By Patrick King, Sportsnet.ca
Sarnia Sting forward Steven Stamkos is one step closer the becoming the first overall pick in the National Hockey League Entry Draft.
Stamkos, the first overall pick by the Sting in the 2006 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection, was ranked first among OHL skaters in Central Scouting’s preliminary rankings for the NHL draft. Stamkos is joined by Sting goaltender Tomi Karhunen who was ranked seventh among OHL goalies. Guelph Storm goaltender Thomas McCollum is the top rated OHL goaltender.
In the Western Hockey League, fresh off a highlight reel goal in Edmonton recently, Everett Silvertips forward Kyle Beach took the top spot among WHL skaters. Carey Price’s understudy in Tri-City last season, Chet Pickard, is the top ranked WHL goaltender.
Meanwhile, the Québec Remparts were well represented as first year Belarusian Mikhail Stefanovich was the top ranked skater from the Québec Major Junior Hockey League. Stefanovich is joined by teammates Maxime Sauvé (eighth), Kelsey Tessier (10th) and Dominik Bohac (23rd).
The defending QMJHL champion Lewiston MAINEiacs have developed a habit of producing top-notch goaltenders. Peter Delmas, the backup to first round pick Jonathan Bernier, was ranked first among QMJHL goaltenders.
The rankings are split by league, skaters and goaltenders in the preliminary list before going to a full North American/European skater and goaltender lists. The NHL’s Central Scouting will release two more lists, one mid-term list later this season and a final list in advance of June’s draft.
Windsor loading up for a run
What a difference a season can make. One season removed from finishing with the second-worst record in the OHL, the Windsor Spitfires are looking more like a league contender each week.
Given their hot start and legitimate chance to contend for the championship, the Spitfires seized the opportunity to land a proven veteran goaltender. Windsor acquired Czech goaltender Michal Neuvirth, defenceman Tom Kane and a pick from the Plymouth Whalers in exchange for defenceman Michal Jordan, goaltender Matt Hackett and a pair of draft picks.
“We feel that this move has solidified our team,” Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel said on the team’s website. “Michal Neuvirth is a world-class player, a proven playoff performer and one of the top goaltenders in the OHL.
“We could not pass up the opportunity to acquire a goalie of Michal’s caliber.”
With up-and-coming goaltender Jeremy Smith proving capable of handling the workload in Plymouth, the defending champion Whalers made Neuvirth available. Neuvirth was a key contributor in the Whalers’ run to the OHL championship last season but had struggled in the Memorial Cup.
The Spitfires also acquired overage goaltender David Reekie off waivers from the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. The Silvertips tried trading Reekie within the league but after having difficulties finding takers, he was placed on waivers. Reekie should provide the team with plenty of stability in goal should Neuvirth struggle.
Russia takes Game 1
The CHL’s winning-streak in the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge is now over. The CHL had won the last 16 consecutive games in the challenge and now has a record of 21-4 all-time against the Russians.
The Russians scored three unanswered goals to close out the game, winning the first contest 6-4 in the six-game challenge. Russian forward Mikail Milekhin led the offensive charge with two goals and an assist while Andrew Bodnarchuk had a three-point game for the QMJHL all-stars.
Of the four all-time Russian wins in the series, each has come against a team from the QMJHL with two coming by way of a shootout.
Game 2 of the challenge will be played in Gatineau, Que. between the QMJHL all-stars and Russian Selects on Wednesday. All the action can be seen on Rogers Sportsnet.
Strong CHL flavour at Under-17s
As is always the case, the Canadian Hockey League is the go-to league for many of the Canadian participants in the annual World Under-17 Challenge. The challenge, which will be held in London, Ont., is a 10-team tournament with five teams from Canada.
The CHL is best represented by Team Ontario where 20 of 22 players currently play in the OHL. Team West, which comprises of players from Saskatchewan and Manitoba, has 16 of 22 players on their roster from the WHL. Team Pacific, a team of Albertans and British Columbians, has 14 of 22 players from the WHL. Team Atlantic has six of 22 players from the QMJHL while Team Québec has yet to name their roster.
