The Major Junior Hockey Championship..

Saskatoon is hosting the Canadian Hockey League championship and Hockeyrecruits4u. We are staying at, the as grand as ever, Delta Bessborough for all ten days the Championship. It’s one of the hardest to win because you’ve got to win your own league and then you have to do well in the round-robin and then in the semifinal and then again in the final.

The tournament includes the host team, Saskatoon Blades, plus the league champions from the Western (Portland Winter-hawks) Ontario (London Knights) and Quebec, (Halifax Mooseheads). The teams are loaded with stars such as Halifax’s Nate MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Martin Frk; Portland’s Ty Rattie, Brendan Leipsic, Nic Petan and Seth Jones. London’s Seth Griffith and Max Domi are here in Saskatoon too.

The Drouin-MacKinnon-Frk combination racked up 36 goals and 101 points in 17 QMJHL post-season games. Rattie, Petan and Leipsic were three of the top four scorers in the WHL playoffs after finishing 1-2-3 in the regular season. Domi, Griffith, Alex Broadhurst and Bo Horvat were all top 10 point-getters for London in the OHL’s playoffs.

Portland Winterhawks defenseman Jones and QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads linemates MacKinnon and Drouin are the top three-ranked North American skaters listed by NHL Central Scouting for the draft. It’s the first time in the history of the Memorial Cup that the best three undrafted players will compete for the Canadian major junior championship.

The competition is being held at the 15,000-seat Credit Union Centre. Saskatoon and Regina hosted the 2010 world junior championships.

Gordie Howe is a guest of honor in Saskatoon. The Saskatchewan-native won six Hart Trophies as the NHL’s most valuable player and proudly held the Stanley Cup four times.

Saskatoon officials are predicting an economic impact of $19 million from the tournament.

MEMORIAL CUP SCHEDULE
May 17: London Knights vs. Saskatoon Blades; 7 p.m.
May 18: Portland Winterhawks vs. Halifax Mooseheads; 6 p.m.
May 19: Saskatoon vs. Halifax Mooseheads; 6 p.m.
May 20: Portland Winterhawks vs. London Knights; 7 p.m.
May 21: Halifax Mooseheads vs. London Knights; 7 p.m.
May 22: Saskatoon vs. Portland WinterhawksMay 23: Semi-final #1; 7 p.m.
May 24: Semi-final #2, 7 p.m.
May 26: Championship final; 6 p.m.
•All times CST; at Credit Union Centre

The Memorial Cup, both on and off the ice, will be historic, elegant, and well worth watching! Follow it live here.

NTDP Announces Next Six Commitments..

Just as Hockeyrecruits4u told you in our story days ago, “It’s not just hockey. It’s the 2013 USHL entry draft….“,Noah Hanifin has committed to join USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for the 2013-14 season, it was announced today.

Joining Hanifin (BC) will be, defensemen Casey Fitzgerald (BC), Joseph Masonius (UNH) and goaltender Michael Lackey (PRINCETON).

The players, all from the 1997 birth year, will compete as members of the U.S. National Under-17 Team.

The 2013 drafts, in the World of Junior A Hockey…

It’s been a crazy past week for players from Hockeyrecruits4u list because the drafts in the world of Junior A hockey. The USHL conducted their Draft, the WHL held their bantam draft for 1998-born players and the QMJHL released their final scouting list of players for their draft, which will be held in early June.

Of the top 1997-born players selected from the Northeast in the 2013 USHL Draft: Phase 1, 16 of 19 were taken right off the Hockeyrecruits4u listing , including the number one overall pick…

RD-1
1 CAMERON ASKEW (Indiana Ice)• C • Cushing Academy
7 GRANT JOZEFEK (Muskegan Lumberjacks) • RW • NJ Avalanche
9 STEVEN RUGGIERO (Youngstown Phantoms) • D • Metro Moose
11 RYAN DMOWSKI (DesMoines Buccaneers) • C • Gunnery
14 DONOVAN OTT (Sioux Falls Stampede) • C • Selects Academy

