By PATRICK KING

Sportsnet.ca

The long and agonizing wait for their Russian star was worth it as Andrei Loktionov arrived to the Windsor Spitfires as good as advertised.

The Spitfires traded a very promising young player to the Owen Sound Attack in order to move up in the Canadian Hockey League import draft to select Loktionov. Since then, Windsor general manager Warren Rychel has had his patience tested as the transfer took longer than anticipated. Loktionov arrived on Oct. 1, playing his first game against Peterborough the next night where he picked up his first point with an assist.

"His hockey IQ is very high. He's smart with the puck, great hands, deceiving speed and always seems to put the puck in the right place," Rychel said. "He hit a few guys with passes they weren't even ready for."

Since his arrival, Rychel said the team has welcomed their new star with open arms and he, in turn, is excited about the prospect of playing for a strong team and furthering his development.

The team has rotated their top two lines consisting of Loktionov, Taylor Hall, Greg Nemisz, Dale Mitchell, Adam Henrique and Austin Watson.

"I don't think for a player like Loktionov it doesn't matter who he plays with, he's going to make everyone better around him and he's shown that in three games with a goal and an assist," Rychel said.

Loktionov has taken the spot of captain Joshua Bailey, who remains at New York Islanders camp, on the half-boards on the power-play.

"I think when he's here for a month and gets more accustomed to his new home and the team and the guys he's going to be a force out there," Rychel added.

Wildcats, Broncos off to quick starts

It didn't take the Moncton Wildcats long to bounce back from a rebuilding season.

One season removed from finishing in last place in the Eastern Division, the Wildcats were red-hot to open the season, culminating with a new franchise record. The Wildcats won their first seven games of the season, which is a third of the amount of games they won all of last season, to mark the team's best start in franchise history.

Head coach and director of hockey operations Danny Flynn outlined two important aspects in the team's revival in an exclusive interview with Sportsnet.ca.

"No. 1 we have to give our players a lot of credit, they came back in really good shape," he said. "No. 2, I think we were fortunate that we caught some teams that had key guys away at NHL camps but having said that I think our work ethic has been strong and our goaltending's been real solid and our commitment to a good, two-way game has been there as well."

Flynn said one of the advantages the younger players had last season was in gaining valuable experience in different situations after the team traded most of the veterans away.

Among those veterans making a name this season is goaltender Nicola Riopel, who attended the Montreal Canadiens' camp after going undrafted.

"He had a real solid year last year and probably didn't get the credit that he deserved," Flynn said. "(Going to Canadiens camp) was really good for his confidence and we felt real good going in with the quality of our goaltending and he's been really solid for us."

In addition to the veterans, the Wildcats have received key contributions from some of their younger players, including first overall pick Brandon Gormley who Flynn said is developing quickly.

"There are times out there you forget he's only 16-years-old and his poise with the puck and his hockey sense is outstanding for his age," Flynn said. "He's got a real bright future ahead of him."

Meanwhile, the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League were off to their quickest start in 11 seasons after opening the season with a 6-0 record. The streak snapped Sunday in Lethbridge with a 5-2 loss.

As head coach and general manager Dean Chynoweth said, making it to the second round in last year's playoffs made the returning players hungry to take the next step forward.

"You have to learn how to win and when you start to gain certain experiences that generally translates into that and our group has gotten a little bit better every year," he said. "I think the guys coming back this year that didn't graduate got a taste of it and want to get back to it."

Among those players hungry to succeed this season is second year forward Cody Eakin. The 17-year-old from Winnipeg, Man. is gaining recognition for his hard work and steady two-way play.

"I think he brings a lot of the intangibles that you don't see nightly on the score-sheet," Chynoweth commented on his rising star. "He's such a terrific skater and he works so hard to be able to generate things and also play on the defensive side so as a coach, you're very pleased with that."

"We came out with a hunger from the start of the year," said Eakin, whose favourite player is the Ottawa Senators' Mike Fisher. "We want to definitely pick up where we left off last year and I think we did that from the start of the season."

Cann trade bait?

Peterborough Petes general manager Jeff Twohey's phone has been busy early this season and the main topic of conversation revolves around the availability of starting goaltender Trevor Cann.

The 19-year-old Colorado prospect has been highly sought after in the early stages of the season but Twohey maintains his team isn't shopping Cann or backup Jason Missiaen.

"A number of teams have either made inquiries or made offers and if there's no offer that's suitable then we're quite content to stay with the two of them," Twohey told Sportsnet.ca. "If there is an offer that makes sense for both teams and obviously would be good for the players, then you'd certainly have to look at it."

Twohey said the interest his team is receiving for Cann isn't surprising given how valuable he could be for a team looking to make a run at the Ontario Hockey League championship.

"He's been to the Memorial Cup, he's played in the playoffs, he's been part of a team that's won the OHL championship and he's been on a long playoff run so he has a lot of experience that a lot of other goalies probably don't have," he said.

While many players have returned from NHL camps, the Petes are among the less fortunate few as their star, defenceman Zach Bogosian who was taken third overall by the Atlanta Thrashers, remains with his NHL team. Twohey's Petes remain in the dark as he has yet to speak with the Thrashers.

"If I was betting, I would bet that he'll be (in the NHL this season) but it's just speculation on my part because I haven't heard anything," he said.

Hurricanes hit by NHL bug

While many big name junior players such as Thomas Hickey, Angelo Esposito and Cody Hodgson have returned to their respective CHL teams, the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL continue to trek on without their stars.

Lethbridge is currently without overage forward Mitch Fadden, who could sign a contract to play in the American Hockey League this season, and forward Zach Boychuk and defenceman Luca Sbisa.

Both Boychuk and Sbisa have signed NHL contracts with the teams that drafted them this summer and remain away at camp. Boychuk is recovering from surgery in Carolina while Sbisa appears poised to be given an opportunity to crack the Philadelphia Flyers' lineup.

"If you let it bother you it can be a real distraction," said head coach Michael Dyck, whose team is 5-2 without their stars. "We've had to get past that and really now focus on what we've got right now and take the approach that … if they come back, it's a bonus."

Boychuk's early return appears more likely than Sbisa's as the Hurricanes have been told Sbisa will be given nine games to prove himself, the maximum a junior player can play in the NHL before his contract kicks in.

"I think he'll be a very good NHL player and I think he was underrated at the NHL draft," Dyck said. "I'm a little surprised based on the depth that (Philadelphia) have that they're considering keeping him but at the same time obviously very, very happy for him. They're not an organization that would just keep somebody for the sake of keeping somebody. He's obviously earned that and worked for it and we're proud of him."

Other CHL players drafted in the first round in last summer's draft who remain in the NHL include: Steven Stamkos, 1st overall (Tampa Bay); Drew Doughty, 2nd overall (Los Angeles); Zach Bogosian, 3rd overall (Atlanta); Alex Pietrangelo, 4th overall (St. Louis); Luke Schenn, 5th overall (Toronto); Nikita Filatov, 6th overall (Columbus); Mikkel Boedker, 8th overall (Phoenix) and Joshua Bailey, 9th overall (New York Islanders).