2014 Memorial Cup Location

[KingKadri]

Yep, they did. Were last year's St. Louis Blues a bad team because they scored 6 goals in the process of being swept by the 8th seed (and eventual Stanley Cup Champion) Los Angeles Kings?

Just out of curiosity, how many Medicine Hat games did you watch this season?

Did Medicine Hat's hot goalie not show up in the second round then? I find it hard to contribute getting swept in a 7 game series to only a 'hot goalie'.

 

[cujoflutie]

What if London finally gets caught for their blatant recruiting violations?

Then Branch will sweep it under the rug and pretend it didn't happen just live every other thing London does wrong.

 

[Snippit]

It doesn't mean they were a bad team, but 4 goals in a sweep to the 7th seed surely isn't deserving of a Memorial cup spot. Even if they do compete, it still doesn't look good on the CHL.

 

[Tigers1992]

You know I always appreciate your opinion, and I submit that it appears that the Knights will have the best team. I'm just suggesting that the most important emphasis on that is ridiculous. Will they be the best team if they lose Domi, Horvat, Griffith, Broadhurst, Matta, Harrington and their overagers? Is it likely? Of course not, but remember we once had a conversation about how Brodie (20), Burmistrov (18), Clifford (19) etal were likely returnees.

They only will realistically will loose Harrington, Broadhurst and Griffith. Tyler Ferry and Tommy Hughes can be replaced within. Thats all you can do, look at things realistically.

Do you know this as you usually do, or is this speculation? Just looking for clarity, because I do find it hard to believe. As mentioned above, I think that the team Barrie is returning, along with what they will likely acquire in the import draft/trades, will be just fine. I expect they'll compete for the East again next year (who's better?).

I don't know for sure. David Branch coaches in Whitby, so I can talk to him once in a while (as anyone can). I know that he wasn't to sure about giving London the Cup so soon after it last hosted it. Given that there where only 3 bids, I assume he had to go with the one that was the best bet. Based on the conversation I had, Im pretty confident that had Barrie had an equal roster, they would have got it. As Shawinigan showed last year, they are fine putting it in smaller rinks.

As far as rosters go, I get that you are a Colts fan, but look at it realistically. Big question mark in net, Fotinos didn't step up and hardly played in the second half. Loosing Schiefele, Camara, O'Connor and Niederberger is pretty hard to overcome. London has guys to can graduate into the role left by Griffith and Broadhurst, they have some strong Jr A defenceman who can come in and replace Hughes and Ferry.

Barrie's organizational depth isn't nearly as close. They are a team that heavily relies on trades, not necessarily drafting, for their top stars. They don't have alot of offensive guys who could step into those roles. They would need guys like Bradford and McDonald to double their offensive production, while having guys like Lemieux, Scott and Corson to take on offensive roles that they are not ready for. If Theoret leaves (hard to see it happening) that would also be a serious blow.

The East is once again wide open, and Im sure once again Barrie will make some trades to fill those holes, but the two rosters are not that close.

 

[pmedguy]

Complete garbage. The OHL should have spread the wealth around the league IMHO. London hosted in 2005 and again in 2014? Money talks and Branch walks.

 

[krazy kanuck]

Did Medicine Hat's hot goalie not show up in the second round then? I find it hard to contribute getting swept in a 7 game series to only a 'hot goalie'.

Had a longer answered typed but since HFBoards wiped it out, the short answer is yes, he did show up in the second round. Play out of his skull like he did in the first? No.

 

[krazy kanuck]

They only will realistically will loose Harrington, Broadhurst and Griffith. Tyler Ferry and Tommy Hughes can be replaced within. Thats all you can do, look at things realistically.

I appreciate that, but that's my problem with weighting the "projected" team so heavily. Realistically Burmistrov wasn't going to make the Jets as a undersized 18 year old, but they rushed him, nor was Clifford going to make it as a 19 year old gritty power forward when the Kings had Simmonds in that role. I actually think there is a reasonable probability that Horvat makes the show, then again you were right with the evaluations on the 95 MM Colts, so what do I know...

I don't know for sure. David Branch coaches in Whitby, so I can talk to him once in a while (as anyone can). I know that he wasn't to sure about giving London the Cup so soon after it last hosted it. Given that there where only 3 bids, I assume he had to go with the one that was the best bet. Based on the conversation I had, Im pretty confident that had Barrie had an equal roster, they would have got it.

But there have been years where the Colts clearly had a superior roster (02/99) and there were always other reasons.

