To kick things off this week, I spoke with the Sault Ste. Marire Greyhounds Barret Haydon about his team mates and the Greyhounds chances this year.
Q: The addition of Taylor Raddysh at the trade deadline, how is that going to help the team?
A: He’s a huge addition to the team. Really talented, a great leader, great character. He came back from winning gold at the world juniors, and that should help us in the playoffs.
Q: Is this the year for the Soo? The team has been so good for so long, but had teams like (2016 OHL & Memorial Cup Champions) London Knights, and the (2017 OHL Champions and Memorial Cup runners-up) Erie Otters get in your way. Is the field clear to finally go all the way?
A: We have such a ton of skill in the room, but what will give us the edge is the character in the room. We’re such a strong group, it will be hard to shake us in the end.
Q: Boris Katchouk, how is he as a player, and in the locker room?
A: He’s a great player, incredibly talented. He’s a key part of the team, he’s great in the locker room. I can see him making the step up next year to pros easily, like he belongs there.
While I was at the CHL/NHL Top prospects game I also bothered other draft eligible players with questions, and dug deep to find out why exactly one player is nicknamed ‘Young Gravy’.
Ontario Hockey League
#12 – Christopher Paquette (F) – 1G, 0A
Peterborough Petes – 18-24-3-3
Jan. 26th: @ Mississauga Steelheads
L 4-3 OT – 1G, 0A, +1
Jan. 28th: @ Kingston Frontenacs
L 2-0 – 0G, 0A, -1
The Petes playoff hopes slip farther away each day. With these losses the Petes are now three points away from eight place in the east, as the Steelheads start to pick up steam and break away from the Petes.
#12 – Boris Katchouk (F) / #14 Taylor Raddysh (F)
2G, 2A, +1 / 2G, 3A, +5
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – X – 40-5-2-1
Jan. 26th: vs Windsor Spitfires
W 6-4 – 2G, 0A, +1 / 1G, 1A, +2
Jan. 27th: vs Barrie Colts
W 4-3 – 0G, 1A / No Points
Jan. 28th: @ Saginaw Spirit
W 5-2 – 0G, 1A / 1G, 2A, +3
The Greyhounds have clinched a playoff spot with 20 games to go on the season. Now they’re challenge is to win the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as top in the OHL’s regular season. They have a 12 point lead over second place Sarnia, so it’s probably safe to say they have it in the bag.
#17 – Alexei Lipanov (F) – 0G, 1A, -6
Sudbury Wolves – 13-30-6
Jan. 26th: vs Barrie Colts
L 6-3 – 0G, 1A, -2
Jan. 27th: vs Niagara IceDogs
L 6-2 – 0G, 0A, -4
Jan. 28th: @ Mississauga Steelheads
L 4-1 – No Points
The Wolves are fighting with the Flint Firebirds for last place in the league and the first overall draft pick.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
#89 – Otto Somppi (F) – 3G, 2A, +3
Halifax Mooseheads – 32-11-5-1
Jan. 27th: vs Saint John Sea Dogs
W 5-2 – 1G, 1A, +1
Jan. 28th: vs Saint John Sea Dogs
W 8-2 – 2G, 1A, +2
The Mooseheads haven’t officially clinched a playoff spot, but they’re 39 points ahead of 17th overall in the QMJHL, so they’re in. They are one point out of first overall but the Blainseville-Broisband Armada have three games in hand.
Western Hockey League
#21 – Brett Howden (F) / #76 – Oleg Susonov (D)
0G, 0A, -4 / 0G, 0A, -1
Moose Jaw Warriors – 39-7-1-2
Jan. 26th: @ Lethbridge Hurricanes
W 3-2 SO – 0G, 0A, -2 / No Points
Jan. 27th: @ Medicine Hat Tigers
L 5-3 – 0G, 0A, -2 / 0G, 0A, -1
The top team in the WHL took a game off in their loss to the Tigers. The Warriors have a seven point lead over the second place team in the league. With a gap like that we can forgive a slow game or two from Brett & Oleg.
#25 – Libor Hajek (D) – 2G, 1A, -2
Regina Pats – 25-22-5-0
Jan. 24th: vs Saskatoon Blades
W 7-3 – 1G, 1A, -1
Jan. 27th: @ Swift Current Broncos
L 3-1 – 1G, 0A, -1
Jan. 28th: vs Swift Current Broncos
L 4-1 – No Points
The Memorial Cup hosts gave themselves a six point cushion from missing the playoffs with their win over Saskatoon, but we need more wins than losses as the season nears it’s end.