RD-3
2 NOLAN AIBEL (Tri-City Storm) • F • NJ Rockets
5 CHARLIE KELLEHER (Cedar Rapids Roughriders) • RW • Boston Jr. Bruins
15 SPENCER YOUNG (Dubuque Fighting Saints) • D • Exeter

RD-4
3 AUSTIN ROOK (Des Moines Buccaneers) • D • River
5 CAL BURKE (Cedar Rapids Roughriders) • C • Nobles
8 CAMERON LEE (Muskegan Lumberjacks) • D • Northwood
15 CHASE HARWELL (Dubuque Fighting Saints) • RW • Selects Academy

RD-5
3 CALLUM BOOTH (Muskegan Lumberjacks) • G • Salisbury
5 MCKAY FLANAGAN (Cedar Rapids Roughriders) • D • CT Oilers
14 TROY CONZO (Sioux Falls Stampede) • F • NJ Rockets
15 LINCOLN GRIFFIN (Dubuque Fighting Saints) • F • Thayer

RD-6
5 ERIK FOLEY (Cedar Rapids Roughriders) • F • Tabor
10 LIAM DARCY (Green Bay Gamblers) • D • Berwick

RD-7
7 JC MACLEAN (Omaha Lancers) • C/RW • Delbarton
15 ELIJAH HARRIS (Dubuque Fighting Saints) • G • Austin Prep

Phase 2: selections had a total 21 of 32 players drafted from the Hockeyrecruits4u players list, we understand grabbing the few elite 98′s, yet some selections (as usual) have us scratching our heads???

Haralds Egle (Muskegon), ’96, F, Portland Jr. Pirates-EJHL, James Winkler (Muskegon), ’96, F, Berwick, Jake McCarthy (Muskegon), ’96, D, St. Sebastian’s, AJ Greer, ’96, F, Kimball Union, Karl El-Mir (Indiana), ’96, F, Selects Hockey Academy, Mike Lee (Tri-City), ’96, D, Gunnery, Michael Ederer (Indiana), ’96, F, Nichols, Rob Marsanico (Dubuque), ’96, F, Don Bosco-NJ, Miles Gendron (Lincoln), ’96, F, Rivers, George Mika (Waterloo), ’96, F, Boston Jr. Bruins U16, Evan Smith (Dubuque), ’96, F, Salisbury, Max Prawdzik (Tri-City), ’97, G, Brooks,Brendan Shane (Des Moines), ’96, F, Gunnery, Mitchell Smith (Dubuque), ’96, F, Salisbury,Vincent Ditmore (Chicago), ’97, D, Choate, Tyler Augustinsen (Indiana), ’97, F, Selects Hockey Academy, Tyler Bird (Tri-City), ’94, F, Gunnery,Nick Rutiglianoe (Lincoln), ’96, D, Boston Advantage U16,Andrew Cross (Tri-City), ’96, D, Austin Prep,Chad Krys (Green Bay), ’98, D, Connecticut Oilers U16, Wil D’Orsi, F, ’97, St. Sebastian’s, Adam Fox (Des Moines), ’98, D, Long Island Gulls U14,Joey Daccord (Omaha), ’96, G, Cushing,Sam Tucker (Youngstown), ’96, G, Choate, Paul Villa, ’96, F, Metro Moose, Joe Lissak (Des Moines), ’96, G, Taft, John Adams (Chicago), ’97, F, Malden Catholic, Luke Stevens (Omaha), ’97, F, Duxbury HS,Connor Moynihan (Des Moines), ’97, F, Middlesex Islanders U18,JJ Layton (Omaha), ’97, D, Austin Prep,Charley Borek (Youngstown), ’96, F, Choate, Dante Pallecco, ’98, F, NJ Avalanche.

For all the players that aren’t drafted, they can continue grow as a player and as a person. Every season, there are guys that would be an asset to any team that can sign them and they get signed. The key to all of these acquisitions is that the teams don’t have to give up anything to pull a good prospect into their system. Hockeyrecruits4u will have others from our list playing in the USHL.

All league logos used on this website are copyright of their respective owners. We would like to thank the USHL for use of their logo on this site.

