EA SPORTS ADDS MONTREAL JUNIORS TO VIDEO GAME

I thought this would interest all the video gamers out there....

Last week it was announced that EA Sports and the CHL reached an agreement to expand the depth of the NHL video game to include all three Canadian Junior hockey leagues, their teams and rosters. Gamers will now be able to play as their favorite CHL team in both the exhibition and season mode. NHL 2011 will be released in September and will include the CHL feature. Here's the press release:

http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php?page=232&id_nouvelle=2523

This is a wise move by the CHL since many video gamers are kids and teens who also happen to be the core of the CHL's target fan base. The game will act as yet another tool for the CHL and it's teams to connect with their audience.

I've fallen off the video game scene since my mid-teens but I have to admit that I'll probably hit up a store to buy the game. After I win the Presidents Cup (playing as the Montreal Juniors of course) I'll place the game back in it's package and store it on my video game shelf, right next to EA Sports NHL '93, the greatest hockey video game of all-time!

Speaking of NHL '93.....I'm a believer that, like cars, they don't make video games like they used to. Here are the top 5 reasons why NHL '93 rocks:

5. You can play as vintage teams (Hartford / Quebec / Winnipeg) - just classic;

4. Dangling with Gretzky and Lemieux's skills - keeping their dominance alive;

3. Getting punched by your buddy after using the classicaly cheap "wrap around" glitch move against him;

2. Being able to watch Marty McSorley fight Bob Probert over, over and over again;

1. Nothing beats playing as the Habs' Stanley Cup winning roster;

OVER AGE PLAYERS - WHO TO KEEP?

As the June 5th QMJHL entry draft approaches, you'd have to assume the Montreal Juniors are beginning to think about which over age players they plan to ask back next season.

In you're not already familiar with the rule, every Major Junior hockey team is allowed to have three over age players on their roster. Next season over age players, also known as "20 year olds", will be identified as players born during the year 1990.

Often times 20 year olds are among the most valuable players on their team both from a production standpoint and from a leadership perspective, making the ability to fill these roles all the more crucial. During this year's playoffs 4 of the top 10 scoring leaders were over age players.

So what should the Montreal Juniors do? Who should they keep on board? Pickings are slim since only four 1990 born players remain from last year's roster. The team will need to choose from right winger and team captain Nicolas Choinard, centerman and leading point scorer Jeremy Gouchie (seen in photo), checking line forward Chris Thorne, and steady defenseman Vincent Bourgeois.

My guess GM Pascal Vincent will elect to keep two of the above listed players, both forwards, and will then look to acquire a third 20 year old player, most likely a defenseman, via trade. Should the Juniors elect to make a move, it'll probably occur sometime this summer.

So who do they keep? Nicolas Choinard seems like an obvious choice to stay on board. He seems like a good choice to captain the team once again as he provides everything you look for in a captain. Choinard proved he can put up good numbers as he scored 59 points in 66 games last season. He battles hard along the boards, finishes his checks and sticks up for his teammates. Choinard plays excellent 5 on 5 hockey and is often used on both the penalty kill and the power play. Consider Choinard a lock.

After that the decisions get tougher. Who should Montreal choose between Jeremy Gouchie and Chris Thorne?

Gouchie seems like the obvious choice. He's a skilled centerman and led the Juniors in scoring last season with 65 points in 67 games played.

But not so fast. While Thorne doesn't carry the same skill set as Gouchie he does bring a much needed physical element to a Juniors lineup that lacks both size and grit. At 6'0" and 210 pounds Thorne played on the Montreal's checking line for most of the year and finished with a respectable 15 goals and 10 assists in 66 games played.

Then there's Vincent Bourgeois who has the potential to fill a top four defenseman position but also appears to be ready to focus on his education and will likely walk away from junior hockey. Last season Bourgeois attended McGill University and was a runner up for the QMJHL's academic award. If Bourgeois does move on to focus on education you can bet the Juniors will shop around to replace him with another defenseman this summer, most likely a 20 year old player.

