FNH Thoughts
Jordan Binnington has rounded back into form. The St. Louis Blues draft pick who was so brilliant in last year’s Mastercard Memorial Cup has rebounded from a tough start. Over September and October, Binnington went 5-5 with a 3.90 GAA and an .870 save percentage. In four January games, Binnington is 2-1-0-1 with a 2.70 and a .917 save percentage.
Mike Halmo is the next Andrew Shaw. Grit and competitiveness are two things you can’t teach, and Halmo is loaded with both of those, just as his former teammate was in his last season with the Attack. There’s something to be said for guys who "can’t do anything well," but somehow find a way to get it done. I say that with all due respect to both players. I’m a huge fan of the overachieving type.
Dale DeGray has done an amazing job keeping this club young and competitive which are two words rarely used together after a league title and Mastercard Memorial Cup appearance. The Attack has lost 9 of its top 10 scorers from last season and has been without top six forwards and draft eligibles Artur Gavrus and Jarrod Maidens for long stretches.
The Attack looked a little like deer-in-the-headlights though on Friday night. The London jinx continued in a shootout loss on the back end of the home and home Saturday night. The Knights are now 24-5-0 against the Attack over the last five seasons.
As for the Knights, still really good without the likes of Jared Knight and Scott Harrington. When those two get back, they will challenge for a Western Conference title and an OHL championship.
Austin Watson was a huge add, he gives the Knights some badly needed size and edge. The measuring stick in the OHL’s Western Conference is the Plymouth Whalers. The Whalers have a ton of size and have always exhibited a physical brand of hockey under Head Coach Mike Velucci.
The Joey Hishon thing did not sit well with Owen Sound but Hishon, despite what paper work might otherwise say, will end his junior career as an Attacker. Here’s hoping for much improved health for Hishon, the former first round Colorado Avalanche pick.
Attack Assistant Coach Terry Virtue still keeps close tabs on his former team the Tri-City Americans. And why wouldn’t you? They’re the top team in the CHL.
Speaking of Tri-City, still think the chances of getting Brett Connolly are less than 50/50? I don’t.
Tie Domi is enjoying life as a hockey father. So much so, he commutes weekly from his job with a hedge fund in New York to see his son Max play.
Isn’t it about time someone drafted Michael Houser? He’s in his last year of draft eligibility and in typical Hunter fashion, he’s getting the opportunity to play and play a lot. Although he did get a rest Saturday night as he didn’t even make the trip to Owen Sound. Houser is calm, has a great glove and works his tail off according to goalie coach Bill Dark. And he’s a goalie by process of elimination. He was born with club feet (feet turned inward and on their sides) and can’t skate well enough to play forward or defence. After several surgeries to correct both feet, Houser is getting by just fine thank you very much. Scouts wondered if he’d be able to handle the rigors of a full regular season. He’s played in all but 3 of the Knights 45 games. I have a tremendous amount of respect for those who persevere to follow a dream. As a child, it looked as if Houser would never be able to participate in sports at all.
Tyson Teichmann made his first start for the Knights Saturday, but was replaced by Jake Patterson less than a minute into the third period.
Jarred Tinordi seems much more assertive after his stint with Team USA at the World Juniors. If more of that team cared the way Tinordi did/does, a 7th place finish would never have happened.
Stan Butler for Coach of the Year in the OHL? The Battalion have scored 142 goals this season, that’s better than just 3 other teams in the OHL, and 2 of those 3 will not make the playoffs. Yes defence wins games, but you still have to score in order to win, or do you? Ho-hum, just another playoff berth for Stan and the Troops.
Although the Kingston Frontenacs are 19th of 20 OHL teams, I’ve had several coaches tell me they’re not a fun team to play against. With the Fronts youth and Head Coach Todd Gill getting a year of CHL experience under his belt, the future is starting to look bright in what should be one of the OHL’s crown jewel franchises.
