CHL SLEEPER PROSPECTS FOR THE 2017 NHL DRAFT
1 2 3 4 5
MARKUS PHILLIPS
OWEN SOUND ATTACK
JACOB MCGREW SPOKANE CHIEFS
JOCKTAN CHAINEY
HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS
“WE’VE GOT A REALLY GOOD GROUP AND I CAN’T WAIT TO GET THINGS GOING.”
CALE FLEURY KOOTENAY ICE
MACKENZIE ENTWISTLE
HAMILTON BULLDOGS
+ Full List Inside
MEDICINE HAT TIGERS READY FOR TAKE TWO
FALL FESTIVAL WRAPS UP
COMMON SKATING MYTHS
CANADA WOMEN’S TEAM CAMP DRAWS NEW & SEASONED TALENT TO CALGARY
JACK HUGHES MAKES HIS MARK TORONTO MARLIE IMPRESSES SCOUTS AT TORONTO TITANS TOURNAMENT
September 24, 2016
EXPERTS SHATTER MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SKATING FOR HOCKEY
CANADA: AN INTERNATIONAL AAA BREEDING GROUND? ELITE INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS OVERCOMING MAJOR HURDLES TO DEVELOP THEIR GAME ON CANADIAN SOIL
CHL AT THE WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY MAJOR JUNIOR ALUMS ACCOUNT FOR 22 OF 23 PLAYERS ON TEAM CANADA’S ROSTER
HockeyNow.ca
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HOCKEYNOW September 24, 2016
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
THE GREATER GOOD
T
HERE’S A BUZZ IN THE AIR. REGULAR SEASONS
across the country are officially underway or moments from starting. It’s been great to watch all the preseason action, but now it’s time to see which players and teams will take the early lead and which draft prospects will shake up predictions. Starting in October, we’re excited to start bringing you International Scouting Services’ (ISS) lists of top prospects each month. And, we’re counting on seeing a HockeyNow Minor Hockey Player of the Year get drafted again, this time in 2015 Ontario winner Gabriel Vilardi, who is expected to do big things in Windsor this year. We’re already starting to scope out the top minor talent in the country and putting our lists together towards selecting our Players of the Year in B.C., Alberta and Ontario. Every year, the task of selecting winners is harder than the year before because Canadian talent keeps growing. And of course, we have to look no further than the World Cup of Hockey to see that this is a worldwide phenomenon. But let’s not forget that Canada has had a big hand in many recent international success stories. For those of you who remember, it wasn’t that long ago that Canadian goalie coaches were being recruited in droves to countries like Finland and Sweden to train their countries’ goaltenders. Now, we are witnessing the effects of those initiatives and seeing super strong netminders coming out of those European countries. Many NHL teams don’t even have any American or Canadian goalies on the roster. This, as we know, has been considered a crisis by many and led to the CHL import draft goalie ban. Pair this with a greater focus on Canadian goaltending development on all levels, and we should expect to see a shift between the posts in the coming years. As far as we’re concerned, moves like the CHL’s goalie ban are all about finding the balance between too little and too much when it comes to developing international talent here. You don’t want to close the doors, but you don’t want to open the floodgates either. Another recent rule to affect international imports comes from the GTHL, who are making it mandatory for parents to prove they live here, or in other words, move here with their kids. In terms of costs and the other hardships that come with relocating, this can of course be seen as an obstacle, and will be for many. But when you think of these 14- and 15-year-old moving continents away to a new country where they don’t speak the language, the GTHL’s new rule just makes sense and is one that should have been in place all along. But, no matter what, you’ll never please everyone. There will always be teams, players and parents who think we’re making it too hard to bring in international players. And there will always be protectionists who want to preserve Canadian talent and leagues and let only Canadian players fill the top spots. But there is a greater value to opening our doors to international players, particularly for those top Canadian players. Teams who recruit elite international players are giving everyone on the team a chance to compete at a higher level. Canadian players who are able to rise to the task will become better, those who aren’t will fall behind – which is really an inevitable result that is merely accelerated by the addition of top international talent. We love to hear Canadian success stories, and we love to hear stories about international talent finding success here too. Make sure to dive into this month’s cover story to hear some of these stories and learn more about the challenges these players have overcome to be able to play here. At the end of the day, no matter how you slice it, greater competition is a good thing and should be embraced.
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NATIONAL EDITION Vol. 17, No. 12, Issue 667 - September 24, 2016
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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 Darrell from Kitchener ON for finding Billy and winning a Winnwell Hockey Stick. September 24, 2016 HOCKEYNOW
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
BWC BRUINS BANTAM AAA SQUAD KICK OFF SEASON AS TOURNAMENT CO-HOSTS SQUAD WORKS TOGETHER WITH NORTH SHORE WINTER CLUB TO PUT ON WEST COAST BANTAM PROSPECTS TOURNAMENT The Burnaby Winter Club and rival North Shore Winter Club put aside their differences during the September 16-18 weekend to co-host the 2016 West Coast Bantam Prospects Tournament. Organizers from both sports clubs overlooked any animosity that has grown over years of competing against each other in order to put on the prestigious event. The rivalry is certainly there with NSWC in North Vancouver and the Bruins in Burnaby and both clubs frequently squaring off against each other in different tournaments at various levels. The Bantam AAA event featured six Canadian squads, the BWC Bruins, NSWC Winterhawks, Prince George Cougars, Pursuit of Excellence (POE) (Kelowna, B.C.), Kamloops Jr Blazers and the Semiahmoo Ravens (White Rock, B.C.). Two American entries, the Los Angeles Jr Kings and Rocky Mountain RoughRiders, rounded out the elite field. “BWC and NSWC have been co-hosting the tournament for the last four years,” explained Dan Melanson, BWC Bantam A1 Team Manager. “This AAA tournament is in its fifth year running and is considered a terrific early season Ice Breaker Showcase. “It allows for larger rosters or pools of potential A1 players to be dressed, and then compete in game situations to enable coaches and evaluators to gather better information for their team selections. “This tournament has proven to be good for WHL scouts as it sets the stage for the West Coast pool of Bantam prospects.” The eight teams were divided up into two conferences with BWC, NSHC, Pursuit of Excellence and Prince George forming the Canadian Pool. The USA Conference consisted of Kamloops, Rocky Mountain, Semiahmoo and Los Angeles. Led by head coach John Batchelor, the BWC Bruins sailed
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HOCKEYNOW September 24, 2016
through the opening round of the tournament with a perfect 4-0 record, registering 24 goals and allowing a paltry sis markers against in four contests. During Day 1 competition, the BWC opened up with a 6-0 shutout over Kamloops courtesy of a four-goal performance by Bruins forward Trevor Wong. Logan Terness and Mason Dunsford split the goaltending duties for BWC, turning aside 20 Blazers shots for the shut-out. In their second game of the day, D Kalen Szeto led the Bruins with four goals and one assist as BWC topped the Semiahmoo Ravens 6-1. On Saturday, Sept. 17, the Bruins earned two more wins starting with a dominant 9-4 victory over Los Angeles. Szeto (3g-1a, 4pts.), Wang (2 goals), Walker Erickson (2 goals), and Kyler Kovich put up impressive offensive numbers in the win. In the Bruins’ final game of the preliminary round, the group of 2002 and 2003 birth years disposed of Rocky Mountain 3-1 to cap off their perfect run of four wins in as many games. For the final day of competition the eight teams were seeded from 1-4 in their respective pools. In the Canadian pool, Pursuit of Excellence (8 pts) was seeded No. 1, BWC (8 pts) No. 2, NSWC (7 pts) No. 3, and Prince George Cougars (4 pts) No. 4. The showdown for tournament bragging rights came down to Pursuit of Excellence and the Burnaby Winter Club. A victory by one team with a loss by the other would secure a win at the tournament. Things became interesting when POE disposed of the Kamloops Blazers 9-1 in their fifth and final of the weekend while BWC edged Rocky Mountain 1-0 in their finale. Both teams ended up with identical 5-0 records and 10 points. As a result, goal differential by both squads in the five game games was examined with Pursuit of Excellence coming out on top with 45 goals for, 11 goals against. In their five games, the Bruins’ goal differential was 19 with 25 goals for, 6 goals against. For the record, NSWC finished the tourney in third place with nine points. With their first tournament in the books, the BWC Bruins will now turn their attention to the regular season. “The Bantam A1 team this year should be as reasonably competitive as it has been for the many teams before,” said Melanson. “We trust that we will have a few decent BWC players from within our system that have developed enough to play at the Bantam AAA/Elite level. “In addition, the BWC always attract other prospects with good potential that inevitably move to Burnaby to be a part of the program.”
CONTENTS 14 | ON THE COVER
SEPTEMBER 24, 2016
ARE CANADA’S DOORS OPEN TO PROMISING INTERNATIONAL TALENT?
22
features... 9 PROSPECT PROFILES
CURRENT NO. 1 PROSPECTS IN THE OHL, WHL & QMJHL
9 MOMS CORNER
LISTEN UP ROOKIE MOMS! A GUIDE FOR FIRST TIME HOCKEY PARENTS
12 PERFORMANCE
WE SHATTER THE 5 MOST COMMON MYTHS ABOUT SKATING IN HOCKEY
25 SLEEPER PROSPECTS
18
THE DEEPER CUT OF CHL PROSPECTS ON SCOUTS’ RADARS THIS YEAR
in this issue... 6 WHL
MEDICINE HAT TIGERS COMING BACK STRONG AFTER FINALS HEARTBREAK
18 MINOR
SCOUTS FLOCK TO 2016 TORONTO TITANS PROSPECT TOURNAMENT
7 OHL
22 FEMALE
8 QMJHL
23 CIS
10 CJHL
24 NCAA
MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS HOPING TO SHAKE UP EASTERN CONFERENCE
WCH’S CHL-HEAVY TEAM CANADA FEATURING QMJHL’S TOP ALUMS
TOWN OF BONNYVILLE EXCITED TO HOST WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE
NATIONAL WOMEN’S FALL FESTIVAL CAMP DRAWS TOP CANADIAN TALENT
DECADES OLD RIVALRY IS SET TO HEAT UP IN A BIG WAY THIS SEASON
COACHES POLL SELECTS CANADIAN ANN-RENEE DESBIENS AS TOP GOALIE
24 September 24, 2016 HOCKEYNOW
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WHL
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEDICINE HAT TIGERS
MAJOR JUNIOR
SHOT AT REDEMPTION
The Medicine Hat Tigers tasted heartbreak last season, and now they’re back with a vengeance STORY Ryan McCracken
A
ROUSING PUSH FOR THE POSTSEASON ULTIMATELY fell short in a Game 7 tiebreaker loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings — snapping the franchise’s 13-year playoff streak — but with as many as 17 players from that game returning this season, all champing at the bit for another chance, forward Mark Rassell says they already feel like a playoff-bound team. “It’s almost the exact same group we had at the end of last season when we made that run,” said Rassell. “The boys know we’re going to be a better team this year with all the experience we gained from that run. It’s a very confident group going into this season.” The Tigers did part ways with overage captain Ty Stanton in the off-season, as well as goaltender Mack Shields and forward Brian Williams — leaving a hole in each area of the ice. But with a pair of picks in the summer’s CHL import draft, Tigers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston has already filled the voids. Stanton’s role will be taken on by 6-foot-5, 219-pound Latvian defenceman Kristians Rubins, while Swedish winger John Dahlstrom will bring some added size and skill to the forward ranks. Both Rubins and Dahlstrom have represented their country’s national squads, with Dahlstrom eyeing a role in the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship. “We were very pleased to see Kristians Rubins out there playing well and skating well. He’s fit in real well with the group,” said Tigers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston, adding Dahlstrom has also looked strong with four points in his first two preseason games with the team. “He was good on the forecheck, he was good on the cycle and the low grind game.” While Shields was initially acquired to split duties with
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Nick Schneider following a bumpy start to the regular season, the 18-year-old Schneider battled through and locked up the starting role down the stretch. It was an up-and-down year for Schneider. After going undrafted in 2015, the Leduc, Alta. native was invited to Calgary Flames camp and left with an entry-level contract. The highs quickly dipped with the start of the WHL season. Struggles between the posts led to the acquisition of Everett Silvertips netminder Austin Lotz, then Shields following a season-ending injury for Lotz. But Schneider’s numbers steadily climbed as he shared the crease, and when it came to crunch time, he was showing the league why he has a big league contract. “Like everybody else, he overcame some major obstacles. He was a signed goaltender coming back from camp and he really struggled in the early part of the season. But he didn’t give up and he didn’t blame his teammates,” said Clouston of Schneider. “He just kept doing the right thing and working at his game, solidifying his game and getting better. He played his best hockey, by far, in those final 15 to 20 games of the season.” Schneider posted an 8-3-0-0 record down the stretch to help the Tigers climb up from the depths of the Eastern Conference and into the Medicine Hat Tigers centre Steven Owre prepares for a face off against Lethbridge Hurricanes centre Jaeger White during the 2015-16 WHL season.
Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender Nick Schneider readies himself for a draw in his own end during a WHL game last season.
playoff picture for the first time in months. While the dream fizzled out, the loss lit a fire in the 17 young men returning to the ranks this season. “We’ve got a great group of returners here and we’re kind of building off the momentum from last year,” said defenceman Clayton Kirichenko, who will look to quarterback the blue line this season. “We’re all feeling really great heading into the season.” Tigers sophomore forward Caleb Fantillo added the traditionally smaller team felt a little out-muscled at times last season, and changing that was a team-wide focus in off-season training. Fantillo is one of more than a dozen Tigers to have packed on significant muscle mass in the summer, which he says will address an important issue in the offensive zone. “It was really important,” said Fantillo, who posted six goals and six assists with the team last year. “Last season we had a really small forward group, so this season coming in we all tried to get bigger, stronger, faster to compete with those big defencemen back there.” The Tigers also boast a pair of highly talented offensive threats in overage forwards Chad Butcher and Steven Owre. Butcher led the team in points with 27 goals and 47 assists last season, while Owre managed 47 points in a 49-game year marred with injuries, and Butcher says the pair of career Tigers don’t plan on wasting a single shift in their final year of WHL eligibility. “We’re ready to go here,” said Butcher. “It’s an exciting year, we’ve got a really good group and I can’t wait to get things going.”
MAJOR JUNIOR
AARON BELL/OHL IMAGES
OHL
Michael McLeod and the Mississauga Steelheads will be the team to watch in the OHL Eastern Conference this year.
Olli Juolevi and the London Knights will look to defend their OHL and Memorial Cup titles this season.
FROM EAST TO WEST The London Knights are expected to lead OHL West again, but will we see an upset in the East? STORY Iain Colpitts
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HE OUTLOOK IS BRIGHT FOR THE MISSISSAUGA Steelheads. A year after falling short in Game 7 of their firstround playoff series, the Steelheads are led by a number of NHL prospects and seem poised to finish high in the Eastern Conference standings. There was also a shakeup in the front office, with longtime coach/general manager James Boyd promoting James Richmond to head coach so he could focus strictly on his managerial duties. Being involved last year as a well-respected assistant coach should help with Richmond’s transition. “For me, it’s easier because I know the players,” he said. “I don’t need a break-in period where I’ve got to figure out their personalities or what they can bring to the team, so that’s a positive. From their side, they know who I am. I want them to love the game as much as I love the game and love coming to the rink.” Five Steelheads were taken in the 2016 NHL Draft, including eighth overall pick Alex Nylander, who will likely develop in the Buffalo Sabres’ farm system this season. Joining him were linemates Mikey McLeod and Nathan Bastian, drafted in the first and second rounds respectively by the New Jersey Devils. Defencemen Sean Day (New York Rangers) and Austin Osmanski (Buffalo Sabres) were also drafted while Mississauga acquired Detroit Red Wings defensive prospect Vili Saarijärvi in a trade with the Flint Firebirds. The Steelheads also selected Swedish defender and Los Angeles Kings draftee Jacob Moverare in this year’s CHL Import Draft. Saarijärvi is currently recovering from off-season wrist surgery. Once he returns, he’ll join a defensive core that also includes budding 2017 NHL Draft prospect Nic Hague. “Our back end is pretty solid and obviously having Mikey and Bass (Bastian) go as high as they did in the draft is pretty neat,” said Boyd. “Then having Tippett and Ryan [McLeod] ranked high for their draft years, it’s a good foundation to build off of.” Goaltending was a concern during the summer until
Boyd traded a third-round draft pick in 2017 to the Peterborough Petes for overage goalie Matt Mancina, who brings some championship pedigree from being part of the Guelph Storm during their OHL title run in 2014. He’ll also help out with Joseph Murdaca and 2016 second-round pick Jake Ingham as they work to challenge to be the starter for 2017-18 when Mancina moves on. Mississauga hasn’t made it past the first round of the playoffs since 2010-11, but Richmond believes captain Mikey McLeod has the leadership qualities to help them contend for the OHL championship. “He’s the type of guy that when he steps on the ice for practice, he wants to get better and he’s going to try to make his teammates better,” Richmond said. “That’s exactly what I want the players to see in him. For him to get drafted as high as he did, I think that tells everyone here what the pro teams are looking for.”
CAN THE KNIGHTS DO IT AGAIN? The London Knights still look like the most dangerous team in the Western Conference, even if they do end up losing a number of players who led them to last year’s Memorial Cup. Mitch Marner headlines five Knights who are firstround NHL Draft picks, and OHL followers are anxiously awaiting to see whether he’ll return to London, or begin his pro career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Olli Juolevi, Matthew Tkachuk and Max Jones were all picked in the first round last year while Jack Roslovic, Winnipeg’s first-round selection in 2015, had his OHL rights traded to London from the Flint Firebirds. He’ll either play in Winnipeg or be sent to London. As top-10 picks, Juolevi and Tkachuk will be given every opportunity to land a spot with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, respectively. Jones, an Anaheim Ducks prospect, will most likely be back in London and will be one of the most revered power forwards in the league. Fellow NHL prospects Tyler Parsons (Calgary Flames),
CONFERENCE
PREDICTIONS EAST
1. Mississauga Steelheads 2. Oshawa Generals 3. Ottawa 67’s 4. Peterborough Petes 5. Hamilton Bulldogs 6. North Bay Battalion 7. Barrie Colts 8. Sudbury Wolves 9. Niagara IceDogs 10. Kingston Frontenacs
WEST
1. London Knights 2. Windsor Spitfires 3. Kitchener Rangers 4. Erie Otters 5. Sarnia Sting 6. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 7. Owen Sound Attack 8. Saginaw Spirit 9. Guelph Storm 10. Flint Firebirds Cliff Pu (Buffalo Sabres), Victor Mete (Montreal Canadiens), Janne Kuokkanen (Carolina Hurricanes), JJ Piccinich (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Kole Sherwood (Columbus Blue Jackets) will be counted on for key contributions. Other players like Evan Bouchard and Robert Thomas will have bigger roles as they head into their sophomore seasons and Liam Foudy and Billy Moskal are among a group of signed rookies looking to make the team and get their feet wet in the OHL. As always, the Western Conference is going to be competitive as the 2017 Memorial Cup host Windsor Spitfires and Kitchener Rangers look to challenge the Knights for top spot, but London should be considered the favourites for having a boatload of NHL-worthy talent. September 24, 2016 HOCKEYNOW
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MAJOR JUNIOR
QMJHL
FLICKR PHOTO
Brad Marchand, one of six QMJHL alumni on Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey, toiled for the Halifax Mooseheads, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and Moncton Wildcats and was drafted by the Boston Bruins in 2006.
A ROAD WELL TRAVELLED
CHL breeds key content to Team Canada roster at World Cup of Hockey, including six QMJHL alumni STORY Mike Beasley
T
HERE SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE Canadian Hockey League and its genuine claim to being the world’s top junior league for developing professional players. That declaration can be taken a step further by boasting the fact that 22 out of 23 players on Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey roster played under the CHL umbrella in the WHL, OHL or QMJHL. Jonathan Toews, the Chicago Blackhawks star forward and team captain is the lone non-CHL grad on the Canadian roster. We’ll take a closer look at him in a moment. The remainder of Toews’ Team Canada teammates spent almost every minute of their late teens as members of major junior teams located in one of 60 CHL towns or cities which are represented in nine Canadian provinces (52 teams) as well as four American states (8 teams). The OHL content on Team Canada’s entry is by far the greatest with 11 skaters including defencemen Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks (Brampton Battalion), Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings (Guelph Storm), Jake Muzzin, Los Angeles (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) and Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues (Niagara IceDogs and Barrie Colts). Up front, the Canadians offensive threats will come from Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning (Sarnia Sting), John Tavares, New York Islanders (Oshawa Generals and London Knights), Joe Thornton, San Jose (Soo
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HOCKEYNOW September 24, 2016
Greyhounds), Logan Couture, San Jose (Ottawa 67’s), Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche (Brampton Battalion) and Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks (London Knights). Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars (Plymouth Whalers) was expected to play a key role for Canada but a lower body injury will keep him out of the tournament. Buffalo Sabres F Ryan O’Reilly (Erie Otters) was named as his replacement. Team Canada’s QMJHL connection is made up of Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins (Acadie-Bathurst Titans), Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins (Rimouski Oceanic), Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers (Gatineau Olympiques) and Brad Marchand, Boston (Halifax Mooseheads, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and Moncton Wildcats). D Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose (Quebec Remparts) and G Corey Crawford, Chicago Black Hawks (Moncton Wildcats) round out the Q alumni for Canada. The WHL brethren consists of goaltenders Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens (Tri-City Americans) and Braden Holtby from the Washington Capitals (Saskatoon Blades). D Shea Weber, Montreal (Kelowna Rockets), Jay Bouwmeester, St. Louis Blues (Medicine Hat Tigers) and F Ryan Getzlaf Anaheim Ducks (Calgary Hitmen) round out the Dub alumni. Now back to our non-CHLer, Toews. The Blackhawks veteran decided to go the NCAA route despite being selected first overall in the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft by the Tri-City Americans.
The native of Winnipeg, Manitoba opted to play midget AAA hockey at Shattuck-Saint Mary's instead of the WHL before moving on to play Division 1 college hockey for the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. In 2006, Toews was drafted third overall by the Chicago Black Hawks and since that time has gone on to be a part of three Stanley Cup winning teams, (2010, 2013, 2015). The 2016 World Cup of Hockey is the third instalment of the NHL-sanctioned competition, 12 years after the second World Cup of Hockey in 2004. The tournament kicked off on Sept. 17 in Toronto with Group A and B play. Team Canada is in Pool A along with the Czech Republic, Europe and the United States. Group B consists of North America, Sweden, Russia and Finland. Canada jumped out to a great start in the tournament on Day 1 with a 6-0 shut-out victory over the Czech Republic. Other winners on the first day of the preliminary round included Team Europe with a 3-0 win over the United States. Day 2 featured Group B action with Sweden edging Russia 2-1 and Team North America knocking off Finland 4-1. On Monday, September 19 Team Europe squeaked past the Czech Republic 3-2 in OT. After losing to the Swedes in their opening game, the Russians (0-1) were up against the very entertaining squad from North America (1-0) with Team Russia emerging with a 4-3 win. Canada played their second game of the World Cup of Hockey preliminary round on Day 4 against the United States. The same day, Sweden and Finland continued their longtime rivalry through World Championships, IIHF Under 20’s , the Winter Olympics and tournaments like the World Cup of Hockey. HockeyNow went to print midway through the WCH and could provide only partial results. The semifinals are scheduled for Sept. 24 and 25 and the final, which is a best of three format, is set for Sept. 27 and 29 and Oct. 1 (if necessary).
DID YOU
KNOW?
The World Cup of Hockey replaced the Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991 and was conceived by Hockey Canada and the NHL Players’ Association to replicate the FIFA World Cup and bring teams from the world’s top hockey nations together. The first WCH, in 1996, featured teams representing the big six (Canada, the United States, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Sweden), as well as Germany and Slovakia.
HOCKEY MOMS CORNER
BY Marshall Mackinder
HEY ROOKIE! LISTEN UP!
TIM SMITH
A GUIDE FOR THE FIRST-TIME HOCKEY MOM NOLAN PATRICK
C – BRANDON WHEAT KINGS
HEIGHT: 6’3" WEIGHT: 195 lbs. SHOOTS: Right BORN: September 19, 1998 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
DRAFTED: 2013 WHL Draft, 4th overall by the Brandon Wheat Kings
NolanPatrick is ready to suit up in his third full season in Brandon after coming off a 102-point season in his sophomore campaign. Patrick’s elite hockey sense mixed with his goal scoring and skating ability make him a dynamic threat in the offensive zone. He is known for his ability to flip a switch and dictate the speed of the game. Patrick has the ability to anticipate how a play will develop and gets himself into position early. Ironically, Patrick is not a flashy player. While he is a very good stickhandler, he won’t dangle and deke around opposing players. Patrick has a very clear picture of the ice in his head and shows no weaknesses on the ice. He recently went under the knife for sports hernia surgery but appears to be healing and his return to the ice is imminent. DID YOU KNOW? Nolan Patrick missed the 2016 NHL Draft by only four days. The cutoff date is September 15th, making Patrick one of the oldest draft-eligible players for the 2017 NHL Draft.