Here are the CHL representatives in the tournament:
From Team Ontario: goaltenders Bryce O’Hagan (Sault Ste. Marie) and Michael Zador (London); defencemen Taylor Doherty (Kingston), Ryan Ellis (Windsor), Brett Flemming (Mississauga), Daniel Maggio (Sudbury), Peter Hermenegildo (Sudbury) and David Corrente (Oshawa); forwards Ryan O’Reilly (Erie), Zach Kassian (Peterborough), Casey Cizikas (Mississauga), Peter Holland (Guelph), Taylor Hall (Windsor), Andrew Agozzino (Niagara), Michael Latta (Ottawa), Joey Hishon (Owen Sound), Ryan Martindale (Ottawa), Matthew Duchene (Brampton), Tyler Randell (Belleville) and Colt Kennedy (Sarnia).
Team West CHL representatives: defencemen Alexander Pym (Regina), Brodie Melnychuk (Brandon), Brayden McNabb (Kootenay) and Jared Cowen (Spokane); forwards Carter Ashton (Lethbridge), Brayden Schenn (Brandon), Adam Hughesman (Tri-City), Jimmy Bubnick (Kamloops), Mason Wilgosh (Tri-City), Brandon Herrod (Prince Albert), Linden Vey (Medicine Hat), Jason Gardiner (Tri-City), Garrett Mitchell (Regina), Cody Eakin (Swift Current), Scott Glennie (Brandon) and James Henry (Vancouver).
From Team Pacific: goaltenders James Priestner (Kamloops) and Nathan Lieuwen (Kootenay); defencemen Brennan Yadlowski (Lethbridge), Tyson Barrie (Kelowna), Steven Chaffin (Seattle), Stefan Elliott (Saskatoon), Neil Manning (Vancouver) and Ryan Button (Prince Albert); forwards Brenden Silvester (Seattle), Evander Kane (Vancouver), Chase Schaber (Calgary), Landon Ferraro (Red Deer), Justin Maylan (Moose Jaw) and Ryan Howse (Chilliwack).
Representing Team Atlantic from the CHL are: defenceman Brad Yetman (Shawinigan); forwards Steven Anthony (Saint John), Matt Brown (Moncton), Cameron Critchlow (Acadie-Bathurst), Devon MacAusland (Moncton) and Travis Randell (Halifax).
The tournament begins Dec. 29 and concludes with the gold medal game on Jan. 4 at the John Labatt Centre in London.
QMJHL student athletes of the month
The QMJHL recognized the scholastic players of the month of October recently. Each month’s winners become eligible to win the Marcel Robert Trophy as the league’s scholastic player of the year. In addition, the Guy Lafleur bursary, worth $6,000, is awarded to the winner at the league’s awards in April.
Here are the winners:
Marek Benda (Cape Breton), Patrick Bernier (Shawinigan), Alexandre Brunet (Rimouski), Randy Cameron (Moncton), Maxime Clermont (Gatineau), Allan Clow (P.E.I.), Marc-André Daneau (Lewiston), Hubert Genest (Québec), Benoit Lévesque (Drummondville), Maxime Lévesque (Val-d’Or), Payton Liske (Saint John), Ben MacAskill (Halifax), Olivier Painchaud (Chicoutimi), Dylan Quaile (Rouyn-Noranda), Antoine Tardif (Acadie-Bathurst), Mike Villeneuve (Baie-Comeau) and Alex Wall (St. John’s).
Noteworthy: Spokane Chiefs forward Drayson Bowman was named the WHL and CHL player of the week. … Kamloops Blazers goaltender Justin Leclerc was named the CHL’s goaltender of the week. … Sarnia Sting goaltender Tomi Karhunen was named the OHL’s player of the week. … Saint John Sea Dogs overage forward Alexandre Picard-Hooper was named the QMJHL’s offensive player of the week while Halifax Mooseheads defenceman Andrew Bodnarchuk was named the league’s defensive player of the week. … Acadie-Bathurst traded captain Jordan Clendenning to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles for Jonathan Laberge. … The London Knights acquired overage forward Sean O’Connor from Plymouth for a draft pick. The Knights also traded defenceman Corbin Crawford to the Kingston Frontenacs for a draft pick. … The Vancouver Giants inked BCHL star Casey Pierro-Zabotel to a WHL contract. Vancouver also traded forward Mike Reich to the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for a draft pick. … The Kootenay Ice acquired a draft pick from the Tri-City Americans in exchange for forward Travis Gorman. … The Red Deer Rebels acquired forward Cody Esposito from the Spokane Chiefs in exchange for forward Luke Betts. … The Prince Albert Raiders acquired defenceman Zak Stebner from the Red Deer Rebels for the WHL rights to goaltender David Aime. … The Portland Winter Hawks announced the hiring of WHL alumni and former NHL veteran Mark Janssens as the special consultant to the CEO in the hockey operations department.
