2014 CHL Season Thread

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What I want to know is why does Saskatoon keep getting these games when they have trouble seeling tickets? 5,000 tickets sold in a 15,000 seat arena?

There are plenty of good seats available for the Subway Super Series game in Saskatoon, but Michael Scissons is taking the glass-halffull approach.

The Saskatoon Blades vice-president of business operations said about 5,000 people are likely to appear at SaskTel Centre when the WHL team takes on Russia next Monday.

Super Series sales not surprising

 

[Destroydacre]

What I want to know is why does Saskatoon keep getting these games when they have trouble seeling tickets? 5,000 tickets sold in a 15,000 seat arena?

There are plenty of good seats available for the Subway Super Series game in Saskatoon, but Michael Scissons is taking the glass-halffull approach.

The Saskatoon Blades vice-president of business operations said about 5,000 people are likely to appear at SaskTel Centre when the WHL team takes on Russia next Monday.

Super Series sales not surprising

Yeah, I really don't know why Saskatoon even has a 15,000 seat rink to begin with. It's the largest non-pro league rink in the WHL and even much larger cities like Vancouver and Portland artificially reduce their capacities to seat several thousand less. I don't get it. Definitely looks awful on TV.

 

[juliansteed]

Team QMJHL defeats the "Team Russia" 3-1. Didn't see the game but Zach Fucale made 40 saves. As much as I think he's over-rated, that sounds like a pretty good game for him.

Pretty sure this is the 1st year the Russians started out west and worked their way east. Looks like Team QMJHL may have had the opportunity to take advantage a tired Russian team for once.

 

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Team QMJHL defeats the "Team Russia" 3-1. Didn't see the game but Zach Fucale made 40 saves. As much as I think he's over-rated, that sounds like a pretty good game for him.

Pretty sure this is the 1st year the Russians started out west and worked their way east. Looks like Team QMJHL may have had the opportunity to take advantage a tired Russian team for once.

Russia has 3 wins (1 in the shootout), CHL has 2 wins (1 by the OHL and tonight's win by the QMJHL). Go Q Go on the 20th.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Russia has 3 wins (1 in the shootout), CHL has 2 wins (1 by the OHL and tonight's win by the QMJHL). Go Q Go on the 20th.

Ho-Sang had 3 points in the OHL win. Including a sick shootout goal. He's been traded to Niagara. I have no idea why. Their record isn't much better than Windsor's.

 

[Judge Fudge]

I would like to thank the Kootney Ice.

Because if it wasn't for them we would not Jayden Stiller.

who was gone 1/58 (goals/saves) for 14-2-2-1 Everett Slivertips (24/25) (saves/shots) and 13-10-1-0 Regina Pats (33/33)

 

[puckhead]

@kenwardskorner 6h6 hours ago
Just received word @WHLGiants have relieved Troy G. Ward of his Head Coaching duties. Hired this summer, Giants are 9-16-0-0 to start season

they were supposed to be better this year.

 

[puckhead]

Steve Ewen ‏@SteveEwen
#WHL Hearing from various league sources that the Giants will unveil former Jets boss Claude Noel as head coach.

 

[Destroydacre]

Steve Ewen ‏@SteveEwen
#WHL Hearing from various league sources that the Giants will unveil former Jets boss Claude Noel as head coach.

Quite the step down, not that the Giants HC job is a bad gig or anything. Will be interesting to see if he can get more out of the Giants this year.

 

[puckhead]

Quite the step down, not that the Giants HC job is a bad gig or anything. Will be interesting to see if he can get more out of the Giants this year.

I found it interesting that he had never coached junior before.
went from ECHL - IHL - AHL - NHL.

but yes, the Gianst should be better than they are.
they put a young team out there last year, but a lot of returnees this year.
they were building towards that Memorial cup that they are not hosting.

 

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Some news that Pens and Jackets fans may find interesting:

Tristan Jarry was named CHL goalie of the week
Oliver Bjorkstrand was named WHL player of the week

 

[juliansteed]

The Memorial Cup hosting Quebec Remparts made a pretty big acquisition today. They traded their extra 20 year old and some late round picks to the Moncton Wildcats for Vladimir Tkachev. Remember the guy the Oilers tried to sign as a free agent but were not allowed to?

Now I assume it's the same in the WHL and OHL, but only import players, 20 year olds, and draft picks can be traded until the Christmas trade period opens later this month. So there could be more to this deal that we'll find out at that time. But on the surface this is looking like a steal for Quebec. Tkachev has been hurt for some time and there are some rumours that he wasn't happy with the Wildcats (can't blame him ), but he's otherwise been 1 of Moncton's top players. Meanwhile Quebec had a no-show for their 2nd import so they had that 2nd spot available and the player they traded was their extra 20, so basically they gave up next to nothing from their Memorial Cup team to acquire Tkachev.