I
N THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, ALL OUR ARENAS WILL BE FLOODED WITH MINOR hockey players and their parents. Among those thousands will be the little ones taking to the ice in organized hockey for the very first time. Be they called Initiation, FUNdamental or TimBits players, they are all bigtime balls of fire ready to explode. My very first experience with hockey for my two boys came at 0600 one Saturday morning many, many seasons ago. My husband was not yet home from a business trip and I had a one-year old daughter at home too. Let’s just say, horror movies don’t scare me half as much as they used to anymore. I was relatively new in town and did not have many hockey moms around to help me through my own initiation. Here’s some advice I wish I been given that first year: 1. The first and most important thing to do is to make sure they actually want to play hockey. Just because you did, or your husband is dying for them to play hockey, make sure it’s your child who’s dying to play hockey. 2. Fully dress them at home before heading out to the rink at least the first year of hockey. If you wait until you get the area, there’s a good chance that your child will finally be ready to hit the ice in the last five minutes of their ice time. Dressing them at home also helps to make sure you don’t get all the way to the arena and realize a piece of equipment is missing.
TERRY WILSON / OHL IMAGES
3. Make friends. I know that’s hard to do at 6AM but you’re up anyway. Smile. Introduce yourself. Make some small talk and share your breakfast popcorn if you have to.
GABRIEL VILARDI C – WINDSOR SPITFIRES
HEIGHT: 6’2" WEIGHT: 193 lbs. SHOOTS: Right BORN: August 16, 1999 in Kingston, Ontario
DRAFTED: 2015 OHL Draft, 2nd overall by the Windsor Spitfires
Gabriel Vilardi has established himself as a workhorse who is ultra-competitive in the offensive zone. He has deceptive speed and an easy long stride to stay ahead of the defenceman. His strong lower body helps him down low and keeps the momentum in his favour when he transitions from offence to defence. Vilardi protects the puck extremely well using his long reach and does a good job of opening up space on the ice by drawing attention to himself. He is an above average stick handler who can knock a puck down from mid-air and keep skating at the same time without missing a stride. Vilardi will see action in all situations this season and will be one of the elite power forwards in the OHL.
NICOLAS SIMONEAU, PIX M PHOTO VIDÉO
DID YOU KNOW? Gabriel Vilardi was named HockeyNow’s 2015 Ontario Minor Hockey Player of the Year after scoring 18 goals and adding 21 helpers in 21 games for CIH Academy’s minor midget squad, eventually going on to win the OEMHL AAA Player of the Year award.
4. Make them carry their equipment. This is not as harsh as it sounds because they’re mostly dressed for hockey before getting to the arena anyway so there are only a few things left in their hockey bag. 5. Leave the house early. There are plenty of other very good reasons to plan to leave early (weather, need gas, unexpected potty visit, etc.) but the real reason you want to leave early is so you can get that spot on the bleachers under the only functioning heater! 6. Don’t let them play hurt. Don’t tell them to ‘take it like a man’ or to ‘suck it up, buttercup.’ Just don’t, don’t, don’t. 7. It’s ok if you never learn how to tie skates. There will always be someone around who does! And don’t be sucked into the practice of the kids sitting down and you holding their skate between your legs while tying the laces. Your back will give out long before they learn how to tie skates themselves. Sit on the bench beside them and have them hoist their one leg then the other to your lap for their skates to be tied. 8. It’s ok if they miss a practice or two. No, really. It’s ok. Just don’t miss all of them when you’re scheduled to be the carpool hockey mom. 9. Don’t belittle your child’s emotions. They look adorable and sometimes the videos you take will make you literally laugh out loud. I know for a fact, that kids don’t like being laughed at when they’re learning something new. I was recently reminded by my daughter that I laughed at her tears following elimination from a Novice hockey tournament because I thought it was so cute. She did not. 10. Label your equipment. Label absolutely everything because, even labelled, it’s going to end up in at least one other teammates hockey bag during the season, or worse - the lost and found (important note: you do not want to go through an arena lost and found box!)
MAXIME COMTOIS LW – VICTORIAVILLE TIGRES
HEIGHT: 6’2" WEIGHT: 200 lbs. SHOOTS: Left BORN: January 8, 1999 in Longueuil, Quebec
DRAFTED: 2015 QMJHL Draft, 3rd overall by the Victoriaville Tigres
Highly regarded as a player displaying the IQ and physical presence well beyond his age, Maxime Comtois is a truly dominant force on the ice and one of the premier power forwards in the entire CHL. He has quick separation speed and acceleration combined with a hard, powerful, sizeable strides. He is a complete 200-foot player who will go into corners looking to disturb the peace with a big hit and takes the puck away while knocking bodies down to the ice. Comtois has slick hands around the net and makes good timely decisions on whether to pass or shoot from in close. He likes to snap a heavy wrist shot between the hash marks that seems to dance and handcuffs goalies. Comtois has shown very few weaknesses to his game other than the need to better contain his emotions and coordinate his speed/size combination. DID YOU KNOW? Comtois finished second in Victoriaville in 2015-16, earning 26 goals and 60 points as an underage skater, only eight points behind team scoring leader Pascal Laberge.
11. Go ahead and take pictures. The time will come soon enough when your little hockey players won’t let you take pictures of them, certainly won’t pose for pictures and definitely won’t smile for pictures. 12. Don’t be the grandstand coach. Let the coach do the coaching. The only thing your child needs to hear from the stands (or in the car to and from the arena, for that matter) is your words of encouragement. Cheer them on and let them have fun! There you have it, rookie hockey moms. Know that it gets easier as the season rolls on. And guess what? When the season is over? You’re probably even going to miss it!
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 September 24, 2016 HOCKEYNOW
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CJHL
TIM BATES / OJHL IMAGES
JUNIOR
AROUND THE BCHL ROBSON NOW STOPPING PUCKS FOR PENTICTON It didn’t take Mathew Robson long to once again make his mark in the junior ranks. The 20-year-old goaltender stopped all 21 shots he faced as he backstopped the Penticton Vees to a 4-0 victory versus the host Prince George Spruce Kings on Sept. 11. Besides being the Vees’ regular season opener, the match was also the first one in the BCHL for Robson, who is from Mississauga, Ont. The fact Robson is back in the junior ranks at all is a surprise. He had spent the 2015-16 season practicing but not allowed to play with the NCAA’s Clarkson University Golden Eagles. The World Junior A Challenge, which Canada West won in Cobourg, Ont. last year, will be hosted by the Bonnyville Pontiacs from Dec. 11 to 17.
Robson thought his junior days were done after leading the Toronto Patriots to an Ontario Junior Hockey League crown in the spring of 2015.
HOCKEY RUSH Town of Bonnyville Preparing To Host International World Junior A Challenge STORY Sam Laskaris
F
OR BONNYVILLE RESIDENTS THE TIMING IS PERFECT. Like many other Alberta communities, Bonnyville has been in a funk in recent times as the oil business is down. But the town, which has a population of about 6,000, will soon be thrust into the national hockey spotlight. That’s because the World Junior A Challenge, a six-squad international tournament, will be staged Dec. 11 to 17 in Bonnyville. “Things are kind of slow around here now,” said tournament co-chair Robb Hunter. “To have an event like this here is rejuvenating the town.” As in previous years, the tourney will feature a pair of Canadian entries in Canada West and Canada East. Also taking part this year will be the Czech Republic, Russia, Switzerland and the United States. All 13 tournament matches will be staged at the R.J. Lalonde Arena, which is part of the Bonnyville District and Centennial Centre. The facility is home to the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Bonnyville Pontiacs. The Bonnyville rink has a capacity of just under 2,000. For now, only tournament packages are available. They cost $245 each and includes admission to all 13 matches. “That’s less than $20 per game,” said Hunter, a wellknown Bonnyville personality who is in his 11th season as the Pontiacs play-by-play announcer. “It’s a pretty good value. We’re hoping we can sell out all of the tickets
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through tournament packages.” A pre-sale for Pontiacs seasons tickets subscribers was held before tournament packages were made available to the general public on Sept. 1. Hunter said the town will undoubtedly receive a boost thanks to the influx of participating players and supporters. “It’s fantastic for the town,” he said. “Bonnyville has always been an oil town and an oil town that loves its hockey.” Because of the recent tough times Bonnyville is experiencing, Hunter admits tournament organizers still have plenty of work ahead of them in the coming months not only trying to sell tickets but also in their quest to drum up more sponsorships. The Canada West entry is already guaranteed a Pontiacs’ connection. Bonnyville’s head coach/GM Rick Swan has been selected to be an assistant coach for the Canada West entry. “We’re awfully excited about that,” Hunter said. Last year, two Bonnyville players were on the Canada West squad that won the tournament, which was held in a pair of Ontario communities, Whitby and Cobourg. Bobby McMann and Brinson Pasichnuk were the Pontiacs players on the gold-medal winning Canada West side. Both have moved on to the U.S. collegiate ranks this season. It remains to be seen whether any Bonnyville players will make the club this time around. It should be noted, however, the Pontiacs were ranked seventh in the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s pre-season Top 20 rankings released in early September. “Obviously they’re seeing something on the team,” Hunter said, adding he’s hopeful a handful of Bonnyville players will at least be invited to the Canada West training camp.
Officials ruled he was ineligible to play in the NCAA since he had signed an Ontario Hockey League contract with the Peterborough Petes at age 16. Robson sustained injuries at the Petes’ 2012 and ’13 training camps and never suited up for a single game for the OHL squad. Robson won an appeal to play in the NCAA but was still handed a one and a half year suspension. Instead of sitting out any longer though, he decided to return to the junior ranks. Penticton acquired Robson’s Canadian Junior Hockey League playing rights in late July.
BULLDOGS FORWARD SCORES FOUR IN OPENER Now that he’s in his sophomore season with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, forward Tristan Bukovec is no doubt looking to improve upon his rookie stats. For awhile it appeared Bukovec might even score as many goals in the Bulldogs season opener as he did all of last year. The 19-year-old scored all four of his team’s goals as Alberni Valley defeated the host Nanaimo Clippers 4-1 on Sept. 9. He had scored his fourth goal in that game just past the six-minute mark of the second period. Bukovec scored six goals in 40 regular season contests during his rookie season with the Bulldogs. He had started the 2015-16 season with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Drumheller Dragons, earning three assists in nine games before joining Alberni Valley.
GRIZZLIES HAVE SOLID START Being on the outside looking in when the BCHL playoffs started this past season obviously was not something the Victoria Grizzlies enjoyed. The Grizzlies missed the postseason after posting a 24-30-4-0 record and placing dead last in the league’s five-team Island Division. As for this season, the Victoria squad got off to a solid start, winning its first three regular season outings.
CJHL
AROUND THE AJHL
AROUND THE OJHL
JUNIOR
AROUND THE CCHL
SMYTH JOINS SAINTS OWNERSHIP GROUP
ROOKIE RECORDS SHUTOUT IN FIRST GAME
Former National Hockey League star Ryan Smyth has joined the Spruce Grove Saints ownership group.
It didn’t take Jett Alexander long to register his first junior shutout.
Smyth played 18 seasons in the NHL, primarily with the Edmonton Oilers, before retiring in 2014. He appeared in 1,363 NHL contests and earned 901 points.
The Georgetown Raiders 16-year-old goalie stopped all 22 shots he faced leading his squad to a 7-0 victory over the Mississauga Chargers on Sept. 12.
Smyth was nicknamed Captain Canada because of the numerous times he represented the country in international competitions.
For Alexander, who played with the North York Rangers Midget AAA squad last season, it was his first start with the Raiders.
Besides winning a World Junior Championship in 1995, Smyth went on to don a national jersey at eight world championships, two Olympics and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
But it wasn’t his first junior game. That’s because he was also called up and played two OJHL games with the North York Rangers last season.
Peter Peckett, the CCHL’s Director of Statistical Information, attended the contest and presented Amyot with an award celebrating his accomplishment.
Darren Myshak, who has owned the Saints franchise since 2004, announced in early September that Smyth would be joining the club’s ownership group.
Alexander earned his first OJHL victory last October as North York downed the Wellington Dukes 8-6. He also played two periods, surrendering three goals, in the Rangers’ 5-0 loss to the Oakville Blades last October.
