The CHL Hot and Not returns with a new format this week. Check out which teams are making headlines while keeping up with the top CHL prospects of the six Canadian NHL teams.
Western Hockey League
Hot team: Everett Silvertips
The Silvertips remain the league’s only unbeaten team with wins over Kamloops and Lethbridge last week. Everett boasts a perfect 4-0 record in the young season, but sits in second place in the U.S. Division, one point behind the Tri-City Americans. The Silvertips could be on the verge of a strong season.
Cold team: Kelowna Rockets
A rematch of last year’s second-round playoff series ended similarly to the way it did in the playoffs. The Rockets lost both games of a home-and-home with the Tri-City Americans, the team that won the Western Conference title last season. Kelowna is without a win in the first three games of the season.
Game of the week: Tri-City Americans vs. Saskatoon Blades, Wednesday
The Americans and Blades lead their respective divisions early in the season. Tri-City, a team that never seems to rebuild, is off to a strong start earning nine of a possible 10 points in their opening five games. Saskatoon has lost just once, a 7-0 drubbing to the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday.
Both teams should be in contention for their division crowns this season.
Calgary Flames WHL prospects:
Ryan Howse (Chilliwack) – drafted 74th overall in 2009 draft
The gritty forward scored twice with a plus-1 rating in a 6-1 win over Kamloops on Saturday. A quick start could earn Howse consideration for a Canadian world junior camp invitation in December.
Max Reinhart (Kootenay) – drafted 64th overall in 2010 draft
Reinhart scored once and added two assists with a plus-4 rating in two games played. He is tied for the team lead in points with Matt Fraser at five points in three games.
Joey Leach (Kootenay) – drafted 73rd overall in 2010 draft
Leach had one assist in two games with a plus-2 rating on the week. Leach picked up his first point of the season in a 6-3 win over Spokane.
Spencer Bennett (Portland) – drafted 141st overall in 2009 draft
Bennett scored all three goals and four points of the season in four games last week. He is tied for fourth in Winterhawks scoring with four points.
Michael Ferland (Brandon) – drafted 133rd overall in 2010 draft
Ferland played in just one game last week and was held pointless. He has one goal in three games this season.
Oilers WHL prospects:
Tyler Pitlick (Medicine Hat) – drafted 31st overall in 2010 draft
The first pick of the second round scored his first career WHL goal just 1:43 into his first game. Pitlick is three games into the season, but has yet to pick up his second point.
Martin Marincin (Prince George) – drafted 46th overall in 2010 draft
The first-overall pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft is paying immediate dividends for the Cougars. Marincin has a goal and an assist in two games. He leads all Cougars defencemen in scoring with three points in four games.
Curtis Hamilton (Saskatoon) – drafted 48th overall in 2010 draft
The veteran two-way forward picked up two goals and two assists in three games with a plus-3 rating. Hamilton could be on Hockey Canada’s radar as a versatile forward for the upcoming world junior tournament.
Senators WHL prospect:
Jared Cowen (Spokane) – drafted ninth overall in 2009 draft
Cowen has yet to play for the Chiefs this season after being returned on Saturday from the Senators. He is expected to play Tuesday against Chilliwack.
Mark Stone (Brandon) – drafted 178th overall in 2010 draft
The sixth-round pick is off to a quick start this season. Stone scored twice and added two assists in four games. He scored the game-winner over Moose Jaw on Wednesday and is first in Wheat Kings scoring with 10 points in six games.
Maple Leafs WHL prospect:
Brad Ross (Portland) – drafted 43rd overall in 2010 draft
Ross scored five times in four games last week while also adding an assist with a plus-6 rating. He scored the game-winning goal over Vancouver in his first junior game this season and remains two points back of Ty Rattie for first in Winterhawks scoring.
Canadiens WHL prospect:
Brendan Gallagher (Vancouver) – drafted 147th overall in 2010 draft
The diminutive forward picked up where he left off with another strong offensive performance. Gallagher scored three times and added two assists with a plus-3 rating. He is tied for the league lead in scoring with 11 points.
Ontario Hockey League
Hot team: Oshawa Generals
The Generals are on the right track this season as they remain undefeated with another two wins over Ottawa and Kingston last week. The Generals are sporting a perfect 4-0 record this season thanks in part to a big start by Christian Thomas. The New York Rangers’ second-round pick in last year’s draft has seven points in just three games.
Cold team: Barrie Colts
Last year’s runners up will be hard-pressed to find a playoff spot this season. The Colts are still in search of their first win after dropping another two games to the Brampton Battalion and Peterborough Petes by a combined 14-6 score.
Game of the week: Peterborough Petes vs. Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
The season hasn’t begun the way many predicted it would for the Petes. Peterborough has plenty of talent on paper, but picked up its first win of the season Saturday over Barrie. The Majors are playing well and gelling as a team early in the season with a 3-1 record. A win over the MasterCard Memorial Cup host Majors would be a big confidence-builder for the Petes.
