Go West!! WHL Round 2 Playoffs, Top 10 Draft Eligible.

Well, almost had the 100% prediction rate save for betting against my home team (Kelowna) and Spokane blowing a 3-0 lead in game 7. Quick round 2 predictions and Ill give you my opinions for the top 10 WHL players in the 2010 NHL entry draft.

Eastern Conference:
#1 Calgary vs. #5 Medicine Hat
Prediction: Calgary in 5
#2 Brandon vs. #3 Saskatoon
Prediction: Brandon in 6

Western Conference:
#1 Tri-City vs. #6 Kelowna
Prediction: Tri-City in 6
#2 Vancouver vs. #5 Portland
Prediction: Portland in 7

Top 10 WHL Draft Eligible:

10: Craig Cunningham - LW, Vancouver Giants, 5'9 180lbs
72gp - 37G - 60A - 97pts - (+6)

9: Calvin Pickard - G, Seattle Thunderbirds, 6'0 200lbs
62gp - 16W - 34L - 3.09GAA - .914SV%

8: Mark Stone - RW, Brandon Wheat Kings, 6'2 189lbs
39gp - 11G - 17A - 28pts - (+13)

7: Mark Pysyk, - D, Edmonton Oil Kings, 6'1 179lbs
48gp - 7G - 17A - 24pts - (-19)

6: Quinton Howden - C, Moose Jaw Warriors, 6'0 183lbs
65gp - 28G - 37A - 65pts - (+14)

5: Troy Rutkowski - D, Portland Winterhawks, 6'1 208lbs
71gp - 12G - 31A - 43pts - (+13)

4: Ryan Johansen - C, Portland Winterhawks, 6'2 194lbs
71gp - 25G - 44A - 69pts - (+17)

3: Brett Connoly - RW, Prince George Cougars, 6'2 181lbs
16gp - 10G - 9A - 19pts - (-3)

2: Emerson Etem - RW, Medicine Hat Tigers, 5'11 190lbs
72gp -37G - 28A - 65pts - (+8)

1: Nino Niederreiter -RW, Portland Winterhawks, 6'1 205lbs
65gp - 36G - 24A - 60pts - (+4)

Player and Team of the Month - March

Players of the Month:

3. Henrik Sedin - Philadelphia - 156 pts

2. Pekka Rinne - Minnesota - 193 pts

1. Jimmy Howard - Washington - 201


Team of the Month:

New York Rangers - 1819 pts

3/21 - 3/27 Players of the Week

Players of the week:

3. Rob Blake - Phoenix - 55 pts

2. Brian Elliott - Colorado - 68 pts

1. Jimmy Howard - Washington - 78 pts



Team of the week:

Washington Capitals - 402 Points

Leafs going to skool

Leafs GM Johnson got schooled recently when asked by a reporter how many of the team's 28 roster spots for farm and reserve players are currently held by NCAA athletes.  Johnson guessed eight.

The right answer? Fourteen.

While Prosser and Newton are no longer NCAA athletes having recently signed NHL contracts, the Leafs have 12 other prospects - most of whom were free agent signings, on the team roster.

With the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Tournament schedule released, the Leafs find seven of their prospects in the mix.  Miami's Palmer, Bemidji's Read, Boston College's Hayes and Samuellson, Denver's Rakhshani, and Cornell's Greening and Scrivens are all Maple Leaf property. 

NCAA seasons are over for Colorado College's Sweatt and Prosser, BU's Warsofsky, Northeastern University's Newton, Ferris' Riley, UMD's Bordson, and U. N-O's Del Grosso.  For some, all that remains to be seen is whether or not they will make the jump to the professional level this season.

While most of the fourteen prospects are longshots, Leafs GM Johnson likes what Colin Wilson, Tyler Bozak, Viktor Stalberg, Chris Butler, and even Christian Hanson are doing in the NHL. Former collegiates Higgins and Komisarek enjoy the opportunity to have more NCAA grads on the roster - provided they don't wear their school colours in the dressing room. 

As the UFHL has become more competitive with numerous GMs closely scouting Europe and the CHL, there is no doubt the Leafs have put more attention in the NCAA hoping to find another pro. As far as the team is concerned, it doesn't matter what colours players wore in college or university as long as they look good in blue and white.