For the record, the Grads earned a 6-2 win. But it was Number 500 that was most meaningful that day.
Also joining the ownership group are brothers Dan and Lindsey Leckelt. The brothers are co-presidents of Silent-Aire, an HVAC manufacturing and data centre cooling systems company which has about 700 employees at facilities in Edmonton and Phoenix.
Both of Georgetown’s netminders this season are new to the league. Alexander will be sharing the club’s crease duties with Josh Astorino, a 19-year-old who spent the past two years with the Thorold Blackhawks, members of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
COOPER LEADS COLTS
“I am looking forward to the support on and off the ice and even more so to the fun and camaraderie with my new partners,” Myshak said in a release announcing the ownership additions.
BROWN PROVIDING FIREPOWER FOR TRENTON
Cooper, who is in his fourth season with the Cornwall Colts, was averaging two points per game early on this season. After Cornwall’s first four matches he had collected eight points, including four goals.
Since some of their top offensive players from a year ago are no longer around, the OJHL champion Trenton Golden Hawks will be counting on additional production from others this season.
Cooper is hoping to not only maintain his torrid scoring pace but also to stay healthy this season. He missed more than half of the Colts’ 2015-16 campaign with an upper body injury.
One of those individuals is expected to be forward Lucas Brown, who turns 20 on Sept. 25.
Yet he still managed to finish fourth in team scoring, collecting 38 points (19 G, 19 A) in 30 contests. If he remains healthy, at his current scoring pace, Cooper, a Cornwall native, should easily surpass the 42-point season he registered as a sophomore with the Colts.
Smyth was also excited by the news. “I have always loved playing for Team Canada and being part of the local hockey community that is so important to me,” he said. “The Saints are an important part of this community and I am proud to join Darren, Dan and Lindsey as part of the ownership group.”
BOBCATS HONOUR ALLAN CUP CHAMPS The AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats made plans to honour another successful hockey squad from their community. The Bobcats are inviting alumni of the Lloydminster Border Kings, a senior men’s AAA squad that captured the national championship Allen Cup in 2001 and ’07, to their Sept. 23 home contest. The celebration will honour the Border Kings’ 15th anniversary of their first Canadian championship as well as the upcoming 10th anniversary of their 2007 win.
Brown, who is from Powassan in northern Ontario, earned 29 points, including 12 goals, in 44 regular season contests with the Golden Hawks last year. He finished seventh in team scoring.
Up. The Storm, which has not qualified for the AJHL playoffs in each of the past three years, placed at the bottom of the league standing for two straight seasons now. And the club might have hit rock bottom this past season as it only managed to win a franchise low of 11 of its 60 regular season contests. No doubt the Grande Prairie squad will be looking to reverse its fortunes this season. The Storm last had a winning campaign in 2012-13 when it posted a respectable 35-21-4 record.
It was primarily just another early season contest for the Kanata Lasers and the host Cumberland Grads when they squared off on Sept. 11. But for Rejean Amyot, that Sunday afternoon match was a considerably more memorable affair. That’s because it was the 500th CCHL game that Amyot has worked as a referee. Amyot became just the fourth official in the 53-year history of the league to reach the 500-game mark.
Early indications are that 20-year-old forward Grant Cooper is ready to take his game to another level this season.
Brown then stepped up his game in the playoffs and was an even more key contributor to the club, averaging a point per game. He helped his side win the OJHL title by collecting 18 points, including a team-high 10 goals, in 18 matches.
This will mark Cooper’s last season in the junior ranks as he will head to the NCAA next season. His original plan was to attend Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school based in New Hampshire. But he’s had a change of mind and will now be heading to New York’s Clarkson University.
As for this season, Brown couldn’t have asked for a much better start. He scored four goals and added an assist in Trenton’s season-opening 11-2 victory versus the Newmarket Hurricanes on Sept. 9.
JOHNSON BACKSTOPPING BRAVES AGAIN
Brown then scored once in the Golden Hawks’ 7-0 win against the Lindsay Muskies in his second game.
STORM LOOKING TO REBOUND There’s only one place to go for the Grande Prairie Storm.
AMYOT REFEREES 500TH GAME
RBC CUP SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED The Cobourg Cougars now know which dates they will be playing four of their games next May. The Cougars, who are hosting the national championship RBC Cup tournament next spring, are hoping they will also be playing on May 21, the date of the Canadian final. The schedule for the five-team tournament was released in mid-September. As hosts, the Cougars receive an automatic entry into the event and are guaranteed to play four round-robin games.
It remains to be seen what puckstopper Henry Johnson will do for an encore this season. The 20-year-old, a native of Minneapolis, certainly made an impression last year after joining the Brockville Braves. Johnson was a workhorse for the Braves last season, appearing in 48 regular season contests and posting a league-high nine shutouts. Colton Point from the league champion Carleton Place Canadians was next in line with seven shutouts. Johnson also registered a 30-14-1-1 record and a 2.68 goals-against average. His 30 wins were just one behind league leader Evan DeBrouwer of the Smiths Falls Bears, who played in 52 games. Johnson played four of the Braves’ first five matches this season, picking up two victories.
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PERFORMANCE
SKATING
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SKATING IN HOCKEY STORY Brad McLeod
I
F THERE’S ONE THING THAT SEPARATES HOCKEY FROM OTHER SPORTS, IT’S THOSE metal blades we use to seemingly magically glide across the ice. However, skating is something that a lot of hockey players take for granted. While we eagerly seek to learn how to stickhandle, shoot slapshots and saucer pass, skating is all too often not given the attention it deserves. To clear up some of the fallacies that the hockey community has about skating, HockeyNow spoke to two of Canada’s foremost experts on skating: Steve Serdachny, NHL Skating and Skills Coach and Founder of Serdachny’s Power Skating and Hockey, and Vanessa Hettinger, Co-Founder and Master Instructor of Quantum Speed. Using their insight, we developed a list of the most common misconceptions about skating and hockey, which may change the way you think about skating for good.
IT’S NATURAL While many Canadians believe they take to the ice like a fish to water, that just isn’t true. According to Serdachny, skating is a very complex and unnatural biomechanical movement pattern that is definitely not innate. “If you take any person off the street and say, here’s a ball, chances are they could catch it,” Serdachny explains. “But, if you threw a pair of skates on them, you’d just better hope they have protective equipment!” The reason he says skating, especially skating for hockey, is so difficult is because of the way the body has to move. The engagement of the lower body to drive, coupled
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with the ability to keep the upper body in control, all while having to move in uncommon directions and patterns, makes skating tremendously hard to do well. While some players might feel like natural skaters, such a thing doesn’t exist.
THERE’S A RIGHT WAY TO SKATE There’s no doubt that there is a lot of science behind skating. But, while practicing push angles, knowing proper positioning and keeping a low centre of gravity are all essential elements to becoming a dynamic skater, creativity is also a major component. Serdachny points out that you need look no further than hockey ‘royalty’ to prove that you don’t have to look good to be a great skater. “Wayne Gretzky was never considered a good skater,” he says. “But, let me tell you, when [he] was in his prime, there wasn’t a player in the league that could catch the guy.” Serdachny explains that, despite not appearing to be strong on the ice, Gretzky had excellent quickness, multi-directional movement and control of his edges – all of which made up tenfold for how he looked. For her part, Hettinger also believes that skating fundamentals can take shape through different interpretations. “There are many players that don’t look like the perfect skater, [but] it works for their body type or their height and weight,” she explains. Hettinger describes Sidney Crosby’s movements as very precise and calculated, while Ovechkin’s are looser and more enthusiastic, like he is trying to break down a wall. While they both look very different, she argues that biomechanically there are a lot of similarities and that they are equally great skaters.
PRACTICE DOESN’T NEED TO BE PERFECT We’ve all heard that practice makes perfect, but when it comes to seeing improvement in your skating stride, not just any practice will do – it has to be ‘perfect’ practice. “It has to be quality over quantity when you’re practicing,” Serdachny insists. “Rushed, excessive practice won’t help you. You have to understand and be taught the right way.” The ‘right way’, according to Serdachny involves specialized sequential programming from an expert, in which a skater learns proper skating movement patterns that are tailored to both age and developmental needs. While Serdachny admits that you will probably become a better hockey player just by hitting the outdoor rink as often as possible, both he and Hettinger are adamant that if you really want to take your skating to the next level, specific skating instruction by a trained professional is the only way to go.
SKATING DRILLS AREN’T FUN Players who look forward to skating drills are few and far between. All too often, coaches use it as a punishment. No one has ever had a bad game or goofed off in practice and been forced to take wrist shots or work on their dangles. Skating laps and lines has turned skating into a chore for a lot of young players. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. In Hettinger’s experience, players will actually enjoy skating drills if there is a focus on positive results. “It’s a proven fact that self-esteem is very much related to your ability to go through challenges and achieve something on your own,” Hettinger explains. “So when [players can see] that they actually get better and the program is all about them, they really like that environment.” Serdachny and Hettinger both insist that skating stride can’t be taught in isolation, but needs to be combined with other hockey skills. By keeping a focus on a varied approach – with or without the puck, skating backward and forward, turning sharply – players will not only have fun, but get better while training to skate.
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As nice as it would be, there is no quick fix to becoming a better skater. Although, with some instruction, you may reach a point where you can relax a little bit from intense training, maintaining your skills will be a lifelong process. “Players can be awesome little skaters when they’re seven, eight, nine,” said Hettinger, “but when they hit twelve, thirteen and they have a big growth spurt. If they don’t keep up their skating development, then their skating will fall by the wayside.” As she explains, this is due to their ability to hold their weight on one leg. When a child doesn’t weigh enough to make it a challenge to hold their weight, they can be excellent skaters, but at a certain point they have to rebuild their technique to accommodate their bigger and stronger frame. For Serdachny, learning to skate more effectively is something that you never outgrow. “You have to understand that if you’re going to improve your skating, you need to be dedicated to an ongoing process to make yourself better in that area,” he says. “It doesn’t just happen magically, it’s one of those skills that, with instruction, the more time and energy you put into it, the better you will become.” Skating might look like magic, but it’s not. It’s both science and art, and however you slice it, it’s going to be something you’ll work at for your entire life.
September 24, 2016 HOCKEYNOW
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722 are from
CANADA
68 are from the
UNITED STATES
Hockey academies are an attractive option for international players looking to get accustomed to the Canadian game and a quality education in the process. In Western Canada, the Canadian Sport School Hockey League operates with 19 programs. Here’s a look at where the league’s players are coming from. Out of 815 players:
In 2011, Akil Thomas and his family moved from Florida to Toronto, where he played in the GTHL with the Toronto Jr. Nationals and Toronto Marlies before he was drafted 12th overall by the Niagara IceDogs in 2016. TIM BATES / OJHL IMAGES
THE INTERNATI DESPITE NEW AND ESTABLISHED OBSTACLES, INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS CONTINUE TO RELOCATE AND DEVELOP THROUGH CANADIAN HOCKEY PROGRAMS FOR A CHANCE AT THE ULTIMATE PAYOFF
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URTIS CLAIRMONT WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SOFT spot for two young Russian goalies, Leo Lazarev and Evgeny Kiselev. As president and director of hockey operations for the Waterloo Siskins, Clairmont signed both goalies to play in the Junior B Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League in back-to-back years, Lazarev in the 2013-14 season and Kiselev in 2014-15. They each graduated to the major junior ranks, with Lazarev now suiting up for the Ottawa 67’s and Kiselev for the Quebec Remparts. Bringing them to Canada was no small feat. In order to make the move happen, Clairmont entered into extensive negotiations with Hockey Canada and both
25 are from
EUROPE
Leo Lazarev moved from Russia to play a season with the Waterloo Siskins in the Jr. B Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League before moving onto the OHL's Ottawa 67's. TERRY WILSON / OHL IMAGES
15
IONAL GAME STORY Iain Colpitts
goalies had to go through a rigorous international transfer process, which included moving their families to Waterloo and establishing residency in the area. It was especially difficult because both players would have been up for grabs in the 2014 CHL Import Draft, but that was the first year of a CHL/Hockey Canada-imposed ban on European goalies in the draft in an effort to encourage the development of Canadian netminders. “It’s not easy, they really do discourage it for their own reasons,” Clairmont said. “[Lazarev and Kiselev] are two opportunities that I’ve had and it’s been great for everyone involved. Their work ethic was off the chart and it can’t help but rub off on other players.” Clairmont was introduced to the goalies by his friend,
Hockey Hall of Famer Igor Larionov, now an agent for a number of young Russian players, including Lazarev and Kiselev. The Siskins were successful with both goalies between the pipes, exceeding the 30-win mark in back-to-back seasons. Clairmont believes having them was beneficial for
the entire league as far as giving it more exposure. “Other than the jealousy factor (associated with the team’s success), you’ll get teams saying it was great having these guys in our league,” he said. “You had NHL scouts coming out to our games and that’s pretty impressive. Those are the kinds of reasons why I did it. It wasn’t just to win.”
THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT FOR THESE KIDS COMING OVER, USING THE GAME OF HOCKEY TO GAIN LIFE EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES. Dixon Ward, Okanagan Hockey Group Owner and Vice President
Evgeny Kisilev moved from Russia to play a season with the Waterloo Siskins in the Jr. B Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League before moving onto the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.
a long list of protocol in place to make sure families are moving their children here for the right reasons – and not just to play hockey. This past winter, the GTHL imposed a ruling that would make it JONATHAN ROY PHOTO more difficult for international players to compete in the league, beginning this year. These players often attend private schools in the GTA, with their families paying upwards of $30,000 in tuition, but now, the parents of these children must prove they too live in Toronto. The Lazarev and Kiselev families had to live in Waterloo and after an initial home planned for the Kiselevs didn’t work out, Clairmont’s family welcomed them into their home until they could find another residence. Even after Kiselev was claimed by the Quebec League, some members of his family still lived in Waterloo. His sister is attending a private school in the city while billeting with one of her teachers. Even though imports playing minor or tier two junior hockey in Canada is sometimes frowned upon, Clairmont says he would do it all over again, for reasons beyond the rink and the league. “I believe hockey is a global sport,” he said. “Having European nations adopting facets of the Canadian game done it, I see the benefit not only for the kid because isn’t anything new. It’s been in place since Anatoli Taracertainly the kid benefits from it, but the multicultural sov, considered the father of Soviet hockey, preached sharing of ideas, concepts and athleticism.” elements of The Hockey Handbook by Canadian Lloyd Percival when training his players long before the 1972 Summit Series. In 1992, the CHL Import Draft was created to give Europeans the chance to develop in Canada through the major junior ranks in the hopes of turning pro, with each CHL team being allowed to ice a maximum of two imports. When Jim Thompson first became involved with Everest More recently, international players have been coming Academy in the Toronto suburb of Thornhill, he rehere at a younger age to hone their craft in their early members seeing a Grade 12 student working one-on-one teenage years. with a teacher. The GTHL, the world’s largest minor hockey league, That was six years ago, when the private school began has become an attraction for a small sample (37 of the with 28 students. league’s 38,000 players according to a January report “It’s funny, but that’s the way it was,” said Thompson, from TSN’s Rick Westhead) of elite Russian players a former NHL forward and current program advisor such as Nikita Korostelev, Kirill Nizhnikov and Sergei and ambassador at Everest. Popov in recent years. “We just started school and we’re at 210 students, so David Levin, the first overall pick in the 2015 OHL it’s grown immensely between hockey, lacrosse, soccer Draft, is well known for coming from Israel to play in and the arts. When you go from [28 students] to 210 the GTHL while living with his aunt and uncle so he in six years, it says something.” could meet the league’s residency requirements. Hockey academies like Everest, PEAC and The Hill There has been some controversy with moves like have become popular avenues for players to develop this as Hockey Canada and its sanctioned leagues have their game while receiving a quality education. The
programs are structured in a way to allow students to get as much time on the ice or in the gym as they would in the classroom over an eight-hour day. It’s a school that boasts NHL young guns Jonathan Drouin and Anthony Duclair as alumni while NHL prospects such as Korostelev, Jeremiah Addison, and Dylan Sadowy have also gone through the program. Thompson believes more than 30 former Everest students have been drafted into the OHL. Thompson also owns the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Aurora Tigers and he says five players from the Everest prep team suit up for Aurora too. Those who came from outside of the continent include Nizhnikov, Mark Rozanov and Vladislav Sharipov. With stricter regulations in place from Hockey Canada, their families are required to move with them, so Thompson points out that they’re making huge sacrifices for
A TIME HONOURED
TRADITION
SCHOOL AND HOCKEY
ALL IN ONE
TORONTO WAS DEFINITELY KEY IN DEVELOPING ME INTO A BETTER, ALLAROUND PLAYER. Akil Thomas, NIAGARA ICEDOGS PROSPECT
their children to be here. In most cases, Russian players often come to Everest with no concept of the English language. Thompson finds it rewarding when they’re able to pick it up. “Our older students will sit and eat lunch with an international student and it’s amazing,” he said. “I’ve watched it for six years now and when they come here, they can’t even speak English and by Christmas, they’re having conversations. It’s really cool.” The same phenomenon is happening in Western Canada, where 19 schools make up the Canadian Sport School Hockey League formed in 2009. It is continuously expanding with more programs being added each year, including a female varsity division
Canada - European 1990
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2001
CHL Import Draft introduced, allowing teams to draft two European players. Vaclav Slansky selected first overall by Red Deer Rebels.
Don Cherry becomes part owner of Mississauga IceDogs and refuses to participate in Import Draft.
Cherry coaches the IceDogs for one season and allows imports Igor Radulov and Alexander Skorohod to play on team.
for the upcoming season. Andy Oakes, chairperson of the league, believes they’ve experienced such growth because more families are looking to have the hockey, training and educational components all in one package. “By doing so, they’re able to get a very focused experience for their son or daughter, all under one roof where they don’t have to piecemeal their hockey and education packages,” he said. “Having them directly linked and co-related is an option a lot of families are looking for.” Arguably the jewel of the league is the Okanagan Hockey Academy, formed in 2002 under the Okanagan Hockey Group umbrella, which has organized hockey camps all over the world since 1963. While the Penticton location is most popular with 150 student athletes enrolled, the school has expanded with locations in Edmonton, England and Austria. And while there are international academies, anywhere
from 10 to 20 students come to Canada from outside of the country to learn at Okanagan each year. “That's the whole point for these kids coming over, using the game of hockey to gain life experience, education and cultural experiences,” said Dixon Ward, owner and vice president of Okanagan Hockey Group. “We have many kids coming over that don’t speak English well at all, go through our English as a second language program, learn the cultures of Canada and hockey within Canada.” Many more hockey academies have a strong foothold
David Levin moved from Israel to play three seasons in the GTHL with the Don Mills Flyers before he was drafted first overall by the Sudbury Wolves in 2015.
out west, including Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, Edge School and Pursuit TERRY WILSON / OHL IMAGES of Excellence. Ward, who played in more than 500 NHL games from 1992 to 2003, believes the growth of each academy is important to everyone. “You have to have competition, standards, organization and leadership. A standalone academy without the league and support from BC Hockey or Alberta Hockey or Hockey Canada isn’t healthy,” he said. “Obviously with the addition of the new programs, it expands the marketplace and it has brought hockey into the mainstream. It’s been a positive growth for everybody.”
HERE, THERE AND
BACK AGAIN Akil Thomas got his start in hockey much earlier than anyone could have imagined. As a toddler, the hockey rink became his daycare as his dad Kahlil played semi pro hockey all over the United States up until 2008. “One day we weren’t in the greatest moods because we were on a losing streak and I had promised [Akil] I would bring him out to skate,” Kahlil recalled as he was playing with the Memphis River Kings when Akil was around three years old. “I tied up his skates then turned around to tie up my skates and he just ran out onto the ice and started skating for the first time. That same day, we started doing hockey drills and every day after that, he’d work out with one of my teammates after practices.” From that point on, the youngster was hooked as the family lived in Mississippi, Michigan, Oklahoma and Florida while Kahlil was still playing. Akil went on to be chosen 12th overall by the Niagara IceDogs in the 2016 OHL Draft after five seasons in the GTHL, the first two with the Toronto Young Nationals, followed by the Toronto Marlies. While he was successful playing in Florida, often competing against Jakob Chychrun, Nick Pastujov and other prominent Americans two years older than him, Akil and his family faced a conundrum. The older players he was playing with were growing much bigger and stronger, and while Thomas could still hang with the best of them, his parents didn’t want to risk him getting hurt and opted to move to Toronto so he could suit up in the GTHL.
“Toronto was definitely key in developing me into a better, all-around player,” Thomas said. “In Florida, I just rushed the puck every time I got it, but obviously things are a lot different when you get into the higher levels of hockey.” Although Akil was raised in the U.S., the Thomas family came to Toronto (Kahlil’s birthplace) when they were expecting him to be born and spent a few weeks in Canada so he could be classified as a dual citizen. It made for an easier transition into the GTHL and the family settled into a home within the league’s boundaries. However, realizing there have been some families who have abused the league’s rules in the past, Kahlil had to ensure GTHL executives that the family wasn’t just moving here so their son could play hockey. He said there were about 10 factors that led to the move, including the fact he was born in Toronto and many family members still live here. Kahlil completely understands the GTHL, and to a larger extent, Hockey Canada’s rationale when it comes to policies surrounding international transfers. Even now as owner and coach of the Oshawa River Kings, a newly formed team in the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League, Kahlil tries not to go overboard with the number of imports on his roster, even though the league isn’t sanctioned by Hockey Canada. “I don’t deny them, but I am trying to keep my program Durham based for the Durham boys,” he said. “I always have two or three Europeans come in, one or two Americans, but we’re trying to open up a pathway for the Durham guys, that’s for sure.”
HOCKEY RELATIONS 2005
2010
2015
2013
2014
In an effort to increase development for Canadian goalies, CHL prohibits teams from taking goalies in Import Draft beginning in 2014.
Russian netminder Leo Lazarev chosen in 2014 OHL Priority Selection after spending previous season with the Jr. B Waterloo Siskins.
2016 GTHL passes ruling preventing foreign-born players from playing in league unless their parents move to Toronto area as well.
17
MINOR
FEATURE
FLYING HIGH Toronto Marlboros forward Jack Hughes gets noticed at Toronto Titans Minor Midget Prospect Tournament STORY Nicholas Carafa
A
S THE FLOCKS GATHERED TO SCOTIABANK POND in Toronto for the ninth annual Toronto Titans Minor Midget Prospect Tournament, choosing from the variety of games was like contemplating a sushi menu. Everyone always has their favourite item on the list and in this case, pre-season scouting reports have OHLteam reps satisfying their appetite over the likes of Toronto Marlboros forward Jack Hughes. Five-foot-eight forward Hughes is about to embark on his second go-around in minor midget after he spent last year with the GTHL Playoff champions ’00 Mississauga Rebels as an underager. “Jack Hughes played on a well-coached team last year with the Mississauga Rebels and they were a good team. Jack showed some explosive speed, he showed creativity and great vision on the ice,” said Windsor Spitfires head scout Brian Teakle. “This year, hopefully he will continue to demonstrate that with the Toronto Marlies… but Jack is a very explosive player and I don’t see him sitting on
his back heels.” Hughes makes up for his smaller frame with a combination of skill and solid hockey sense. Other scouts have said that his elite skill makes it seem as if he’s toying with his opponents, while his responsibility as a centreman to kill penalties illustrates his understanding of where he needs to be on the ice. “Each time he steps on the ice, five-on-five or on the penalty kill, he’s a scoring threat every time,” said Teakle. “On the penalty kill, his quickness and his read-and-react are next to none and he does that extremely well.” In six games, including a 6-2 quarterfinal loss to the London Jr. Knights, Hughes managed four goals and nine points – good enough for second in team scoring behind Graeme Clarke’s seven goals and 12 points. Hughes is surely reaping the benefits of the changing times. A few years ago, it was harder for smaller players to get noticed, but now if they possess the skill and the strength to defend themselves while also protecting the puck against bigger guys, they’re going to turn some heads.
“We’re not always looking for the best player. We’re looking for a player that competes, has a great second effort and of course has some skill,” Teakle said, explaining that size isn’t really a contributing factor for his organization. “A prime example of that is our sixth-round pick last year, Tyler Angle. We signed him to a standard OHL contract out of training camp because he showed up to camp in great shape, showed great tenacity and played a solid 200-foot game.” In the Spitfires’ case, it’s more about earmarking teams instead of strictly focusing on players. The team’s regional scouts will see each team in their area play at minimum 15 times and Teakle, who’s responsible for the GTHL, will see each team 15 to 20 times. Teakle couldn’t get into details regarding other players of interest, but the significant repertoire Hughes left behind with the Rebels last season has Teakle struggling to find an area in which he would like to see Hughes improve. “He’s a pretty complete player right now,” Teakle confessed. “It’s hard to pinpoint a negative thing about his game, but last year he didn’t distribute the puck as much as he should have and hung onto it a lot. But in the Toronto Titans tournament I saw him being very creative with his playmaking and he distributed the puck very well.” While there is a lot of excitement surrounding the next crop of OHL prospects, there is also the added pressure of finding that diamond in the rough to help the club reach this year’s Memorial Cup congregation in Southern Ontario.
