CCHL: Some things I think I think...

The 30 game mark is a good time to take a look around the CCHL and see what stands out...

1) Participation is on a record-breaking trend. Thanks to everyone who sends lines in and stays on top of the fatigue issue within Simon. Awesome!

2) Keep an eye on your goalie usage. Chris Kash will be releasing his first goalie usage report on Christmas Day, but you could overuse your netminder before then, too. It is the responsibility of the General Managers to keep their teams in compliance with the rules. Remember last year? The penalties are stiff...

3) Hats off to the Falcons. Fighting for 1st overall and putting up some impressive numbers. The number that stands out to me is Matt's W/L record on the road. A sick 12-3-2, a winning percentage of .765!

4) The Falcons also lead the league in team +/- with a +34, they are second in both goals for and goals against, first in gaa per game, first in shots for AND in shots against AND are the best in penalty killing so far. If Fort Erie keeps this kind of performance going, this may be the Falcon's year.

5) Looking at the Conferences, keeping in mind there's a lot of hockey left, each Conference seems to be seeing some separation in their standings. In the Canosa, the top seven teams are pulling away from the bottom four teams. There is currently a five-point gap between the #7 and #8-11th teams. Likewise in the Corfield, a similar situation has developed with the top seven teams pulling away as well. The point differential between the #7 team and the #8 team is five points.

6) A reminder that after your team has played in its 41st game, you may then move your UFA signees as you wish. You can trade them, waiver them, etc...

7) Sickbay - Calgary's got it rough right now with four top players unable to play. Barkov & Gaudreau are out with various injuries, Ryan O'Reilly is out for 2 more days due to fatigue and Matty Tkachuk has been suspended for being a jerk. Two more games to go before he can return.

8) Teams that have impressed me so far: FOR, SIB, GIL & REK...

9) Teams that should & probably will be better: MIN, PAR, DRT, GEO & SPR...

10) One thing I know for sure. We don't know what we don't know...

A Weekly Look at the 2019-20 Sudbury Miners: Volume 7 (Games 27-30)

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 2 wins, 1 losses, 1 OT loss.
Miners League Standing: 17 wins, 10 losses, 3 OT Loss = 37 points total. Currently sit in 4th place in the Canosa Conference, 8th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams: Power Play – 22.5% (7th); Penalty Kill – 80.7% (10th)
Miners Scoring Leader: Center Tyler Seguin (13G – 22A = 35 pts; 11th Overall in the CCHL)

Much of the success that the Sudbury Miners have had lately, has been as a result of an offence
that is finally starting to produce. Led by forwards Tyler Seguin and Timo Meier, the Miners have enjoyed a 7-2-1 record in their past 10 games.

“I think we’re winning in all kinds of ways, which is nice,” Meier said. “I think about a month ago in
Las Vegas, Freddie (Andersen) made what seemed about 50 saves, we came out with a win. And then
there are nights like we had the other night in Minnesota where it was tight-checking but we still pulled out the win. So when you’re finding ways to win, I think that’s the sign of a good team”.

Despite the Miners recent run of success, they still just sit 3 points up on 7th place Victoria for the
final playoff spot in the Canosa Conference. Just 4 points separate 2nd to 7th in the conference.
“We're playing the right way," Seguin said. "Everyone is contributing in their own way. Our team is
definitely trending in the right direction, but with the division being so tight, we need to keep this run of good play going. You could quickly find yourself looking up in the standings if you’re not careful."

