2008 Memorial Cup Preview

[Scout]

The 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament kicks off on Friday, May 16th, in Kitchener, ONT.

The CHL’s Championship tournament, which wraps up with the Championship game on Sunday, May 25th, features four teams – the host and OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers, the WHL Champion Spokane Chiefs, the OHL Runners-up Belleville Bulls and the QMJHL Champion Gatineau Olympiques – who will battle for the storied Memorial Cup trophy.

The tournament format sees each team play one another in a round-robin format. The team with the best record after the round-robin advances directly to the Championship game, while the second and third-placed teams play a semi-final game to determine the other tournament finalist. If there is a tie for third place after the round-robin, a tiebreaker game will be played to determine the second semi-finalist.

Here’s a look at the four teams who will be vying for the 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup Championship:


SPOKANE CHIEFS ( WHL Champions)
Head Coach: Bill Peters
General Manager: Tim Speltz

2007-08 Record: 50-15-1-6, 107pts, GF: 251 GA: 160

2007-08 CHL Final Ranking: 2

2008 Playoff Record: 16-5 GF: 61 GA: 32

-Defeated Everett Silvertips 4-0 in first round
-Defeated Vancouver Giants 4-2 in second round
-Defeated Tri-City Americans 4-3 in Western Conference Championship series
-Defeated Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-0 in WHL Championship series

2008 Playoffs Top Scorers:

LW – Drayson Bowman 21gp-11g-9a-20pts
LW – Ondrej Roman 21gp-9g-11a-20pts
C – Judd Blackwater 21gp-10g-8a-18pts
C – David Rutherford 21gp-9g-9a-18pts

The Spokane Chiefs are making their third appearance at the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, and first since 1998. The Chiefs won the Memorial Cup in 1991, and finished third as the host team for the 1998 tournament.

Up Front: The Chiefs possess some top-end offensive talent with elite players like Drayson Bowman and Ondrej Roman. However, it is their depth up front that has helped them succeed during the playoffs. Veterans Judd Blackwater, Chris Bruton and David Rutherford have provided plenty of secondary scoring while maintaining a physical presence, and young players like Mitch Wahl and Tyler Johnson have both provided offense at key times during the team’s post-season run. The Chiefs confidently roll four lines who all play with the same defensively responsible, up-tempo style.

On The Blue Line: The WHL’s second-best defense during the regular season only got better during the playoffs. Spokane’s defense corps, led by experienced playoff veteran Trevor Glass, has been near impenetrable during the playoffs, allowing only 32 goals in 21 games. They may not be flashy or provide offensive flair, but the Chiefs’ rearguards give up very little in the way of offensive chances to their opponents. Having shut down some of the best offensive players and teams in the WHL during the playoffs, Spokane’s defense is able to adapt to and excel at any style of play they’ve faced so far.

Goaltending: 18-year-old Dustin Tokarski has been very solid for the Chiefs during the 2008 playoffs. The Watson, SK, product posted an incredible 1.38 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage in 21 post-season contests, and allowed three or more goals on only three occasions during the playoffs. Tokarski may not have been called upon to steal too many games for the defensively-stingy Chiefs, he’s always managed to be solid and reliable when called upon.


KITCHENER RANGERS (Host Team/OHL Champions)
Head Coach / General Manager: Peter DeBoer

2007-08 Record: 53-11-1-3, 110pts, GF: 289 GA: 174

2007-08 Final CHL Ranking: 1

2008 Playoff Record: 16-4 GF: 92 GA: 49

-Defeated Plymouth Whalers 4-0 in first round
-Defeated Sarnia Sting 4-0 in second round
-Defeated Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4-1 in Western Conference Championship series
-Defeated Belleville Bulls 4-3 in OHL Championship series

2008 Playoffs Top Scorers:

C – Justin Azevedo 20gp-10g-26a-36pts
RW – Mikkel Boedker 20gp-9g-26a-35pts
RW – Matt Halischuk 20gp-16g-16a-32pts
LW – Nick Spaling 20gp-14g-16a-30pts

The Kitchener Rangers are making their sixth appearance at the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, having won the Memorial Cup in 1982 and 2003. The Rangers are the Host team for the 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament.

Up Front: The Rangers have a deep and dynamic offense, led by OHL Most Outstanding Player of the Year and playoff MVP Justin Azevedo. The 20-year-old was the OHL and CHL top scorer during the regular season, and has piled up 36 points in the OHL playoffs. Matt Halischuk, a veteran of Canada’s 2008 World Junior team, Mikkel Boedker, Nazem Kadri, Nick Spaling and Mike Duco all put up 20 or more points during the OHL playoffs. The Rangers’ offense has averaged almost five goals per game during the post-season.

On The Blue Line: During the 2007-08 OHL regular season, only Sault Ste. Marie allowed fewer goals than the Rangers. Led by Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Yannick Weber, the Rangers boast three NHL-drafted players on their blue line. Weber, who is Swiss, provides great puck movement and offense from the point, while Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect Ben Shutron plays a strong offensive game and doesn’t shy away from being physical. The Rangers’ defense has already shut down some of the OHL’s top guns like Sarnia’s Steve Stamkos and Plymouth’s Chris Terry during the post-season.

Goaltending: Having lost World Junior hero and Columbus Blue Jackets’ prospect Steve Mason in the second round of the OHL playoffs, the rangers have relied on 18-year-old Josh Unice to carry them through the latter rounds of the post-season. Unice, a Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect, posted a 30-6-3 record during the regular season before the Rangers acquired Mason, and has posted a 11-3-1 record in 15 appearances in the post-season. Unice has shown he can carry the heavy expectations of the Host team if Mason isn’t yet ready to play when the Memorial Cup tournament begins.