 

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Tigers beat Everett last night and Seattle tonight and are sporting a nifty record of 21-6-1-1 after 29 games.

 

[juliansteed]

In a battle of 2 of the QMJHL's (supposed) best goalies, undrafted 20 year old Sebastien Auger and the Saint John Sea Dogs beat Zach Fucale and the Halifax Mooseheads 3-1 in Halifax tonight. Once again the under-rated Auger outplays the over-rated Fucale as the Mooseheads outshot the Sea Dogs 38-23 but get the W. The Sea Dogs improve to 5-0 against the Moose this season and increase their lead in the Maritimes Division (which is relatively weak this year) to 5 points.

Jets' 2014 1st rounder and Mooseheads best player Nikolaj Ehlers got himself a 10 minute misconduct for "abuse of an official" to go along with his 2 minute minor with about 8 minutes left in regulation and the Mooseheads down by 2. That's the 2nd game this year against the Sea Dogs alone that Ehlers has gotten himself kicked out of regulation when the Mooseheads were trailing late but within striking distance.

 

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[dash]

Battle of 2 teams ranked in the CHL top 10 as Kelowna took on the Tigers in the Hat earlier this evening. Kelowna leaves town with a 4-2 win. Also, Spokane beat Portland 4-3 and the Giants have been playing much better since Claude Noel took over the head coaching job (5 wins in a row).

 

[Destroydacre]

Battle of 2 teams ranked in the CHL top 10 as Kelowna took on the Tigers in the Hat earlier this evening. Kelowna leaves town with a 4-2 win. Also, Spokane beat Portland 4-3 and the Giants have been playing much better since Claude Noel took over the heading coaching job (5 wins in a row).

The Chiefs broke a 16 game losing streak against the Winterhawks (playoffs included). About damn time they beat that team, lol.

 

[Judge Fudge]

The Chiefs broke a 16 game losing streak against the Winterhawks (playoffs included). About damn time they beat that team, lol.

Nice. Granted the Hawks consistency has been So-so this year.

I don't get the falling net rule.

There was a Giants goal (the 3rd one) where the net was raised with the pegs still in their hole. How do you expect a goalie to save that with a elevated net

 

[juliansteed]

The CHL could have its 1st millennium player next year (sorry if that makes anyone else feel old) if Joseph Veleno is granted "exceptional player" status to play in the Q a year early. Here's some French stuff:

Talent exceptionnel formé à la même école que Jonathan Drouin, Michael Matheson, Alex Killorn, Louis Leblanc et Anthony Duclair chez les Lions du Lac St-Louis, Joseph Veleno souhaite obtenir une permission spéciale pour graduer dans la LHJMQ à 15 ans.

À 14 ans, Veleno est dominant dans le midget AAA, une ligue où les patineurs sont âgés majoritairement de 15, 16 et 17 ans. L’adolescent natif de Kirkland prévient que s’il n’obtient pas ce qu’il veut, il regardera plutôt du côté de l’USHL et de la NCAA pour poursuivre son développement.

Contrairement à l’Ontario Hockey League, où des joueurs comme John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad et Connor McDavid ont pu obtenir un statut de surdoué, la LHJMQ n’a pas encore offert ce privilège dans sa longue histoire. Courteau ouvrira-t-il la porte à Veleno, considérant que la menace qu’il parte pour les États-Unis est bien réelle ? Killorn, Matheson et Leblanc ont choisi cette avenue après leur passage chez les Lions…

« Il y a un processus rigoureux en place lorsqu’un joueur veut obtenir le statut d’exceptionnel. Il doit être évalué par Hockey Québec, par la LHJMQ et par Hockey Canada, et bien des choses sont à l’étude, pas seulement son rendement sur la glace », a indiqué Gilles Courteau hier. « Nous allons rencontrer la famille Veleno, et voir si elle souhaite vraiment enclencher ce processus. Si les Veleno veulent s’engager dans ce processus, il devra être terminé avant notre prochain repêchage. »

It basically says that at 14 he is dominating against players 15, 16, and 17 years old. If he's not granted exceptional player status then he'll likely pursue the USHL/NCAA route. It also mentions that unlike the OHL, the Q has NEVER granted exceptional player status. Not sure what the rules were like in Mario Lemieux's or Guy LaFleur's time, but I know exceptional player status was pursued for Crosby a little over a decade ago and was denied. More recently I think Nathan McKinnon was denied as well. It will be interesting to see if it is granted and if so, where he ends up. There are a few struggling franchises in the Q who would greatly benefit from having 3 years of a generational player, particularly 1 at the bottom of the standings right now.

 

[puckhead]

Interesting that all of the 'exceptional players' exemptions so far have come from the OHL.

Tavares, Ekblad, McJesus, and Sean Day last year.