nivek_wahs
09-20-2007, 03:17 PM
From Alan Caldwell's blog... http://smallatlarge.blogspot.com/... If you want to visit the links mentioned in this post visit Alan`s blog, it`s worth the read.
Thursday notes
The day we've been waiting for since late May is here: the season starts tonight in Edmonton with a clash between the Oil Kings and the Kootenay Ice. The game is on Shaw in Canada.
To kick off the season, the first edition of the CHL Top Ten rankings are out. Let's see: four OHL teams, four QMJHL teams, and two WHL teams. Of course, because everyone knows the WHL is only half as good as the other two leagues, right? The 'dub has only won four of the last seven Memorial Cups after all. I am not an expert on the strength of OHL and QMJHL teams but WHL teams like Kamloops, Vancouver, and Regina can all make a pretty good case to be on that list with Calgary and Everett.
Anyways.....whole bunch of NHL cuts yesterday saw a good 10 or so WHLers returned to junior: Drayson Bowman, Justin McCrae, Spencer Machacek, Keaton Ellerby, Michal Repik, Mark Santorelli, Viktor Sjodin, Jonathon Blum and Nick Ross. By my count, this leaves only 28 players still at NHL camps - and 20 of them are Silvertips. Or so it seems anyway.
A few cuts.....Brandon cuts one defenceman. So do the Regina Pats.
The Hitmen have sent sniper Keegan Dansereau home for disciplinary reasons, and it doesn't sound very promising for him rejoining the team. Sounds more like there could be a trade brewing for the very talented but unmotivated Dansereau. Also mentioned in that article is the release of tryout forward Graham Telford.
The returning members of the Medicine Hat Tigers feel they have some unfinished business.
Lethbridge's big three forwards are looking forward to some more 21 point nights.
Good piece in the Everett Herald today about how the U.S. teams no longer have to wait until after October 1st to have their home openers. It seems the start date on the work permits non-American players require to play in the United States has been changed to be earlier than the previous October 1st date. So, the WHL will no longer have to wait until October to play games south of the border.
Regina goalie Linden Rowat knows what is expected of him this year and is ready for the season.
With the Oil Kings opening the season in Edmonton tonight, there's a slew of articles about the team in the Edmonton papers today. This is good to see, compared to the way the Ice were ignored by the media during their two seasons there. Today we have:
profile of defenceman Michael Hengen - also includes the news that Lance Redden was cut.
preview of the Central division and where the Oil Kings fit in
first-game nerves for rookies and veterans alike
a look at head coach Steve Pleau
profile of #1 import selection and budding star Tomas Vincour
capsule look at every player on the roster
looks at the three overagers on the blueline
Seven articles between the two papers. Pretty damn good.....bet a lot of established teams won't get that much ink before their home openers.
Want to design the goalie mask for Hitmen goaltender Martin Jones? The team is running a contest for fans to submit their designs, and Jones will pick one entry and have his currently plain black mask painted with the winning design.
Not WHL related, but the QMJHL will webcast all of their games for free this year. I have not tried watching any of them myself, but the link to do so is here. The OHL and WHL also webcast their games of course, but not for free.
More news later. And both the B.C. and U.S. division previews will be up later today.
Thursday notes
The day we've been waiting for since late May is here: the season starts tonight in Edmonton with a clash between the Oil Kings and the Kootenay Ice. The game is on Shaw in Canada.
To kick off the season, the first edition of the CHL Top Ten rankings are out. Let's see: four OHL teams, four QMJHL teams, and two WHL teams. Of course, because everyone knows the WHL is only half as good as the other two leagues, right? The 'dub has only won four of the last seven Memorial Cups after all. I am not an expert on the strength of OHL and QMJHL teams but WHL teams like Kamloops, Vancouver, and Regina can all make a pretty good case to be on that list with Calgary and Everett.
Anyways.....whole bunch of NHL cuts yesterday saw a good 10 or so WHLers returned to junior: Drayson Bowman, Justin McCrae, Spencer Machacek, Keaton Ellerby, Michal Repik, Mark Santorelli, Viktor Sjodin, Jonathon Blum and Nick Ross. By my count, this leaves only 28 players still at NHL camps - and 20 of them are Silvertips. Or so it seems anyway.
A few cuts.....Brandon cuts one defenceman. So do the Regina Pats.
The Hitmen have sent sniper Keegan Dansereau home for disciplinary reasons, and it doesn't sound very promising for him rejoining the team. Sounds more like there could be a trade brewing for the very talented but unmotivated Dansereau. Also mentioned in that article is the release of tryout forward Graham Telford.
The returning members of the Medicine Hat Tigers feel they have some unfinished business.
Lethbridge's big three forwards are looking forward to some more 21 point nights.
Good piece in the Everett Herald today about how the U.S. teams no longer have to wait until after October 1st to have their home openers. It seems the start date on the work permits non-American players require to play in the United States has been changed to be earlier than the previous October 1st date. So, the WHL will no longer have to wait until October to play games south of the border.
Regina goalie Linden Rowat knows what is expected of him this year and is ready for the season.
With the Oil Kings opening the season in Edmonton tonight, there's a slew of articles about the team in the Edmonton papers today. This is good to see, compared to the way the Ice were ignored by the media during their two seasons there. Today we have:
profile of defenceman Michael Hengen - also includes the news that Lance Redden was cut.
preview of the Central division and where the Oil Kings fit in
first-game nerves for rookies and veterans alike
a look at head coach Steve Pleau
profile of #1 import selection and budding star Tomas Vincour
capsule look at every player on the roster
looks at the three overagers on the blueline
Seven articles between the two papers. Pretty damn good.....bet a lot of established teams won't get that much ink before their home openers.
Want to design the goalie mask for Hitmen goaltender Martin Jones? The team is running a contest for fans to submit their designs, and Jones will pick one entry and have his currently plain black mask painted with the winning design.
Not WHL related, but the QMJHL will webcast all of their games for free this year. I have not tried watching any of them myself, but the link to do so is here. The OHL and WHL also webcast their games of course, but not for free.
More news later. And both the B.C. and U.S. division previews will be up later today.