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Memorial Cup: How To Watch And What To Look For

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The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is the top development league in the world for junior-aged players. Comprising of three separate entities—the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Western Hockey League (WHL) and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)—it houses players from all over the world as they pursue their eventual dream of playing professional hockey. Though countries around the world have different development models, the CHL still provides the largest number of NHL-drafted players each season. Last summer, exactly 15 of the 30 first round picks came out of the CHL. Matthew Tkachuk

Though each of the three leagues has their own playoff structure, the overall CHL champion is crowned by a 10-day tournament at the end of the year called the Memorial Cup. In it, the winner of each league faces off along with the host city in a round-robin before entering do-or-die one-game playoffs. This season, the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL will host the tournament while the Erie Otters (OHL), Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) and Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) will represent their respective leagues.

Tonight marks the opening of the tournament with the Sea Dogs taking on the host Spitfires, and there are plenty of reasons to tune in. Here are some of the top players on each team that you should keep an eye on.

Windsor Spitfires

F Gabriel Vilardi – All eyes will be on Vilardi as he plays the last few games before likely going in the top-5 at next month’s NHL Entry Draft. He scored 61 points in 49 games this season for the Spitfires, and is still just 17 years old. His advanced size and strength has given him a leg up on similarly aged players, though his skating does still remain a question mark among certain scouts. A good showing at the Memorial Cup would go a long way to convince #3 Dallas (or whoever ends up with that pick) that he is the best option after Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier, neither of which will be taking part in the tournament.

Mikhail SergachevD Mikhail Sergachev – The ninth-overall pick from last summer returned to the Spitfires after a short stint with the Montreal Canadiens and followed up his incredible rookie season with another outstanding year. With 43 points in 50 games, Sergachev has made a mockery of the league using his size and offensive ability to dominate almost every shift. He’ll have a good shot at making the NHL next season, making this likely his last chance at a Memorial Cup.

Seattle Thunderbirds

F Mathew Barzal – You can’t mention the Thunderbirds without mentioning Barzal, as the New York Islanders prospect has lit up the WHL since returning from two-game stint in the NHL. With 79 points (including 69 assists) in 41 games, Barzal has shown an elite playmaking ability and is ready for the next level. Turning 20 next week, this is Barzal’s last taste of junior action before moving to professional hockey next season. Defensemen of the other three teams have to be wary whenever the puck is on his stick.

D Ethan Bear – While some may argue that he won’t be able to produce at the next level, watching Bear rack up points in junior is something special. The fifth-round pick of Edmonton scored 28 goals and 70 points in 67 games this season, and had another 26 on the Thunderbirds championship run. His shot release might be the quickest among CHL defenders, and Seattle sometimes even uses him at the top of the circle on the powerplay (think Alex Ovechkin). Don’t get into penalty trouble against the Thunderbirds, or Bear will make you pay.

Erie Otters

F Alex DeBrincat – What else is there to say about DeBrincat? He was named the OHL Most Outstanding Player after scoring 127 points in 63 games, his third straight 100+ point season. He added another 38 points en route to an OHL championship, and is basically unstoppable when skating with Tampa Bay prospect Taylor Raddysh and Arizona forward Dylan Strome. Erie has some of the most potent offensive weapons in the tournament, and are extremely difficult to slow down.

F Ivan Lodnia – Lodnia was looking like he might creep into the first-round at next month’s NHL draft until he was completely shut down in the OHL playoffs. In 22 games with Erie he scored just two points but don’t let that sway your opinion of him. He’s still extremely talented, and should shine when the top line of the Otters all move on to pro hockey next season. Scoring 56 points in 66 games this season, he could really bump his draft stock back up with an impressive performance in the Memorial Cup.

Saint John Sea Dogs Thomas Chabot

D Thomas Chabot – Chabot has turned into one of the best defensive prospects in the game, by evening out his two-way play while continuing to shine on the biggest stages. At the World Juniors this winter, he was easily Canada’s top defenseman—possibly even top player overall—and he stepped up in the QMJHL playoffs for Saint John. Scoring 23 points in 18 games, Chabot showed he can still put up huge offensive numbers when he needs to. It’s the all-around development that has the Senators so happy, and he’ll likely be matched with some of the top players in the tournament.