No matter who the Juniors select as their over age players they better make it count if they want to be a true contender next season.

MONCTON WILDCATS WIN PRESIDENTS CUP!

The Moncton Wildcats - cough cough, as predicted by HockeyPoints, cough cough - are the 2010 QMJHL Playoff Champions.

The Wildcats (seen in photo) defeated their New Brunswick rival, the Saint John Sea Dogs in 6 games. Moncton's fire power proved to be too much for Saint John to handle as they outscored the Sea Dogs 32 to 18 during the series.

Moncton Wildcats veteran forward Gabriel Bourque was named MVP of the series and playoffs. During the final 6 game series Bourque, a Nashville Predators draft pick, scored 7 goals and added 6 assists for 13 points while earning a plus/minus rating of +11. Throughout the entire playoffs Bourque played in 21 games and registered an outstanding 19 goals, 10 assists for 29 points while posting an impressive plus/minus of +19. Well deserved.

On the other side of the rink Saint John had their fair share of "no shows" amongst their veteran players. First line centerman Mike Hoffman (Ottawa draft pick) was held pointless during 4 of 6 games. Top defenseman Simon Despres (Pittsburgh draft pick) was absolutely terrible. In 6 games Despres registered only 1 assist and had a plus/minus rating of -8. Between the pipes, Marco Cousineau (Anaheim draft pick) was exactly what I thought he would be.....weak. Behind a slumping defense Cousineau posted a .881 save percentage and a 4.16 GGA during the final series.

Back to the champions, another player who should receive some recognition and be congratulated is Mr. Alex Wall who was traded from the Juniors to the Wildcats earlier this year. After cheering for this smooth skating defenseman during the past two seasons it's nice to see him experience success with his new club. Wall acted as one of the Wildcats top four defensemen along with David Savard (Columbus draft pick), Mark Barberio (Tampa Bay draft pick) and the soon to be drafted / highly touted Brandon Gormely. This foursome along with Moncton's goalie, Nicola Riopel (Philadelphia draft pick), are a major reason the Wildcats won their 2nd ever Presidents Cup.

Congratulations Moncton!

NEW ARENA FOR THE JUNIORS?

The Montreal Gazatte has reported that the Montreal Juniors have shown interest to become the anchor tenant for a new Laval arena that is expected to be ready for use at the start of the 2012-2013 season.

The Juniors aren't the only hockey club known to have an interest to use the new arena. The Hamilton Bulldogs, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, have said they would like to relocate to Montreal and would call the new arena in Laval their home.

The new arena would accommodate up to 7,500 fans for hockey games and up to 10,000 spectators for concerts. The plan would be to build the arena close to highway 15 and St. Martin Blvd. This area is known as the heart of the still developing downtown Laval. The cost to build the arena is expected to be around $93 Mln.

If the Juniors are successful in becoming the anchor tenant for the new Laval arena, the seating capacity for a game would increase from 3,700, which is the legal seating capacity at the Verdun Auditorium (seen in photo), to 7,500, essentially doubling fan seating space.

I'll try to provide more information on this story as it unfolds...

2010 QMJHL PLAYOFFS - FINAL ROUND PREDICTION

The QMJHL Championship will be determined by two rival team both located in the province of New Brunswick, the Saint John Sea Dogs (1st overall) vs. the Moncton Wildcats (3rd overall).

Before the playoffs HockeyPoints predicted that Moncton would win the President Cup and nothing that I've seen so far has changed my mind.

The one factor that could hurt Moncton's chances is that they may be feeling a bit banged up and worn down, having faced a strong opponent during each of the first three rounds - Cape Breton (7th overall), Rouyn Noranda (6th overall) and most recently Drummondville (2nd overall). Meanwhile Saint John has faced weaker opponents - PEI (8th overall), Gatineau (12th overall) and Victoriaville (4th overall). Both the Moncton and Saint John have playoff records of 12 wins and 3 losses.

