROBERT LEFEBVRE/ICE LEVEL

STORY MIKE TOTH

NYLANDER FAMILY TREE SPROUTS ANOTHER BUDDING STAR

T'S NOT EASY COACHING YOUR OWN KID. In minor hockey, for instance, if a coach has a child on the team they'll often delegate another member of the coaching staff to relay instructions to the player. After all, most children accept constructive criticism from other adults far more readily than from their own parents. However, in the case of a well-known father-son combination in the Ontario Hockey League, it's a much different story. Last season, Michael Nylander served as an assistant coach with the OHL Mississauga Steelheads, sharing the bench with his teenaged son, Alex Nylander, who is set to become a first round pick at the June 24th NHL Draft In Buffalo. James Boyd was the Steelheads head coach last year (set to move into a full-time general manager's role next season) and he says the Nylanders didn't have any emotional "father-son" issues when it came time to take care of business on the ice. "Alex is a very bright young guy," said Boyd. "He's very respectful and he really buys into what his dad has to say. There was never any issue between them. When they were at the rink, Michael was the coach and at home I'm sure they had a much different relationship. Michael and I coached Alex like any other player and we didn't have to come up with a specific strategy to get our message across." Of course, it helps when you have the superior talent that Nylander displays on a nightly basis. The CHL rookie of the year last season, Nylander racked up 75 points in 57 games for the Steelheads and added 12 more points in six OHL playoff tilts. Tack on the impressive nine points in seven games Nylander delivered at the World Juniors in Helsinki, Finland and you can see why International Scouting Services (ISS) has the 18-year-old Swede ranked sixth overall for the upcoming NHL draft. Nylander was actually born in Calgary, where his dad played for the Flames — part of Michael Nylander's impressive NHL résumé that saw him accumulate 679 points in 920 games. Nobody takes more advantage of Nylander's vast hockey knowledge than his two sons — Alex and his older brother, 20-year-old William Nylander. William is coming off a successful year-and-a-half run with the AHL Toronto Marlies and he also received his first taste of the NHL last season, chalking up 13 points in 22 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. But with the Leafs expected to grab highly touted American Auston Matthews with the first overall pick at the Buffalo smorgasbord, a blue and white Nylander reunion doesn't appear to be in the cards. "It would be really special to be drafted by the Leafs with William there," Alex admitted to the media mob at the recent NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo. "But it doesn't matter where I go, I'm just super excited." But is Alex Nylander a budding superstar, just like his big bro?

well and make great plays under pressure. William had to change his style to become a little bit more physical and defensive minded to play in the AHL and I have no doubt that Alex can make the same kind of adjustments to also have success at the next level." With a boatload of Steelheads predicted to be snapped up in the early stages of this summer's NHL draft (a quality list that includes Nathan Bastian, Sean Day and Mike McLeod), Mississauga is expected to contend for the Memorial Cup next season. However, there's no guarantee that Nylander will be part of that plan. Alex could return to Europe to skate in one of their professional leagues and there's also an outside chance that he could crack an NHL roster right out of his first training camp. "I think if he can get stronger, he could pull it off," said Boyd. "Alex plays and thinks the game at such a high level and he also elevates his play when the stakes get higher and the pace picks up. I can definitely see him going to an NHL training camp and making a big enough impression that the team who drafts him will have to decide whether to give him a longer look. If there's one word to describe the strength of Alex's game and his style of play, I'd use ‘precision.' Alex doesn't need very many chances to put the puck in the net and his creative vision to take advantage of scoring opportunities is off the charts. He's got a unique ability to back defenders off because they have to be so respectful of the talent he has with the puck." And on the subject of ‘respect,' Nylander has it in spades. Respecting the coaching advice he receives from his father and taking in all the tips from his older brother, one thing is crystal clear when it comes to Alex Nylander's budding career: He's got all the talent in the world to complete a Nylander family hat trick in the NHL.

