{"id":29203,"date":"2018-05-17T09:21:24","date_gmt":"2018-05-17T13:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=29203"},"modified":"2018-05-17T00:28:47","modified_gmt":"2018-05-17T04:28:47","slug":"whl-two-teams-join-memorial-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2018\/05\/17\/whl-two-teams-join-memorial-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"WHL Doubles Down in the Memorial Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

NCAA basketball has the Final Four. College hockey has the Frozen Four. The equivalent in junior hockey is the Memorial Cup<\/a>.\u00a0This year, the WHL is represented by two teams: the WHL Champion Swift Current Broncos and the host team, the Regina Pats. The Pats boast top NHL prospect Sam Steel<\/strong> as their Captain.<\/p>\n

The Canadian Hockey League is comprised of three leagues. The WHL is sometimes viewed as the scrappy underdog compared to the more elite OHL and QMJHL. This year, the Regina Pats beat out two OHL teams (Hamilton Bulldogs, Oshawa Generals) for the honor to host this year\u2019s tournament. It’s a big deal when the Cup is hosted out west. Now that all four teams are set, let the games begin. The Memorial Cup runs from May 18 – 27.<\/p>\n

Sam Steel, Regina Pats Get Ready to Welcome the Competition<\/h1>\n

History lesson:<\/strong> The Pats are named for Princess Patricia\u2019s Canadian Light Infantry. They are the CHL\u2019s oldest franchise, having begun operations in 1917. The 2017 \u2013 2018 season marked their 100th<\/sup> anniversary.<\/p>\n

Small world:<\/strong> The Pats had a brief opportunity to enter the tournament as their league\u2019s champion. They qualified for playoffs but were eliminated in the first round. The team that eliminated them in seven games? The Swift Current Broncos. You can\u2019t make this stuff up. The two teams will face each other on May 23.<\/p>\n

NHL Drafted Prospects:<\/strong>\u00a0Sam Steel<\/strong> (Anaheim Ducks<\/a>), Jake Leschyshyn<\/strong> (Vegas Golden Knights<\/a>), Nick Henry<\/strong> <\/a>(Colorado Avalanche<\/a>), Libor Hajek<\/strong> (Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a>), Cale Fleury<\/strong><\/a> (Montreal Canadiens<\/a>), Josh Mahura<\/strong> <\/a>(Anaheim Ducks<\/a>).<\/p>\n

2018 NHL-draft eligible player to watch:<\/strong> Goalie Max Paddock<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The current format of the Memorial Cup dictates that the host team gets an automatic berth in the tournament. It\u2019s a freebie of sorts. A lot goes into the competitive bidding process, so it\u2019s not entirely free. Still, it\u2019s a second chance for the host if they got eliminated from playoffs. The rematch with the Swift Current Broncos promises to be a true \u201cBattle of Saskatchewan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pats Captain Sam Steel was famously cut from Team Canada\u2019s World Junior roster in 2016 after being drafted 30th<\/sup> overall by the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the year. He didn\u2019t let it stop him. Quite the opposite. He led the WHL in scoring in 2016 \u2013 2017 and won the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL Player of the Year. He also won the CHL\u2019s Top Scorer Award, and made Team Canada\u2019s roster for the 2018 World Juniors, where he contributed to the team\u2019s gold medal victory.<\/p>\n

Sam Steel\u2019s teammate Josh Mahura spent most of his junior career with 2016 Memorial Cup host the Red Deer Rebels, so he already has tournament experience under his belt. Mahura is quite the playmaker, with 69 points (22G, 47A) in 60 games played this season. He had five assists in the Pats\u2019 seven playoff games.<\/p>\n

Goalie Max Paddock is ranked 22nd<\/sup> overall in the NHL Central Scouting final draft rankings for 2018. He was injured during the Pats playoff games with the Broncos but is expected to be ready for the Memorial Cup. All in the family: Paddock is the nephew of Pats Head Coach and GM John Paddock.<\/p>\n

Local angle:<\/strong> Let\u2019s face facts. Sam Steel has one of the best hockey names in the league. He also has a great post-World Junior comeback story. I have the feeling he\u2019s going to be like Mathew Barzal. Barzal was a huge superstar in the WHL, so it’s amusing to watch Islanders fans marvel at how good he really is. Sam Steel has that same quality. If Max Paddock really is back at full strength, look for a strong showing between the pipes.<\/p>\n

Swift Ascent<\/h1>\n

History lesson:<\/strong> The Swift Current Broncos have not won a WHL Championship since 1993. They won their only Memorial Cup to date in 1989. The Broncos and Pats are connected by another piece of history that cannot be ignored. The Swift Current Broncos were on their way to play in Regina on December 30, 1986 when their bus crashed, killing four players. Today’s players will travel to the Memorial Cup by plane. I will not rest until I hear that all three CHL teams have arrived safely in Regina.<\/p>\n

NHL prospects to watch:<\/strong> Goalie Stuart Skinner<\/strong><\/a> (Edmonton Oilers), Tyler Steenbergen<\/strong> (Arizona Coyotes<\/a>), Giorgio Estephan<\/strong> (free agent), Glenn Gawdin<\/strong> (Calgary Flames<\/a>), Aleksi Heponiemi <\/strong>(Florida Panthers<\/a>), Beck Malenstyn <\/strong>(Washington Capitals<\/a>) and Colby Sissons <\/strong>(New Jersey Devils<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The Broncos eliminated three more teams on their road to the Memorial Cup, including seemingly invincible Western Conference Champion Everett Silvertips. Their path to this moment has been 25 years in the making. I don\u2019t think much of anything will stop them now. They are also coached by one of the best in the league, Manny Viveiros. His \u201cManny in the Morning<\/a>\u201d pre-game briefing is a must watch for local WHL fans.<\/p>\n

Tip of the day:<\/strong>\u00a0Beware when Tyler Steenbergen has been quiet. The last time he snuck up on the opponent the 2018 World Juniors. He was eerily quiet for most of the tournament until he exploded for the gold medal game winner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The big picture:<\/strong> The Hamilton Bulldogs and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan are going to give the WHL teams all they can handle. That doesn\u2019t take away from the excitement of having two WHL teams in the spotlight. The Broncos have the edge based on their history and 2018 playoff performance. The Pats are well-rested and they have home-ice advantage. I will give the edge to the Broncos. They\u2019ve waited 25 years after all. It\u2019s time.<\/p>\n

Main Photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>