Haralds Egle, F, ’96 commits to Vermont..,

Hockeyrecruits4u player Haralds Egle, F,’96, commits to the University of Vermont. The Catamounts get a very talented Latvian who led the EJHL’s Portland Pirates in scoring with a 22G 26A 48Pts line in 39 games.

Congrats to Haralds and his family!

Note: This is the 23nd commit from the (Hockeyrecruits4u listing) since we published in September and 45th overall… Our listing allows coaches to always be reloading not rebuilding by locking in the very best players year after year….we have identified 45 out of 49 total ’96 or younger players to commit in the last two seasons.

Bob Carpenter, F, ’96 commits to Boston University..

Our BU sources have told us Hockeyrecruits4u player Bob Carpenter, F, ’96 of Austin Prep has committed to Boston University. He brings a dynamic skill set with tremendous upside to the Terriers. This is David Quinn’s first of many commitments from our players listing.

Congrats to Bobo and his family!

Note: This is the 22nd commit from the (Hockeyrecruits4u listing) since we published in September and 44th overall… Our listing allows coaches to always be reloading not rebuilding by locking in the very best players year after year….we have identified 44 out of 48 total ’96 or younger players to commit in the last two seasons.

QMJHL entry draft final player rankings…

Hockeyrecruits4u is pleased to provide the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Central Scouting final player rankings for the next entry draft, which will be held at the Centre Georges-Vezina on Saturday, June 8th.

This list includes players from Quebec, the Atlantic Provinces and New England. The players of the first five rounds are in placed according to rank. At the top of the list is Nicolas Roy.

The other information on the list:

1- Players’ ranks for the 6th to 8th and 9th to 12th rounds, in alphabetical order

2- 15 and 16 year old players who are admissible

3- List of players added (by teams)

4- List of American players

Here is the official list for the first round, .
To consult the rest of the rounds, click here (available later today).

It’s not just hockey. It’s the 2013 USHL entry draft….

The United States Hockey League Clark Cups Playoffs are in full swing with a champion to be determined in May, but USHL Member Clubs will also be taking a major next step in building for the future this spring when the League conducts the much-anticipated 2013 USHL Draft tonight and Tuesday, May 6-7th.  Hockeyrecruits4u worked with the USHL to help identify players from our prestigious Players Listing.

WATCH HERE LIVE – 2013 USHL Draft: Phase 1
Phase 1 of the 2013 USHL Draft begins here live at 6:00 PM (CDT).

The first step in the two-part draft process will be the 2013 USHL Draft: Phase 1 which will take place tonight, May 6th beginning at 6:00 PM (CDT), and will be broadcast live and free via FASTHockey, the USHL’s exclusive digital video network. Formerly referred to as the “USHL Futures Draft”, the USHL Draft: Phase 1 will consist of eight (8) rounds as USHL teams select players from the 1997 birth year. This single-age portion of the USHL Draft allows teams to choose players who are traditionally not ready to play in the USHL the following season, but will continue to develop at lower levels of hockey in preparation for USHL play in future seasons. While not yet USHL full-timers, a number of those players will see game action in the coming season.

For the second consecutive year, the USHL tender process allows teams to sign up to two 1997 birth year players prior to the 2013 USHL Draft. A “tender” is the equivalent of a first or second-round draft pick, which teams can use to sign players in advance of the USHL Draft. The first tender for a team would take the place of a first-round pick in Phase 1 of the USHL Draft, and if the team tenders a second player, that would take the place of its second-round selection in Phase 1. Both the Green Bay Gamblers and Indiana Ice have tendered two players for the 2013-14 season while the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Fargo Force, Muskegon Lumberjacks, Omaha Lancers, and Tri-City Storm have each tendered one player. All tendered players will be on their respective teams’ roster next season and will play at least 50% of their teams’ regular season games.

This year only one Hockeyrecruits4u player, Cam Askew was tendered, we will see how many get drafted. With most of the better ’97′s already signed with USA Hockey, the number of Hockeyrecruits4u players drafted is a testament to our scouting.

Our USA Hockey sources, tell us Noah Hanifin has signed his contract to play for the U17 team.