#25 – Cal Foote (D) – 1G, 2A, +3
Kelowna Rockets – 31-14-3-1
Jan. 24th: @ Lethbridge Hurricanes
W 4-3 OT – 0G, 1A, +2
Jan. 26th: @ Medicine Hat Tigers
W 4-3 OT – 1G, 0A, +2
Jan. 27th: @ Red Deer Rebels
L 3-2 OT – 0G, 1A, -1
Three straight overtime games for the Rockets lead to five point sin six games. Foote had a PPG weekend, and is helping keep the Rockets on top of their division, with the Victoria Royals nipping at their heels.
USHL
#19 – Cole Guttman (F)
Dubuque Fighting Saints
Guttman is on IR for the foreseeable future.
#14 – Nicklaus Perbix (D) – 0G, 1A, +1
Omaha Lancers – 21-10-2-1
Jan. 26th: vs Lincoln Stars
W 6-0 – 0G, 1A, +2
Jan. 27th: @ Lincoln Stars
W 2-1 – 0G, 0A, +1
Jan. 28th: vs Tri-City Storm
L 3-2 SO – 0G, 0A, -2
It’s a tight race at the top of the USHL Western conference. Perbix is doing his part on the back end for the Lancers, but it seems like it will come down to the wire for seedings.
High School
#26 – Samuel Walker – 3G, 3A
Edina High School – 18-1-0
Jan. 25th: vs Minnetonka
W 8-2 – 2G, 3A
Jan. 27th: vs Eden Prarie
W 5-3 – 1G, 0A
Sammy Walker is a big fish in a goldfish bowl at this point. As he waits out the year in high school hockey before heading to college, he’s skating circles around the opposition. Hopefully this doesn’t put him off in his freshman year when he actually gets a challenge.
NCAA
#33 – Kris Oldham (G)
U. Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks
Overall: 14-11-1 / Conference: 7-9-0
Jan. 26th: vs Western Michigan
W 6-2 – Did Not Play
Jan. 27th: vs Western Michigan
W 7-3 – Did Not Play
#20 – Ross Colton (F) – 2G, 2A, +4
U. Vermont Catamounts
Overall: 7-15-4 / Conference: 4-9-3
Jan. 26th: @ Merrimack
W 2-1 – 1G, 1A, +2
Jan. 27th: @ Merrimack
W 2-1 (OT) – 1G, 1A, +2
Identical scores and identical games for Ross who had his biggest weekend of the year. Two important wins for the Catamounts and four points for Colton.
#18 – Ryan Lohin (F) – 0G, 1A, +1
U. Mass-Lowell River Hawks
Overall: 15-12 / Conference: 10-8
Jan. 26th: vs Boston College
W 3-2 – 0G, 1A, +1
Jan. 27th: @ Boston College
W 5-2 – No Points
The Riverhawks put themselves over .500 this season with two wins over the BC Eagles.
#16 – Johnathan MacLeod (D) – 0G, 1A, +3
Boston U. Terriers
Overall: 13-11-2 / Conference: 9-7-2
Jan. 26th: @ Arizona State
W 8-0 – 0G, 1A, +4
Jan. 27th: @ Arizona State
W 4-3 – 0G, 0A, -1
The Terries tore up Arizona State this weekend 12-3, and MacLeod had a fantastic game on Friday night, adding an assists while helping keep the shutout intact.
#20 – Ryan Zuhlsdorf (D) – 0G, 0A, +1
U. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Overall: 16-13-1 / Conference: 7-10-1
Jan. 26th: v Notre Dame
W 1-0 OT – 0G, 0A, +1
Jan. 27th: vs Notre Dame
L – 4-1 – No Points
It wasn’t a great weekend for the Gophers, they won small and lost big.
Lightning prospects points
| Player | League | Points | Games | PPG | NHLe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Walker | Big 10 | 18 | 26 | 0.69 | 19.87 |
| Ryan Lohin | Hockey East | 22 | 21 | 1.05 | 31.78 |
| Alexey Lipanov | OHL | 21 | 43 | 0.49 | 12.81 |
| Cole Guttman | NCHC | 18 | 25 | 0.72 | 24.21 |
| Nicklaus Perbix | NCHC | 13 | 26 | 0.50 | 16.81 |
| Ryan Zuhlsdorf | Big 10 | 4 | 24 | 0.17 | 4.78 |
| Gabriel Fortier | QMJHL | 64 | 50 | 1.28 | 27.29 |
| Radim Salda | QMJHL | 23 | 31 | 0.74 | 15.82 |
| Alex Green | ECAC | 1 | 5 | 0.20 | 3.77 |
| Cole Koepke | NCHC | 11 | 26 | 0.42 | 14.22 |