F Joe Veleno – Veleno turned 17 just a few months ago, but has already completed two full seasons in the CHL. That’s because he was granted exceptional status when he was just 15. He impressed this year with 40 points in 43 games and put up a solid 11 in the playoffs. While he’s not the top offensive option for the Sea Dogs, it’s important to remember that he isn’t even draft eligible until 2018. Already standing over six-feet tall, Veleno will likely keep growing and turn into a dominant forward next season. A Memorial Cup this year could help him continue a quest to go at the top of the draft next summer.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Logan Stanley Will Return For Memorial Cup

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Winnipeg Jets fans will get an extra boost this weekend if they decide to tune into the Memorial Cup. Logan Stanley, the Jets’ other first-round pick from last summer (to go along with Patrik Laine) will suit up for the Windsor Spitfires after missing much of the season with a knee injury. Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun reports that Stanley is ready to go for Friday’s opener that will see the Spitfires take on the QMJHL Champion Saint John Sea Dogs. Despite getting knocked out of the OHL playoffs in the first round, Windsor gets a berth in the tournament as the host city.

Stanley played just 35 games this season but was off to a great start, matching his season total from last year with 17 points. The 6’7″ defenseman had improved his skating and confidence before the injury, two things that he’ll need when stepping into the toughest tournament in junior hockey. The Spitfires have an incredible team that includes Canadiens’ top prospect Mikhail Sergachev, shifty Toronto prospect Jeremy Bracco and potential top-3 pick Gabe Vilardi among many others. They are by no means a pushover just because they were knocked out of the OHL postseason early.

Along with Sami Niku who signed today, Stanley represents the future for the Jets among left-handed defenseman. Now that Josh Morrissey has graduated to the NHL and isn’t really a prospect anymore, the long-term bet of Stanley needs to pay off. Still just 18-years old and learning how to use his huge frame, Stanley will almost certainly return to the OHL next season and try to put together a healthy campaign as the team’s #1 defender. He’s also a leading candidate for the Canadian World Junior team for next year’s tournament in Buffalo.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Taylor Raddysh To ELC

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After winning the OHL Championship and getting ready to participate in the Memorial Cup, Taylor Raddysh has inked a three-year entry-level deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Raddysh and the Erie Otters were victorious on Friday night in game 5 of the championship series against Mississauga, with Raddysh scoring a hat-trick in the final game.

That victory marked another huge accomplishment for Raddysh this season, as he scored 42 goals and 109 points in just 58 games while also starring for Team Canada at the World Juniors. After being picked 58th-overall last summer, Raddysh is showing the league he should have been selected much higher. Part of the OHL’s most dominant line along with Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat and Arizona Coyotes pick Dylan Strome, Raddysh recorded another 31 points in the playoffs and will be a big factor in any Memorial Cup dreams for the Otters.

Raddysh showed this season that he’s not just a solid two-way winger but a potential top-line power forward that can keep up with elite talents and score almost at will. While his line’s play inflated his numbers somewhat, his offensive game took a big step forward this season as he continued to fill out his 6’2″ 209-lbs frame. Always considered an average-or-worse skater, this season saw him drive the net with more power and determination leading to more scoring chances for himself and his linemmates. If that stride can continue to develop he will impress at the professional level before long. He’ll likely return to Erie next season where he’ll be relied upon to carry much of the offensive load with Strome graduating and DeBrincat perhaps jumping right to the NHL. If he does stay in the OHL, it will be interesting to see him work with Ivan Lodnia, likely the next top center for the Otters and a top prospect for the upcoming draft.

Interestingly, Taylor’s brother Darren Raddysh went undrafted and is a free agent with much interest from around the league. The 21-year old defenseman dominated the OHL as an overager with 81 points this season and was named Defenseman of the Year. While he doesn’t possess the ceiling of his younger brother, Darren should find a home with an NHL team this summer somewhere, perhaps even Tampa Bay should the Lightning want to reunite the duo. As a right-handed shot with enough size to compete in pro hockey, his offensive ability has definitely turned some heads around the league.

Coyotes Hire London Knights Assistant GM Jake Goldberg

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In an interesting front office move today, the Arizona Coyotes have hired Jake Goldberg to join their hockey operations staff. Goldberg had been the Assistant General Manager and of the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights since 2016, before taking his first NHL executive position. The Toronto Sun’s John Matisz broke the news, but so far it is unclear what exact title he will have in Arizona.

Much like the Coyotes GM, 27-year-old John Chayka, Goldberg is much younger than the typical professional sports executive. Goldberg is just three years removed from law school. Also like Chayka, Goldberg has a strong background in analytics, a growing movement in hockey and one that they Coyotes have embraced.

