McNeill selection camp

[Wildeyes]

Hockey Canada announced Monday that 41 of Canada’s top junior-aged players have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp, including Prince Albert Raider Mark McNeill.

McNeill has played in 27 this season for the Raiders, scoring 9 goals and adding 13 assists and is currently 2nd in team scoring. He also has 2 of the team’s 5 shorthanded goals on the year. McNeill was named to Team WHL for the final game of the Subway Super Series, where he notched 1 goal and 2 assists against Team Russia. He finished the game tied for a team leading plus 3, with only 2 “plus” players on Team WHL in the 7-5 loss.

The Sport Chek Selection Camp will take place at the WinSport Canada Athletic and Ice Complex in Calgary from December 10-14.

The last Raider to play for Team Canada was Kyle Chipchura, who captained the team to a gold medal at the 2006 World Junior Championship in Vancouver.

[the voice]

Let me be the first to congratulate. Have a great camp. Just might be the first in a long line of world junior prospects out of PA. And to think some people doubt the scouting in PA.

[Raider Believer]

Let me be the first to congratulate. Have a great camp. Just might be the first in a long line of world junior prospects out of PA. And to think some people doubt the scouting in PA.

The gentleman who was the head scout for the Raiders when McNeill was drafted out of bantam is no longer with the Raiders. So Bruno and the current regime can't claim credit for McNeill.

The true litmus test for any scouting staff is how well the team performs on the ice. How consistent they are year in and year out. The Raiders are consistent, unfortunately, consistently not successful with this regime. :(

But yes, congratulations to Mark McNeill.

[the voice]

That scout was a raider scout and did well with that one. But he was a Raider scout. Whoever was in charge of scouting Danyluk, Winther, Morrissey, Lange, Perreaux, Knowler, Braid, Mahura, Vanstone, Gardiner, Ruopp, and others, has also done good. Time will tell just how good, but I believe they will help turn things around. I believe in this crop. And back to the subject in hand, well done Mark, Morrissey, and Knutsen. Good luck to all.

[Raider Believer]

That scout was a raider scout and did well with that one. But he was a Raider scout. Whoever was in charge of scouting Danyluk, Winther, Morrissey, Lange, Perreaux, Knowler, Braid, Mahura, Vanstone, Gardiner, Ruopp, and others, has also done good. Time will tell just how good, but I believe they will help turn things around. I believe in this crop. And back to the subject in hand, well done Mark, Morrissey, and Knutsen. Good luck to all.

You're totally right! He was a RAIDER scout, and he did do well with that one (McNeil).
So well that Bruno fired him.
The current crop of players that Bruno and his scouts have drafted or secured them for the team can only be judged by the team's performance on the ice.
No amount of rah rah rah from 'voice' or anyone else can erase or change the team's current record on the ice. And given Bruno's record the past 4 1/2 seasons, it is doubtful he's the guy to do the job. BUT if indeed 'voice' truly believes that the scouts have done such a magnificent job ... then obviously, considering the team's record, the coaches must have really messed up with such good player prospects over the past 4 plus years. I invite the readers to check out what teams were at the bottom of the standings 4 1/2 years ago (think Portland). See where they are now. See where we are... and we've had the same or better drafting opportunities than they've had.

[the voice]

"raider believer"?

[Dwight Schrute]

"raider believer"?

he is not alone believing in the raiders but not campese and company.

hopefully this gets sorted out before the bantam draft. if we end up with the first or 2nd overall pick i would hate to see it blown. a new play by play guy would also be on my wish list as the guy we have had for the past few years has been gawd awful.

[Raider Believer]

he is not alone believing in the raiders but not campese and company.

hopefully this gets sorted out before the bantam draft. if we end up with the first or 2nd overall pick i would hate to see it blown. a new play by play guy would also be on my wish list as the guy we have had for the past few years has been gawd awful.

rumor has it that if you watch very carefully ... you can see Bruno's lips moving when Drew talks, kind of funny

'the voice' obviously is very close to the team's current hierarchy .... they're the kind of people who would claim the Titanic had a problem with moisture.

[the voice]

Not sure how positive comments and congrats can turn into such negative posts. The name threw me, sorry.