BELLEVILLE BULLS (OHL Runners-up)
Head Coach / General Manager: George Burnett

2007-08 Record: 48-14-4-2, 102pts, GF: 280 GA: 175

2007-08 Final CHL Ranking: 3

2008 Playoff Record: 15-6 GF: 84 GA: 54

-Defeated Peterborough Petes 4-1 in first round
-Defeated Barrie Colts 4-0 in second round
-Defeated Oshawa Generals 4-1 in Eastern Conference Championship series
-Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4-3 in OHL Championship series

2008 Playoffs Top Scorers:

LW – Matt Beleskey 21gp-12g-21a-33pts
C – Jan Mursak 21gp-9g-15a-24pts
D – P.K. Subban 21gp-8g-15a-23pts
LW – Adam Perry 21gp-7g-11a-18pts

The Belleville Bulls are making their second appearance at the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament. The Bulls appeared in the 1999 Memorial Cup tournament as OHL champions, losing to the host and eventual Memorial Cup Champion Ottawa 67s in the semi-final.

Up Front: The Bulls boast some talented forwards up front with the likes of Canadian World Junior team veteran Shawn Matthias, speedy Slovenian playmaker Jan Mursak, and leading post-season scorer Matt Beleskey. However, they have also shown great depth up front with eight forwards who tallied 10 or more points in the OHL playoffs. Matthias played four NHL games with the Florida Panthers this season, and scored twice. However, the 20-year-old power forward missed all but the final game of the 2008 OHL playoffs. Having Matthias back and healthy will greatly enhance the Bulls’ offense.

On The Blue Line: Canadian World Junior team member P.K. Subban leads a strong Bulls blue line. The 19-year-old provides great offense from the blue line, leading all OHL defensemen in playoff scoring, and has sharpened up his defensive game during the post-season. Along with Colorado Avalanche prospect Nigel Williams, the Bulls boast two of the top rearguards in the OHL. Belleville’s defense was a combined +31 during the 2008 OHL playoffs.

Goaltending: The Bulls’ Mike Murphy was named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year, and certainly lived up to the honor during the post-season. After posting a League-best 2.24 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage in the regular season, Murphy went on to record a 14-3-1 record in the playoffs with a 2.32 GAA and a .927 save percentage. With Murphy in the net, the Bulls know they have a goaltender capable of backstopping them to a Cup championship.


GATINEAU OLYMPIQUES (QMJHL Champions)
Head Coach / General Manager: Benoit Groulx

2007-08 Record: 43-19-6-2, 94pts, GF: 272 GA: 209

2007-08 Final CHL Ranking: 9

2008 Playoff Record: 16-3 GF: 94 GA: 53

-Defeated Shawinigan Cataractes 4-1 in first round
-Defeated Quebec Remparts 4-1 in second round
-Defeated Halifax Mooseheads 4-0 in Semi-Final series
-Defeated Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4-1 in QMJHL Championship series

2008 Playoffs Top Scorers:

RW – Claude Giroux 19gp-17g-34a-51pts
C – Paul Byron 19gp-21g-11a-32pts
RW – Matthew Pistilli 19gp-11g-17a-28pts
D – Patrik Prokop 19gp-2g-26a-28pts

The Gatineau Olympiques are making their sixth appearance at the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, and third in the last six years. The Hull Olympiques, as they were known then, won the 1997 Memorial Cup, defeating the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-1 in the Championship game.

Up Front: The Olympiques’ post-season run has been led by right-wing Claude Giroux, who has been, perhaps, the best forward in the CHL during the playoffs. Giroux, a veteran of Canada’s World Junior squad, piled up an incredible 51 points, including 17 goals, in 19 post-season contests, earning the MVP of the QMJHL playoffs. Buffalo Sabres’ prospect Paul Byron notched a CHL-best 21 goals during the playoffs, while Jean-Philip Chabot and Matthew Pistilli also topped the 10-goal plateau in the playoffs. The aforementioned four players combined for 63 of the Olympiques’ 94 post-season goals.

On The Blue Line: Puck-moving Czech rearguard Patrik Prokop leads a strong Olympiques defense corps that allowed the second-fewest number of goals of any QMJHL team during the regular season. Prokop is a tremendous asset on the power play, and also posted a solid +22 rating during the post-season. L.A. Kings prospect Joey Ryan, 17-year-old Steven Delisle and 16-year-old rookie standout Hubert Labrie round out a young but solid Olympiques’ defense.

Goaltending: Veteran goaltender Ryan Mior provides the Olympiques with plenty of QMJHL experience – 270 games worth, counting regular-season and playoff contests. Mior, a 20-year-old, posted a 2.56 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage during the 2008 QMJHL playoffs, while posting a 16-2 record in 19 appearances.


2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup Schedule:

Round Robin
Game 1 – Gatineau vs Kitchener; Friday, May 16; 7:00pm ET
Game 2 – Belleville vs Spokane; Saturday, May 17; 4:00pm ET
Game 3 – Kitchener vs Spokane; Sunday, May 18; 4:30pm ET
Game 4 – Belleville vs Gatineau; Monday, May 19; 7:00pm ET
Game 5 – Spokane vs Gatineau; Tuesday, May 20; 7:00pm ET
Game 6 – Kitchener vs Belleville; Wednesday, May 21; 7:00pm ET

Tie-Breaker (If Necessary); Thursday, May 22; 7:00pm ET

Semi-Final; Friday, May 23; 7:00pm ET

Memorial Cup Championship Game; Sunday, May 25; 4:30pm ET
© Canadian Hockey League 2008

[Scout]

By Aaron Bell

It won’t take long for the final four teams in the Canadian Hockey League to get the action going again.

The Kitchener Rangers, Belleville Bulls, Gatineau Olympiques and Spokane Chiefs are all vying for the national championship starting on Friday at the MasterCard Memorial Cup championship in Kitchener, ON.