“JACK SHOWED SOME
EXPLOSIVE SPEED, HE SHOWED CREATIVITY AND GREAT VISION ON THE ICE.”
HOCKEYNOW/NICHOLAS CARAFA
Brian Teakle, Windsor Spitfires head scout
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HOCKEYNOW September 24, 2016
The Toronto Titans tournament is the true launch of the scouting season for Teakle and his staff, but they also have to ensure they have all their bases covered. Since not everyone can afford to play AAA hockey, the team scouts high school tournaments, Provincial Junior A and even midget divisions. As the head scout, Teakle is sometimes required to expand his borders like he did this past July when he travelled to Buffalo to catch a glimpse of some of the players at the U15 tournament. This gives a team like the Spitfires a chance to get a sense of the playing field since they don’t necessarily see all the American players throughout the year. Belle Tire and HoneyBaked Hockey Clubs are just a couple of the organizations that made their way north of the border for the Titans tournament. After 52 teams competed in this year’s rendition of the tournament, there is a lot of anticipation heading into this minor midget season thanks in large part to the abundance of skill Teakle says is sure to be on display. Toronto Marlboros forward Jack Hughes is the early-season favourite to go first overall in this spring's OHL Priority Selection. The left-handed shooter tallied nine points in six games during the 9th Annual Toronto Titans Minor Midget Prospects Tournament.
ACROSS CANADA
BRITISH COLUMBIA MINOR HOCKEY NEWS
B.C. CELEBRATING FEMALE HOCKEY Over 400 players and coaches are being welcomed to the Surrey Sport and Leisure Centre to celebrate this year’s rendition of the World Girls Hockey Weekend (WGHW). The event, running from Oct. 7 to 9, officially kicks off the Female Midget AAA season and all six of the league’s teams will be participating in what is expected to be a showcase tournament. A matchup between the Kootenay Wild and Northern Capitals kicks start the festivities with puck drop at 1:15 p.m. local time. These games will not be the only ones on hand however, as Atom, Peewee, Bantam and Midget players will have the opportunity to participate in hour-long “Long Games.” “We’re excited to offer so many events to celebrate World Girls Hockey Weekend in Surrey,” BC Hockey Female Development Coordinator Shannon Butler said on the league’s website. “From beginners to Midget AAA players, it will be a great opportunity to highlight female hockey in B.C.” Partners Hockey Canada, IIHF and BC Hockey are preparing for the sixth year of the event, which is focused on exposing young girls to the game of hockey. While Calgary is hosting one of the events, Hockey Canada says there are dozens of countries around the world also celebrating the event in the hopes of uniting families, players and coaches in the sport.
LESSONS BEHIND THE GLASS KICKS OFF As previewed in HockeyNow’s August issue, the Vancouver Canucks, BC Hockey and author Allyson Tufts have teamed up to share valuable hockey lessons from Tufts’ experience as a hockey mom. With the book published, Tufts and BC Hockey have begun to release the video series on the league’s website, beginning with Lesson One, ’Don’t Force Your Passion.’ In the episode, Tufts and her son Brock talk about the family’s first experience with minor hockey. The story aims to help parents understand that younger children need to have a strong passion and desire to play – they can’t be forced into it. The message is simple. Your children will discover their passion on their own if it’s meant to be. After a difficult first experience on his skates, Brock learned that his love for the game was rooted between the pipes thanks to a valuable family moment with his uncles. Experiences like his illustrate how important it is for kids to be the ones to choose their path, and how much they can get from the game if they are doing it for the right reasons.
ALBERTA MINOR HOCKEY NEWS
ALBERTA READY TO HOST U16 CHALLENGE CUP The Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup is the province’s first glance at some of the most highly-touted players in this particular age group. All four of the western provinces (Alberta, B.C., Manitoba and Saskatchewan) will have a team represented in the tournament, which is part of Hockey Canada’s first steps in their Program of Excellence. The tournament will take place at WinSport Arena in Calgary, Alta. from Oct. 18 to 23. While it is the second step in the BC Hockey High Performance Program, it is also a means to help identify and train players for the Hockey Canada High Performance U17 Program and the country’s national, regional and provincial teams. Ottawa Senators’ Curtis Lazar, Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Reilly and Buffalo Sabres’ Sam Reinhart all paved their NHL paths through the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup, which pegs provincial teams against each other in a round-robin format, culminating in elimination rounds. And just like Lazar, Reilly and Reinhart, this current crop of top prospects are likely to play significant roles with their WHL clubs once the season gets underway.
GETTING BOSSES BEHIND THE BENCH In October, Hockey Alberta is using a new initiative to get females involved in minor hockey by offering free Coach 2 courses to aspiring female coaches.
Coach 2 highlights the reasons and methods of teaching basic hockey skills to players. While coaching hockey has grown to mentoring kids off the ice as well, it stresses the significance of helping players develop confidence, self-esteem and an unconditional desire to play the sport. The coaching certificate is required of coaches looking to take on teams of the Atom to Midget level, excluding AA and AAA teams. Progressive practice plans are being given out to aid these coaching rookies track and manage their teams’ skills throughout the duration of the season. In late August, the Arizona Coyotes made history by hiring skating coach Dawn Braid, the first full-time female coach in the NHL. “It's something that I've wanted to see happen,” Braid said on the NHL’s site. “The fact that they respect what I do enough to name me as a full-time coach, or to name me as the first female coach in the NHL, I take a ton of pride in that. I've worked very hard for this opportunity. With the NHL taking these positive strides, Hockey Alberta is looking to follow in their footsteps.
MINOR
ONTARIO MINOR HOCKEY NEWS
OMHA RELEASES EARLY AAA RANKINGS As the 2016-17 minor midget AAA season gets underway, the OMHA released their season-opening rankings based off the teams’ performances in bantam last season. The Whitby Wildcats top the list and rightfully so after an impressive performance at the 9th annual Toronto Titans Minor Midget Prospects Tournament. The 52-team tournament welcomed organizations across Ontario and the northern United States to compete in what has become a staple in minor hockey tournaments. Along with the Silver Stick and the Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic, the Titans tournament has become a significant means for scouts to snag their first look at this year’s top-end talent. Despite losing the tournament’s championship game in overtime to the Mississauga Rebels, the Wildcats proved to be quite the offensive threat while also illustrating their commitment to playing team defence. Cole Perfetti led the way for the tournament finalists, while tallying six goals and 11 points in eight games. The Ajax Pickering Raiders were also at the Titans tournament and they come in at No. 2 on OMHA’s rankings. Raiders forward Connor McMichael, who scored six goals in the tournament, will help make the Raiders a dangerous team heading into this year’s campaign. The top 5 are rounded out by the Halton Hurricanes, Barrie Jr. Colts and Southern Tier Admirals. Led by Ryan Fitz’s six points, the Hurricanes saw their path to an early-season championship cut short in the quarterfinals after the Rebels shut them out 3-0. If this early bird tournament is to give fans any expectation of the season ahead, it’s the competition among the teams that stands out the most. Of all 10 divisions in the tournament, five were led by OMHA-based teams: Jr. Colts, Raiders, Hurricanes, Wildcats and the Quinte Red Devils.
INAUGURAL TYLER CRAGG MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT SET Last season, the GTHL mourned the loss of Tyler Cragg, a man who dedicated countless hours to the league and the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. As the 2016-17 season gets underway, the former Junior Canadiens Cup is now also being recognized at the Tyler Cragg Memorial Tournament. The tournament kicks off on Sept. 29 and runs until Oct. 2, with Scotiabank Pond, Westwood Arena and Chesswood Arena playing host to this year’s combatants. This AAA tournament crowned four championships last season: the 2003 Whitby Wildcats, the 2004 Toronto Jr. Canadiens, the 2005 Barrie Colts and the 2006 Jr. Canadiens. This season however, will see the 2003 division switched out for players in the 2007-born age group.
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PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SEASON UNDERWAY FOR PJHL’S FINEST What an opening week it was for the Ridge Meadows Flames.
DOUG ABBOTT PHOTO
After coming one game shy of upsetting the eventual champion Mission City Outlaws in the first round of last year’s PJHL playoffs, the Flames opened the 2016-17 season on a strong note, defeating the Surrey Knights in their home opener before edging the Port Moody Panthers 3-2.
Bradley Crompton and Andrew Strelezki each scored a goal and three assists over that span, putting them in a five-way tie for the league scoring lead. Banking on a pair of rookies between the pipes to start the season, Ridge Meadows was backed by a 27-save shutout from Paul Tucek, followed by a 41-save outing from Braedon Fleming.
Tucek joins the Flames after two seasons of midget hockey with the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds, while Fleming spent last season with Yale Hockey Academy and played a pair of games with the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen as well. The Outlaws carried on from where they left off last year and also sport a 2-0 mark after opening week. With Michal Holub and Baylee Wright leading the way with four points each, the Outlaws won 7-4 over the Knights and 3-2 over the Aldergrove Kodiaks. Many expected Mission to have a down year after losing a number of veterans, including league leading scorer David McGowan and league MVP Bryce Pisiak, but the addition of Holub has been beneficial so far. Now in his overage season of junior, Holub got his start with a brief appearance with Mission in 2012 before moving on to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Trey Cadwell of the Port Moody Panthers scores against Grandview Steelers goalie Cole Forbes in PJHL action.
He returned to the Outlaws for 15 games in 2014-15 before playing junior A for the Cowichan Valley Capitals and Melville Millionaires. Last season was split between Melville and the VIJHL’s Campbell River Storm. Like Ridge Meadows, Mission is backed by two rookie netminders. Matthew Trulsen
PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
With lots of hockey still to be played, here’s a look at how other teams are doing after opening week. ABBOTSFORD PILOTS (6-2 loss to Aldergrove, 4-3 win over Delta) Overage forward Kolby Steen, acquired in an off-season trade with Mission, is off to a great start with a goal and three assists. Goalie Jacob Crawford, also in his overage year, has played in both games after a strong 2015-16, but rookie Noah Giesbrecht will surely get a look as the season rolls on. ALDERGROVE KODIAKS (6-2 win over Abbotsford, 3-2 loss to Mission) Eric Callegari, Derian White and Cameron Davitt all had multi-point efforts against the Pilots. Joshua Pollock assisted on both goals against Mission to join Callegari in a tie for the team scoring lead with three points. Newcomer Caleb Ziemann from Cambridge, Ont. looked impressive in his PJHL debut, stopping 33 of 35 shots against Abbotsford.
Recently acquired overager Cole Forbes and rookie Matteo Paler-Chow split both games in goal. They each finished with 26 saves, Paler-Chow in a winning cause. NORTH VANCOUVER WOLFPACK (5-2 win over Delta, 6-0 loss to Richmond) Youngsters Kaz Minemoto and Taylor Seganfreddo have been impressive so far with a goal and three assists each. Minemoto scored the game-winning goal en route to first star honours in his PJHL debut. Another newcomer, goaltender Alex Forster, had a strong debut with 37 saves against the Ice Hawks. PORT MOODY PANTHERS (3-2 loss to Ridge Meadows, 3-2 OT win over Grandview) The Panthers have responded nicely after an 11-win season last year. Lucian Serbian paid immediate dividends after spending last year with Abbotsford, scoring the overtime winner against Grandview. Meanwhile, the Panthers have been tough to solve defensively as they’ve allowed only 43 shots in their two games.
RICHMOND SOCKEYES (2-1 OT loss to Grandview, 6-0 win over North Vancouver) Alexander McLeod and Arjun Badh look set to be key players for the Sockeyes after debuting with the club last year. They each picked up three points against the Wolf Pack while Brodie Crawford was the game’s first star, finishing with a pair of goals. Reigning goalie of the year Kurt Russell made 26 saves en route to the overtime loss to Grandview while rookie Merek Pipes debuted with a 20-save shutout. SURREY KNIGHTS (7-4 loss to Mission, 8-0 loss to Ridge Meadows) Playing out of a new arena following an off-season move from Langley, the Knights are looking to be competitive after winning only four games last year. Rookie Jin Woo Lee and overager Blake McCulloch each have two goals so far while rookie goaltenders Jeevan Bains and Maguire Houlind have been tested often. Sixteen-year-old Houlind faced 59 shots against Mission while Jeevan Bains was tested 43 times against the Flames. DOUG ABBOTT PHOTO
made 31 save on 33 shots against Aldergrove and Payton Gibson stopped 36 of 40 shots against Surrey.
