Patrick King

Louis Leblanc picked up where he left off in the world juniors.

Players got right back into the thick of things in the CHL after the WJHC tournament.

The completion of the world juniors signals the beginning of the stretch run across the Canadian Hockey League. Canadian world junior forward Louis Leblanc picked up where he left off in league play, while Olivier Roy regained his form with Acadie-Bathurst.

Québec Major Junior Hockey League

Hot team: Gatineau Olympiques

The Olympiques threw their hat in the ring for the championship after acquiring league-leading scorer Philip-Michael Devos at the trade deadline. Gatineau won its last nine straight games, now going a month without a loss. The Olympiques gained a valuable two points in a win over Montreal on Sunday, bringing them within three points of the Juniors for first in the Telus West Division standings.

Cold team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar

The losing streak is nowhere near as bad as it had been earlier this season, but the Drakkar remain at arm's length behind Cape Breton for the final playoff spot. Baie-Comeau lost its last four games and won just twice in its last 10. The Drakkar trail the Screaming Eagles by six points for the last playoff berth.

Game of the week: Québec Remparts vs. Gatineau Olympiques, Friday

The Remparts hardly missed a beat through the holiday season, increasing their lead in the Telus East Division standings over Lewiston to nine points. Québec remained relatively quiet as the trading period came and went. The Olympiques, meanwhile, stole the headlines with the acquisition of Devos. Gatineau is the league's hottest team and asserting itself as a contender yet again. A win over Québec will not only help in the race for the Telus West Division crown, but help legitimize Gatineau's chances this season.

Canadian NHL teams' QMJHL prospects:

Louis Leblanc, Montreal (Montreal) - drafted 18th overall in 2009

The world junior silver medalist picked up where he left off when rejoining the Juniors for the second half of the season. Leblanc scored once and added two assists for three points in two games. The 19-year-old helped the Juniors stay ahead of the streaking Olympiques.

Olivier Roy, Edmonton (Acadie-Bathurst) - drafted 133rd overall in 2009

There's nothing like a bounce-back game against his former team for the Canadian world junior goaltender to regain his form. Roy stopped 28-of-31 shots in a 9-3 win over Cape Breton on Saturday. The second half of the season will give Roy plenty of motivation to prove he's a top flight junior goaltender after losing the starting job with Canada.

Jakub Culek, Ottawa (Rimouski) - drafted 76th overall in 2010

A shaky start to the season did little to stop Jakub Culek from participating for the Czech Republic in the world juniors. Culek played in just one game since returning from the tournament and was held pointless in a loss to P.E.I.

Steven Anthony, Vancouver (Saint John) - drafted 187th overall in 2009

Anthony scored three goals and added one assist in three games with the Sea Dogs last week. His 15th and 16th goals on the season provided his team with both the game-winner and insurance markers in Saint John's 9-2 win over Halifax on Saturday.

Ontario Hockey League

Hot team: Saginaw Spirit

The Spirit is beginning to create a gap between them and the rest of the pack in the Western Conference. Saginaw won its last three games and eight of the past 10. The Spirit leads the conference with 58 points -- six more than Kitchener and Owen Sound. Fourth-year forward Josh Shalla already tied his career-high goal mark with 32.

Cold team: Belleville Bulls

The Bulls weren't able to get a win in the return of their head coach, George Burnett, an assistant with Canada's world junior team. Belleville was outscored 5-1 in losses to Niagara and Owen Sound last week. The Bulls are in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings, but lead Peterborough by just one point.

Game of the week: Ottawa 67's vs. Mississauga St. Michael's Majors, Sunday

The Eastern Conference's top two teams will meet for only the second time this season. Ottawa won the first meeting 7-2 on Oct. 3. The 67's made some ground on the Majors, whose head coach, Dave Cameron, missed the last month as Team Canada's world junior bench boss. Ottawa trails Mississauga by three points for first in the conference. These two teams will meet twice more, on the 13th day of February and March.

Canadian NHL teams' OHL prospects:

Jarred Tinordi, Montreal (London) - drafted 22nd overall in 2010

Tinordi was held without a point and an even plus-minus in three straight games with the Knights last week. It has been a rather underwhelming season for the Canadiens' first-rounder, who wasn't even invited to USA's world junior camp. He is a minus-6 in 34 games so far this season.

Greg McKegg, Toronto (Erie) - drafted 62nd overall in 2010

McKegg regained positioning within the league's top 10 scorers this season. He scored three goals and one assist in three games with a plus-2 rating last week. McKegg helped lead his team to four of a possible six points and sole possession of sixth in the Western Conference standings.

Alex Friesen, Vancouver (Niagara) - drafted 172nd overall in 2010

Friesen picked up a single assist in three games last week. He was held without a goal in three straight games following a streak in which he had a goal in six of seven contests. He is fourth in team scoring with 42 points in 39 games.

Western Hockey League

Hot team: Spokane Chiefs

The Chiefs closed the gap on the U.S. Division-leading Portland Winterhawks. Spokane won its last six games and eight of its last 10 and now trail Portland by just four points. The Chiefs have three games in hand on the Winterhawks, whom many believed to be the top team in the league this season. Spokane may have just re-entered the conversation after a slow start.

Cold team: Calgary Hitmen

The Hitmen aren't too far behind to consider the playoffs out of reach, but can't afford many more weeks like last. Calgary lost all three road games in their East Division swing and was outscored 17-4 in the process. The defending league champions have not won since the first day of the new year and trail Prince Albert by 11 points for the last playoff spot.

Game of the week: Spokane Chiefs vs. Portland Winterhawks, Wednesday

The U.S. Division and Western Conference just got a little more interesting with the Chiefs' surge. Spokane is climbing up the standings after beginning to realize their potential with new head coach Don Nachbaur. The Winterhawks are hearing footsteps coming from not just Spokane, but also Tri-City. The Chiefs hold the edge in the season series after having won the last three meetings. Portland won the first two. This is the sixth of nine games between the two teams. Portland defeated Spokane in the opening round a year ago in a series where neither team won a home game.

Canadian NHL teams' WHL prospects:

Ryan Howse, Calgary (Chilliwack) - drafted 74th overall in 2009

Howse made amends for a soft start to the week with a minus-3, zero-point effort against Kamloops. He picked up two goals and one assist with a plus-1 in an overtime win over Seattle on Sunday. Howse is on pace for his most productive season with 43 points in 38 games.

Tyler Pitlick, Edmonton (Medicine Hat) - drafted 31st overall in 2010

Pitlick found his scoring touch after a slow start to his WHL career this season. He scored once and added three assists in three games with the Tigers and a plus-1 rating. Pitlick is third in team scoring with 41 points in 37 games this season.

Brad Ross, Toronto (Portland) - drafted 43rd overall in 2010

Ross maintained his production after the departure of world junior stars Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Johansen and Sven Bartschi. Although the world junior players were back in the lineup, the Maple Leafs' second-rounder picked up an assist in each of his team's two games on the weekend. He is fifth in team scoring with 36 points in 38 games.

Max Reinhart, Calgary (Kootenay) - drafted 64th overall in 2010

Consistency has been hard to come by for the Flames' third-round pick. Reinhart was held off the score sheet in both games on the weekend, the sixth time this season he did not pick up a point in back-to-back games. He should eclipse last year's point total with 38 points in 42 games. He had 51 points in 72 games last season.