The host Rangers, who won the Rogers OHL Championship Series in seven games over the Bulls, will face the QMJHL champion Olympiques in the tournament opener on Friday (7:00 p.m. Eastern on Rogers Sportsnet). The Bulls and the WHL champion Chiefs start the tournament on Saturday (4:00 p.m. Eastern on Rogers Sportsnet).

Each team will play each other in the round robin segment of the tournament that wraps up on Wednesday with a rematch of the OHL Championship Series between the Rangers and Bulls. A tie-breaker game will be played on Thursday if necessary and the semi-final game goes on Friday. The winner of that game will face the first place team from the round robin segment in the championship final next Sunday. All games will be shown live on Rogers Sportsnet and RDS. The complete schedule and times are available at www.mastercardmemorialcup.com.

Here is a look at each of the four competing teams:

Kitchener Rangers (OHL Champions)
The Rangers are looking for their second Memorial Cup championship in the past six years after winning the tournament in Quebec City in 2003. That year, players like Derek Roy, Mike Richards and Steve Eminger helped the club capture their second Memorial Cup championship. Head coach and GM Peter DeBoer was at the helm that season and guided the Rangers to a team record 53 wins and 110 points in the regular season this year. After sweeping the Plymouth Whalers and Sarnia Sting in the first two rounds of the playoffs, they eliminated the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in five games in the Western Conference Championship Series and won the J. Ross Robertson Cup with their seven game win over the Bulls. CHL scoring leader Justin Azevedo was the OHL’s regular season and playoff MVP while Matt Halischuk, who scored the winning goal for Canada at the World Juniors, tied for the playoff lead with 16 goals.

Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL Champions)
The Olympiques are looking forward to their third appearance in the Memorial Cup in the past six years. They lost in the championship game to the Rangers in 2003 and the following year to the Kelowna Rockets. In this year’s playoff run, they knocked off the Shawinigan Cataractes in five games, the Quebec Remparts in five and the Saint John Sea Dogs in four straight to set up their championship appearance against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who came into that series undefeated in the playoffs. The Olympiques cruised through that series in five games to claim their seventh QMJHL president’s Cup. World Junior standout Claude Giroux was sensational in the playoffs, scoring a league-high 51 points to win the MVP award in the playoffs. Paul Byron with 32 points and Matthew Pistilli and Patrik Prokop with 28 each were the top four scorers in the QMJHL playoffs.

Spokane Chiefs (WHL Champions)
The Spokane Chiefs may have had the toughest road to the Memorial Cup, having to knock off the defending champion Vancouver Giants and WHL regular season champions Tri City Americans along the way. After a sweep of the Everett Silvertips, the Chiefs beat the Giants in six games and then won an epic battle over the Americans that included five overtime games and eight overtime periods. Their 4-1 win in Game 7 was the widest margin of victory in the series. The Chiefs rolled over the Lethbridge Hurricanes in four straight in the finals to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions. 17-year-old forward Tyler Johnson scored the series winning goal and won the playoff MVP award after scoring five goals and eight points in 21 games. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski is a top-rated prospect for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and was 16-5 with three shutouts in the post season.

Belleville Bulls (OHL Finalist)
The Bulls nearly pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in CHL history in their seven-game OHL Championship Series loss to the Rangers. The Bulls cruised through the playoffs, eliminating the Peterborough Petes in five games and the Barrie Colts in four before a five-game win over the Oshawa Generals in the Eastern Conference Championship Series. They dropped the first three games of the finals against the Rangers and were down by three goals in Game 4 before rebounding for an overtime win on home ice. They won Game 5 in Kitchener and again in Game 6 at home to send the series back to Kitchener for a seventh and deciding game. They dropped the final game 4-1 but proved to everyone, including themselves, that they would be a formidable opponent in the Memorial Cup. Team captain Matt Beleskey was their regular season and playoff scoring leader while World Junior star Shawn Matthias scored a goal in Game 7 of the finals, his first game of the playoffs.

[Scout]

Here is a look at the four teams playing in the Memorial Cup, which begins Friday in Kitchener, Ont.

Western Hockey League

Spokane Chiefs

Coach: Bill Peters

General manager: Tim Speltz.

Regular-season record: 50 wins, 15 losses, 1 overtime loss, 6 shootout losses, 107 points.

Canadian Hockey League final ranking: 2nd.

Leading scorer: Drayson Bowman (66 GP, 42 G, 40 A, 82 pts.).

Playoff route: Defeated Everett (4-0), Vancouver (4-2), Tri-City (4-3) and Lethbridge (4-0).

First game: vs. Belleville, Saturday.

Who to watch: Second-year centreman Mitch Wahl, who hails from Seal Beach, Calif., led Spokane with 53 assists, including 22 helpers on the power play. He was second in team scoring with 73 points and is ranked 64th among North American skaters for next month's NHL draft.

Between the pipes: Dustin Tokarski is 16-2-3 in the playoffs with a 1.38 goals-against average. He shouldered the bulk of the load in the regular season, posting a 30-10-0-3 record with six shutouts. Backup Kevin Armstrong was 20-5-1-3 with a 2.17 GAA.

Ice chips: The Chiefs won their first WHLcrown since 1991, thanks to a 4-0 sweep over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. ... Spokane won the 1991 Memorial Cup crown, defeating Drummondville 5-1 in the championship final. The Chiefs were led by future NHL stars Pat Falloon and Ray Whitney. ... Spokane's 160 goals against were the second-fewest in the league, trailing only Vancouver's 155.

Did you know: Chiefs' Tim Speltz has been the club's general manager since 1990.


Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Gatineau Olympiques

Coach/general manager: Benoit Groulx.

Regular-season record: 49-19-6-2, 94 points.

Canadian Hockey League final ranking: 9th.

Leading scorer: Claude Giroux (55 GP, 38 G, 68 A, 106 pts.).