[lordstanley]

Just wondering did anyone listen to the weekly Raider call in show ? i hope there was some fans *****ing out Campese and trying to drive him out of town

[Dwight Schrute]

Just wondering did anyone listen to the weekly Raider call in show ? i hope there was some fans *****ing out Campese and trying to drive him out of town

if you have anything to say that is critical of campese or the raiders you wont get on the air. the show is rather censored and tries to paint sunshine and rainbows

[lordstanley]

if you have anything to say that is critical of campese or the raiders you wont get on the air. the show is rather censored and tries to paint sunshine and rainbows

Atleast you guys have a half assed Radio show we haven't had one since the later 90's with wray Morrison from ckom

[Dwight Schrute]

Atleast you guys have a half assed Radio show we haven't had one since the later 90's with wray Morrison from ckom

at least you have a half assed broadcaster the show is a great idea.... just not the people on it

[chalk_one_up]

I'm going to be the lone one to stick my neck out and to speak truthfully here, but I don't think Mark really deserved a selection offer based on what he's done this season. Unfortunately, once your a high NHL draft selection, you could have 1 assist in 30 games and still get a call. Mark hasn't been all that impressive this season so far and the comfort of being drafted may have set in. I know some will go back to the saying that he doesn't have a strong supporting cast, but this is a first round NHL pick and he has 22 points, albeit on a crappy team, whereas Jordan Weal (just a example), has 38 points and the next closest person in terms of points for a forward has 21 and he's a 17 year old.

Mark is a good play, no doubt, but there's also something wrong with Canada's selection process. I mean Ryan Murray, who has missed a good chunk of this season, gets a call but Duncan Siemens, who is a first round NHL draft pick, gets snubbed. I know Murray is a good player, but the system is flawed in some ways.

On the complete flip side though, when placed with talented players on team WHL, Mark performed admirably, so hopefully he shines at the camp and can make the team; both giving him confidence for the tourney (played in his backyard) and upon returning to the Raiders.

[westbeach55]

mark will be placed in a two way forward role and working on the pk and thats why i believe he got the nod for the selection. i still would like to see weal get a chance at least for the camp

[chalk_one_up]

mark will be placed in a two way forward role and working on the pk and thats why i believe he got the nod for the selection. i still would like to see weal get a chance at least for the camp

He'll be in tough then because there are a few players who already play that role. If Smith-Pelly had been released from Anaheim (and maybe he still will), he would be damn near a lock.

[the voice]

I agree with the whl choices and more players out there deserve it also. The system has become flawed. What concerns me is that the head of Hockey Canada says this team is full of players who have been part of the program of excellence. This can also be bad. I've seen regional POE systems start out in Bantam selecting a chosen few because somewhere along the way local reps are pushing their players. Once they get into the system, they keep rolling and have a hand up on players who develop at 16 or 17. It's the old case of it's who you know. So in a case like Weal's, i'm not sure if he was a part of this system in his minor hockey. I would venture a guess he wasn't because the way he's been performing he wouldn't have fallen off the radar. It just feels like players have an inside track if someone earlier on pushed players into the program, whereas a player who is having an outstanding year has a roadblock just because he hasn't been involved in POE or mem cup. I could be wrong.

[Raider Believer]

I agree with the whl choices and more players out there deserve it also. The system has become flawed. What concerns me is that the head of Hockey Canada says this team is full of players who have been part of the program of excellence. This can also be bad. I've seen regional POE systems start out in Bantam selecting a chosen few because somewhere along the way local reps are pushing their players. Once they get into the system, they keep rolling and have a hand up on players who develop at 16 or 17. It's the old case of it's who you know. So in a case like Weal's, i'm not sure if he was a part of this system in his minor hockey. I would venture a guess he wasn't because the way he's been performing he wouldn't have fallen off the radar. It just feels like players have an inside track if someone earlier on pushed players into the program, whereas a player who is having an outstanding year has a roadblock just because he hasn't been involved in POE or mem cup. I could be wrong.

voice
on this point I couldn't agree with you more! the POE system is very closed and very political. once a player gets locked in the doors open very smoothly in terms of future opportunities with Hockey Canada teams and programs. not fair, but that's the way it is.