Adding Goldberg to the mix will only serve to strengthen what could be revolutionary hockey operations department being built in the desert. The Coyotes have done exceedingly well with drafting in recent years and have one of, if not the best, prospect systems in the NHL. They’ll get another boost this June when they draft seventh overall in the first round. A possibility at that slot could be OHL prospects like the Windsor Spitfires’ Gabriel Vilardi or the Mississigua Steelheads’ Owen Tippett, two players that Goldberg has seen up-close many times. Arizona also has the Minnesota Wild’s pick at #23 and another high pick in the second round. An option there: how about the London Knights own Robert Thomas?

Blade Jenkins De-Commits From U. Of Michigan, Signs With OHL’s Saginaw Spirit

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A few different organizations in the world of hockey development were shaken up today as aptly-named 2018 NHL Draft prospect Blade Jenkins announced that he had signed with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. Jenkins had been selected fourth overall in the 2016 OHL Draft by Saginaw, but played this past season with the United States National Development Program U-17 Team.

For Saginaw, this is a major transaction. The team took a big risk last year in drafting Jenkins, who they had no guarantee would ever play for them. A Jackson, Michigan native, Jenkins had committed first to the U.S. National Team and second to the flagship school of his state, the University of Michigan. It is not often that American players who have committed to play college hockey instead choose to play Canadian juniors, but Jenkins is an exception. It may have helped that Saginaw is in fact an American-based team in Saginaw, Michigan, less than two hours from his home in Jackson and less than an hour further than Ann Arbor, where he would have gone to college.

Saginaw’s gain is the Michigan Wolverines’ loss, as NCAA bylaws prohibit Canadian major junior players from ever later playing college hockey. In an effort to preserve “amateurism”, a choice must be made and Jenkins decided he wanted to play at a higher level of hockey sooner rather than later, opting to join the Spirit for 2017-18 rather than join the Wolverines in 2018-19. This also means that the U.S. U-18 team will also have to adjust, as they planned on having Jenkins around next season.

Jenkins, who is still just 16 years old and already 6’0″ and 172 lbs., is developing into a big, two-way center. Jenkins earned his OHL draft slot and U-17 roster spot after scoring 36 points in 22 games at the midget level in 2015-16 and adding some noteworthy tournament performance along the way. Yet, in his first season playing against high-end competition, the offense disappeared as he had just eight points in 56 games. Jenkins is still very raw and has quite a bit of developing to do, but has the physical tools to become an elite player down the road. Saginaw hopes that he can begin to develop into that future star in 2017-18 after inking an unlikely contract today.

Players To Watch In Upcoming OHL Finals

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Tonight marks the start of the championship series in the OHL, which will determine which team represents the league in the annual Memorial Cup tournament, made up of the top teams of each of the three Canadian Hockey League entities. This year, that tournament will be held in Windsor, Ontario meaning that the hometown Spitfires will get also get a berth—even though they were knocked out of the first round of these OHL playoffs.

In the finals we’ll see the powerhouse Erie Otters take on the upstart Mississauga Steelheads, a battle between the top team in the league this season versus a team who led their division, but would have placed no higher than third in any other. Erie had an extremely difficult road to the finals, needing an overtime game in the seventh match of their second round series to stay alive. Mississauga on the other hand lost just three games in three series, showing once again that regular season play doesn’t necessarily mean much in the postseason.

Now, the two teams will crash together and show off the next wave of talent for the NHL, some of which has even already had a taste of the NHL. First, let’s look at some already-drafted players who will make the jump to professional hockey very soon.

Dylan Strome, Erie Otters/Arizona Coyotes

The third-overall pick in the 2015 draft was a disappointment to some when he couldn’t do enough to lock up a job this fall in Arizona. In his seven game taste, he registered just a single assist and wasn’t his dominant self at the World Juniors. Since he has returned to Erie though he’s shown that the OHL just isn’t enough for him. With 75 points in 35 games, Strome showed a glimpse of how he was possibly taken ahead of Mitch Marner and Noah Hanifin in his draft year.

Alex DeBrincat, Erie Otters/Chicago Blackhawks

DeBrincat was a linemate of Strome’s in the second half and the pair (along with Tampa’s Taylor Raddysh) made one of the most dominant groups in recent memory. The Chicago Blackhawks second-round pick scored 65 goals and 127 points in 63 games, and has added another 31 in the playoffs so far. All this from a kid who was cut from the Team USA World Junior squad this season—he took it personally.

