2014 CHL Season Thread

[juliansteed]

Apparently Zack Fucale has been traded by the Halifax Mooseheads to the Memorial Cup hosting Quebec Remparts. The deal can't be made official until Friday when the Q trading period opens. Speculation is that the return would involve a 1st round pick and Quebec's 17 year old stud goalie.

 

[dash]

Patrick Roy used to coach the Remparts, thus I don't like that team.

 

[juliansteed]

Patrick Roy used to coach the Remparts, thus I don't like that team.

That's fair. They are probably my least favourite Quebec based team, well Shawinigan is up there too. I like them better than a few Maritime teams though.

I just realized the deal can't be announced Friday because Fucale is with Team Canada. I'm not sure if it's a CHL rule or a QMJHL rule but players can't be traded while away with their Under-20 team. I thought they just couldn't be traded during the tournament itself but apparently they are immune during training camp as well.

I guess the intent of that rule is so that the trade doesn't become a distraction to the player. Yes I'm sure the Quebec born, Montreal drafted goalie won't be distracted at all by the rumours that he's been traded to the Qs largest market, especially not while playing for Team Canada in Montreal. You would think it would be less of a distraction to just announce the trade so he could have closure on the situation.

 

[dash]

In other goalie related news:

Zenon Herasymiuk @ZenonHerasymiuk
The Calgary Hitmen have acquired the rights to Thatcher Demko from Spokane. He was a 2nd round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 14 draft.

Demko said he has no plans to go to the WHL yet. The pick the Hitmen gave up is supposedly conditional.

Edit: More info on Demko

Will Nault @Fan960Nault
Mike Moore on Thatcher Demko: "we don't have any indication he's coming to play for us. With Adam (Tambellini) we had a pretty good idea."

Will Nault @Fan960Nault
Moore on Demko cont'd: "This is still a long shot. We're taking a flyer here, no doubt." #Hitmen #WHL

Will Nault @Fan960Nault
Thatcher Demko is at US World Junior Camp and the Hitmen are hoping to talk to him again when he returns from the tournament on January 5th.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

 

[dash]

Thought I'd drop this here:

According to Gord Miller, there is talk that MHL (Russia's version of major junior i.e WHL/OHL/QMJHL) will fold and a lot more Russian kids will be coming to the CHL.

 

[juliansteed]

Some speculation about Jack Eichel coming to the Q, more specifically the Saint John Sea Dogs, but I wouldn't consider them much more than rumours at this point.


Junior @SNetJunior
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Lot's of talk/speculation about Jack Eichel leaving BU for Saint John of the Q after the WJC on the 'Junior' podcast today. Will be up soon.


Mike McMahon @MikeMcMahonCHN
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Seems silly that I even had to ask around (again) but told there's a 0.0% chance Eichel leaves for Saint John.


Willy Palov @WillyPalov
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Only way Eichel leaves BU for Saint John is if his grades affect his 2nd half eligibility, according to my sources. Not impossible but...


Willy Palov @WillyPalov
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And for the record, Sea Dogs GM Darrell Young has been assured Eichel's grades are fine and has no expectation of seeing him Saint John.

It seems unlikely that Eichel would switch teams and leagues mid-season unless something was going terribly wrong with the status quo which doesn't appear to be the case. But just to play devil's advocate, he did pursue the possibility of playing in the OHL not long ago hoping to set up some head to head match-ups with McDavid. That wasn't an option since the Q own his territorial rights and he was drafted by the Sea Dogs. Coming to the Q would set up at least 1 more guaranteed match-up against McDavid after the World Juniors, at the Top Prospects game. Logic would suggest they'd be placed on opposing teams. There'd also be a chance they could meet again at the Memorial Cup. The Sea Dogs are surprising contenders this season and adding Eichel would possibly make them favourites to win the Q. They wouldn't even necessarily have to win the Q to make the Memorial Cup. They could go in the back boor if they lost to the host Quebec team in the finals.

I do know that before the season started the Sea Dogs (who as previously mentioned weren't expected to be very good this year, and are looking to build towards and host the 2017 Memorial Cup) were looking to trade his rights to Quebec. But Eichel expressed no interest in playing for the Remparts. He said he really wasn't interested in coming to the Q at all but the only team he would even consider would be Saint John because it's the closest English speaking city to home who also happen to own his rights. Now that the Sea Dogs are the surprise of the league and one of the top teams in the Q, he MIGHT be giving it a bit more consideration.

 

[dash]

If the Sea Dogs managed to land Eichel, look out as they have been on a tear of late and are now ranked in the CHL top 10.

/WHL is on Xmas break, next games are scheduled for December 27th.

 

[juliansteed]

If the Sea Dogs managed to land Eichel, look out as they have been on a tear of late and are now ranked in the CHL top 10.

/WHL is on Xmas break, next games are scheduled for December 27th.

They've actually been in the Top 10 most of the season, as high as 3 at one point but have slowly been dipping since. They were on a tear until recently but they actually just lost 3 in a row, including their 1st regulation loss at home tonight to the worst team in the league, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

They are the youngest team in the CHL though, loaded with 97 born players and I think have been overachieving in the 1st half. They played a lot of games at home early in the season and lately have been doing a lot more travelling and playing a lot of games in a short period of time. I think it is starting to catch up to them and the Christmas break couldn't come soon enough. Hopefully they'll be re-energized for the second half, and yeah it would be nice to add Eichel as well.