2013 USHL Draft Order

1. Indiana Ice

2. Tri-City Storm

3. Des Moines Buccaneers

4. Sioux City Musketeers

5. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

6. Chicago Steel

7. Omaha Lancers

8. Muskegon Lumberjacks

9. Youngstown Phantoms

10. Green Bay Gamblers

11. Lincoln Stars

12. Waterloo Black Hawks

13. Fargo Force

14. Sioux Falls Stampede

15. Dubuque Fighting Saints

Team USA does not participate in the USHL Draft as they hold a separate selection process of players that is completed in cooperation with the other 15 USHL Member Clubs.

The USHL Draft: Phase 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 7th beginning at 4:00 PM (CDT), and all selections will be posted in real-time at http://www.USHL.com. Previously known as the “USHL Entry Draft”, Phase 2 of the Draft consists of players from multiple birth years as USHL teams look to fill their protected lists with players who will compete for roster spots for the 2013-14 season.

Phase 2 of the USHL Draft will continue until all USHL teams have 45 players on their Initial Protected List. That list includes affiliate players from the 2012-13 season and players selected in Phase 1 of the 2013 USHL Draft.

It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL.

2013 Pre-Draft Showcase Playoffs…

Hockeyrecruits4u is at the Pre-Draft Showcase today to see the Playoff and Championship games. The event has quickly become one of the most highly-scouted events of its kind. Last season, dozens of junior, NCAA and NHL scouts attended the Showcase.

The schedule can be found here.

QMJHL Entry Draft 2013 information…

Many Hockeyrecruits4u players will be on the final list of the QMJHL Central Scouting to be released next week on May 7. At this time the QMJHL will send a letter to the players that could be selected in the first eight rounds.  The draft is being on June 8, 2013 in Chicoutimi Quebec.

The USHL 2013 futures draft….

The USHL Draft takes place during the first week of May each year and is completed in two “Phases” and Hockeyrecruits4u has been busy working with numerous teams.

On May 6, 2013, phase I of the draft is eight rounds of “Futures” age players only, which are only 1997 birth year players.

The next day, May 7th, phase II of the draft. This draft is open to players of all ages eligible to play junior hockey and are not currently protected by another USHL team. Teams will fill their roster to a total of 45 players on this date; this includes players that were previously on a team’s Affiliate List. The total number of players that a team will draft will vary depending on the number of Affiliate players a team may have. All veteran roster players are automatically protected by their current team until July 10.

It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL.

Deal reached, P.E.I. Rocket staying in Charlottetown…

The P.E.I. Rocket of the QMJHL are staying in Charlottetown.

Trent Birt, the club’s vice-president of operations, emerged from a closed-door meeting with investors minutes ago to announce a tentative agreement had been reached.

USA Beats Sweden to advance to semi-finals…

In what had been the gold medal game matchup for the last three years, Team USA claimed a 4-0 victory against Sweden in the first quarter-final game of the 2013 IIHF U18 World Championship and a berth in the semi-finals.

Team USA will play Russia to give them a chance to avenge a 4-3 loss in the opening game.

James Winkler, F, ’96 commits to Northeastern..

Berwick Bulldogs, James Winkler, F, ’96 commits to Northeastern University. The big forward scored 25 goals for the season. Congrats to James and his family.

 

 

Check out Northeastern Huskies Recruiting grind here.

We are Boston, We are Strong…

Photo via Instagram/NHLBruins

See the intro here for Boston Strong

We extend condolences…

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and all who were injured by the bombings in Boston during today’s Marathon.

’98 World Selects Invitational Hockey Tournament…

Hockeyrecruits4u will be in Saco, ME this weekend, April 18-21 for the LEGACY Global Sports and Maine Hockey Group ’98 World Selects Invitational. The tournament will draw some of the top players born in 1998 from around the world.