Playoff route: Defeated Shawinigan (4-1), Quebec (4-1), Halifax (4-0) and Rouyn-Noranda (4-1).

First game: vs. Kitchener, Friday.

Who to watch: Giroux is definitely the main man with the Olympiques. The 20-year-old right-winger was a first-round draft pick, 22nd overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2006 NHL entry draft. He was second in league scoring during the regular season and set a QMJHL playoff record with 51 points (17 goals, 34 assists) in 19 playoff games.

Between the pipes: Ryan Mior posted a 30-20 mark for the Olympiques with six shutouts and a 2.77 GAA in the regular season. He has played 270 career QMJHL games during the regular season and playoffs. In this year's playoffs, he is 16-2.

Ice chips: Gatineau fell 2-1 to the hometown Kelowna Rockets in the final of the 2004 Memorial Cup. ... It is the Olympiques sixth trip to the Memorial Cup and third in the past six years. In 1997, then known as the Hull Olympiques, they won the Cup, defeating Lethbridge 5-1 in the final. ... Gatineau allowed the second-fewest number of goals during the regular season in the QMJHL.

Did you know: Among the four retired jerseys retired by the Olympiques are Luc Robitaille (15) and Jose Theodore (33).


Ontario Hockey League

Kitchener Rangers

Coach/general manager: Peter DeBoer.

Regular-season record: 53-11-1-3, 110 points.

Canadian Hockey League final ranking: 1st.

Leading scorer: Justin Azevedo (67 GP, 43 G, 81 A, 124 pts.).

Playoff route: Defeated Plymouth (4-0), Sarnia (4-0), Sault Ste. Marie (4-1) and Belleville (4-3).

First game: vs. Gatineau, Friday.

Who to watch: Centreman Justin Azevedo led the Rangers in scoring during the regular season and was the OHL's most outstanding player of the year. He picked up where he left off, in leading the Rangers in scoring during the playoffs with 10 goals and 26 assists in 20 games. He was named the OHL's playoff MVP.

Between the pipes: Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Steve Mason went down with a knee injury in the second round of the OHL playoffs, so 18-year-old Josh Unice has carried the load during the latter half of the post-season. Unice was 30-6-3 in the regular season before Mason was acquired from the London Knights. Mason could be ready for Friday's start.

Ice chips: Only Sault Ste. Marie allowed fewer goals than the Rangers. ... The Rangers averaged nearly five goals per game during the OHL playoffs. ... Kitchener is making its sixth appearance at the Memorial Cup, having won the crown in 1982 and 2003.

Did you know: Coach Peter DeBoer played for the Windsor Spitfires in the 1987-88 Memorial Cup. Among his teammates were future NHL star Adam Graves and future Toronto Maple Leafs coach Paul Maurice.


Belleville Bulls

Coach/general manager: George Burnett.

Regular-season record: 48-14-4-2.

Canadian Hockey League final ranking: 3rd.

Leading scorer: Matt Beleskey (62 GP, 41 G, 49 A, 90 pts.).

Playoff route: Defeated Peterborough (4-1); Barrie (4-0); Oshawa (4-1) and lost to Kitchener (4-3).

First game: vs. Spokane, Saturday.

Who to watch: Veteran forward Shawn Matthias appears healthy after battling mono during the playoffs, forcing him to miss all but one game in the post-season. The 20-year-old power forward, who scored two goals in four games with the Florida Panthers this season, scored 32 goals and 47 assists in 53 regular-season games with the Bulls.

Between the pipes: Mike Murphy was named the OHL's goaltender of the year on the strength of a 2.24 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. He posted a 36-7-3-1 record during the regular season and is 14-3-1 in the playoffs.

Ice chips: defenceman P.K. Subban led all OHL blue-liners in playoff scoring with eight goals and 15 assists. ... Belleville is making just its second trip to the Memorial Cup, losing to the Ottawa 67s in the semifinal of the 1999 Cup. ... Belleville's defence was a combined plus-31 during the playoffs.

Did you know: Head coach/GM George Burnett coached 35 career NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, posting a record of 12-20-3. He replaced Glen Sather behind the bench.



From National Post

[Scout]

More Contests Four names to watch at Memorial Cup
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The QMJHL is known to produce some of the Memorial Cup's top scorers.By Patrick King, Sportsnet.ca

In tournament history, fans have been treated to some memorable Memorial Cup performances from star players. Sportsnet.ca unveils four names to watch at the 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup.

Claude Giroux - Gatineau Olympiques
Few players have seen rapid growth like that of the Olympiques' sniper. Giroux, who is now considered the most dangerous forward in the Canadian Hockey League, first needed to find a team willing to select him three years ago. The product of Hearst, Ont. went undrafted by every Ontario Hockey League team.

A season mired by injuries and his skinny frame contributed to Giroux going undrafted. The Gatineau Olympiques saw his potential and gave him an invitation to their 2005 camp where Giroux not only made the team, but instantly became one of their top players. Giroux led all rookies in scoring in his first season, scoring 39 goals and 64 assists for 103 points in 69 games.

His impressive rise in the Québec Major Junior Hockey League was recognized when the Philadelphia Flyers did what no OHL team did by drafting him. The Flyers took Giroux with the 22nd overall pick in the 2006 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

The pick proved just how far Giroux had come in one season and it came with one of the most memorable draft moments in recent years. Then Flyers general manager Bobby Clarke began announcing the pick when he seemingly forgot the name, turned back and asked a member of his staff for confirmation, then finished announcing Giroux as his selection.

It's unlikely anyone has forgotten the name since as Giroux has been a fixture in international events. He suited up for Canada in this past summer's Canada-Russia Super Series as well as the world juniors.

Giroux is a very dynamic offensive threat who can beat a team with his playmaking abilities or score himself. He has plenty of speed coupled with a hard work ethic and can create breakaways simply by beating defenders to loose pucks in transition. His shot might be the most accurate among junior hockey players and he's virtually impossible to stop on a breakaway.

