EHM The Blue Line

Really he was... in the WHL to the Spokane Chiefs. Sorry could not resist a new thread for a 1st round pick being dealt.

MOD NOTE: I renamed the thread to cover all talk of Canadian Junior hockey for this season. I know a lot of folk here follow it, so hopefully it will be an active thread. - B72

Beach won't be the WHL for long though, will he...?

I would have thought that he'd be in with Rockford in the AHL this year... Maybe not.

Not eligible to play in Rockford as he is only 19 and has one more year in CHL. That is the way the rules are. Same for Hodgson...make Canucks or play for Brampton.

And B72--I actually thought of titling the thread that and then changed my mind.

If anyone wants I can give a little preview ....

I predict that the Memorial Cup Champions this season will be a team noone thought would even make the playoffs. The Portland Winterhawks. No...not really, but they are going to challenge in the US Division.

If Kelowna gets Tyler Myers back, they win the West. Vancouver is starting the year with 3 16 year old dmen. Calgary still looks solid in the East, but Brandon (who is hosting Memorial Cup this year) has really stocked up and they could take both the league and Memorial Cup titles.

Challenging for WHL Scoring Title will be 20 year old Dustin Sylvester Kootenay ICE, if he stays healthy, and maybe the ICE need a C to play with him. Also challenging in this area Kyle Beach, and any number of other players going back to the Dub from the NHL.

Finally...the Rookie of the Year? Watch out for 16 year old Red Deer Rebel Ryan Nugent-Hopkins from Burnaby. This kid could easily become "the next one". He has skills coming out of his ears. And boy is he smart. Ray Ferraro started hyping him last season when Ryan played 5 games and had 5 points for the Rebels as a 15 year old.

Whoops. Forgot about the Saskatoon Blades as a threat in the East.

West top teams in my mind:

1. Kelowna (if Myers is back, if not finish behind either Spoke or Tri)
2. Spokane
3. Tri City
4. Vancouver (if Kane comes back)
5. Portland (could move up with G Kurtis Mucha back)
6. Everett
7. Kamloops
8. Seattle (not really a strong team but other 2 are weaker)
9. Chilliwack
10. Prince George (things start to look up though with last season Rookie of year Brett Connolly)

East

1. Saskatoon
2. Brandon
3. Calgary
4. Medicine Hat
5 Kootenay
6 Swift Current
7 Regina
8 Red Deer
9 Edmonton
10 Moose Jaw
11 Lethbridge
12 Prince Albert

In the OHL everyone expects Windsor to be a powerhouse again. They won the Memorial Cup last year and has several good players coming back. They will be led by Taylor Hall. He is the top contender to be chosen 1st overall in the 2010 Entry Draft. Their goaltending is the only soft spot as Josh Unice has not looked good.
London, Barrie, Mississauga and Guelph are also top teams. Barrie forward Luke Pither has scored seven goals in the first two games of the season!

Me, I'm rooting for the Plymouth Whalers. Always have, but I can't remember why. They are a good team and hasn't missed the play-offs in 19 years

Here's the OHL plays-of-the-week
http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/ohl- ... 54/t-webTV

and here is a goal that will be on the next one
Michael Farrell, Kingston

So who are the CHL based players we should look out for in next years draft?

Taylor Hall, Taylor Hall, Taylor Hall

He's this year's consensus #1 overall so far, right? He's supposed to be awesome. Is there a #2 that's anywhere near him or is it a huge drop?

To be honest, I have not followed enough yet to give that. He is original consensus #1 but as we have seen lately, things may change. There is a Euro kid, I forget who or where from I have heard stuff about lately.

batdad wrote:There is a Euro kid, I forget who or where from I have heard stuff about lately.

Pulkkinen? Granlund?

Seeing the Storm play Windsor, it is fairly obvious that the Spitfires can turn it on whenever they feel like it. It looked like Guelph was playing them pretty close and then the Spits scored 3 in a matter of 2 minutes and it was over. If they don't at least make it to the Memorial Cup this season I will be shocked

bruins72 wrote:He's this year's consensus #1 overall so far, right? He's supposed to be awesome. Is there a #2 that's anywhere near him or is it a huge drop?

Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers and Kirill Kabanov, who now has been allowed to plya with the Moncton Wildcats will be taken top five at least

I've heard of Kabonov. I'm hoping the B's get a top 5 pick with their 1st rounder they got from Toronto.

bruins72 wrote:I've heard of Kabonov. I'm hoping the B's get a top 5 pick with their 1st rounder they got from Toronto.

