NHL Prospect Notebook: U18 national team gets a new look

New Look U18

Team Canada’s U18 men’s national team will have a markedly different look than it has in the past. No QMJHL players will be made available, as most teams still have a number of games remaining in their regular season. Further, the OHL and WHL will just be starting their playoffs, and as a result of that, only players from the ten teams out of the playoffs will be available.

Because of these challenges, expect an influx of players from Tier II, the USHL and prep schools to be considered. With the potential of tie breakers, an official roster announcement is a moving target, expected Tuesday of next week at the latest.

One thing is for certain, the coaching staff has been announced. Nolan Baumgartner will be the head coach. He most recently worked as an assistant on Canada’s men’s Olympic team. Todd Miller, who was let go as Oshawa’s head coach on March 12th and Dave Struch, who was let go from Regina on November 18th, are two of the assistants.

In a first ever move by Hockey Canada, Kori Cheverie will work as an assistant coach. She becomes the first female to be part of a men’s national team staff. Cheverie will work as the eye in the sky. Cheverie most recently won gold with Canada’s women’s Olympic team in Beijing.

Canada will compete in Group A with the US, Czechia and Germany. Pool B consists of Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Latvia. The Russians and Belarussians were uninvited as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The tournament begins April 23rd in Kaufbeuren and Landshut, Germany. Canada will face the US in its first preliminary game.

Exceptional Misa

As has been discussed in this space previously, Michael Misa of the OHL Cup champion Mississauga Senators was granted exceptional status for early entry into the OHL Cup Priority Selection, which takes place Apr. 29th. Misa is the sixth player granted exceptional status into the OHL, and the eighth overall. The Ontarians before him include John Tavares, Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, Sean Day, and Shane Wright. Joe Veleno and Connor Bedard round out the group of eight.

Play On

There are still a number of games to be played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The last weekend day of regular season play is Sunday, May 1.

Jordan’s Play

Halifax’s Jordan Dumais (NHL CS#72) takes a five game multi-point streak into play Thursday night. He’s used the 14 points during the streak to make his way into the top five of league scoring with 86 points.

Who in the Q?

QMJHL Central scouting released its top 90 prospects eligible for the 2022 draft. Originally, the QMJHL draft was to be held June 17-18, but that was pushed to July 3-4 based on the Memorial Cup having been moved. The Q draft, typically one of the best live events on the schedule, will be held virtually once again.

Q Cup

Several of the players listed will have an opportunity to improve on that ranking in the final stage of the QMJHL Cup, to be held Apr. 27-May 1 in Blainville-Boisbriand. The top 40 players from the Atlantic provinces and the top 80 players from the province of Quebec have been split into four different teams.

Dub Races

The final weekend of regular season play in the WHL could get interesting. Heading into play Thursday night, the eighth through 11th placed teams in the Eastern Conference are within two points of each other. Swift Current owns the eight spot, but rounds out its schedule with a game versus Prince Albert on Friday. Calgary is one point back with one game left which is Sunday at home against Lethbridge. Regina is at 57 points, but has three games remaining. Prince Albert also has 57 points with two games left. The scenarios are too many to detail, but should make for a fun weekend.

In the Western Conference, two points separate sixth through ninth, with Vancouver occupying the sixth spot with 52 points and two games remaining. Spokane and Prince George sit at 51 points with two games left and Victoria is at 50 points, in ninth spot, with two games left. The series to keep an eye on there is Spokane in Victoria for the two-game weekend set.

More Dub Stuff

Barring something miraculous from teammate Ben King, Red Deer’s Arshdeep Bains is poised to win the WHL scoring title. He’s got a seven point lead on King with one game left. As of Thursday, King was the only player in the league to reach the 50-goal mark. Regina’s Connor Bedard needs one goal over his next thee games to equal 50. Everett’s Jacskon Berezowski sits at 46, while Edmonton’s Dylan Guenther is at 45, each of their teams’ has two games remaining.

Get Your Ticket

Four teams will have an equal chance at winning the OHL draft lottery. Saginaw, Niagara, Sudbury and either Erie or Sarnia will be in the lottery. The lottery will take place upon conclusion of the regular season on April 17.