Canadian Hockey League fans might remember some exceptional Memorial Cup performances from recent years in Québec's Alexander Radulov and Vancouver's Gilbert Brule. Giroux has the talent to make this tournament memorable for his team and for fans.

Justin Azevedo - Kitchener Rangers
If Azevedo has made one thing clear throughout his four-year OHL career, it's that his size isn't going to stop him. Listed at 5'8 and 180 pounds, Azevedo has heard the critics whispering for years whether his size was going to hold him back and so far he's winning the argument.

Perhaps his biggest believer is his head coach, Peter DeBoer. DeBoer, who is also the team's general manager, took Azevedo with the 14th overall pick in the 2004 OHL Priority Selection thinking he might one day become the dynamic scorer the OHL has become accustomed to seeing.

His first season ended in promise with 39 points in 58 games played. His next two seasons were impressive, finishing with more than a point per game pace but it wasn't enough to catch the attention of NHL scouts. Azevedo went undrafted by the NHL but was extended an offer by the Atlanta Thrashers to attend their prospects camp two years ago.

The breakout finally occurred this season where Azevedo has been the catalyst on the Memorial Cup-host Rangers. The star forward plays on one of the top lines in junior hockey with Nick Spaling and Matt Halischuk. The three complement each other well as each is blessed with terrific on-ice vision and finishing abilities.

However, unlike his linemates, Azevedo wasn't invited to the Canadian world junior camp. The product of West Lorne, Ont. tore the league apart with 43 goals and 81 assists for 124 points in 67 games - six points more than last year's CHL player of the year, John Tavares.

Azevedo was the key cog once again leading the charge in the playoffs, finishing with 10 goals and 26 assists for 36 points in 20 games and first in scoring. For his efforts this season, Azevedo took home league's Most Outstanding Player awards in the regular season and playoffs.

His vision of the ice is top-notch but perhaps what makes him so effective is his speed and hockey sense. Azevedo creates a lot of chances by forcing defenders into taking penalties and is a threat on the penalty kill. His wrist-shot is very accurate and hard to stop. When the Rangers' offence gets going, fans will likely see No. 15 celebrating a nice goal or assist.

Shawn Matthias - Belleville Bulls
Matthias might be one of the most recognizable names as the Memorial Cup begins which is ironic considering few outside of the OHL knew the name before the world junior tournament.

The power-forward's first claim to fame came at the NHL trading deadline in 2007 when he was part of the package the Detroit Red Wings sent to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi. The Red Wings, who drafted Matthias in the second round of the 2006 draft, are probably wishing they could have this trade back. Bertuzzi ended up signing with Anaheim in the summer while Matthias has turned into a gem of a prospect for the Panthers.

Matthias' breakout campaign came last season when he notched 38 goals and 35 assists for 73 points in 64 games. He led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference final where they were eliminated by the upstart Sudbury Wolves in six games.

It's safe to say Matthias have overcome a lot in his short career. When he was drafted in the 2004 OHL Priority Selection, it was John Hughes who made the majority of the news out of Belleville as the first overall pick. Matthias wasn't taken until the first pick in the sixth round, 101st overall.

His career only really took off on a national scale once he made the world junior team this past year. Head coach Craig Hartsburg gushed about Matthias during the selection camp in Calgary and the rest of the country saw why once the tournament was underway.

Matthias was one of Canada's best players and created the play which turned into the gold medal winning goal. In fitting fashion, Matthias went hard to the net where Rangers forward Matt Halischuk poked his rebound home to give Canada its fourth-consecutive gold medal in the tournament.

The Panthers took notice, calling him up shortly after the tournament's conclusion where he suited up in two games. The forward from Mississauga, Ont. went on to score twice in his first four NHL games.

Like many of the other players to watch, Matthias had adversities to overcome but none bigger than his most recent. In what appeared to be a banner season for Matthias, he was diagnosed with mononucleosis and tonsillitis prior to this year's playoffs. It wasn't easy sitting out when your team had a chance to win the league title but thankfully he'll still have a chance at the Memorial Cup.

Matthias plays with a chip on his shoulder and has an NHL caliber shot. He's quick and has terrific hockey sense. Matthias goes to the net hard where he creates scoring chances for himself and his teammates. Despite just playing in one playoff game, the seventh and deciding game of the OHL final, the Bulls will need him at his best to have success in the Memorial Cup.

Drayson Bowman - Spokane Chiefs
No one will ever question Drayson Bowman's dedication to the sport. Despite growing up in Littleton, Co., Bowman was determined to becoming a hockey player long before suiting up in the Western Hockey League.

As a teenager, Bowman recognized the WHL as one of the best developmental leagues and as such, decided his career path should follow that of many graduates who went on to NHL careers. In his early teens, the Bowman family relocated to Vancouver, B.C. where Drayson would have the opportunity to play bantam hockey and put his name on the scouting radar.

The move paid off as the Spokane Chiefs recognized his immense potential and used their first pick in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, eighth overall, to take him. The rest, as they say, is history.

Bowman got the opportunity to play in considerable minutes in his first season as a 16-year-old in head coach Bill Peters' system. Although the Chiefs missed the playoffs in Bowman's first season, it was clear they had a keeper in Bowman who finished fifth in team scoring with 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points in 72 games.

The next season brought more promise for the rebuilding Chiefs as Bowman increased his point total to 43 in 61 games and a playoff berth. Bowman's dream of playing in the NHL took another step towards reality in the summer when the Carolina Hurricanes used the 72nd overall pick in the draft to take him.

The Colorado product became one of the WHL's most dangerous offensive threats this season. Playing on a line with captain Chris Bruton and NHL prospect Mitch Wahl, Bowman tallied 42 goals and 40 assists for 82 points in 66 games.

