Top of the class

After a full day of travel, I'm back with a special Friday edition of the blog. The Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects game was tight as a drum. Had Seattle's Branden Trook not scored in the final minute, we might all still be there. While it's true this game was absent of eight of the top 42 North American prospects: Nail Yakupov, Morgan Reilly, Olli Maatta, Alexander Galchenyuk, Cody Ceci, Slater Koekkoek, Jarrod Maidens and Matia Marcantuoni.

When looking at the list of players selected to play, some question why it's not just the top 40 players on NHL Central Scouting's list who play in the CHL. The reason is quite simple. NHL Central Scouting does not pick the teams. All 30 NHL teams are asked to provide a list of four goalies, 12 defencemen and 24 forwards who they would like to see participate in the game. From there, Central tabulates the votes and the teams are formulated. In the event of an injury, Central refers to the next player on the list.

If there's a tie between two players, that's when Central steps in to make the decision. For example, when the 16th-ranked Ceci could not participate, the next consensus player on the list as a result of the tabulated votes was Rouyn-Noranda's Dillon Fournier, who is ranked 138th.

Keep in mind, NHL Central Scouting is an agency that acts as a baseline, providing teams with reports on players all over the world. Their lists are used by NHL teams as comparatives, guidelines, and to suggest players that NHL teams may not have seen, or have limited viewings of.

It's tough to find a better story than Branden Trook of the Seattle Thunderbirds. He sat out all of last season with what was thought to be concussion-like symptoms. After several tests and visits to various doctors, it was revealed that Trook was suffering from an occipital nerve issue in his neck. Massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic treatment helped get him back on the ice. Once a highly-touted Bantam pick, Trook has put himself in scouts conscious as a highly-touted NHL pick, thanks, in-part to his performance Wednesday.

Give credit to Brendan Gaunce, who, after I called him out to go low blocker side during the Breakaway Shootout portion of the Skills Competition did exactly that in his second attempt. He failed to score however. Gaunce is mature beyond his years and he'll make an NHL team very happy as I expect him to go in the 17-23 range in round one.

How about the story of Dalton Thrower? Both of his parents are cancer survivors. His mother Melanie was stricken with cancer during Thrower's minor hockey days, while his dad Murray went through it last season. I couldn't imagine being thousands of miles away from my family while my dad was ill. Murray did his best to make sure his son stayed on-point while he battled. Thrower leaned heavily on his best pal, Lukas Sutter, while having to endure that ordeal last season.

One of the great things about the CHL/NHL Home Hardware Top Prospects game is the opportunity to spend some time with the players. We put several of them through the interview process, spending 10-20 minutes learning about where they came from, who the important people have been in their careers, and some of the other interesting stories surrounding them.

The Quebec Remparts, and more specifically Patrick Roy were fined $5,000 dollars for comments detrimental to the QMJHL. Roy was more than vocal about the pressure Mikhail Grigorenko had to participate in Wednesday's game. As a result, the CHL did make some concessions as Grigorenko didn't participate in any high-flying skills events and he played limited minutes thanks to Pat Quinn and Don Hay being careful with Grigorenko.

Roy did make a point in that Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting played three games in three days last weekend, yet didn't participate in the Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects game. I wonder if there will be any sanctions levied against the Sting for Yakupov not playing?

Think the competitive juices still flow for 2011 Stanley Cup winner Mark Recchi? He was bitter and vocal about it when Team Cherry's Ryan Murray was called for a slash with less than two minutes to go in the game. He let the referee duo of Jeff Ingram and Brett Iverson have it towards the end of the game, and then again afterwards.

Speaking of the coaches, was there anyone happier than Pat Quinn to be back behind the bench? He led the 2008 Under-18 team to gold and a year later won gold as the bench boss for Canada's world junior team in Ottawa. Quinn was invigorated by the experience working with young players, something he was oft-criticized for during his days in Toronto with the Maple Leafs. Quinn and Recchi might've been "honourary coaches" in title, but both were heavily involved over the course of the three days.

At this time of the season we usually talk about players getting tired. How about Don Hay, Ryan Huska and trainer Jeff Thorburn? All three were part of Canada's bronze-medal team in Alberta and still haven't fully recovered from the whirlwind month that is the World Junior Hockey Championship.

