2013 Mastercard Memorial Cup thread

[dash]

Tourney kicks off tonight with the OHL champs London Knights taking on the host Saskatoon Blades. Halifax from the Q and WHL champion Portland Winterhawks are the other teams in the tournament.

I think Halifax is likely the favorite, but Portland is a very strong team. Funny things can happen though, if Andrei Makarov plays great between the pipes for Saskatoon, they could surprise.

 

[esls79]

No Shawinigan =

 

[dash]

With pretty much the consensus top 3 picks in the upcoming NHL entry draft playing in the tourney, there will be plenty of scouts in attendance.

 

[dash]

London squeaks out a 3-2 win over Saskatoon tonight keeping the Blades winless in the playoffs in 2013.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

This is London's second straight Memorial Cup tourney. Is this years team better than last years? Who's the best draft eligible player on their team, Horvat, Domi or somebody else?

 

[puckhead]

This is London's second straight Memorial Cup tourney. Is this years team better than last years? Who's the best draft eligible player on their team, Horvat, Domi or somebody else?

throw Zadorov into the mix.

 

[juliansteed]

London is already guaranteed a spot in their 3rd straight Memorial Cup next year as they have been selected to host.

 

[juliansteed]

No Shawinigan =

 

[dash]

Looking forward to tonight's game (Halifax - Portland). Could be a preview of the championship game.

 

[pixburgher66]

Trying to figure out which NHL team has the most in this tourney:

PIT: xxx
PHI: xx
SJ: xxx
NYR: xx
BOS: x
CHI: xx
TOR: xx
CBJ: x
NSH: xx
STL: xx
DET: x
MTL: xx
WPG: x
DAL: x
COL: x
OTT: x
CAL: x


Pens and Sharks lead with three a piece. Pens three are all Dmen...because of course.

 

[juliansteed]

Trying to figure out which NHL team has the most in this tourney:

PIT: xxx
PHI: xx
SJ: xxx
NYR: xx
BOS: x
CHI: xx
TOR: xx
CBJ: x
NSH: xx
STL: xx
DET: x
MTL: xx
WPG: x
DAL: x
COL: x
OTT: x
CAL: x


Pens and Sharks lead with three a piece. Pens three are all Dmen...because of course.

I know you're only talking about actual current draft picks but you can pretty much add 1 for Colorado, Florida, and Tampa Bay, unless of course 1 of them trade their top pick in this year's draft which I don't see happening.

Montreal was pretty strong in this tournament last year. They had 4 (or was it 5?). And they were 4 good prospects. 2 of them spent time with the Habs this past season.

 

[Destroydacre]

London is already guaranteed a spot in their 3rd straight Memorial Cup next year as they have been selected to host.

Only 9 years (and 2 Memorial Cups in Ontario in between) since the last time they hosted, I can't imagine the rest of the OHL is too pleased about that.

 

[Destroydacre]

Looking forward to tonight's game (Halifax - Portland). Could be a preview of the championship game.

I'm thinking it will be and it's interesting too that in the last 15 Memorial cups, of the teams that met in the championship game only two of the 15 champions won the rematch after losing the round robin game. No guarantees of course, but I found that stat very interesting.

 

[pixburgher66]

I know you're only talking about actual current draft picks but you can pretty much add 1 for Colorado, Florida, and Tampa Bay, unless of course 1 of them trade their top pick in this year's draft which I don't see happening.

Montreal was pretty strong in this tournament last year. They had 4 (or was it 5?). And they were 4 good prospects. 2 of them spent time with the Habs this past season.

Well, yeah, hahha. Not accounting for Jones and crew. Quite a few big names when I was looking up and down the roster. Sad I can't really watch games here. I just need to move to Canada and get it over with. It IS my homeland ancestry wise. Well...more of a stop between England and US.

 

[juliansteed]

Nathan MacKinnon gets a hat trick late in the 2nd and the Mooseheads are up 6-3. He's been matched up against Seth Jones most of the night. Have to wonder if a strong tournament for MacKinnon could put him ahead of Jones in the draft rankings. Hard to imagine the Avs passing on the home town kid.

 

[dash]

Nathan MacKinnon gets a hat trick late in the 2nd and the Mooseheads are up 6-3. He's been matched up against Seth Jones most of the night. Have to wonder if a strong tournament for MacKinnon could put him ahead of Jones in the draft rankings. Hard to imagine the Avs passing on the home town kid.

MacKinnon is going to Florida with Huberdeau methinks...

 

[juliansteed]

MacKinnon is going to Florida with Huberdeau methinks...

Me too. If any team other than Jones' home town Avs had the #1 overall pick, MacKinnon might be able to move up. He'd really have to pass Jones by a wide margin to go #1 and I can't see that happening as a result of a short tournament. Huberdeau and MacKinnon are going to be a ridiculous young duo.

 

[juliansteed]

Portland's weakness so far certainly appears to be goaltending. Has Caruth looked this shakey all season long? Apparently his back-up is brutal and unlikely to see any action. His GAA is above 12.00 and save percentage is less than .700. On a team as good as Portland that is absolutely pathetic!

 

[dash]

Carruth can be either awfully good or awfully bad. He's been on a hot streak for Portland throughout the playoffs, but he can be really leaky between the pipes.

 

[dash]

I see that Carruth has graduated from the Mike Smith school of embellishment...