Michael McLeod, Mississauga Steelheads/New Jersey Devils

A first-round pick from last summer, McLeod is one of the strongest skaters in the league and uses it to play pro-style hockey up and down the rink. Not the offensive talent that either Strome or DeBrincat are, he did nonetheless put up 73 points in 57 games and has turned it up even further in the playoffs. He limits opposing teams when he’s on the ice with his puck possession, and will be an excellent NHL player for a long, long time.

There are also several draft-eligible prospects in the series, some who hold huge roles on their respective teams. Two from the Steelheads stand out as first-round locks in this summer’s draft.

Owen Tippett, Mississauga Steelheads

Tippett is about as “pure” of a goal-scorer you can find in this year’s draft, embodying the sniper archetype. He can score from anywhere in the offensive zone with an incredible wrist shot or power moves to the net. He scored 44 goals in 60 games, and has added another seven in the playoffs. While he’s not the big center that everyone hopes for early in the draft, he’ll be selected in the top-10 because of his ability to put the puck in the net. He’s not quite Patrik Laine, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make an immediate impact as a rookie.

Nicolas Hague, Mississauga Steelheads

You wouldn’t believe it if you saw the lanky 6’5″ defender, but Hague can move around the ice better than most defenders in the league and has natural offensive instincts. His defensive game has come a long way, and seems committed to improving at the next level. He scored 18 goals in the regular season, jumping into the rush and unleashing a raw but powerful shot from the point. Returning to the OHL next season after going somewhere in the middle of round one, he should be one of the top defenders in the league.

Ivan Lodnia, Erie Otters

Lodnia won’t turn 18 until August, and is still extremely raw as a prospect. His ability to grind down opponents is already apparent though, and his offensive game has started to round into form even being buried somewhat on a veteran Erie team. After 56 points in 66 games in the regular season, he’s completely disappeared in the playoffs thus far. He’ll likely drop down into the middle of the second round, but someone may get a hidden gem in that spot. When the Otters lose 5-6 forwards ahead of him this summer, he’ll be front-and-center as a top scoring option next year.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Goaltender Matej Machovsky

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The Detroit Red Wings have gotten into the European free agent act, inking Matej Machovsky to a one-year contract. The Czech goaltender returned home in 2013 after going undrafted out of the OHL. He also had attended Detroit development camp last summer. The entry-level deal is for the 2017-18 season, after which Machovsky will become a restricted free agent. No details were released by the team on the financials.

Spending the last four years in the Czech professional league, Machovsky has recorded .936, .916, .920, .925 save percentages and generally been one of the more dominating goaltenders. He was selected back in 2010 in the OHL import draft by the Guelph Storm, but was quickly traded to the Brampton Battalion where he would play three seasons. Considered a big netminder who wasn’t athletic enough, Machovsky went undrafted despite being ranked 11th among North American goaltenders in 2011, and 14th in 2012 (and even as high as third on a mid-term ranking).

His game has matured through the years, after spending time at development camps for Los Angeles and Ottawa in addition to Detroit. It will be interesting to see where he goes for the Red Wings, who still have Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek in the NHL and Jared Coreau in the AHL. Ridding themselves of Howard’s contract has been an option for the Red Wings, who seemed to be ready to trust Mrazek with the net last summer. It’s a little less clear now, after a down season from Mrazek and an overall struggle for the Red Wings as a team.

Snapshots: OHL Lawsuit, Sutter, Alzner

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In the second piece of legal hockey news today, an Ontario judge has certified the former players’ lawsuit against the OHL as class action. Rick Westhead of TSN provides the specifics on the news, explaining that it now makes every player who played in the OHL from 2012 to the present an automatic plaintiff in the lawsuit, though they can opt-out if they so choose.

The lawsuit could apparently cost the league as much as $30MM, something that according to the league would “bring on the even of destruction for the players.” Similar lawsuits are being brought before the courts for both the WHL and QMJHL, with the decision on whether the WHL case will be certified as class action coming down within the next month.