Barrie's organizational depth isn't nearly as close. They are a team that heavily relies on trades, not necessarily drafting, for their top stars. They don't have alot of offensive guys who could step into those roles. They would need guys like Bradford and McDonald to double their offensive production, while having guys like Lemieux, Scott and Corson to take on offensive roles that they are not ready for. If Theoret leaves (hard to see it happening) that would also be a serious blow.

The East is once again wide open, and Im sure once again Barrie will make some trades to fill those holes, but the two rosters are not that close.

All fair comments, I would ask do you expect them to fill those holes, and if they do, will they be close? Because at the end of the day that's the question. Not many people would have said they could compete with London this year, and without MS19 spending all that time in Winnipeg they would have been real close on points for the season and they came within .1 of a second of overtime in game 7. I expect Bradford, McDonald and Lemieux will all get considerably more ice-time next year and will have considerably more production as a result.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

They only will realistically will loose Harrington, Broadhurst and Griffith. Tyler Ferry and Tommy Hughes can be replaced within. Thats all you can do, look at things realistically.

.

...and they may not lose him. Rockford is going to be crowded next year and the Hawks may not have a sport for him...they may decide he's better off staying in London as an OA.

 

[GangGreen]

Then Branch will sweep it under the rug and pretend it didn't happen just live every other thing London does wrong.

Care to share any examples?
You mean, like Kitchener trying to pay Trouba to come play for them?

 

[CharlieGirl]

Care to share any examples?
You mean, like Kitchener trying to pay Trouba to come play for them?

*sigh*

 

[CharlieGirl]

An alternative would be to rotate the tournament between the three NHL arenas within the OHL territory -- Ottawa, Toronto and Detroit. That would give a balance between eastern, central and western teams in the league.

The way it's going, that's probably what will happen. And it'll be dead wrong. The World Juniors can no longer be hosted by a community that supports junior hockey because it's become a high profile event. The Memorial Cup isn't far behind.

Toronto should NEVER host a Memorial Cup and most of Detroit doesn't know junior hockey exists. Keep it in communities that support junior hockey.

 

[KingKadri]

Had a longer answered typed but since HFBoards wiped it out, the short answer is yes, he did show up in the second round. Play out of his skull like he did in the first? No.

I didn't watch any of it so I will have to take your work. The blades seemed pretty good against the knights (Makarov was unreal) so maybe they did just have an off series. I wonder how competitive they will be tonight against the moose

 

[KingKadri]

I'm surprised if London is such a hotbed for hockey, how come the AHL doesn't consider expansion into the market - Toronto, Hamilton just down the road. Grand Rapids the other way.

What if London finally gets caught for their blatant recruiting violations?

The population isn't large enough and with Hamilton just down the road it wouldn't make any sense.

Where is the proof of these violations? Pretty strong claim to make, and yet you provide no evidence to back it up

 

[GangGreen]

*sigh*

Sigh all you want. A Rangers fan(if that's even what he is) comes here and claims the Knights do all kinds of wrongdoing, and the league looks the other way. Yet the Rangers were accused of the same thing, with actual names and numbers. Seems kinda hypocritical. I guess it is Leeaf83, he's already back under his rock or scamming people on E-Bay.

 

[krazy kanuck]

I didn't watch any of it so I will have to take your work. The blades seemed pretty good against the knights (Makarov was unreal) so maybe they did just have an off series.

I was at the Edmonton games, and what you have to remember is that they were a great team. Without some key injuries in the final they may have been WHL representative at the Mem Cup. At the time, Edmonton was rolling on all cylinders.

Makarov is great. And his mask is my second favorite in the CHL right now, next to:

http://auction.chl.ca/iSynApp/auctionDisplay.action?auctionId=53452

I wonder how competitive they will be tonight against the moose

I think Halifax is the toast of this tournament, and by a ways. I expect they'll beat Saskatoon handily. Hitting the road in a couple hours...

 

[CharlieGirl]

Sigh all you want. A Rangers fan(if that's even what he is) comes here and claims the Knights do all kinds of wrongdoing, and the league looks the other way. Yet the Rangers were accused of the same thing, with actual names and numbers. Seems kinda hypocritical. I guess it is Leeaf83, he's already back under his rock or scamming people on E-Bay.

Fair enough. The chances are that both your team and mine have some unproven shady dealings in the past. Neither is lily white but neither team has been caught since the recruiting police came on the scene.

Of course, this is all conjecture.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Where is the proof of these violations? Pretty strong claim to make, and yet you provide no evidence to back it up

Posterior poetry..nothing more..nothing less

 

[Sidekick]

Call me skeptical, I guess, that London is just "lucky" to get so many guys who claim "to be going the NCAA route" to suddenly fall down in the draft, and then magically change their mind (ex. Scott Harrington at 19...projected to go top 5).