 

[Destroydacre]

Spokane wins the NYE game in Tri-City for the second straight year by a score of 10-2. The Chiefs have quietly won 7 games in a row and are one point behind Everett for first place in the US division.

 

[dash]

Spokane wins the NYE game in Tri-City for the second straight year by a score of 10-2. The Chiefs have quietly won 7 games in a row and are one point behind Everett for first place in the US division.

Chiefs are rolling as are the Kootenay Ice (getting Sam Reinhart back although he's not there right now sure kickstarted their season). Tigers eked out a 6-5 shootout win over the ICE a couple of days ago.

 

[dash]

Tigers missed out on Flames draft pick Morgan Klimchuk (Regina traded him to Brandon), but they picked up a couple of Pats players today (includiing the Pats captain). Tigers bolster their roster while Regina looks to the future.

TIGERS AND PATS COMPLETE TRADE

 

[juliansteed]

Rangers send Anthony Duclair back to the Quebec Remparts. This along with some other moves they made to an already solid team, make them legitimate contenders to win the Memorial Cup tournament they will be hosting.

 

[Judge Fudge]

3 things from the royals fold:

1) Dash sir. If you are coming to Victoria to watch the Royals/Tigers game. Wait a day

Source

The WHL announced today that the game between the Medicine Hat Tigers and Victoria Royals scheduled for Wednesday, January 7th has been rescheduled due to impassable road conditions in the interior of BC. The game has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 8th at 7:00 p.m. in Victoria.



The Medicine Hat Tigers are currently in Revelstoke, BC and unable to proceed due to avalanche conditions. The Tigers have been in Revelstoke since 1:00 a.m. today and have been advised that the earliest the highway will reopen will be sometime on Wednesday.

2) Royals deal All size Bloomquist for 96 Import Dman and 95 Goalie

The Victoria Royals are pleased to announce that the club has acquired import defenceman Alexey Sleptsov and goaltender Justin Paulic, along with a sixth round draft pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft from the Moose Jaw Warriors. In exchange the Royals have sent import forward Axel Blomqvist, a third round pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft and a fifth round pick in the 2017 draft to the Warriors.

Sleptsov, a native of Moscow, Russia is in his second year in the league and has recorded 18 assists in 34 games for Moose Jaw. Sleptsov has played in 100 WHL regular season games with the Warriors and has notched 43 points (4g-39a).

The 6-1, 172 lb defender has suited up for the Russian National Junior team on three occasions. This past year Sleptsov took part in the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament and the World Under-18 Hockey Championships, where he registered three points (1g-2a) in five games and one goal in four games respectively. He also won a silver medal for Russia in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he tallied two assists in four contests.

The Warriors selected Sleptsov in the 2013 CHL Import Draft in the first round, 19th overall.

Paulic joins the Royals after playing in 18 games for Moose Jaw this season. The 6-1, 195 lb netminder has posted a 6-8-1-1 record with a goals against average (GAA) of 3.50, a 0.895 save percentage (SV%) and one shutout. The 19-year-old goalie has played in 132 WHL games with the Warriors and has registered a mark of 40-61-8-11 with a 3.39 GAA, a SV% of 0.895 and one shutout.

A Thompson, MB product was drafted by Moose Jaw in the eighth round, 164th overall in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft.

Going to the Warriors is 1995-born import forward Blomqvist. In 34 games with the Royals this season he has recorded 29 points (14g-15a). The 6-6, 212 lb winger has spent three seasons in the WHL split between Victoria and the Lethbridge Hurricanes, recording 118 points (45g-73a) in 158 games.

3) We also Acquried Alex Forsberg (Non-Import)

Victoria, BC- The Victoria Royals are pleased to announce that the club has acquired forward Alex Forsberg (1995) along with a third round pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft and a fourth round pick in the 2016 draft from the Saskatoon Blades. In exchange the Royals have sent their first round pick in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft and the rights to forward Brayden Dunn (1998) to the Blades.

A native of Waldheim, SK, Forsberg comes to Victoria after recording 33 points (13g-20a) in 36 games for the Blades this season. Forsberg has played in 167 WHL regular season games with the Prince George Cougars and Saskatoon Blades and has notched 43 goals and 77 assists for 120 points.

The 5-10, 178 lb centre also represented Team West at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he registered two assists in four games.

Forsberg was selected first overall in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft by the Prince George Cougars.

Dunn, a product of Calgary, AB was drafted by the Royals in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft in the fourth round, 77th overall.

ROYALS ACQUIRE ALEX FORSBERG

 

[dash]

Tigers and Giants receiving the Sportsnet treatment tonight - Medicine Hat eked out a 3-2 win over Victoria last night.

 

[dash]

Well, the Tigers dropped a 5-3 decision to Vancouver last night, but they rolled into Kelowna tonight and beat the Rockets 5-3 (third game in three nights as well).

 

[puckhead]

Scott Walker steps down as coach of Guelph Storm

 

[dash]

You see this type of goal on the soccer pitch, not so much on the hockey sheet. No denying Max Domi has some sweet hands.

 

[puckhead]

Shades of a young Peter Schaefer

 

[BGDave]

You see this type of goal on the soccer pitch, not so much on the hockey sheet. No denying Max Domi has some sweet hands.

Indeed. I saw Messi scote one just like this in a Champions League game in Barcelona a couple of years ago.