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Zack Hyman

A determined, competitive and mobile winger, Hyman is a tenacious forechecker. His relentless
puck pursuits and hardworking, physical style, make him a coaches favourite. The grinding winger is
often used to add an element of physicality to a skilled line, but has enough talent to compliment the line as well. While it might be a stretch to count on him for 20 goals every year, but his value will be in other areas such as the penalty kill and in providing a physical, forechecking presence. He is no fun to play against.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW: Martin Necas

Necas was fantastic last season in the AHL- his first full season in North America – and is on the
cusp of a CCHL job. He is a fantastic skater with high end agility and is able to skate into traffic and avoid taking on big hits. He is a quick, dynamic playmaker, and his puck-handling skills combined with his aforementioned skating, help him create room for himself in the offensive zone. While he is not an aggressive player, he does use his frame well to help walk out of the corners with the puck on his stick. For all of his offensive ability, Necas also works hard off the puck and can play in a two-way role if he doesn’t reach his first line upside. Charlotte would not have won the Calder Cup without him, and the Miners will soon be leaning on him to succeed as well. Expected CCHL arrival: 2020-21.

Calgary: A Week in Review (November 23rd to 29th, 2019)

Record this week: 1-2-0
Game 28:
Calgary Chinook 1 Dartmouth Lakers 4

Barkov injuries as the Chinook defeated by the Lakers 4-1

DARTMOUTH - Calgary Chinook centre Aleksander Barkov suffered a lower-body injury Sunday night against the Dartmouth Lakers and is considered day-to-day, the team announced. Chinook Head coach Eugene Yip said postgame that he's unsure if Barkov will be able to play Tuesday against the Gillam Shark. Eugene also added that he's
hopeful Barkov’s injury isn't long term and that "checked out" OK. The Chinook lost 4-1 to the Lakers in the shorthanded effort. The Lakers scored three goals in the 2nd period less than six minutes apart. Michael Frolik sparked a three-goal outburst in the second period, leading the
Lakers to a 4-1 victory. "The first period was a struggle to be honest with you," Frolik said. "I don't think we had too much early on but we kind of felt our groove as the middle of the game went on."

Richard Panik added the fourth goal late in the period when his shot from the boards deflected past Carey Price.

Game 29:
Calgary Chinook 3 Gillam Sharks 2

Price comes up big in 3-2 win over Sharks

GILLAM - Despite the terrible effort in the first period. The Calgary Chinook were outstanding in the second and the third period as they grabbed a 3-2 win against the Gillam Sharks. The Chinook failed to clear the zones in the first period as the Sharks had 16 shots on net. They were lucky to get out of the period trailing 2-1. It took a series of big saves from Carey Price to seal the win in the second and the third to keep the Sharks at bay. John Carlson scored his 7th of the season to tie the game in the
second period and it was Kris Letang netting the game-winning goal in the third period power play.

Game 30:
Calgary Chinook 2 Gillam Sharks 3 OT

Killorn Scores in OT, Sharks Beat Chinook 3-2

GILLAM - In a rare back to back away games vs the Gillam Sharks, Alex Killorn beat Carey Price on a rush 2:50 into overtime to lift the Gillam Sharks over the Calgary Chinook 3-2 on Thanksgiving Thursday night. Bobby Ryan scored his second goal and Kris Letang got his ninth with the Chinook
in the first period. Carey Price stopped 45 shots where The Sharks bombarded him with 22 shots in the second period Tyler Johnson and Auston Matthews scored 2:17 apart to tie the game at 2 in the
early second period. Alex Killhorn put a shot on goal off the rush, and the rebound came to Matthews in the slot.

Calgary: A Week in Review (November 16th to 22th, 2019)

Record this week: 3-1-0
Game 24:
Calgary Chinook 3 Victoria Ronin 5

Chinook lose to the Ronin 5-3

VICTORIA - For the 2nd straight games this season, the Flames allowed the other team to score three in the first period. They never led in the game and chased the entire time. Chinook head coach Eugene Yip saw several positives from the game but lamented that his team spent the duration chasing.

“I thought we had to come from behind, obviously,” said Yip. “We ended up chasing the game and couldn’t get there in the end.” “I feel like I gave them too much momentum to start the first there,” said Price. “The first one got sprayed a little bit in the face and kinda panicked for a second there and couldn’t find the puck and then panicked and put in my own net. The second one, couldn’t get the puck off the wall to Gio and by that time the guy had already sealed off that lane. I’ve just got to make a better play than that.”