DELTA ICE HAWKS (5-2 loss to North Vancouver, 4-3 loss to Abbotsford) It’s been a tough start for the Ice Hawks, but they’ve been tied in the third period of each of their games thus far. Rookie Mark Epshtein scored in his debut to tie the opening game at two. Against Abbotsford, Daniel Rubin scored a goal and an assist as Delta came back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game at three in the third period. GRANDVIEW STEELERS (2-1 OT win over Richmond, 3-2 OT loss to Port Moody) The Steelers have been through a pair of dramatic games already, each of them going beyond regulation. Christian Bettiol has scored in both games while Kristofor Ziomisliic tallied the OT winner against Richmond.
Brett Cox from the Grandview Steelers and Connor Kavanagh from the Richmond Sockeyes drop the gloves in PJHL action.
NATIONAL
HOCKEY CANADA/JOSEPH LEUNG
HEATH LAWSON/COLUMBUS COTTONMOUTHS
FEMALE
Courtney Birchard goes down to block a shot playing in front of goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens during game action with Team White at the National Women's Team Fall Festival.
THE NEXT GENERATION
Another National Women’s Team Fall Festival wraps up, with 43 participants now awaiting their fate STORY Kristi Patton
T
HERE IS A LOT OF HOCKEY TO BE PLAYED BETWEEN now and the next Olympics, but for Team Canada hopefuls, it all began at the National Women's Team Fall Festival. There is no doubt that this upcoming season of hockey will be of ultimate importance for those looking to crack the Olympic roster. "Absolutely, yes, for sure," said Team Canada coach Laura Schuler. "After this camp, we have one in December and another in January before some big events and then we will need to narrow our focus on certain players to move towards centralization because there is only a limited number that we take to that." In mid-September, 44 players on Hockey Canada's radar hit the ice in Calgary, looking to turn heads for upcoming events such as the 2016 4 Nations Cup, the 2017 IIHF Women's World Championship, and centralization for the Olympic squad for next fall.
For younger players, it also means potentially earning a spot on the U-18 team and development team events. Out of those invited to Calgary, three are still in high school — Amy Potomak (Aldergrove, B.C./Pacific-JWHL), Sophie Shirley (Saskatoon, Sask./Okanagan Hockey Academy-CSSHL) and Daryl Watts (Toronto, Ont./Mississauga-PWHL). "Honestly everyone out here is vying for a spot… that is how good the talent is. It is paper thin, everyone has a shot," said Schuler. Only four skaters from Canada's 2014 Olympic gold medal team were not at the camp, three previously announced their retirement, and Caroline Ouellette, captain of the gold medal team, has yet to officially announce her retirement from the national program. That leaves gaps to be filled on the forward lines and plenty of talent to choose from. "We are looking at every aspect to be truthful. We obviously have some big decisions moving forward and some decisions that are going to be tough ones to make. Everyone has spent the last two years training so hard to get here and be part of this," said Schuler. Goaltending, no doubt, will also be hotly debated among Hockey Canada staffers. Shannon Szabados was the go-to for the last two Olympics, but she has been absent from the program since – opting to play
“HONESTLY EVERYONE OUT HERE IS VYING FOR A SPOT… THAT IS HOW GOOD THE TALENT IS. IT IS PAPER THIN, EVERYONE HAS A SHOT.” Laura Schuler, Team Canada coach 22
HOCKEYNOW September 24, 2016
Shannon Szabados played for the Columbus Cottonmouths for the past two seasons and withdrew from the Fall Festival in mid-September to once again pursue a position in the men's pro league.
the Columbus Cottonmouths, a U.S. professional men's team. After suffering an MCL injury last season, Szabados was not on the Cottomouths protected list of players in May. This left her without a team to play on this upcoming season. She made her first appearance at a Hockey Canada camp post-Olympics at the Fall Festival in September. But before the players headed to the on-ice sessions, Szabados announced she was withdrawing from the camp to pursue another opportunity to get on the roster of a men's pro team. "It's been a great experience to return to camp and be a part of Canada's National Women's Team, but at this time I've decided that I will continue to prepare for camp as a goaltender in the men's professional hockey league," said Szabados. "Hockey Canada has given me many opportunities and I'm very thankful for their continued support as well as the support from my teammates." Since Szabados has not been available to Hockey Canada, due to conflicting schedules with the men's pro team, they have been relying on the talents of Emerance Maschmeyer, Genevieve Lacasse, Erica Howe, Charline Labonté (who chose not to attend the Fall Festival camp) and Ann-Renée Desbiens. All of which are playing in the Canadian Women's Hockey League next season, with the exception of Desbiens who will suit up for the University of Wisconsin. Hockey Canada said they fully support Szabados' decision. However, at some point soon she will have to let them know if she plans to wear the Canadian jersey again. "We support her decision to pursue that dream of hers," said Schuler. "It was also great to have here her for a few days and get re-introduced to everybody, get to know the coaches, what direction the program has been going in the last two years and meet new players. Should she decide even this year to come back, once things are settled and figured out on her end, we are definitely open to talking to her. She has been a great ambassador for this program and has done some amazing things."
BRIAN DOHERTY PHOTO
CIS
COLLEGE
OTHER
RIVALRY MATCH-UPS SLATED FOR OUA MEN’S HOCKEY The eighth annual Frosty Mug Game between the Guelph Gryphons and Laurier Golden Hawks will take place on Jan. 19, 2017 at the Sleeman Centre in Guelph. Last season, theWestern Mustangs won a tight 3-2 victory over the Gryphons before a record crowd of 4,374.
The Northern Ontario CIS men's and women's hockey rivalry between the Nipissing Lakers and the Laurentian Voyageurs will have an added twist in 2016-17 with the creation of the 705 Challenge Cup.
MEETING OF RIVALS Neighbours Nipissing Lakers and Laurentian Voyageurs create 705 Challenge Cup STORY Randy Lucenti
T
HE HOCKEY RIVALRY BETWEEN THE NORTHERN Ontario cities of North Bay and Sudbury dates back decades. From the youngest minor hockey teams through to major junior and college, the two hockey hotbeds, less than two hours apart on Hwy. 17, have battled it out for pride and bragging rights on an annual basis. The OHL battles between the North Bay Centennials, and more recently the North Bay Battalion, and the Sudbury Wolves have not only been intense, but at times downright nasty. The Nipissing (North Bay) Lakers and the Laurentian (Sudbury) Voyageurs of the OUA have announced a unique twist on the rivalry beginning in 2016-17. The two educational institutions recently announced the creation of the '705 Challenge Cup' which will be competed for by both men's and women's teams in the sports of hockey, basketball and soccer. Twelve regular season games in the three sports between the schools will be the deciding factor in who wins the
inaugural cup. The scoring each year for the new hardware will consist of the overall win-loss record, with the plus-minus to be factored in with the event of a tie. The only exception is a special scoring format for the basketball games. In men's hockey, the two contests will be played just two days apart with the Lakers hosting the initial contest on Oct. 26 and the Voyageurs doing the honours on Oct. 28. Last season, the clubs met four times with each winning twice. Sudbury won the first two, 3-2 in a shootout at home and 4-2 in the Bay while the Lakers won the final pair, 5-4 in overtime on the road and 4-2 at home. The university rivalry between North Bay and Sudbury is in its infancy as the Lakers enter just their seventh season of OUA play this season while the V's begin just their fourth season since returning to the OUA hockey ranks after a decade away. Mike McParland has been the Lakers head coach since they entered the OUA in 2009 and has guided the club
For bragging rights in Montreal, the McGill Redmen face off against the Stingers at Concordia's Ed Meagher Arena on Jan. 20, 2017 for the 30th annual Ronald Corey Cup. Last year, the Stingers won 4-2 at home in the annual showdown. Ultimate rivals RMC Paladins and Queen's Gaels will face-off at the 31st annual Carr-Harris Cup in Kingston. The Gaels have won the past two including a 6-2 decision in 2015-16. A rematch of last year's exciting OUA (Queen's Cup) final between the UQTR Patriotes and the Western Mustangs will take place on Feb. 4, 2017 at Le ColisĂŠe in Quebec City. The Pats won the 105th Queen's Cup in 2015-16 with a 4-3 overtime victory in London.
to an overall record of 79-70-7. The V's, under the direction of head coach Craig Duncanson, sport a record of 26-56 since rejoining in 2013-14. The women's hockey matches are slated for Sudbury on Nov. 12 and North Bay on Nov. 26. Sudbury took both regular season matches in 2015-16, but both were toss-ups. The V's won 2-1 in overtime in North Bay and then edged the Lakers 1-0 on home ice. Nipissing finished fourth last season in the 13-team OUA with a record of 13-11 while Laurentian placed eighth with an 11-13 won-lost mark.
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COLLEGE
NCAA
DAVID STLUKA PHOTO
Goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens from La Malbaie, Que. is hoping to back-stop the Wisconsin Badgers to an NCAA Division 1 women's hockey title in 2016-17.
VIEW FROM THE TOP Wisconsin Badgers goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens marked as NCAA coaches choice for 2016-17 player of the year STORY Randy Lucenti
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T WILL BE A TALL ORDER FOR CANADIAN GOALTENDER Ann-Renée Desbiens to improve on her outstanding 2015-16 campaign, but that's just what her opponents in the powerful Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) are predicting for the La Malbaie, Que. native. In a recent coaches' poll, the Wisconsin Badgers senior netminder, who was the WCHA and USCHO playerof-the-year last season, was pegged as the conference's preseason choice for player-of-the-year in 2016-17, receiving the nod from five of the eight programs. The WCHA is the NCAA Division 1 women's hockey premier conference having captured 16 of the 17 national titles since the inception of the sport with the Minnesota Golden Gophers leading the way with seven titles, including the last two, Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs with five and the Badgers with four. Desbiens, who is also a key member of Canada's national team program, is hoping to backstop the Badgers to her first national title, and her programs first since 2011, in her final season at Wisconsin.
Last year, the Badgers ended Minnesota's three-year reign as WCHA champions, but fell in the Frozen Four semifinals while the Gophers went on to capture their fourth national title in the past five seasons. The only other team to win an NCAA crown outside of the WCHA are the Clarkson Golden Knights from the ECAC who defeated Minnesota in the 2014 final. Desbiens, who had a busy off-season attending a number of national team development programs, appeared in 38 games for the Badgers (33-4-1) last season and broke the NCAA single-season records for shutouts (21), save percentage (.960) and goals-against average (0.76). For her efforts in 2015-16, Desbiens was one of three finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the top female performer in the nation and is a strong candidate to challenge for the honour again this coming season. She was also the first Canadian selected in the 2016 National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) Draft by the Boston Pride (first round, fourth overall). On the international stage, the 22-year-old was a
member of last year's silver medal winning Canadian team at the IIHF World Women's Championships in Sweden and prior to that was a member of the Team Canada U22 squad in 2012 and won silver for her country at the IIHF World U18 Championships in 2011. Seven other Canadians are hoping to help Desbiens in her quest for a national title in Wisconsin. They are senior defenceman Mellissa Channell (Oakville, Ont.), senior forward Sam Cogan (Ottawa, Ont.), senior forward Sydney McKibbon (Oakville, Ont.), senior forward Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, Ont.), junior defenceman Lauren Williams (Windsor, Ont.), junior forward Emily Clark (Saskatoon, Sask.) and freshmen Nikki Cece (Oakville, Ont.). Three other players from north of the border were also recognized in the pre-season evaluation. Forward Ashleigh Brykaliuk from Bandon, Man., who has toiled for the Bulldogs over the past two seasons, also received a vote from the coaches in the player-of-the-year category. Brykaliuk placed second in team scoring last season with 30 points (16G, 14A) and had four game-winning tallies. In her freshmen campaign, she had 23 points (11G, 12A), including five power play markers and a pair of shorthanded goals. Two other Canadians, forward Lindsay Agnew (Golden Gophers), from Oakville, Ont., and forward Ryleigh Houston (North Dakota Fighting Hawks), who hails from Winnipeg, Man., were pegged as rookies to watch in 2016-17. Freshmen Agnew joins Minnesota after a stellar three years with the Mississauga Jr. Chiefs of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League, where she tallied 150 points (63G, 87A) in 131 games. She has also been a member of Team Ontario and captained Canada's U18 squad. Houston heads to North Dakota after playing for four seasons with the Balmoral Hall Blazers in the Junior Women's Hockey League (Manitoba). She had 156 points (83G, 73A) in 92 games with the Blazers. She has also appeared on the international stage as a member of Team Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championships in both 2015 and 2016. The coaches' poll, where coaches could not vote for their own teams, also picked the Badgers to repeat as WCHA champions with the Golden Gophers placing second, followed by North Dakota, Minnesota-Duluth, Bemidji State Beavers, St. Cloud State Huskies, Ohio State Buckeyes and Minnesota State Mavericks.