You're right, they have never been caught.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Call me skeptical, I guess, that London is just "lucky" to get so many guys who claim "to be going the NCAA route" to suddenly fall down in the draft, and then magically change their mind (ex. Scott Harrington at 19...projected to go top 5).

You're right, they have never been caught.

Because they've violated no rules. What does having said player state they are going the NCAA route and dropping all the way to the bottom of the 1st round..2nd round..or further have to do with London bending the rules. Cry foul at the other idiots who didn't have the wontons to call the kid's bluff and pick them. Let's be 100% honest..a kid gets picked by London..it's like winning the lottery. I was told this by a parent of a kid who was shockingly "going to the NCAA" until London called his name. They do things right...just because they win doesn't mean they're cheating. Maybe the rest of the teams just suck at scouting and recruiting...nahhh...that can't be it..London's gotta be bending the rules.

 

[Sidekick]

Well, no point in arguing. Knights fans will continually claim they are breaking no rules. Fans of the other 19 teams will never be convinced there is no other "compensation" given to these players.

And it's really not a bluff, is it? Not when the player CAN actually follow through and go the NCAA route.

 

[cujoflutie]

Since Kitchener has been brought up, I remember a handful of Ranger fans being speared several times by Rob Schremp coming off the ice. The league said they would investigate it and nothing came of it... or how the league conveniently started the crackdown on diving AFTER the Knights literally dove their way to the memorial cup. Remember several windsor players including steve downie revealing threats from Branch should any of them injure Corey Perry.

Also why does Branch never choose a London player to make an example of when issuing his double digit suspensions? Look at the stan butler suspension this past playoff, his antics were a routine day at the office for Dale Hunter, why doesn't Hunter ever get those suspensions? And of course the large number of cases of London breaking league rules with respect to reselling tickets allotted to the visiting team on a regular basis.

 

[Snippit]

I guess the league is just rigged

Take your blinders off buddy. It's common knowledge that the more successful teams in every type of league get the accusations. Some calls can go our way, I admit. Then again, some go the other way. That's hockey. Don't understand this "diving their way to the Memorial Cup".

Knights earned their Memorial Cup in 2005, just like they earned their OHL championships these past 2 years. So did Owen Sound, and Windsor, and Kitchener...

Stop trying to discredit success.

 

[cujoflutie]

IDon't understand this "diving their way to the Memorial Cup".

they had 2 diving penalties all playoffs that year. They drew more powerplays than that off of dives EVERY game. Don't give me this crap that 'every team dives' Show me any team that dives as much as the Knights did back then.

 

[Otto]

Since Kitchener has been brought up, I remember a handful of Ranger fans being speared several times by Rob Schremp coming off the ice. The league said they would investigate it and nothing came of it... or how the league conveniently started the crackdown on diving AFTER the Knights literally dove their way to the memorial cup. Remember several windsor players including steve downie revealing threats from Branch should any of them injure Corey Perry.

Also why does Branch never choose a London player to make an example of when issuing his double digit suspensions? Look at the stan butler suspension this past playoff, his antics were a routine day at the office for Dale Hunter, why doesn't Hunter ever get those suspensions? And of course the large number of cases of London breaking league rules with respect to reselling tickets allotted to the visiting team on a regular basis.

1) There were no such threats by Branch. If there were then it would have been brought up before now

2)
http://www.londonknights.com/article/matt-rupert-suspended-10-games

3) What has Dale Hunter done this season to warrant a suspension?

4) Doesn't happen, again if it did it would have been brought up before now

Please stop, you are embarrassing yourself

 

[cujoflutie]

1) There were no such threats by Branch. If there were then it would have been brought up before now

2)
http://www.londonknights.com/article/matt-rupert-suspended-10-games

3) What has Dale Hunter done this season to warrant a suspension?

4) Doesn't happen, again if it did it would have been brought up before now

Please stop, you are embarrassing yourself

It was brought up at the time, Branch entering the spitfires dressing room in the second intermission indicating any player who injures Corey Perry would be suspended for an entire season.

Hunter behaved this season for the most part but his antics every year prior to his caps gig have been outright embarassing for the sport. Where are his 5 game suspensions?

Why do players get 5 game suspensions for shooting the puck into the crowd yet Schremp gets nothing for attacking the crowd?

Thats the best you can come up with? A single 10 game suspension in the last 10 years... compared to how many for the other teams?

Be naive all you want about the obvious fact that Hunter has Branch in his pocket but if you want to look at it with an open mind count the number of times the Knights get the benefit of the doubt with the league and officials vs the amount of times their opponents do. They always get the longer end of the stick, watch how blatant it is with the memorial cup coming.