By PATRICK KING
SPORTSNET.CA
If one thought breaking Carey Price's franchise record for career wins was weighing on Chet Pickard's mind lately, nothing could be further from the truth.
Pickard became the Tri-City franchise leader when he picked up his 84th win - a shutout, no less - on Friday, but told a teammate to give the puck to a fan when asked if he wanted to keep it.
"I completely forgot it was the record," said Pickard, who had lost his previous three starts after tying the record Nov. 7 with a win over Kamloops. "We were in a little bit of a slump there so to get the win was the No. 1 thing on my mind."
One thing that is on Pickard's mind right now is the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge and a possible spot on Canada's world junior roster. Pickard will represent the Western Hockey League in the two games in Swift Current and Prince Albert, Sask. on Wednesday and Thursday. Both games can be seen on Rogers Sportsnet.
The other goalie Pickard will be sharing the crease with in Saskatchewan is Spokane's Dustin Tokarsi, a player he knows well. Tokarski was the Memorial Cup MVP in May after his Chiefs were crowned the Canadian Hockey League's top team. The Chiefs beat the Americans in an epic seven-game thriller in the Western Conference final en route to the championship.
"That series we had with Spokane was unbelievable and anybody could have won that and it's something I think will be talked about for a long time," Pickard said.
Pickard and Tokarski could be dueling once again for the starting job at the world junior championship. Both goaltending spots on the team will be available as Steve Mason and Jonathan Bernier, the two goaltenders at last year's tournament, are too old to participate.
"That would be really good for both of us and it would be good for the little rivalry that goes on between our two teams here," Pickard said. "A goal of mine is obviously to make that team and that would be a tremendous honour. If (Tokarski) is the other goalie then that would be awesome too."
Pickard's father, Dan, was in Tri-City following his son's progress during last year's playoff run. His father, along with mother Cathy and older sister Kelly, will be making the trip from Winnipeg, Man. for the Canada-Russia Challenge.
It didn't take long for Frédérick Roy to leave a mark in the Québec Major Junior Hockey League.
Roy, the son of Québec Remparts head coach Patrick, was the centre of discussion last weekend after an ugly incident late in Friday's game against the Montreal Juniors. Midway through the third period, with his team trailing 7-2, a scrum broke out near centre ice and Roy cross-checked Montreal's Vincent Bourgeois in the face. Roy was given a major and match penalty.
On Monday, the league came down even harder, handing Roy a 15-game suspension on Monday.
"(Incidents like that) happen sometimes in the course of a game where emotions get high," a QMJHL general manager told Sportsnet.ca. "Who knows what happened between those two players during the game. Maybe something happened we didn't see."
It was the second such time that one of Roy's sons has been suspended. During last season's playoffs, his other son, Remparts goaltender Jonathan, was suspended seven games for skating across the ice and delivering several blows to opposing goaltender Bobby Nadeau during a line brawl. Patrick was also suspended five games after that incident.
As a GM told Sportsnet.ca Tuesday, the severity of the suspension was what he expected after a similar instance in the Ontario Hockey League where Kingston forward Zack Fenwick sucker-punched Oshawa's Conor Stokes, resulting in the same punishment.
"It's not for me to judge if it's fair or not but honestly that's exactly what I expected, especially after what happened in Ontario last week," the GM said. "I don't know how (the QMJHL) could (hand out fewer games)."
The general manager felt the incident received more coverage than normal because it involved the son of Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy.
"There was an incident last year between Gatineau and Shawinigan that I thought was very dangerous and (the media) never mentioned it because it wasn't the Roy family," he said. "I feel bad for the kids sometimes because they have to deal with the media so much just because of their name."
As per QMJHL policy, the league does not comment on any suspensions handed out.
Storm acquire Latta, interested in Tavares?
The Guelph Storm of the OHL made a huge splash on the trade front, acquiring second-year sniper Michael Latta from the Ottawa 67's on Tuesday.
Latta, the sixth overall pick in the 2007 OHL Priority Selection, is a highly-touted centre with potential to be a first-round National Hockey League pick this summer. In exchange for Latta, the Storm sent forward Anthony Nigro, defenceman Travis Gibbons and next year's second-round pick to the Ottawa 67's.
"I think he puts us in a position today to still be very competitive and still have a chance to compete this year and that's what I like about this trade," Storm head coach and assistant general manager Jason Brooks told Sportsnet.ca. "(Latta is) a strong centreman who's got great skill but plays with an edge. He's a definite piece that we lack and I think he's going to help our offence that has struggled to this point this year."
As for the league's top sniper, Oshawa forward John Tavares, the Storm, like many teams, contend they would be interested in adding him but Brooks has had no discussion with the Generals.
"I don't think there's any question Tavares is of interest to any team," Brooks said. "He's a special player. I think the question that has to get asked is what it would cost you to acquire such a great talent.
"For us right now, I don't know if we want to get into something like that. Obviously we love the idea of John Tavares on our team, I just don't know if the pieces that Oshawa would want are what we would like to give up to acquire him."
Many have speculated the Storm are considering loading up for a run this season. Brooks said any talk about his team as buyers or sellers near the trade deadline is premature.
"I think right now because of the way we've been playing we're not sure what we are," he said. "We're still in the process of evaluating our talent and I know it's getting to crunch time but I think I would not be doing my job if I went out and did one or the other without kind of seeing what we're going to be here in the next little bit."
Much like the discussion regarding Tavares, any trade talk involving all-star Thomas McCollum is also premature. The soon-to-be 19-year-old is unlikely to return to the OHL next season, which could make him a valuable commodity at the trade deadline if the Storm chooses to part with their star.
"I haven't had any calls regarding Thomas," Brooks said. "I know he's one of the best goaltenders in our league and I think because of our position right now in the standings, I think teams are assuming that we're a contender and not a seller. But again, I think that's going to be dictated by how we perform here over the next little bit. One thing is for certain, Thomas is always going to give us a chance to win because of how good he is."
Bulls add Palmieri
The OHL's defending Eastern Conference champion Belleville Bulls added grit and goals in a trade with the Erie Otters.
Nineteen-year-old forward Nick Palmieri suited up for only his second OHL team last weekend after the rebuilding Otters traded him for a pair of draft picks. It didn't take him long to make an impact as Palmieri recorded an assist in his first game in Kingston. Palmieri was the first star of the game on Saturday after a two-point performance in a win over Sarnia.
"I think more than anything it was an opportunity for us to add a front-line player without taking away from the core or the foundation of our future, which is the '90, '91 and '92 birth dates," Bulls head coach and general manager George Burnett said. "Nick's a big power forward with grit and skating ability to score and we felt that was an area of concern for our club and it was just a real good fit."
Palmieri won't need to wait long to face his former team as the Bulls make their only trip to Erie on Thursday.
"He's excited about the opportunity and the new opportunity that's been presented to him and I think he's anxious for his next game against his former club in Erie," Burnett said. "We're glad to have him. He seems to be excited to be here, playing on the big ice in Belleville and it gives him another lease on his junior run before turning pro with New Jersey (the team that holds his professional rights)."