In terms of key players to watch in this Series, below is a list of three players on each team who should play a major role in determining their team's outcome:

Saint John Sea Dogs:
1. Mike Hoffman (drafted by Ottawa in 2009): Hoffman won the Q championship with Drummondville last year so he knows what it takes to win. As an overager with the Sea Dogs, Hoffman will need to continue to produce above the point per game level. Although a centerman, Hoffman plays the point on the powerplay and he'll need to make sure it's clicking if Saint John want to beat Moncton who are a strong 5 on 5 team.

2. Marco Cousineau (drafted by Anaheim in 2008): I'm probably the biggest non-believer in this guy. Although Cousineau has already accomplished so much during his young career (he has been drafted and signed by Anaheim / he won the Q Championship with Drummondville in 2009 / he played in the Memorial Cup in 2009), I'm still not sold on this goalie. I've seen him play about 10 times during the past two years and I get the feeling that he's nothing more than a big, average goalie that plays on strong teams. Maybe he'll prove me wrong again...either way, he'll be a key piece to the puzzle should the Sea Dogs win or loose.

3. Simon Despres (drafted by Pittsburgh in 2009): Despres has enjoyed a very strong post season. Not only has he been consistent defensively but he has also elevated his offensive game and is averaging nearly a point per game from the back end. At 6'4", Despres is an exciting two-way defensman but he'll probably need to concentrate more on his defensive play in order to shut down the Wildcats' high powered offence.

Moncton Wildcats:
1. Nicolas Deschamps (drafted by Anaheim in 2008): Deschamps had a phenomenal season and won the QMJHL scoring title with 96 points in 64 GP, earning him a points per game average of 1.50. During the playoffs Deschamps' points per game average has drooped to about 1.00. Should the Wildcats want to win the championship, they'll need this number to increase.

2. Gabriel Bourque (drafted by Nashville in 2009): Bourque is one of those guys who is built for playoff hockey. His intensity and hockey smarts are both above average and he can bring either a skilled game or a physical game to the table, whichever is needed. So far Bourque has brought both. Bourque finishes every check and is averaging over around a goal per game (leads the Q in playoff goals scored). He'll need to keep this up against a very strong Sea Dogs Defense Corps.

3. David Savard (drafted by Columbus in 2009): Savard was voted the top defenseman in the Q this season and is still showing us why. Savard has about a dozen points through three rounds and more importantly has a very positive plus/minus rating (more than his GP - impressive). He is supported by Brandon Gormely (projected to be a top 5 pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft) and Mark Barberio (drafted by Tampa Bay in 2008). Savard will need to focus on his strong defensive play in order to shut down the Sea Dogs' offense.

Final Prediction: Moncton Wins in 6 games


Enjoy the Final Round!!!

2010 QMJHL PLAYOFFS - ROUND #3 PREDICTIONS

The QMJHL's semi-finals have arrived! HockeyPoints are 11 for 12 in predicting series winners to date however I must admit that things have proceeded as expected, for the most part.

Entering this round, we're left to watch the top four teams from the regular season standings (top four in terms of season points earned) battle for a spot in the finals. Below is what we expect to transpire during the next two weeks.

Saint John Sea Dogs (1st overall) vs. Victoriavill Tigres (4th overall):
The Tigres have played well thus far but not yet have they faced a true challenger. Well Saint John is more than a challenger, they're one of the top ranked team in the country, and the favorite heading into this series. Victoriaville has the firepower to give the Sea Dogs a scare, but I don't like their defence as much as the Saint John D-corps. The only way I can see the Sea Dogs loose this series is if their goalie, Marco Cousineau, melts down and chokes. This is possible, but not very likely.
Prediction: Saint John wins in 6 games.

