Welcome to the first edition of what will be a weekly junior hockey column here at dot-ca. Each week you can expect news, rumours, previews and opinion (I’ll try to keep the snark to an absolute minimum, I promise) as we cover another season of CHL action on Sportsnet.
Konecny on the block?
Wasn’t surprised to see Elliotte Friedman mention in “30 Thoughts” that talented Flyers prospect and Ottawa 67’s captain Travis Konecny’s name is out there in trade speculation. Heard this bandied about going back to last season even after the ‘67’s pulled their season back together. The Windsor Spitfires are a team that’s been tied to Konecny talk for a while now, but then I’d assume that most teams with OHL championship aspirations would be interested. I’m told there are approximately eight teams that have put together bids to get him. Having said that there is still no guarantee Konecny gets traded.
Broadcast…
Happy to welcome some new and newish faces to our CHL package this season. Great to throw to my long time pal Joey Kenward who WHL fans will know as the play-by-play voice of the Swift Current Broncos from 2000-03 and the Vancouver Giants from ’03-08. Kenward worked the Kamloops Blazers/Vancouver Giants game on Friday Night Hockey with former Blazers netminder Corey Hirsch. They stepped in for RJ Broadhead and Sam Cosentino who are handling our broadcast of the Canada/Russia series.
And former Red Deer Rebel and Memorial Cup champion Colby Armstrong joins our studio crew this season, which is a welcome addition. Armstrong (or Prids as we call him now—long story) got out of the gate quick Friday talking about the pressure Tyler Benson is under and compared it to his time in Red Deer when he told the team to take the “C” off his sweater.
…and podcast
Quick programming note: We launch this season’s “Junior” podcast Wednesday. Due to scheduling conflicts Sam Cosentino can’t co-host this season, but he will be on every show going over the news of the week around the CHL. So the league’s top analyst/insider is aboard weekly. Look for the show at here at sportsnet.ca, on iTunes and other podcatchers. This season we’re also on the radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, 1310 NEWS in Ottawa and NEWS 95.7 in Halifax.
Giants making strides
Vancouver has been a tough team to watch to kick off the campaign, with injuries, trades and players quitting but there is hope on the horizon. Projected top pick Tyler Benson is back from injury and although he’s not the scoring machine he was in his bantam draft year he has rounded out to be a strong two-way player. Benson is joined in an offence that includes overager Trevor Cox, who finished second in WHL scoring last season with Medicine Hat (109 points), and second-generation sniper Ty Ronning, who due to a late birthday is draft eligible this year. Overage goaltender Daniel Wapple, brought in from the Regina Pats, should be able to keep the Giants in most games this season.
Makin’ it rain
Great news for Zach Senyshyn (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), Jeremy Lauzon (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) and Jake DeBrusk (Swift Current Broncos), three CHLers who signed entry-level deals with the Boston Bruins. Boston went big on the CHL at the draft last year and had already signed blueliners Jakub Zboril (Saint John Sea Dogs) and Brandon Carlo (Tri-City Americans) to their ELCs.
DeBrusk on the mend
Speaking of DeBrusk he’s itching to get back into the Broncos lineup after suffering a lower body injury after blocking a Joe Hicketts (property of Detroit) slap shot in a game against the Victoria Royals. He hopes to be cleared to return in a week or so and could be a gamechanger come WHL trade deadline time, too. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Red Deer Rebels pull off a move to get him in the mix (and closer to home in the process).
DeBrusk changed a few things up in the off-season in anticipation of this year. He started to pay attention to nutrition after attending Bruins development camp and did a lot of sprint work to up his explosiveness. Bronco’s head coach Mark Lamb is using him in all situations and has given him big minutes every forward position as well. Interesting note: When dad Louie was playing with the Phoenix Coyotes, Jake played minor hockey with Jets prospect and Barrie Colts forward Brendan Lemieux and 2016 projected first-overall pick Auston Matthews.
Quick notes
Shawinigan captain and New York Islanders first rounder Anthony Beauvillier has been suspended indefinitely by the QMJHL for a head check to Nathanael Halbert of Blainville-Broisbriand. The incident occurred 41 seconds into overtime last Friday.
Big-time stick tap to the Regina Pats who knocked off CHL Top 10 teams Red Deer and Lethbridge. Speedy left winger Austin Wagner (99th to L.A. in 2015) led the way with three goals in the pair of wins.
Given that Erie knocked off Kitchener 5-2 on Sunday in the Rangers’ own barn, I’d expect the Otters to reclaim the top spot in the weekly CHL rankings. Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome was outstanding in that game with two goals and a pair of helpers. One scout who has followed him closely for years told me Strome’s stating has taken a step forward and he’s more physically mature this season already. In that high-tempo game, Strome looked calm and confident every time he touched the puck.