Game 25:
Calgary Chinook 3 Portland Owls 2

Chinook score 3 in 1st, hang on for 3-2 win

PORTLAND - David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist to lead the Calgary Chinook to a 3-2 win over the Portland Owls on Monday night. Gaudreau also scored for Chinook. Giordano’s 7th goal of the season came with 21 seconds left in the first, capping a three-goal opening period for the Chinook.
''We were able to keep a lot of pucks in the offensive zone and generate a lot of attempts at the net and a lot of offense as well as a lot of good scoring opportunities,'' Chinook coach Eugene Yip said. ''It was a good start for us.'' ''Obviously, it's really nice to get that goal - especially that late in the period,'' Giordano said. ''You get three goals up. It's really nice, especially when it wasn't
the prettiest one.'' Giordano and Carlson lead the team in points with 27 points each in 25 games.

Game 26:
Parry Sound Orrsmen 2 Calgary Chinook 3

Chinook on two-game winning streak beat Orrsmen 3 to 2.

CALGARY - David Pastrnak deflected in a goal with 8:09 remaining, and the Calgary Chinook win over the Parry Sound Orrsmen 3-2 on Wednesday night. Carey Price made 19 saves for the Chinook.
Brett Connolly and Mike Matheson scored for Parry Sound. Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 shots, enduring a barrage early from the Chinook. Calgary held a 13-5 shot advantage after the first period.
"Just a bad start,” Orrsmen defenceman Brent Seabrook said. “I kind of felt like we were a little disjointed all night. Not a lot of communication out there. We kind of got run around a little bit. We were still in the game and they get the power-play goal and we don't. That's the difference a lot of the time.” Derek Ryan opened the scoring in the first, flipping a rebound backhand over
Markstrom. Pastrnak scored on the power play 11:51 into the third, but Parry Sound quickly
answered as Matheson scored three minutes later.

Game 27:
Long Island Express 3 Calgary Chinook 4

Chinook Snap Express’ 6-Game Win Streak, 4-3

CALGARY - Chinook scored 3 late goals in the 3rd period to come back from a 3-1 deficit and beat the Express 4-3. Barkov, de Haan and Pastrnak each had a goal and an assist, and the Long Island Express suddenly looked much different than they had while winning 6 games in a row. ''Frustrating. ,'' said Express center John Tavares. ''When we do things the right way, we're successful. And you see tonight when we don't do it and we got away from staples of our game, playing heavy and being hard on all pucks and getting pucks deep. When you get away from that, it's tough to win.'' Jimmy Vesey put Long Island up 3-1 early in the third period. Matthew Tkachuk, David Pastrnak and Aleksander Barkov scored three unanswered goals to make a comeback.

''They're a good team. I can see why they've won 6 in a row,'' Tkachuk said. ''We found a way to come out and get to them in the third and find a way to win the hockey game and get a big two points for our team.''

A Weekly Look at the 2019-20 Sudbury Miners: Volume 6 (Games 23-26)

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 4 wins, 0 losses, 0 OT loss.
Miners League Standing: 15 wins, 9 losses, 2 OT Loss = 32 points total. Currently sit in 4th place in
the Canosa Conference, 7th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams: Power Play – 21.5% (7th); Penalty Kill – 82.6% (5th)
Miners Scoring Leader: Center Tyler Seguin (13G – 17A = 30 pts; 10th Overall in the CCHL)

The Sudbury Miners are on a hot streak.

The constant message from Management and the Coaching Staff seems to have sunk in finally
with this team, as the Miners have won 5 of their last 6 games, including a current win streak of 4. They continue to sit in 4th place in the Canosa Conference but are slowly gaining ground on the top spot, while solidifying a playoff spot.

“We’ve been playing some good hockey lately…..something we knew we were capable of doing”,
stated Miner's defenseman Josh Morrissey. “We have the confidence back in our room, and feel we can start to make a charge up the standings”.