Drummondville Voltigeurs (2nd overall) vs. Moncton Wildcats (3rd overall):
This may be the most intriguing match up we'll see in the Q playoffs this year. Drummondville's Sean Courturier and Moncton's Nicolas Deschamps tied for the season scoring league this year. Both teams have excellent goaltending with Jake Allen playing for Drummondville and Nicola Riopel between the pipes for Moncton. They're probably the top two tenders in the league. Furthermore, each team features a huge NHL prospect. Moncton boast 2010 prospect defenseman Brandon Gormely, while the Volts have the potential 1st overall pick for the 2011 NHL entry draft in Sean Courturier (yes, the same guy mentioned above....he led the league in scoring as a 17 year old!). While I'll be cheering for Drummondville (and Jake Allen), my gut tells me that Moncton is still the favorite to win it all this year.
Prediction: Moncton Wildcats win in 7 games.

Enjoy Round 3!!!

MONTREAL'S AUBRY AND PARKES EARN NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING DRAFT RANKING

Central Scouting has released their final rankings for the 2010 NHL entry draft and Montreal has two forwards that have earned a spot on the North American Player List. Centerman Louis-Marc Aubry (seen in photo) is ranked 87th, while right winger Trevor Parkes earned a final rank of 197.

Aubry, an 18 year old junior aged player this past season, provided Montreal with size up front along with his steady two-way play. With 15 goals and 33 points in 66 games played, Aubry is by no means a huge offensive threat. But what he does does well is bring a competitive element to each game. He wants to win. At 6'3" and 186 lbs Aubry is considered a big body in the Q. His skating is strong and he's rarely caught out of position. Aubry likes to keep his shifts short which is a good habit not often seen in Junior players. In terms of potential, I'm sure NHL scouts are projecting him as a 3rd or 4th line NHL centerman.

Parkes, also an 18 year old junior aged player during the 2009-2010 season, made the Juniors on a try out basis after being overlooked in the OHL ranks. The right winger scored 27 goals and 47 points in 66 games played. Parkes' strengths are his hands (if you've seen him in a shootout, you know how this guy can dangle), a fast release on his shot and his strong two way play (Parkes led the Juniors with a plus/minus rating of +19). While he's not the prettiest skater, he is strong on his feet and doesn't mind a physical game. In terms of size Parkes is listed at 6'1" and 170 lbs but appears to be a bit bigger. I would imagine that NHL scouts are treating Parkes as a bit of a project type prospect. While he carries many attractive qualities his skating remains a skill that requires improvement.

On another note, once highly toughted Montreal right winger Guillaume Asselin was bounced from Central Scouting's list all together and enters the spring as an unranked player. While it is highly unlikely he'll get drafted this spring, there remains a chance that with a strong performance during the 2010-2011 Asselin could change the minds of the scouts and earn a rank for the 2011 NHL entry draft.

For more information on Central Scouting's NHL draft rankings, check out the below links:

Louis-Marc Aubry's Central Scouting NHL Draft Profile:
www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=2191

Trevor Parkes' Central Scouting NHL Draft Profile:
www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=2375

Full Central Scouting NHL Draft Rankings:
www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectbrowse.htm?cat=1&year=2010

TAKING AWAY THE POSITIVES

Aside from "the goal", there are many positives for the Juniors to take away from this series. A few of the most notable highlights are:

1 - Experienced gained by Xavier Ouellet (seen in photo). Throughout the entire series Montreal's Coach & GM, Pascal Vincent, provided Ouellet with "number 1 defenseman" type ice-time. The 16 year old junior aged defenseman probably led the entire team in power play time on ice and I would estimate he played between 22 and 24 minutes per game. Ouellet looked comfortable with the added responsibility which is good news for the young defender's personal development and the future of the Juniors' defense corps. Ouellet scored 0 goals and 3 assists in 7 games played. More importantly, Ouellet finished the series with a plus/minus rating of +4. Expect big things from this intelligent player next season.

2 - The emergence of Trevor Parkes. The 18 year old right winger has caught the attention of NHL scouts. Before the playoffs Parkes was viewed as a boarder line player to be drafted this June. Now, after scoring 6 goals and adding 1 assist in 7 playoff games, Parkes is seen as a player who could be drafted between rounds 4 and 6 of the 2010 NHL entry draft. This two way forward plays with grit as well. Parkes didn't miss a shift after getting cross checked to the mouth and loosing two teeth.

