As a programming note, I've got a pretty solid post coming up about Game 4 of the Plymouth Whalers/Windsor Spitfires--which if you haven't heard was ridiculous--including some thoughts on Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, who will likely go 1-2 in this summer's draft, but this is the Frozen Four's weekend, so I'll save the CHL stuff for early next week.
The few exhibition warm-up games for the World U18 tournament are going on this week. The US beat host beat Belarus 13-2. While I was at Ford Field yesterday, I accidentally misread the score as 3-2, and was a little nervous about the US team, until I noticed that both Brandon Saad and Austin Czarnik had hat tricks. Meanwhile, Canada lost their exhibition game to Finland. Canada's John McFarland had a hat trick, continuing his inexplicable awesomeness while playing for Canada, despite average results playing for his CHL team. That will be a storyline to follow at the draft. McFarland looks like a top ten pick, but only in a Team Canada sweater. I'm also intrigued by Finland's Teemu Pulkkinen, who had a goal against Canada. He really impressed me when he was over here last year, but seems to have fallen out of favor with most scouts.
ESPN put together a fantastic piece on Mike Legg's goal. You know the one I'm talking about. As far as my personal memories of the goal, first, I don't think it can be understated how badly Michigan needed a goal at that time. They were just barely hanging on in that game, and you kind of had the feeling that if they didn't score the next goal, the game was over. Second, I had seen Legg pull the puck up on his stick like a handful of times earlier in the year at the end of every warm-up. My first thought, and really the only one I could get through my head for a couple moments after the goal, was: "I can't believe he actually did that in a game."
The goalie on that play, Steve DeBus, was just named head coach of Hamline University's women's team this past week.
Being a first round draft pick and playing in the NCAA means you have a better shot at earning more bonuses on your first NHL contract.
Minnesota Hockey Hub had their own take on the top freshmen and top sophomores in the state of the Minnesota. The list skews a little more towards high school success than future potential, which is understandable given it's a high school hockey website, but overall, it's a pretty good list.