However, despite netting 24 points in 11 games in the month of November where he was named the league's player of the month, the American world junior team overlooked him for the tournament. Despite the disappointing news, Bowman still managed to help his team come within a point of finishing first in the league standings during the regular season.

Bowman will look familiar to Montreal Canadiens fans. Although he won't have the blond locks flowing out the back of the helmet, he wears the same number as Canadiens forward Alex Kovalev in a uniform with the same colour scheme as the Habs. And just like Kovalev, he does his damage on the power-play from the right half-boards.

Bowman has great hockey sense and a nose for the net. He is a natural finisher who is deadly on the power-play. Wahl and Bowman have tremendous chemistry due to Bowman's natural scoring ability and Wahl's playmaking skills.

On any given night, the Chiefs have had different players step up to help realize their goal of a championship. In the Memorial Cup, look for No. 27 to provide the fireworks.


Sportsnet.ca

[canes77]

Out of these 4 teams, Spokane has the best GA for the playoffs...almost one goal allowed per game less than the 2nd best team. And this includes all those OT battles as well. So per 60 minutes, it's an even better stat!

[Scout]

Kitchener Rangers: one great Dane and lots of diversity
By Jeff Hicks
RECORD STAFF

Hans Christian Andersen told fables of mermaids and naked kings.

Victor Borge, the clown prince of Denmark, tickled the ivories and made funny noises with his mouth to vocalize punctuation.

They are two famous Danish dudes.

They are also dead.

Now, that brings us to Kitchener Rangers forward Mikkel Boedker.

Boedker, 18, is quite alive, thank you.

In fact, he could go top-five in next month's NHL draft after an outstanding 35-point playoff run for the Memorial Cup-host Rangers.

This Dane skates like a Viking breeze and unleashes a slapshot with all the thunder of Thor's hammer. He's tough to knock around, too.

His dream is to play in the NHL. But Boedker, whose father Jesper is equipment manager for the Danish national team, won't be the first born-and-raised Danish citizen to skate in the Original 30.

"It's been done," Boedker sighed, acknowledging Frans Nielsen's twirl with the New York Islanders on Jan. 6, 2007.

"But it's still my goal. It's every kid's goal to play in the NHL. It's making everybody proud at home when the first Danish guy stepped in there. It makes you want to play more and do the same."

A year ago, the St. Louis Blues made Danish forward Lars Eller the 13th overall pick in the NHL draft. Boedker will surely go higher.

A strong Memorial Cup will clinch that.

But first, there is the matter of winning the Canadian Hockey League title for the Rangers. Boedker embodies their diversity.

Their origins are all over the map.

Blueliner Yannick Weber, a Montreal Canadiens pick, hails from Switzerland. His 99 mile-an-hour slapper was honed in his parents' garage back home.

"I told them to take the car out so I could shoot at the walls," said Weber, who has been bothered by an ankle injury.

Those concrete walls were speckled with black puck marks.

What about the rest of the Rangers?

Well, team captain Matt Pepe is a musclebound lock-down defender from Dorchester. Dan Kelly, the concussion-prone guy in the cage, is from upstate New York. Robert Bortuzzo, who has been wearing one arm in a sling, is from Thunder Bay. His dad, Oscar, attended Rangers camp as a drafted goalie 31 years ago.

Ben Shutron is from Orleans and arrived via Kingston at the trade deadline. Alex Dzielski grew up in Pittsford, N.Y., where a pickle factory was once the town's pride and joy. Myles Barbieri is from Kleinburg, near Toronto.

Up front, you are familiar with the Wizards of Az.

OHL scoring champ, most outstanding player and playoff MVP Justin Azevedo is the pint-sized pivot between Matt Halischuk and Nick Spaling.

Azevedo is from West Lorne, a village between Chatham and St. Thomas.

His dad, Carlos, and mom, Elizabeth, came to Canada from Portugal when they were just kids.

Spaling is a hard-working carpenter's kid from Drayton. Halischuk, the overtime hero for Canada at the worlds in the Czech Republic over Christmas, is the Mississauga son of a Toronto newspaper pressman.

Now, we get to the Wizards of Naz.

That's the Rangers second scoring line.

Nazem Kadri, the London kid with Storybook Gardens moves, is the only son of Lebanese immigrants. He has four sisters.

In Arabic, his name means "leader."

Boedker is on one wing. Bruising Mike Duco is on the other.

Boedker is a breezer from the happiest country in the world.

Kadri has the soft toe-drag-through-a-pylon-field hands.

Duco is as subtle as a punch in the chops. The Toronto kid can hit and score.

He'll block shots with his mohawked mug, too.

"I'll put my face in front of it if I have to," Duco said.

The Rangers third line is the Mash Unit.

Bradford's Brandon Mashinter, who works at his family's wood shavings business in the summer, is a big bruiser down the wing. Hamilton's Scott Timmins wears the Chia-Pet chin down the middle. Azilda's Mike Mascioli has heavy fists and a heavy shot on the other side.

The rest of the forwards are another all-world group in terms of origins.

Alexei Dostoinov was born in Moscow. His family has residences in New Jersey and Switzerland. Spencer Anderson is the son of former Toronto Maple Leafs player John Anderson, coach of the AHL's Chicago Wolves. T. J. Battani was a $1,000 waiver-wire pickup off Barrie and comes from Armada, Mich. Jason Akeson was a January signing out of Tier 2. He's from Orleans.

Then there's Mr. Everything Scott Tregunna.

The overager from Mount Forest plays in all-situations and even fills in on defence.

He was picked up from Owen Sound in December.

In net, Josh Unice is a product of Holland. Make that Holland, Ohio.

When he was five, his mom Carol took him to a Toledo Storm minor pro game and he became enamoured with the Zamboni. Thirteen years later, he's a Chicago Blackhawks pick playing for a Memorial Cup.

You all know Steve Mason.