  • Darryl Sutter isn’t done just yet, as he told Gary Lawless of TSN. The former Los Angeles Kings coach who was fired earlier this month will be “picky” about his next situation, but won’t rule out heading to a re-building squad. Sutter has coached over 1200 games in the NHL and won two Stanley Cups, giving credence to the idea that he can be picky and wait for the perfect opportunity.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have signed Nathan Noel to a three-year entry-level deal. Noel, 19, played this season for the Saint John’s Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, scoring 50 points in 52 games. Turning 20 in June, Noel will likely head to the AHL next season and try to continue his development for the Rockford IceHogs.
  • Karl Alzner won’t be available again tonight for the Washington Capitals, his fifth straight game out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. As Tom Gulitti of NHL.com writes, Alzner had skated in 599 consecutive games before missing game 3 against the Maple Leafs, and is an important part of the Capitals defense. Alzner is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Capitals will have a tough time affording him while also giving raises to their many RFAs, meaning this is likely his last run with the team for a while. Even though he may not get another chance to play in the postseason with the Capitals, he makes his team-first attitude clear: “I’d sit out the rest of the playoffs if we can win the Cup.”

Red Wings Notes: Holland, Prospects, Axel Holmstrom

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Despite being out of the playoffs, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland has been busy. The bulk of Holland’s time has been spent scouting, writes the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. Traveling everywhere from Slovakia to Toronto, Holland is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to retooling the Red Wings after disappointing season. Holland noted that he’s “focused on the draft” and looking “at the kids,” scouring everything from the U18 World Championships to an OHL playoff game between Mississauga and Peterborough. Holland was also busy watching his current crop of prospects, catching the Grand Rapids Griffins games and seeing his farm team open up a 2-0 series lead on Milwaukee.

  • With all the scouting, Holland told MLive’s Ansar Khan that he expects “two or three” Griffins to be on the Red Wings’ roster to start out the 2017-18 season. While Holland wasn’t going to guess on who those players would be, Khan speculates that defenseman Robbie Russo, and forwards Tomas Nosek and Tyler Bertuzzi are possibilities. Bertuzzi seems the surest bet, as the nephew of former Red Wing Todd Bertuzzi got off to a hot start in the AHL playoffs, scoring a couple goals in their latest victory.
  • Speaking of prospects, one to keep an eye on is Axel Holmstrom, who is “turning heads,” according to St. James. Holmstrom, who is not related to former Red Wing Tomas Holmstrom, was a seventh round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. Griffins bench boss Todd Nelson lauds Holmstrom’s puck handling and vision, but could use some work on his skating. Though he suffered a knee injury earlier this season in Sweden, Holmstrom has impressed in his short time with Grand Rapids. While the plan is to keep him in the AHL next season, Holmstrom could find himself in Detroit sooner should his play continue to impress.

Prospect Snapshots: Vesalainen, Kopacka, Nosek

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Finland’s Kristian Vesalainen was named the MVP of the 2017 U18 IIHF Ice Hockey World Champions today despite the team’s 4-2 loss to Team USA in the gold medal game today . The 17-year-old forward is considered to be a first-round target in the upcoming 2017 NHL Draft and his stock could be rising after he scored six goals and 13 points in the tournament. NHL.com has him rated the seventh-ranked European skater in the draft.

Versalainen was also named the Best Forward in the Directorate Awards along with fellow countryman Miro Heiskanen for Best Defenseman and Russia’s Maxim Zhukov as the Best Goaltender. The United States had three players voted to the Media All-Star team, including goalie lan St. Cyr, defenseman Maxwell Gidon and forward Sean Dhooghe. Vesalainen, Heiskanen and Russian forward Ivan Chekhovich rounded out the voting.

  • The Anaheim Ducks announced they have signed 2016 fourth-round pick Jack Kopacka to a three-year entry-level contract today. The 19-year-old wing led his team, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League with 30 goals this year. He also added 19 assists for 49 points. The 93rd overall pick in this past draft finished with 50 goals in two plus seasons with his OHL team. Kopacka is the second player from his team to sign an NHL deal today as Tampa Bay signed his teammate Boris Katchouk earlier today.
  • Detroit Red Wings Tomas Nosek continues his success in the AHL this year and, according to Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James, is beginning to show that he belongs in the Red Wings lineup next season. The 24-year-old forward scored the overtime goal in the Grand Rapids Griffins Game 1 playoff series against the Milwaukee Admirals and has taken his game up a level from a year ago. Nosek played 11 games for the Red Wings this season, scoring one goal, but since this is his third season in the AHL, he will no longer by waiver exempt, so Detroit may have to look at him more closely.

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