2007 TELUS Cup Players to Watch

TEL.015.07
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April 23, 2007
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RED DEER OPTIMIST REBELS (Host Team)

The Alberta Midget Hockey League regular season champions, the Optimist Rebels rolled through the playoffs in impressive fashion, dropping just one game over three rounds – a 5-4 OT loss to the Calgary Flames in their first series. The Optimist Rebels took out the Flames in four games and followed that up with sweeps of the UFA Bisons and Schwab GM Oil Kings, moving into the TELUS Cup on an eight-game winning streak. Undoubtedly though, the most impressive streak the Optimist Rebels carry into the TELUS Cup is a 24-game home-ice unbeaten streak – 17 wins and one tie during the regular season and six more wins in the playoffs. Red Deer spread around the scoring during the season, with nine players putting up more than 20 points, led by Kyle Reynolds’ 30 points (17g, 13a).

PLAYERS DRAFTED IN THE WHL DRAFT:

12th (1st Round) 2005 – Cass Mappin – Red Deer – F 6’0” 181 1990-12-20

20th (1st Round) 2006 – Chase Schaber – Calgary – F 5’11” 170 1991-01-03

37th (2nd Round) 2005 – Jordan Hale – Brandon – F 6’2” 190 1990-02-12

44th (3rd Round) 2005 – Trevor Bauer – Prince George – D 6’2” 175 1990-05-09

88th (5th Round) 2005 – Colin Archer – Red Deer – D 6’1” 163 1990-01-31

172nd (9th Round) 2005 – Matt Fraser – Red Deer – F 6’1” 185 1990-05-20

VANCOUVER NORTH WEST GIANTS (Pacific Region)

Runners-up in the B.C. Major Midget League during the regular season – they finished tied with the Cariboo Cougars but lost out on a tiebreaker – the Giants knocked off the defending league champion Okanagan Rockets in two straight before sweeping the Cougars with a pair of 4-1 wins on the road in Prince George. With the Alberta champion Red Deer Optimist Rebels already in the TELUS Cup as the host team, the Giants qualified for the National Midget Championship as the Pacific Region representative. Chris Hoe led the way offensively in the regular season for the Giants, putting up 46 points (20g, 26a) in 40 games. Goaltender Graeme Gordon has been spectacular in the playoffs, posting a miniscule 0.50 GAA.

PLAYERS DRAFTED IN THE WHL DRAFT:

2nd (1st Round) 2006 – Landon Ferraro – Red Deer – F 5’11” 165 1991-08-08

12th (1st Round) 2006 – Stefan Elliott – Saskatoon – D 6’1” 170 1991-01-30

38th (2nd Round) 2006 – Kevin Smith – Moose Jaw – D 6’0” 175 1991-02-16

41st (2nd Round) 2006 – Matt Mackenzie – Calgary – D 6’1” 195 1991-10-15

62nd (3rd Round) 2006 – Shane Harle – Calgary – F 6’1” 185 1991-03-20

80th (4th Round) 2006 – Clinton Atkinson – Moose Jaw – F 5’9” 160 1991-02-27

127th (7th Round) 2006 – Cole Gelley – Chilliwack – D 5’11” 155 1991-01-14

251st (13th Round) 2005 – Tyler Mah – Prince George – F 6’2” 190 1990-06-01

PRINCE ALBERT MINTOS (West Region)

The defending TELUS Cup champions are back, looking to become the first team in the 29-year history of the National Midget Championship to repeat. The Mintos knocked off the Yorkton Harvest and Saskatoon Blazers to set up a match-up with the Hounds for the league championship. The back and forth series needed overtime in the fifth-and-deciding game, and it was Sterling Labatte who played the hero, sending Prince Albert to the West Regional. The Mintos went undefeated in the round-robin, and topped the host Brandon Wheat Kings 4-3 in an exciting championship game to move on to the TELUS Cup. Defenceman Tommy Brown led the Mintos, and all SMAAAHL defencemen in scoring, registering 66 points (19g, 47a) in 44 games.