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NHL PROSPECTS
FEATURE
TERRY WILSON / OHL IMAGES
10 CHL SLEEPER PROSPECTS TO WATCH STORY Marshall Mackinder
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S CHL TRAINING CAMPS WIND DOWN AND FINAL rosters are submitted, certain NHL draft eligible names come up as potential first, second and third rounders. Nolan Patrick in the WHL, Gabriel Vilardi in the OHL and Maxime Comtois in the QMJHL as are considered sure-fire Top 10 picks. But looking out deeper in the draft, here are some names (in no particular order) to keep an eye on that could and should land on NHL scout’s radars during the upcoming CHL season.
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MARKUS PHILLIPS [D] OWEN SOUND ATTACK MarkusPhillips had a strong showing at the Summer Team Canada Under-18 Canada Camp and then Ivan Hlinka tournament in August. His speed and skating ability give him the advantage to win puck races and get back into position after a pinch. A mobile defenceman, Phillips likes to shoot the puck but needs to work on his accuracy and timing. Listed at 6 feet and 200 pounds, he has great size but needs to get a little more upper body strength to compensate for his quick feet.
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LARRY BRUNT
JACOB MCGREW [LW] SPOKANE CHIEFS A sensational standout in a very deep Spokane lineup this preseason, Jacob McGrew looked very comfortable in his first WHL action. Listed at 5’11” and 180 pounds, McGrew is a dynamic winger who can fly up and down the wing with great offensive instincts. He has a very high hockey IQ and has great vision on the forecheck. He gets knocked around a bit and will need to add some muscle, but his development is progressing at a great pace.
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JOCKTAN CHAINEY [D] HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS JocktanChainey is a poised, controlling offensive defenceman who is rarely caught out of position. He is a solid skater in tight but needs to work on his man-for-man coverage as he is not overly physical and tends to lose his check. In his rookie season, Chainey posted five goals and 18 points in 46 games between Shawinigan and Halifax with a combined 14 penalty minutes. Those numbers will increase this year in his first full season with Halifax.
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CALE FLEURY [D] KOOTENAY ICE CaleFleury is set for his third full campaign in the WHL and will lead the Ice defence corps this season. After two seasons, Fleury has posted nine goals and 38 points with 53 penalty minutes. A good skating defenceman who can shoot the puck and will engage into the physical game, Fleury turns heads on the whether he is pinching into the offensive zone and creating a scoring chance or throwing a neutral zone hit.
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MACKENZIE ENTWISTLE [LW] HAMILTON BULLDOGS Mackenzie Entwistle is a free shooting, high flying winger who is very quick to see opportunities in all three zones and shows creativity setting up his line mates and taking advantage of holes in the defence. Entwistle needs to grow the confidence to skate the puck to the danger areas where he currently would rather skate out of trouble than cause trouble. At 6’4” and 177 pounds, he has the height but needs to add some weight to give him a stronger lower body to help improve his skating and acceleration.
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MATT WELSH [G] CHARLOTTETOWN ISLANDERS Matt Welsh is a small goalie (5’10”, 175 pounds) by today’s standards but is coming off a solid rookie campaign posting a 12-9-4 record, 3.20 GAA and a .904 save percentage. He is a quick, agile goalie who does a good job of staying close to his posts taking away any space for pucks to sneak by him. At his size, he must remember to stay on his feet as much as possible to take away the top part of the net and did a good job of remembering that last season.
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IAN BLACKER [D] LONDON KNIGHTS Ian Blacker was a standout at Canada’s U-18 Summer Camp with his defensive skills and ability to force the opposing forwards to keep their heads up. He uses his huge wingspan to dictate which direction his opponents go, keeping them off balance and forcing turnovers. A big kid (6’3”/181 pounds) with a lot of growing left, Blacker is not afraid to play the physical side of the game and plays above his age. He doesn’t shoot much, but when he does, he keeps it low for deflections and causes rebounds.
JAMES MALM [LW] VANCOUVER GIANTS JamesMalm is coming off a year in which he began the season with Vancouver but was then sent down to the Valley West Hawks of the BCMML after only 25 games. Malm is an undersized (5’9”/179 pounds) winger who will get every chance to play a prominent role with the Giants this season. He almost always finds open space to send the puck ahead of his linemates, and moves his feet and cycles the puck down low with constant movement, tiring out defenders. ADAM CAPANNELLI [LW] MONCTON WILDCATS Before Adam Capannelli even suited up for a game in the QMJHL, he was already with his second team. Earlier this Summer, Baie-Comeau traded Capannelli to the Moncton Wildcats. Capannelli is a very strong competitor who will do whatever is asked of him. He is a real competitor who will skate hard to get to from Point A to Point B, but he is only an average skater at best. He will quickly show that he has the tools to put together a solid draft season. CONNOR DEWAR [C] EVERETT SILVERTIPS ConnorDewar played in all 72 Silvertip regular season games and all nine playoff games earning the Silvertips Iron Man Award and was named the ‘Tips Rookie of the Year after posting 11 goals and 18 points while adding one goal in the playoffs. He can do whatever you need him to do: win the big faceoff, kill penalties, distribute the puck on the power play and is now showing a real knack for the net. While he is a bit undersized, (5’10”, 170 pounds), he is a strong competitor and ever gives up on a play and plays until the final whistle. September 24, 2016 HOCKEYNOW
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TOURNAMENT CALENDAR
OCTOBER 2016 OTTAWA, ON | Oct. 13 - 16 12th Annual Ottawa Senators Showcase Tournament. Male. Divisions: Major Midget. Levels: AAA. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca FT WAYNE, IN | Oct. 14 - 16 FT. WAYNE PRE-SEASON CLASSIC. Male & Female. Divisions: Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. Levels: AAA, AA , A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com BRADFORD, ON | Oct. 14 - 16 Bradford Bulldogs Blue and Gold Classic. Male. Divisions: Novice - Minor Midget. Levels: A, B, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com LAKE PLACID, NY | Oct. 14 - 16 AMERICAN CUP I. Male. Divisions: Minor Atom - Squirt. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com OTTAWA, ON | Oct. 21 - 23 12th Annual Capital Fall Classic - Weekend 1. Male. Divisions: Minor Atom, Minor Peewee, Minor Bantam. Levels: AAA, AA. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca OTTAWA, ON | Oct. 21 - 23 3rd Annual Capital Volunteer Cup. Male. Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Major Midget. Levels: A, B. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca
NOVEMBER 2016 BRADFORD, ON | Nov. 4 - 6 Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Divisions: Atom - Midget. Levels: 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. Divisions: Adult Rec. Levels: All Levels, Senior, Junior. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com OTTAWA, ON | Nov. 4 - 6 12th Annual Capital Fall Classic - Weekend 2. Male. Divisions: Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Major Midget. Levels: AA, A. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca BARRIE, ON | Nov. 11 - 13 Barrie Colts AAA Remembrance Day Tournament . Male. Divisions: Novice - Midget. Levels: AAA. Contact: james@weekendhockey.com eekendhockey.com. OTTAWA, ON | Nov. 11 - 13 34th Annual Kanata Girls Hockey Association Competitive Tournament. Female. Divisions: Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. Levels: AA, A, B. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca BRADFORD, ON | Nov. 18 - 20 Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Divisions: Minor Peewee - Midget. Levels: A, B, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com
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MONTREAL, PQ | Nov. 18 - 20 CANADIAN CUP I. Male & Female. Divisions: Atom - Midget. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com CHICAGO, IL | Nov. 25 - 27 CHICAGO THANKSGIVING CLASSIC. Male & Female. Divisions: Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. Levels: AAA, AA , A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com MONTREAL, PQ | Nov. 25 - 27 MONTREAL YOUTH FALL CLASSIC 1. Male & Female. Divisions: Initiation, Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. Levels: AAA, AA , A, B. Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com STOWE, VT | Nov. 25 - 27 STOWE VERMONT THANKSGIVING CLASSIC. Male. Divisions: Minor Atom - Major Midget. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com RICHMOND, ON | Nov. 25 - 27 RMMHA House League Novice A, B, & C Tournament. Male & Female. Divisions: Novice. Levels: A, B. Contact: tournaments.rmmha@gmail.com or rmmh.pointstreaksites.com OTTAWA, ON | Nov. 25 - 27 12th Annual Capital Mid-Season Showdown. Male. Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Major Midget. Levels: A, B. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca
DECEMBER 2016 BRADFORD, ON | Dec. 2 - 4 Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Divisions: Initiation - Midget. Levels: B, House, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com MONTREAL, PQ | Dec. 2 - 4 CANADIAN CUP II. Male & Female. Divisions: Minor Atom - Squirt. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com LAKE PLACID, NY | Dec. 9 - 11 AMERICAN CUP II. Male & Female. Divisions: Minor Atom - Squirt. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com OTTAWA, ON | Dec. 9 - 11 3rd Annual GCGH Kickin Ice in the Capital. Female. Divisions: Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. Levels: AA, A, B. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca OTTAWA, ON | Dec. 16 - 18 13th Annual Ottawa Senators Novice Holiday Classic. Male. Divisions: Novice. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, House, All Levels. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca CAMBRIDGE, ON | Dec. 27 - 30 50th Annual Hespeler Olympics Hockey Tournament. Male. Divisions: Initiation - Juvenile. Levels: A, B, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com RICHMOND, ON | Dec. 27 Richmond IP Fun Day Holiday Hockey Challenge. Male & Female. Divisions: Initiation. Levels: House.
Contact: tournaments.rmmha@gmail.com or rmmh.pointstreaksites.com RICHMOND, ON | Dec. 28 RMMHA Midget A House League Tournament. Male & Female. Divisions: Midget. Levels: A, House. Contact: tournaments.rmmha@gmail.com or rmmh.pointstreaksites.com RICHMOND, ON | Dec. 28 RMMHA Bantam A House League Tournament. Male & Female. Divisions: Bantam. Levels: A, House. Contact: tournaments.rmmha@gmail.com or rmmh.pointstreaksites.com RICHMOND, ON | Dec. 29 RMMHA Bantam B House League Tournament. Male & Female. Divisions: Bantam. Levels: B, House. Contact: tournaments.rmmha@gmail.com or rmmh.pointstreaksites.com LAKE PLACID, NY | Dec. 29 - 31 AMERICAN CUP III. Male. Divisions: Minor Atom - Bantam. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com RICHMOND, ON | Dec. 30 RMMHA Midget B House League Tournament. Male & Female. Divisions: Midget. Levels: B, House. Contact: tournaments.rmmha@gmail.com or rmmh.pointstreaksites.com BURLINGTON, ON | Dec. 30 - Jan 1 Burlington Weekend Hockey Tournament Tournament. Male Divisions: Juvenile, Adult Rec. Levels: All Levels, Senior. Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com
JANUARY 2017 OTTAWA, ON | Jan. 6 - 8 13th Annual Capital Winter Classic - Weekend 1. Male. Divisions: Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Major Midget. Levels: AA, A, B. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca LAKE PLACID, NY | Jan. 12 - 15 AMERICAN CUP IV. Male. Divisions: Minor Atom - Bantam. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com BRADFORD, ON | Jan. 13 - 15 Bradford Blue & Gold Classic. Male. Divisions: Peewee - Midget. Levels: B, House, Selects. Contact: weekendhockey.email@gmail.com or weekendhockey.com MONTREAL, PQ | JAN. 13 - 15 CANADIAN CUP III. Male & Female. Divisions: Minor Atom - Squirt. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com QUEBEC CITY, PQ | Jan. 13 - 15 QUEBEC CUP. Male & Female. Divisions: Atom - Bantam. Levels: AA, A, B, Selects. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or www.chehockey.com OTTAWA, ON | Jan. 13 - 15 12th Annual Ottawa Senators Winter Showcase Tournament. Female. Divisions: Bantam, Midget. Levels: AA. Contact: tournaments@sensplex.ca or sensplex.ca
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