Canada's MVP goalie at the worlds and future NHLer with the Columbus Blue Jackets had knee surgery on April 18 and is touch-and-go to appear in the Memorial Cup.

His Rangers mask-helmet combo has Lancaster bombers on it.

That's because his grandpa Ray flew on them during the Second World War.

Waterloo's Matt Smith, the son of Waterloo minor hockey official Clive Smith, is the backup to Unice while Mason is out. He played Jr. B with the Kitchener Dutchmen this season.

Of course, you can't forget the head coach.

Peter DeBoer, 39, was raised in Dunnville.

His dad, Fred, moved from Holland to Canada to work on a farm in Manitoba when Fred was 18. DeBoer's mom, Sylvia, is a retired X-ray technician from Swan River, Man.

Fred worked in the mines in Sudbury and for a Stoney Creek steel mill.

Now, his son, Peter, is trying to coach his way to a second Memorial Cup.

All these people with such diverse backgrounds will wear Rangers blue starting Friday with the goal of making Kitchener a CHL champion at home for the first time.

DeBoer sang their praises during the OHL playoffs.

"It's the hardest-working, most character group of guys I think I've ever coached," DeBoer said.

"You're proud to stand behind the bench with a group of guys like that."

But will there be a happy ending to this tale?

The answer arrives May 25.

[Scout]

Belleville Bulls: a mix of talent, true grit
By Jeff Hicks
RECORD STAFF

Mike Murphy is from Kingston.

He plays goal for Belleville.

But the Ontario Hockey League goaltender of the year just loves stopping pucks in Kitchener.

"This is such a great hockey town," said Murphy, who leads the Bulls into the Memorial Cup tourney starting with a game against Spokane on Saturday.

"It's so good having the Memorial Cup in this city. The fans are phenomenal. I've never seen 7,000 so loud. I've never seen anything like that."

Murphy, 19, was speaking of the energy at the Aud during the OHL final series.

For the Cup, the fans could get crazier.

They might even chant Murphy's name again to rattle him.

"They're on me, too," Murphy said.

"But I understand it. They love their team."

Belleville fans loves their Bulls, too.

The Bulls have grit and character and showed it by erasing a 3-0 Kitchener lead in the OHL finals to force Game 7. The Rangers took the deciding game 4-1.

Up front, Anaheim NHL prospect and team captain Matt Beleskey is a determined leader. Veteran guns like Eric Tangradi, Keaton Turkiewicz, Bryan Cameron, Jan Mursak, Cory Tanaka and Andrew Self give them good scoring balance.

Guelph rookie Stephen Johnston emerged during the playoffs as a player to keep an eye on.

A sturdy, veteran blueline is led by offensive forces P. K. Subban and Nigel Williams. Both can lug the puck and unleash a furious slapshot.

Subban, who turned 19 yesterday, is a Montreal NHL prospect.

Williams belongs to Colorado.

Pernell Karl Subban grew up in Toronto where his dad Karl, now a principal, taught night school when he was little.

Often, his dad would take him out to Nathan Phillips Square to play shinny hockey at midnight.

"I don't think my classes started until one in the afternoon," Subban recalled. "So I could sleep in. We'd be out there some nights until one or two o'clock in the morning."

Of course, the undrafted Murphy is the Bulls' ace in net with veteran journeyman Parker VanBuskirk a capable backup.

The Bulls will get a big boost from the presence of star centre Shawn Matthias in their Memorial Cup lineup.

After missing most the playoffs while recovering from mononucleosis, he returned to play in Game 7 against Kitchener. Matthias scored their only goal.

The national junior teamer scored his first two NHL goals this season during a callup to the Florida Panthers.

His presence makes the Bulls, established in 1981, an even bigger threat to win their first Memorial Cup.

The Bulls have some ailments.

Blueliner Nick Pageau has a bad ankle while forward Stephen Blunden is recovering from a concussion.

Other Bulls of note include Robert Stellick, son of former Leafs GM Gord Stellick, and Andy Bathgate, grandson of the same-name Hockey-Hall-of-Famer.

The Bulls get a lot of mileage out of overage forward A.J. Perry, who was acquired from London prior to the OHL trade deadline.

The younger brother of Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry, who was at the Aud for Game 7, has been to the Memorial Cup before. He won it all with big brother and the London Knights in 2005. A.J. was just a spare part that year, but showed his ring to inspire his Bulls teammates during the OHL's Eastern Conference final against Oshawa.

Perry plays all three forward positions, plus kill penalties and work the power play.

"His versatility is huge," said Bulls coach George Burnett, who guided the Guelph Storm to the 1998 Memorial Cup final in Spokane, only to lose 4-3 in OT to Portland.

"He doesn't say a lot. But when he does talk, he's got everybody's ear."

Of course, at the Aud, a Perry is always under close scrutiny from Rangers fans. Corey and A.J. are always accused of diving and always wear a Perry smirk. Regardless, Perry is a valued leader on an experienced Bulls club.

"Everyone knows what it takes to win," Perry said.

"We've got Matthias and Subban, who played in world juniors. They know what the big stage feels like."

The Bulls hit the big stage on Saturday.

[Scout]

Spokane Chiefs: it's the team, not the stars
By Josh Brown
RECORD STAFF

You won't find much star power on the Spokane Chiefs.

No Chiefs are listed among the top 30 prospects headed into this year's NHL draft. Nobody off the roster was recognized with a league trophy at the end of the season. And only one player -- Drayson Bowman -- finished among the WHL's top 20 in regular-season scoring.

So just how did the Chiefs manage to reach the Memorial Cup?

"We have a group of leaders who understand what the team concept is all about," general manager Tim Speltz said.

A balanced attack. A unified locker room. A healthy roster. Solid defensive play. These are the things that helped the Chiefs emerge as WHL champions for the second time in franchise history.