3 - The improved play of Guillaume Asselin. After a somewhat disappointing season, Asselin turned his game up a few notches in the playoffs. Montreal's 17 year old right winger's points per game average during the season was 0.63. During the playoffs his average improved to 1.00. Along with his production, the intensity in Asselin's game seemed better as well. He was skating harder and played more physical while battling in the corners for loose pucks. I'm crossing my fingers for this kid and hope he gets drafted by an NHL team in June. Chances are just under 50 / 50.

2010 QMJHL PLAYOFFS - ROUND #2 PREDICTIONS

As it turns out, my first round playoff predictions were almost perfect. If it wasn't for Montreal dropping game 7 to Gatineau, I would have had a perfect score of 8 for 8. I guess that's what I deserve for picking my home team to win! Here's a look at who I expect to win each second round match-up:

Saint John Sea Dogs (1st overall) vs. Gatineau Olympiques (12th overall): Gatineau's young played played very well in round one against an equal opponent, the Montreal Juniors. Unfortunately for the Olympiques, they'll have trouble keeping up with a much stronger Saint John hockey club. The Sea Dogs' veterans will simply be too much for the young Gatineau players who will be tired from playing in a gruelling 7 game series.

Prediction: Saint John wins in 4 games.

Drummondville Voltigeurs (2nd overall) vs. Rimouski Oceanic (9th overall):

Rimouski's squad is very similar to that of both Montreal and Gatineau. They are filled with plenty of solid young player led by the Q's rookie of the year, Petr Straka (no relation to the former NHLer). Their enthusiasm won't be enough to take down the Voltigeurs who remain a force. Former Montreal goaltender Jake Allen is on top of his game thus far and the team in front of him remains one of the best Junior teams in the country.

Prediction: Drummondville wins in 5 games.

Moncton Wildcats (3rd overall) vs. Rouyn Noranda Huskies (6th overall):
Before the playoff started I expected Moncton to beat Cape Breton, but I didn't think they would do it so easily. After seeing the result of that series, I'm even more convinced that Moncton is the favorite to win the Presidents Cup. Rouyn Noranda will play tough against Moncton but they just won't be good enough to beat the Cats. I bet the Huskies sure wish Patrice Cormier didn't throw that elbow....

Prediction: Moncton Wildcats wins in 5 games.

Victoriaville Tigres (4th overall) vs. Quebec Remparts (5th overall):

With Patrick Roy behind the bench, the Remparts won't go out quietly, but out they will go. The Tigres are one of the strongest teams I saw play this season and they don't have any noticeable weaknesses.

Prediction: Victoriaville Tigres win in 6 games.

Enjoy Round Two!!!

GATINEAU SCORES FLUKE GOAL - WINS SERIES 4-3

And so it ended. The Juniors' fate was determined by a fluke goal in the second overtime period of game seven. If you haven't yet seen the devastating goal, check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3129ScZ8eio

It seemed to happen in slow motion. Before heading to the bench for a line change, Gatineau's captain, Hubert Labrie (seen in photo), skated over center ice and dumped the puck into the Juniors' zone. The puck proceeded to hit the end glass and took an unforseen bounce towards the Juniors' net. Montreal goalie, Jean-Francois Berube, who appeared to have his body against the side post, had the puck deflect off the back of his right side before dropping into the net.

It was the luckiest goal I've seen during the past two years of Montreal Juniors hockey.

After such a tightly fought playoff round, one that saw the Gatineau Olympiques climb back into the series after having been down three games to one, it is unfortunate that such a fluke goal ended up being the determining factor to end the series.

Fans attending the game were shocked. Most of Montreal's supporters remained frozen in their seats. Even the 50-100 Gatineau fans seemed surprised as they broke out into loud cheers and chants and celebrated their team's victory.

As bad as Gatineau's winning goal was the Montreal players can't feel too sour about it. After all, they did have three chances to close the series and failed to do so. One can only hope the returning players remember this terrible feeling and use it as motivation for next season.