But, that was not the biggest news to hit the Nickel City this past week.

The Miners pulled off another big trade this past week, to acquire help now and for the future.
The deal brought them another top young player in Sebastian Aho, along with veteran defenseman Ryan Suter and a couple of 5th round picks. The cost was not cheap to acquire this talent, as the Miners would surrender current CCHL players in Brandon Carlo and Kevin Fiala, along with top prospects Alex Turcotte and Matt Boldy in the deal.

“It’s really no different than the deal we made for Tyler (Seguin) we made earlier this year. We
have drafted the depth to make these types of moves without depleting the prospect cupboard”, stated
General Manager Terry James. “We feel that this group is on the cusp of something special and something that could be sustained for years. As a Management team, we need to exhaust all avenues to help make that happen. This deal sends a message to our team and the league that the Miners are serious about being a contender”.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Chris Tierney

Tierney is a multi-dimensional forward who is reliable in all situations. He has good hockey sense
and his ability to play within a structured system effectively sets him apart. He has very impressive speed and tenacity. He provides much-needed depth to a team, but skilled and dangerous forward that is capable of playing anywhere in the line-up. Since he is responsible in his own end as well, he is sometimes featured on the penalty kill.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW: Nick Robertson

What Robertson lacks in size, he makes up for in skill. He is one of the most creative players in
the OHL. His skating is slick and smooth, and his puck control draws defenses into him, which opens up lanes and space for his line-mates. He is also very tenacious on the puck in the offensive zone and is terrific at forcing turnovers with his quick feet and stick. He does not possess great size and needs to mature physically to make him stronger playing through checks. The upside is incredibly high though, with Robertson possessing the skill set to be a front line player. Expected CCHL arrival: 2022-23.

State of the Loons : Throwing in the Towel?

When the team boarded the plane in Siberia to take the grueling red-eye flight back to Capeside - their record was a solid 14-7-2. Sitting at 30 points was good for 4th in the Corfield Conference and positioned for another playoff run. The Miners were in town Monday night for the second half of the long-distance back to back. Bright and early Monday morning prior to the Miners/Loons game, Sudbury Gm Terry James was seen in the Nest lobby waiting to meet with GM Czepiel. The two met behind closed doors throughout the afternoon and were seen sitting together during their team's game that night in the owner's box.

At the post-game press conferences each team announced a major trade: Sudbury acquired defenseman Ryan Suter, center Sebastian Aho and two mid-round draft picks. Capeside acquired defenseman Brandon Carlo, winger Kevin Fiala and two blue-chip prospects in Alex Turcotte and Matthew Boldy. And it did not end there... An hour later Czepiel was again at the podium announcing a deal with Georgetown which sent last year's MVP David Krejci, prospects Kupari and Gylander and a 2nd round pick to the Millers for top goaltending prospect Ilya Samsonov and a first-round pick.

So ...Many fans are wondering - What the Hell?

Czepiel spoke with us - "When we looked at this year's team we see a team that can definitely make the playoffs, but we see a team with a lot of holes and a lot of players that are not living up to expectations. The issue is, we do not have many future assets that we can use to strengthen this year's team. After last year's unexpected success we sent away a lot of draft picks and young players and that has left us dry. So we made a tough decision. We are reloading - not rebuilding. By reacquiring Carlo we add a young, cheap, defensively sound defenseman to an aging defensive group. Turcotte and Samsonov could be ready to jump in as early as next year. The trading away of Aho and Kupari doesn't make a lot of sense, but the addition of Turcotte creates a log jam on our center depth chart with Dubois, Turcotte, Beecher, and Zegras. Our goal from day one has been to build a team that will be able to remain successful year after year, not just for a one or two year window. I believe that these moves can help make that a reality."

Will the "reload" continue? Recent UFA signings Zach Parise, Travis Zajac and Jack Johnson will be able to be moved in a few weeks. Veterans Nick Holden and Brook Orpik could be dealt soon to teams with playoff aspirations. Adding young wingers should be the Loons priority over the next few months as that is the team's area of weakness.