Maple Leafs OHL prospects:
Kenny Ryan (Windsor) – drafted 50th overall in 2009 draft
The Leafs’ second-rounder scored twice with a minus-1 rating in three games. The American forward steps into a more prominent role with the team as he vies for a spot on the world junior team.
Jesse Blacker (Owen Sound) – drafted 58th overall in 2009 draft
Blacker scored a goal and an assist in his first two games of the season. The two-way defenceman could be on the verge of a breakout season with a team similarly poised to breakout.
Greg McKegg (Erie) – drafted 62nd overall in 2010 draft
McKegg staked his claim as a top scorer for the upcoming season with a red-hot week. He had three goals and four assists in three games with a plus-2 rating. McKegg scored the game-winner over London on Saturday.
Sam Carrick (Brampton) – drafted 144th overall in 2010 draft
The now Cody Hodgson-less Battalion could have a balanced offensive attack with the Leafs’ fifth-round pick ready to emerge. Carrick scored twice and added one assist in three games with a plus-5. He potted the winner over Peterborough on Friday.
Canadiens OHL prospect:
Jarred Tinordi (London) – drafted 22nd overall in 2010 draft
The physical defensive defenceman played his first two career OHL games and remains without a point with a minus-3 and four penalty minutes. He could emerge as a candidate for the American world junior team in spite of his slow start.
Oilers OHL prospect:
Ryan Martindale (Ottawa) – drafted 61st overall in 2010 draft
The two-way forward scored twice with one assist in two games last week. Martindale will be expected to eclipse his career-high 60 points this season.
Canucks OHL prospect:
Alex Friesen (Niagara) – drafted 172nd overall in 2010
The sixth-round pick is off to a quick start with two goals and three assists and a minus-2 rating last week. Friesen is second on the IceDogs in scoring with seven points in five games, two behind sophomore forward Ryan Strome.
Québec Major Junior Hockey League
Hot team: Québec Remparts
The Remparts continue to assert themselves as a formidable foe in the Telus East Division. Québec defeated Cape Breton and Moncton on the road last week to run its winning streak to six games. The Remparts have lost just once this season, in a shootout to Val-d’Or on Sept. 11.
Cold team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar
The Drakkar is still in search of their second win of the season after a less than hospitable stay in the Maritimes. Baie-Comeau dropped each game in PEI, Moncton and Bathurst to see its losing streak hit seven straight games. The last loss to the Titan came in a shootout, meaning Baie-Comeau picked up just its third point of the season.
Game of the week: PEI Rocket vs. Victoriaville Tigres
The Rocket will travel to Victoriaville in one of four Wednesday night tilts. PEI and Victoriaville locked up for a big trade at last year’s deadline when the Tigres acquired veteran forward Chris Doyle for their playoff run. Czech forward Andrej Nestrasil will have a homecoming as he is now with the Rocket as part of compensation for Doyle. Both teams will look to emerge from the middle of the pack this season.
Canadiens QMJHL prospects:
Louis Leblanc (Montreal) – drafted 18th overall in 2009 draft
The hype is well-warranted for the Canadiens’ first-round pick of 2009. Leblanc scored twice and had three assists for five points in two games and a plus-3. Leblanc is a legitimate candidate for a scoring line role on the Canadian world junior team.
Morgan Ellis (Cape Breton) – drafted 117th overall in 2010 draft
Ellis was held off the score sheet in three games with the Screaming Eagles last week. The rearguard has two assists in seven games this season with a minus-4 rating.
Philippe Lefebvre (Montreal) – free agent signed 2010
The undrafted forward signed with the Canadiens a year ago. Lefebvre had two assists in two games last week with a plus-2 rating. He is tied for third in team scoring with nine points in six games.
Canucks QMJHL prospects:
Steven Anthony (Saint John) – drafted 187th overall in 2009 draft
This will be a big year in Anthony’s development if he’s to become a professional hockey player. Anthony scored once in two games with the Sea Dogs, bringing his totals to four points in four games this season.
Adam Polasek (PEI) – drafted 145th overall in 2010 draft
The Czech defenceman was held off the score sheet in two games with a minus-1 last week. Polasek has two assists in the first five games of the season. He had 41 points in 66 games with PEI last season.
Sawyer Hannay (Halifax) – drafted 205th overall in 2010 draft
Hannay did not play in any of Halifax’s games last week. He has yet to record a point in the first three games of the season.
Oilers QMJHL prospect:
Olivier Roy (Acadie-Bathurst) – drafted 133rd overall in 2009 draft
The front-runner for the starting job on the Canadian world junior team had a rough debut with his new team in Bathurst. Roy allowed seven goals on 56 shots in two games for a .875 save percentage. He picked up his first win with the Titan against Baie-Comeau on Sunday.
Senators QMJHL prospect:
Jakub Culek (Rimouski) – drafted 76th overall in 2010 draft
The Czech sniper is riding shotgun with some high scorers on the revamped Océanic. Culek scored once and assisted on two more for three points in two games and a plus-1 rating. His six points are tied for seventh in team scoring.