WILLIAM NYLANDER C

DRAFTED 8TH OVERALL IN 2014 BY THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

ALEXANDER NYLANDER RW MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS, OHL ISS RANK: 6

Boyd says the talented siblings are definitely on the same page of the hockey play book. "We (the Steelheads) picked William the year before in the CHL Import Draft so we watched him a lot and I think there's an uncanny similarity between the two brothers. Alex is obviously a little taller and lankier than William and has a different skating style. But both of them are able to handle the puck so AARON BELL/OHL IMAGES

HAKAN NORDSTROM

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TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

JUNE 2016 NASHVILLE, TN June 17 - 19. Nashville Weekend Hockey Tournament. Male & Female. Adult Rec. All Levels. Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com ATLANTIC CITY, NJ June 24 - 26. Atlantic City Cup. Male. Adult Rec. All Levels. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or chehockey.com

JULY 2016 OTTAWA, ON July 1 - 3. 6th Annual Canada Day Cup. Male & Female. Initiation - Minor Bantam. AAA. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca/6th-annual-canada-day-cup NIAGARA FALLS, ON July 15 - 17. NIAGARA FALLS CHALLENGE 2. Male & Female. Initiation - Midget. AAA, AA , A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com

AUGUST 2016 SALMON ARM, BC Aug. TBA. Shaw Challenge IV. Male. Adult Rec. Contact: gord@habs1.ca or salmonarmhockeyschool.com TORONTO, ON Aug. 5 - 7. KING OF THE RINGS 1. Male. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AA , A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com

HOCKEYNOW June 25, 2016

SALMON ARM, BC Aug. 12 - 14. Shaw Challenge III. Male & Female. Adult Rec. Contact: gord@habs1.ca or salmonarmhockeyschool.com ASTON, PA Aug. 12 - 14. OneHockey 2016 13th Pennsylvania Summer Challenge. Male. Peewee, Bantam. AAA, AA. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com TORONTO, ON Aug. 12 - 14. QUEEN OF THE RINGS. Female. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, Juvenile. AAA, AA, A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com TORONTO, ON Aug. 12 - 14. King of the Rings 2. Male. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com TORONTO, ON Aug. 19 - 21. Early Bird” PRESEASON BLAST”. Male. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA, A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com CALGARY, AB Aug. 19 - 21. CALGARY KING OF THE RINGS. Male. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA, A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com SALMON ARM, BC Aug. 26 - 28. Shaw Challenge V. Male & Female. Adult Rec. Contact: gord@habs1.ca or salmonarmhockeyschool.com

OCTOBER 2016 FT WAYNE, IN Oct. 14 - 16. FT. WAYNE PRE-SEASON CLASSIC. Male & Female. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA , A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com BRADFORD, ON Oct. 14 - 16. Bradford Bulldogs Blue and Gold Classic. Male. Novice - Minor Midget. A, B, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com

NOVEMBER 2016 BRADFORD, ON Nov. 4 - 6. Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Atom - Midget. B, House, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com CLEARWATER BEACH, FL Nov. 4 - 6. Clearwater Beach, FL Adult/ Oldtimers Weekend Hockey Tournament. Male. Adult Rec. All Levels, Senior, Junior. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com BARRIE, ON Nov. 11 - 13. Barrie Colts AAA Remembrance Day Tournament . Male. Novice - Midget. AAA. Contact: james@weekendhockey.com eekendhockey.com. BRADFORD, ON Nov. 18 - 20. Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Minor Peewee - Midget. A, B, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com

CHICAGO, IL Nov. 25 - 27. CHICAGO THANKSGIVING CLASSIC. Male & Female. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA , A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com MONTREAL, QC Nov. 25 - 27. MONTREAL YOUTH FALL CLASSIC 1. Male & Female. Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. AAA, AA , A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com

DECEMBER 2016 BRADFORD, ON Dec. 2 - 4. Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Initiation - Midget. B, House, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com CAMBRIDGE, ON Dec. 27 - 30. 50th Annual Hespeler Olympics Hockey Tournament. Male. Initiation - Juvenile. A, B, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com

JANUARY 2017 BRADFORD, ON Jan. 13 - 15. Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Peewee - Midget. B, House, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com BRADFORD, ON Jan. 20 - 22. Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Initiation - Minor Peewee. B, House, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com

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