Updated top 10 prospect list

10 Egor Afanasyev
 9 John Beecher
 8 Matthew Boldy
 7 Bode Wilde
 6 Jakub Lauko
 5 Ian Mitchell
 4 Oliver Wahlstrom
 3 Ilya Samsonov
 2 Trevor Zegras
 1 Alex Turcotte

Sudbury Miners Prospect Report: Winter 2019

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

With the CCHL well underway, there is no time like the present to see which players may be plying their trade in the Nickel City in the very near future. The Miners has spent the better part of three (3) years building prospect depth that has allowed them to acquire such talent as Tyler Seguin and Sebastian Aho, while not sacrificing the future.

To be considered a prospect for this report, the player is not currently on the CCHL active roster and/or has not played one full CCHL season.

Below are the Sudbury Miners top-10 CCHL prospects for Winter 2019

1. Kirby Dach – C. Dach looks like he’ll be the future face of the Sudbury Miners. He combines all
the right tools in his IQ, patience and pure skill. You can’t nail down one talent that stands out
because there’s just so many. He can play in his own end and dominate in the offensive end.
He’s just going to get better, and that will be exciting to watch.

2. Martin Necas – C/W. An explosive offensive talent who can play both centre and the wing,
Necas is known for his incredible speed, agility, and confidence. He has tantalizing puck skills
and the ability to fool opposing players with ease. His creativity and unpredictability make him a
consistent threat in all three zones of the ice.

3. Cole Caulfield – W. Despite his small stature, Caufield is an elite skater and a pure goal-scorer.
He has a full arsenal of shots, all of which can result in the puck in the back of the net. The
Miners have a future superstar in their system, even if he spends a couple of seasons developing
before he gets to the CCHL.

4. Spencer Knight – G. If there is one trait to Knight’s game is that there is no panic in the way he
plays. Yet, he can move quickly to get to pucks. When a tough save needs to be made, he’s
there, square, in perfect form even if it requires him to move to get there. His explosive,
controlled movement and lightning-quick reflexes will allow him to thrive in the CCHL.

5. Grigori Denisenko – W. Denisenko doesn’t seem to get discussed a whole lot, but there’s no
question that he’s one of the best prospects outside of the CCHL. He’s a great skater, with some
of the best puck handling skills seen in recent years. He sets the pace when he’s on the ice and
should be an elite, top-line player in the CCHL.

6. Joel Farabee – W. Farabee is lethal one-on-one and his elusiveness allows him to navigate
around defences with his strong skating ability. His ceiling is as a top-six forward, who is
responsible in his own end. His offensive ability alone should make him a star for the Miners.

7. Philip Broberg – D. Broberg seems to be a polarizing prospect - some scouts have him high,
some very low. With that being said, there is no questions that he’s an elite skater who can blow
by entire teams when his wheels get going. He’s solid offensively as well, as a set-up man from
the point. He needs to fine-tune his game, but there’s lots to like about Broberg.

8. Peyton Krebs – C/W. Krebs is a well-rounded prospect that brings an offensive flair to his game
and is known as a leader. He’s a great playmaker and skater. A big selling point in Krebs’ game is
his defensive skill. There aren’t many players at the same age that are as sound in their own
zone as he is.

9. Rasmus Sandin – D. Sandin is an extremely talented defenseman with a nose for making great
passes. Whether it’s a pass up the ice from his own zone or a cross-ice pass in the opponent’s
end, Sandin can do it. He’s very patient with his passes, waiting for the right moment to strike.
He continues to round out his defensive game in the minors and could be ready for the CCHL as
early as next season.

10. Alex Formenton – W. When you think of Alex Formenton, you think of speed. He’s one of the
fastest CCHL prospects and is learning how to use that speed properly to generate chances or
defend. He has some more developing to do offensively before he hits the CCHL full time, but
he’s getting close.