PLAYERS DRAFTED IN THE WHL DRAFT:

46th (3rd Round) 2006 – Brandon Herrod – Prince Albert – F 6’0” 180 1991-09-11

70th (4th Round) 2004 – Lewis Laczko – Portland – D 6’0” 185 1989-05-18

120th (6th Round) 2006 – Brant Henry-Norton – Saskatoon – F 5’10” 155 1991-11-20

121st (7th Round) 2005 – Curtis Kulchar – Regina – D 6’1” 185 1990-03-24

133rd (7th Round) 2005 – Ryan Fox – Calgary – F 6’0” 180 1990-04-26

147th (7th Round) 2006 – Tyson Newell – Medicine Hat – 6’0” 160 1991-04-17

166th (9th Round) 2004 – Tommy Brown – Lethbridge – D 5’9” 165 1989-08-07

177th (9th Round) 2004 – Sterling Labatte – Prince Albert – F 6’1” 190 1989-03-08

201st (11th Round) 2004 – Kirk Mastad – Saskatoon – D 6’1” 180 1989-01-16

SAULT STE. MARIE NORTH STARS (Central Region)

After finishing nine points up on the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves to win the Great North Midget League’s regular season championship, the North Stars ran off nine wins in a row in the GNML playoffs, sweeping New Liskeard, North Bay and Sudbury to win the league championship and advance to the Central Regional. After squeezing into the semi-finals as the fourth seed following a 3-3 round-robin, the North Stars knocked off the previously-unbeaten London Jr. Knights in the semi-final, and then got a double overtime winner from Anthony Colizza to beat the Richmond Hill Stars and move on to Red Deer. Brett Thompson is the offensive star for the North Stars – he scored 66 points (30g, 36a) in 36 regular season games, and added 23 points (8g, 15a) in eight playoff contests.

PLAYERS DRAFTED IN THE OHL DRAFT:

129th (7th Round) 2006 – Mike Rivard – Sault Ste. Marie – F 6’1” 190 1990-09-01

291st (15th Round) 2006 – Kevin Closs – Sudbury – D 5’11” 170 1990-04-22

SÉMINAIRE SAINT-FRANÇOIS BLIZZARD (Quebec Region)

The LDHMAAAQ regular season champions, the Blizzard started their playoff run with nine consecutive wins – three over Jonquièré, four over Trois-Rivières and two over École Secondaire Notre-Dame – before knocking off the Lac St-Louis Lions in five games to wrap up the league championship and a berth in the TELUS Cup. Dave Labrecque finished as the league’s third-leading scorer in the regular season (21-39-60), and was named Playoff MVP after putting up 30 points (13g, 17a) in just 18 games. The Blizzard, who used to play as the Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy, are looking for their fourth National Midget Championship in their 13th trip to the tournament.

PLAYERS DRAFTED IN THE QMJHL DRAFT:

9th (1st Round) 2006 – Dave Labrecque – Shawinigan – F 6’0” 166 1990-01-27

54th (3rd Round) 2006 – Maxime Gravel – Victoriaville – F 5’10” 168 1990-07-09

ST. JOHN’S MAPLE LEAFS (Atlantic Region)

The Maple Leafs are returning to the TELUS Cup for the second time in as many seasons, winning their second consecutive Atlantic Region championship. They ran away with the regular season championship in Newfoundland & Labrador, posting a 28-1 record, including 21 wins in a row. They rolled over both the Central IcePak and Tri-Pen Frost in the playoffs without losing a game, and scored three wins and two ties at the Regional, meaning they enter the National Midget Championship on a 32-game league and playoff unbeaten streak. Four of the top five scorers in the Newfoundland & Labrador Major Midget Hockey League came from the Maple Leafs, including top scorer Chad Earle (22-21-43).

PLAYERS DRAFTED IN THE QMJHL DRAFT:

61st (4th Round) 2006 – Mitch Flynn – St. John’s – D 6’1” 209 1990-02-25

79th (5th Round) 2006 – Chris Thorne – St. John’s – F 5’11” 195 1990-02-15

81st (5th Round) 2006 – Alex Wall – St. John’s – D 5’10” 1990-11-01

115th (7th Round) 2006 – Kyle Hynes – St. John’s – F 6’1” 193 1989-02-07

134th (8th Round) 2006 – Chad Earle – Halifax – F 6’0” 187 1989-07-13

138th (8th Round) 2006 – Kyle Downer – Cape Breton – G 5’11” 178 1989-06-07

157th (9th Round) 2006 – Vincent Paiement – St. John’s – F 6’0” 199 1989-02-17

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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