The club had 11 players who scored a dozen goals or more this past season. Another eight finished with more than 40 points. Shut one line down, and another one comes right at you. All four can find the back of the net.

"That's one of the things that really contributed to our success in the playoffs," said Speltz. "Our depth . . . I think that's where we gave other teams trouble."

The Chiefs boasted 107 points, good for second-best in the league in the regular season. But the boys were saddled with the third seed in the western conference because division winners get priority. That made for a rough ride in the WHL post-season.

A quick sweep over Everett set up a meeting with Vancouver, the defending Memorial Cup champions. After dropping the first game, the Chiefs rallied to win the series four games to two.

It was a war with the Tri-City Americans in the western conference final. The two rivals, who finished one-two in the standings, went seven games, five of which went to overtime and three to double overtime. The Chiefs clinched the win on the road.

"That was one of the best playoff series that I think our league has ever seen," Speltz said.

Along the way, his club kept improving. In the WHL final, it was Lethbridge who had the big name in Team Canada forward Zach Boychuk. But the 'Canes managed just five goals in the series as the Chiefs pulled off a four-game sweep.

Spokane is full of hidden gems with goalie Dustin Tokarski of Watson, Sask., at the forefront. The sturdy netminder split regular-season games with backup Kevin Armstrong but emerged as the clear-cut No. 1 keeper in the playoffs -- and for good reason. His numbers -- 1.38 goals-against average and .944 save percentage -- over 21 games are simply outstanding.

"He gives you a chance to win every night because he plays as good or better than the opposition," said Speltz. "He has asked for and answered every challenge so far this year."

Rookie forward Tyler Johnson is another standout. He picked up most valuable player honours in the WHL final after potting three goals against Lethbridge, including two game-winners.

First-year blueliner Jared Cowen is an emerging star who gives the Chiefs some size in their own end.

Up front, Bowman leads the attack while skilled Czech import Ondrej Roman is also dangerous. Veteran forwards Judd Blackwater and David Rutherford can score and drop the gloves if need be.

And the Chiefs will lean on that balance across the board as they go for their second Canadian Hockey League title in club history.

"We recognize our strengths as a team and so far, we've been able to play to them," said Speltz, who was GM the last time Spokane won the Cup in 1991.

"We're going to try and take that same attitude and concept to the Memorial Cup."

[Scout]

Gatineau Olympiques: motivation-plus
By Christine Rivet
RECORD STAFF

Not good enough for the Ontario Hockey League.

Three Gatineau Olympiques -- Claude Giroux, Paul Byron and Darryl Smith -- can't be blamed if they have that little phrase running through their heads should they hoist the 2008 Memorial Cup.

Overlooked in the OHL draft,Giroux and Byron have done ''reasonably'' well for themselves in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Same goes for OHL castoff Smith. Thanks for asking.

Along with suiting up for the victorious Canadian juniors at the 2008 world championship, Giroux is a first-round NHL draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Byron, all 144 pounds of him, was a sixth-round selection of the Buffalo Sabres last year.

The undrafted Smith, a classic late-bloomer, was cut loose by the Guelph Storm following the 2004-05 campaign after he registered six points in 62 career OHL games.

Through three seasons in the Q, Smith, of St. Catharines, piled up 125 career points, including a 26-goal campaign in this, his overage year.

Byron remains philosophical about the snub.

"Things happen for a reason and not being drafted by the OHL was probably the best thing that ever happened to me," the former Ottawa West Jr. B Golden Knight told the Ottawa Citizen recently.

Smith, too, appears to hold no grudges.

"It's going to be nice going back to play against guys I should have been playing against and it's going to be a great experience (at the Memorial Cup in Kitchener)," the former Guelph Storm pivot told reporters.

Sure, he's not big at five-foot-eleven and 172 pounds. But the 20-year-old Giroux, of Hearst, Ont., shredded the QMJHL with 17 goals and 34 assists for 51 points through 19 playoff games, a franchise record. This after winning the Q's most valuable player award through the regular season.

All three OHL discards were integral cogs in the Olympiques' wheel as they rolled to a third league title in the past seven seasons. Gatineau clinched the franchise's seventh QMJHL title in team history with a 7-3 romp over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies last Friday night.

Not good enough for the OHL -- and look at them now. The Olympiques battle the Kitchener Rangers in the Cup tournament opener on Friday night.

Meanwhile, talk around the QMJHL is that Gatineau coach/GM Benoit Groulx will almost certainly make the jump to the professional ranks at the conclusion of this Memorial Cup tournament.

If not, Groulx's name, along with that of Kitchener Rangers coach/GM Peter DeBoer, is said to be on the short list of applicants to serve as head coach for Canada's entry at the 2009 world junior championship.

After piling up a record three league titles, the only hole in Groulx's junior hockey resume remains a Memorial Cup championship.

Groulx's Olympiques advanced to the tourney's final in 2003 and 2004, only to lose to the Kitchener Rangers and the Kelowna Rockets, respectively.

Bad memories for Groulx, those two years.

First, the Derek Roy-led Rangers steamrolled the QMJHL representatives, then known as the Hull Olympiques, 6-3 in the final. The following year, the Olympiques came oh-so-close, losing to the home-ice Rockets 2-1.


GATINEAU OLYMPIQUES

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Regular-season record: 43-19-6-2 (won-lost-overtime loss-shootout loss)

Playoff record: 16-3; Beat Rouyn-Noranda in five games in league final.

Players to watch: Winger Claude Giroux registered at least one point in 10 straight playoff games, a QMJHL record; Goalie Ryan Mior recently set a league record for lifetime appearances (regular season and playoffs) with 270 career games.

Team lowdown: Run-and-gun Quebecers are skilled and fast.

Coach/general manager: Benoit Groulx

Memorial Cup experience: Advanced to national final in 2003 and 2004. Won the title in 1997.