Here we go, here we go it is back to the scenario – despite the sun beaming, the snow melting and the thermometer registering double-digit temperature on the Avalon this past weekend (Happy Easter by the way), there is still lots of puck going on around the island! From U18 AAA playoffs to Provincial championships at every level, lets chat about what has happened, and what is to come.
Damian Laundry has been a beast
The 2004-born forward has been – in our opinion – the straw that has stirred the Tri-Pen Osprey’s drink this playoff season. Laundry had a pair of goals last night in Game 5 (he has 8 in 11 post-season games) – a 5-2 losing effort to the Pinnacle Growlers – and has stood out throughout the course of the playoffs with his usual hustle and hard-to-play-against style. Laundry’s high energy, high motor, high compete level game is essentially built for important spring hockey, and it is showing out here in late April. MHL Junior ‘A’ teams need to take a closer look at Laundry’s tape over the past couple of weeks on Instat (shameless plug to our friends there). We do not believe that Laundry’s rights in that league are owned by anyone – however, they should be by the time training camps roll around in August. Laundry’s offensive game is not going to blow anyone away – he averaged a shade over a point-per-game as a 3rd year U18 player in a league that had some not-super-strong teams – but we think he offers enough offensive upside to play bottom-6 at the MHL level who could slide up the depth chart at RW if a team has injuries.
The Growlers and Osprey lock horns in an elimination game this evening as the Growlers hold a slim 3-2 series advantage over the Osprey. Game 6 goes at DF Barnes Arena @ 730 pm tonight, click here for game stream
Junior B Fans Treated to a Final Series for the Ages
After multiple years of COVID-related cancellations, the St. John’s Co-Operators Junior ‘B’ League showed the province of NL just how good the hockey (and overall organization of a league) can be. Kudos to the U18 AAA Major League for being ultra-organized this year as well (Littlejohn, Stuckless et al). Two great league web sites that were simple to use and provided relevant, up-to-date information + regular social media updates to keep the casual fan informed = success! It’s not splitting the atom, but it is a good strategy for a well-organized hockey league.
The Mount Pearl Blades and CBN Stars had an epic final series that went the distance. The Blades – led by veteran forward Jack Keough and a bevy of Junior A-calibre weapons such as French, Knight, and Sahajpal – had to beat the Stars twice in the unfriendly confines of the Bay Arena to take home the league title. This series was back and forth, with no team ever winning 2 games in a row (the Stars won Games 1, 3, and 6).
Game 7 of the Stars-Blades series was an absolute gem – a double-OT thrill ride that ended with a penalty shot goal!!! We were not at the game, but apparently the CBN defenceman threw his stick on a 2-on-0 break for the Blades, which interfered with the pass. This is a penalty shot call whether it’s in overtime or not; credit to the official for making the right call in what was likely a pro-Stars (rowdy) crowd on hand at the Bay Arena that night. Mason Oates scored with 0:01 left in the 2nd period for the Stars to give them a 2-1 lead, a lead that lasted until late in the 3rd when VHG program regular VJ Sahajpal fired one past Riley Petten to make it 2-2. Petten made a whopping 65 saves in this game for the Stars, while AP’s gym buddy Andrew D’entrement made 26 of 28 stops for the Blades (kept wondering who D’entrement was at the gym until one day it clicked in).
The Blades will represent NL at the Junior ‘B’ Atlantics April 27-30 in Cap-Pele, NB. Click here for the Blades schedule at the event
De-Bunking the QMJHL Draft List
At this time of year, there is a lot of hype around the QMJHL Draft List that is developed by a group of 10+ individuals (1 rep from each Atlantic province + 6 from Quebec + a scouting director and goaltending director). This draft list is exactly what it reads as… a list. If you are on the list, you can be drafted by a QMJHL team in that given year. If you are not on the list, you cannot be drafted by a QMJHL team BUT you can still be invited to a QMJHL camp as a camp invitee – this happens to a lot of second-year draft eligible players as very few teams draft second-year draft eligible players (only roughly 20 out of 254 selections will be 2nd year players in any given year).
The QMJHL Draft List is not only made by a scouting staff – the QMJHL teams themselves can add or subtract players from the list if they so choose. So if our scouting staff does not have a player on the list that a team plans on drafting, they can contact us to get players added. This is a failsafe mechanism to ensure that kids who teams intend on drafting can be drafted.
Once the QMJHL final draft list is released roughly 4-6 weeks before the QMJHL Draft occurs, the CSR staff is technically on vacation. The individuals who are involved with making the QMJHL Draft List have absolutely no involvement in the drafting of players – that is done by the individual teams. A couple of teams may reach out to a regional rep (example – a team may reach out to AP to ask about a kid from NL) but that is about all.
If a player is ranked as a ‘C’ on the CSR final list, it does not mean a row of beans. Honestly. The Draft List is a guide, kind of like an online fantasy draft guide for those of you fantasy sports buffs out there. As long as a player makes the guide, he can be ranked as an ‘E’ by CSR and go in the first round. Last year, we had Weeks forward Logan Crosby ranked as a ‘C’ (rounds 6-8) but he was selected 20th overall by the Halifax Mooseheads – roughly 80 picks ahead of his projection. While this does not happen often (we are usually 70-80% right on the first 2 rounds in non-COVID years), it can happen. A player ranked as a ‘C’ often goes in rounds 3-4, while guys ranked as a ‘B’ can often slip to rounds 7-10. The point is, just because a player is ranked as a ‘D’ does not mean they can only be drafted in rounds 9-12. It’s a hypothesis (educated guess) on where we see you being drafted. That is all; nothing more, nothing less. A hypothesis. Hypotheses’ are often wrong!
Some people think that going to skates that AP operates gives them a better chance of being on the draft list – our response to that is yes and no. Yes because evaluating a player at ice level is way easier than in the stands. No because it also creates unique opportunities to see warts in a players game. There are players who will be on the Draft List who we have never worked with on the ice before, over players who have been at VHG since day one. AP really tries to be as objective and rational as possible when evaluating players, and he is only one vote in our war rooms. Just some food for thought before sending a ruthless text to him after the final draft list comes out! LOL.
Provincials Pointers
| – Enjoy the experiences with team mates and friends vs focusing solely on winning and losing. |
| – Remember to thank mom and dad for their efforts this season. They cart you around, they foot the bill. Face it – you aren’t playing hockey without them. |
| – Be a positive difference maker. Make sure your teams dressing room is clean. Help unload the bus. Don’t throw your hands in the air when a team mate gives you an off-centre pass. Show the hotel staff respect if you are on the road. Be polite. |
| – Work smarter not always harder. Go to the net with a purpose. Think defence. Keep your stick down at all times. |
| – Do not take this week for granted, or spend it all on your phone. Appreciate what’s in front of you |
Until Next time,
The VHG Boys