Big thanks to the Kelowna Rockets organization. Bruce and Gavin Hamilton run a first-class operation and it's easy to see why it is one of, if not the most desired destination in all of the WHL. Prospera Pace is my favourite rink in the Dub, and with the hotel right across the street, it's easy to get to work. The reception the Rockets held for scouts and select media on Tuesday night was second to none. As an avid wine guy, we were able to experience the likes of several Okanagan Valley wineries.

Derrick Pouliot acquainted himself quite well. He wanted to show scouts that he can play with more urgency, and with more jam. Not only was he his brilliant self in moving pucks and making decisions, he also got involved physically on a few occasions. The Portland Winterhawks defenceman is part of the WHL's "Fab Five" which includes Ryan Murray of Everett, Morgan Rielly of Moose Jaw, Griffin Reinhart of Edmonton and Matthew Dumba of Red Deer.

There were 11 defencemen taken in the first round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and that number may increase in 2012. Some say this draft will look a little like 2008, when Drew Doughty went 2nd, Zack Bogosian 3rd, Alex Pietrangelo 4th and Luke Schenn 5th. I don't see four defenceman in the top five picks in this draft, but five of them will go in the top 10 picks.

Dillon Fournier was a pleasant surprise for me. A late add to take the place of injured Cody Ceci, Fournier showed up from Rouyn-Noranda and took full advantage of his opportunity. Going into the game he was ranked 138th in North America by NHL Central Scouting. Like many others in this draft, he's missed time due to injury, and playing in Rouyn hasn't made it easy for scouts to get enough good viewings. Fournier was assertive all night long, and he did it with one shoulder.

Matt Murray of the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds was exceptional. If not for his play, Team Cherry would've lost by at least three goals. He denied Tanner Pearson three times in the third period alone, and his glove save on Raphael Bussieres was highlight worthy.

Speaking of Bussieres, he was one of the last guys I would've picked to drop the gloves. Although he was my pick to click in the pre-game, I didn't see him getting in a scrap, let alone with Matt Dumba. One of the knocks against Bussieres is his apparent indifference at times, and that fight may have shown a different side to scouts. He was brilliant this summer at the RDO.

I surely don't like when players feel the need to fight after their teammate is on the bad end of a clean check, but I also like the fact Bussieres stood up for his teammate when Dumba rocked Radek Faksa in the third.

I enjoy talking to the goalies, they're always an interesting study. Brandon Whitney of Victoriaville never was really sure he'd be a top prospect for the NHL, but thanks in large part to the help of up and coming goalie coach Daniel Frechette, Whitney is well on his way to a pro career.

It was tough break for Nick Ebert of Windsor. The Spits D-man fell ill during the day, didn't partake in the morning skate and did not dress for Wednesday night's game. Ebert is an interesting study in that last year, many thought he'd be a surefire first round pick for the 2012 draft. I'm not sure that's the case anymore. This game would've been a perfect proving ground for him.

Thomas Wilson is so prototypical Plymouth it's funny. He's got great size, toes the right line between confidence and arrogance and plays with edge. As my broadcast partner RJ Broadhead said, "He owned the ice out there."

Damon Severson was playing house league during his Bantam (draft) year. Is he the next in a long line of Kelowna defencemen to have an impact in the NHL? Scott Hannan, Alex Edler, Shea Webber, Duncan Keith, Tyler Myers and Luke Schenn are the names that have gone before him.

Chris Driedger is a realist. He told me just how poorly he played for Calgary in the first half of the season. He's turned it around in January. He works with Rick St. Croix and Tony D'Angelo in Winnipeg during the summer months, and works with Darcy Wakaluk while with the Hitmen. He will also soon seek the additional advice of a sports psychologist, trying to take advantage of every opportunity to get better.

You can't ever forget about the Tanner Pearson story. At 5'9 in his draft year, the Colts took a flier on him in the 15th round. Four years later, to the best of my knowledge, he's the only player to take part in the game that is in his last year of draft eligibility. I truly believe he's a first rounder, and I've heard plenty of that from the various scouts I talk to.

Big wildcard for me in this draft is Andreas Athanasiou of London. He tested the best at during the mini-combine, his speed is electric, hands are sick, yet this season he's lacked finish. I'm not sure he's taken a big enough stride this season. He had 11 goals and 22 points as a rookie in 2010-11, and has 16 goals and 28 points in 44 games this season. By contrast, Prince Albert's Mike Winther had nine goals and 10 points in 61 games in 2010-11 and has 26 goals and 47 points in 50 games this season. By the way, keep an eye on Winther moving towards the draft.