It's looking pretty good for you're Bruins at this point in the season though at less than 5 games in I wouldn't book a flight to the draft just yet

CeeBee wrote:

bruins72 wrote:I've heard of Kabonov. I'm hoping the B's get a top 5 pick with their 1st rounder they got from Toronto.

It's looking pretty good for you're Bruins at this point in the season though at less than 5 games in I wouldn't book a flight to the draft just yet

Still I cannot think how a rebuilding team like Leafs could pull off that kind of trade, and give away much of its future for a player that not only doesn't want to sign a contract with the Bruins, but is also currently injured. I'd say there are fair chances that all those picks gonna pay off for the B's in the future.

It is simple. It is Brian Burke. No patience, no ability to draft. In the WHL d men are falling like flies. Red Deer only has 5 healthy. Edmonton called up 2009 first rounder 3rd overall puck Griffin Reinhart(Paul's midddle son who at 15 is 6'4 210.) and he played his first game getting an assist and plus 3. He is gonna be real good. And the euro I was thinking of is Kabonov I think.

I have actually no idea about the biggest draft names for the next summer, but I will say I'll be very upset if Mikael Granlund is not picked in the top ten. Quite useless comment since I can't really compare Granlund to the other upcoming star players, and might be offtopic as well, but hey, what can you do =p

According to the ISS preliminary rankings, the 1-2 punch are both on Windsor.

Happy to see John McFarland in the top 10.

Here is a link to the top 30
Top 30 list

And TSN's article about the rankings and other hopefuls.
ISS Rankings article.

Teem Pulkkinnen should be higher IMO

Have you seen all of the players on the list LIVE (not just TV)? If so, then you can say he would be higher. If not, then you cannot. I look at Brett Connolly who I have watched play since he was 12, and think he will be a star in the NHL. However, I cannot say he should be any higher on the list, or any lower...why? Because I have not seen Kulikov live, nor have I seen Taylor Hall live.

When I say not just TV I say it because what the player does away from the puck is just as and maybe more important as what he does with the puck. You cannot see that on TV which just follows the puck.

Note: I am not picking on you here Hensel, it is just a common issue even among pro scouts. Guys get their favorites and they can do no wrong. You have to be able to say "Why" he is better than all of the others you think he should be ranked higher than in order to move him up. And you have to have seen all those guys, more than just a few times.

Where is Teemu Eronen? He's a year older than the others on that list, but he's playing very big minutes and is one of those who haven't been dissapointments in Jokerit.

GUess the scouts don't think he is worth of a ranking spot.

batdad wrote:Have you seen all of the players on the list LIVE (not just TV)? If so, then you can say he would be higher. If not, then you cannot. I look at Brett Connolly who I have watched play since he was 12, and think he will be a star in the NHL. However, I cannot say he should be any higher on the list, or any lower...why? Because I have not seen Kulikov live, nor have I seen Taylor Hall live.

When I say not just TV I say it because what the player does away from the puck is just as and maybe more important as what he does with the puck. You cannot see that on TV which just follows the puck.

Note: I am not picking on you here Hensel, it is just a common issue even among pro scouts. Guys get their favorites and they can do no wrong. You have to be able to say "Why" he is better than all of the others you think he should be ranked higher than in order to move him up. And you have to have seen all those guys, more than just a few times.

He played Finnish mens league when he was 16, he's head and shoulders better than Rajala and almost as good as Granlund. Very mature for his age, he would be ranked higher if he came and played with Kelowna in the WHL but he opted to stay with Jokerit this year, he said he's considering going to Kelowna to play next year though.

And maybe just maybe if he shows something better than the other top 20 prospects...next time he will be in the top 30. He may almost be as good as Granlund (don't know...have not seen Granlund). Guys, remember the rankings are based on the consensus of PROFESSIONAL hockey scouts who have seen them play more than 20 times each. These guys do have some idea what they are doing. Things change from the beginninng of the year to the end.

And Hensel...out of curiosity do you travel the world and watch all these guys live? Cause it appears you are an expert on Swedish, Finnish, WHL, QMJHL, OHL, NCAA, and all prospects since you seem to know where guys fit in from all over the world. I know one thing...until I have seen a guy play myself 5 times, I don't try and rank everyone.
If you do this, that is great. I wish I could. Not saying Pulkinnen is not worthy of your accolades, just saying I have not seen enough of him nor the 30 comparison points in the rankings at this time to say who he should be above.

This brings me to my next thought...maybe he is not ranked because scouts feel through watching him and GMs feel through interviewing him and watching him that he will not develop better than anyone else on that list. Again...people have been wrong..but the GREAT majority of the time the rankings are pretty good.