The teams that are scheduled to attend the 98 WSI include: East Coast Selects-O (Ontario), East Coast Selects-Q, Ural Selects by Automobilist (Russia), Pro Hockey (Ontario), AK Bars (Kazan, Russia), Finland Selects (Finland), CSKA (Moscow, Russia), Silver Lions (St. Petersburg, Russia), Latvia Selects (Latvia), Czech Selects (Czech Republic), Forward (St. Petersburg, Russia), Sweden Selects (Sweden), Vityaz (Podolsk, Russia), East Coast Kings, Austria Selects (Austria), New England Nordiques, Selects Academy, UNB V-Red, East Coast Militia, Soviet Wings (Moscow, Russia), Pro Prospects, and Barnaby Hockey.

 
Schedule and results here.

U18 IIHF World Championships…

USA Hockey announced this week the 23-player roster for the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that will compete at the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Under-18 Championship from April 18-28, in Sochi, Russia.

Team USA will look to win its fifth consecutive gold medal in the event. The U.S. captured the world title a year ago in Brno, Znojmo and Breclav, Czech Republic, as well as in 2011 in Crimmitschau and Dresden, Germany; in 2010 in Minsk and Bobruisk, Belarus; and in 2009 in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn.

Hockeyrecruits4u player Jack Eichel is one of only two 1996 birth year players to make the team. Just as we previously told you in our story,“Jack Eichel is going to play in World U18 Championships…” posted on March 31st. This advancement to the older USA team doesn’t make it very promising for the Halifax Mooseheads desire to persuade Eichel to play for them.

Source: Martin Rose/Getty Images Europe

Troy Conzo, F, ’97 commits to UMASS…

 

 

 

 

Hockeyrecruits4u player Troy Conzo, F, ’97 of NJ Rockets, Metropolitan Junior Hockey League has committed to UMass-Amherst. He brings a smart two-way game, and can certainly pitch in on offense for the Minutemen.

Conzo was named the Met’s MVP and Rookie of the Year this year, after posting a 33-36-69 line in just 36 games played.

Congrats to Troy and his family!

Note: This is the 21st commit from the (Hockeyrecruits4u listing) since we published in September and 43rd overall… Our listing allows coaches to always be reloading not rebuilding by locking in the very best players year after year….we have identified 43 out of 47 total ’96 or younger players to commit in the last two seasons.

Evan and Mitchell Smith, F’s, ’96′s commit to Yale…

Hockeyrecruits4u players, Mitchell and Evan Smith, F’s, 96′s for Salisbury School, have committed to Yale. The twins are a big reason Salisbury won the Prep Championship this past year.

Evan led Salisbury in points and goals. In 29 games he had 19G-19A-38Pts.

Mitchell, in 29 games had 11G-14A-25Pts.

They could join Keith Allain’s Yale Bulldogs for the 2014-15 season.

Congrats to Evan, Mitchell and their family!

Note: These are the 19th and 20th commit from the (Hockeyrecruits4u listing) since we published in September and 41st and 42nd overall… Our listing allows coaches to always be reloading not rebuilding by locking in the very best players year after year….we have identified 42 out of 46 total ’96 or younger players to commit in the last two seasons.

Eight Hockeyrecruits4u players are drafted to the O…

There were 59 players selected from 37 different American programs, including 8 of the 10 players Hockeyrecruits4u recommended to various OHL teams. See story, OHL Draft published the day before draft Saturday.

It’s not just a science, Hockeyrecruits4u uses data collection and then makes decisions based on that data collection. That isn’t just science. It’s far more of an art than science.

Luke Kirwan selected 32 overall by Guelph Storm
Jeremy Bracco selected 84 overall by Kitchener Rangers
Charles McAvoy selected 113 overall by Kitchener Rangers
Steven Ruggiero selected 121 overall by Ottawa 67′s
Donovan Ott selected 200 overall by Ottawa 67′s
Joseph Masonius selected 237 overall by Owen Sound Attack
JC Maclean selected 250 overall by North Bay Battalion
Grant Jozefek selected 276 overall by Plymouth Whalers

Darrell Woodley, Director of OHL Central Scouting and Player Development, offers congratulations to the young men that were chosen in the 2013 OHL Priority Draft, “Being selected by an OHL member club is a tremendous accomplishment and an even bigger opportunity to succeed at the next level of your hockey career”.

Hockeyrecruits4u congratulates these drafted players and their families!