The Saurault, Thompson, Rensfeldt line was absolutely dominant for Sarnia Thursday night in a 6-4 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
After winning 4 of his first 5 starts with the Hounds, Jack Campbell is just 3-9 since. Although the team around him hasn’t been great, sometimes a world class player must take a team on his shoulders. Campbell has that ability, and now he’ll have to put it on display for the Sault to get into the playoffs. The Hounds are a point back of Guelph for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, but the team ahead, the Guelph Storm has four games at hand.
QMJHL
How about his former WJHC teammate Charlie Coyle, he continues to light it up with St. JOHN, adding another pair Saturday night, one more Sunday. He now has 5 goals in 4 games with the Dogs, and he’s scored at least one in every QMJHL game he’s played.
How does a guy who’s scored 42 goals and 84 points have 0 PIM? When you’re around the net enough to score that many, wouldn’t you slip up at least once? Not Zach O’Brien of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. I counted at least 10 goalies in the Q alone, that have more PIM’s.
Benoit Groulx continues to weave his magic as the Olympiques upended Shawinigan 4-2 Saturday night, the game ended with a line brawl. By the way, no Taylor Carnevale in the lineup for the Cats.
Victoriaville has won 5 straight and is tied with the Quebec Remparts (2 games at hand) for 2nd spot in the Telus East division. In fact 3 of the league’s top 5 teams reside in the Telus East. Still my pick for the best division in the CHL. Of their last 7 wins, the Tigres have had GWG’s from 6 different players (Brandon Hynes has 2).
Make that 12 points in 5 games for Jean-Gabriel Pageau since being traded from Gatineau. The Olympiques have points in 3 of 4 games without the Ottawa Senators prospect.
WHL
How are the additions of Cam Braes and James Henry working out for Moose Jaw? Braes has 8 points in 6 games, while Henry has 6 points in 6 games since the trade. The Warriors have points in 4 of those 6 games. It’s not overwhelming, but given some more time and Braes’ hunger matched with Henry’s experience will prove beneficial for Warriors GM Alan Millar.
The Edmonton Oil Kings flexed their muscles, in three games this week, they outscored Prince George, Swift Current and Prince Albert by a combined 20-3. Not that either of those three clubs are WHL contenders, but there’s a lot to be said about beating teams you’re supposed to beat. And that rings especially true for a franchise with very limited playoff experience. Michael St. Croix had 6 goals and 10 points, Tyler Maxwell added 5 goals and 8 points, while Martin Gernat had 6 assists. Flames prospect Laurent Brossoit has stopped 104 of his last 110 shots (.946 percent). He’s another guy to keep an eye on for Canada’s World Junior Summer Development camp.
The Kamloops Blazers have won 9 straight and have points in 14 of their last 15 games. That stretch includes two one-goal wins over Tri-City. The two teams have met three times, all decided by a goal, one in overtime, one in the shootout, one in regulation. They meet for the fourth and final time February 8th in the Loops.
Jordan Weal’s 11 game point streak has helped him move into a tie with Ty Rattie for the WHL scoring lead. Of those 11 games, 8 of them have been multi-point efforts.
A streaky bunch you say. How about the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Tigers have a five game losing streak, a three game losing streak and in between all of that, have managed 5 win streaks of at least three games. By the way, the Tigers have won their last four.
Didn’t like the Dylan McIlrath hit one bit.
For more on the CHL, be sure to check out Patrick King right here at sportsnet.ca. Patrick and I will combine to come up with a top ten list of CHL-only prospects for the last Friday of every month. We’ll kick it off this Friday in preparation for the Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects game, February 1 from Kelowna.
This week FNH heads back to the nation’s capital for a tilt between the Sarnia Sting and the Ottawa 67’s. The Ottawa 67’s had a fun-filled weekend scoring 21 goals in just 3 weekend games. Shane Prince and Tyler Toffoli lead the way with 8 points apiece. And the Sting, even without Batman (Nail Yakupov) and Robin (Alex Galchenyuk) are still loaded with talent.
FNH Schedule
Friday, January 27- Sarnia @ Ottawa 7pm ET
Wednesday, February 1- Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects game 7 pm PT
Friday, February 3- OFF
Friday, February 10- OFF