Welcome again to the Thursday ramblings where we will check on Wednesday’s playoff action, some AHL awards, OHL nominees, and a few notes.

 

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The AHL released the members of its all-rookie team yesterday, results below (stats through Apr. 3 https://theahl.com/2017-18-ahl-all-rookie-team):

 

• Goaltender – Ville Husso, San Antonio Rampage (37 gp, 15-13-5, 2.32 gaa, .926 sv%, 4 so)

 

• Defense – Filip Hronek, Grand Rapids Griffins (62 gp, 9+24=33 pts., +21, 4 GWG)

 

• Defense – Sami Niku, Manitoba Moose (71 gp, 15+37=52 pts., +18, 9 PPG)

 

• Forward – Mason Appleton, Manitoba Moose (71 gp, 21+40=61 pts., +13, 7 PPG, 6 GWG)

 

• Forward – Daniel Sprong, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (59 gp, 28+29=57 pts., +2, 10 PPG, 6 GWG)

 

• Forward – Dylan Strome, Tucson Roadrunners (47gp, 22+28=50pts., +8, 9 PPG, 3 GWG)

 

Notes:

 

• Husso is not long for the AHL, and Jake Allen’s consistently inconsistent NHL play is leaving the door wide open for Husso to snag the starting gig in the future. All he does is put up great numbers where ever he goes. It may take another AHL season (or at least a quarter) before the Blues deem him ready to back-up Allen, and then he will surpass Allen.

 

• Niku and Appleton – Seriously, the Jets are going to need to lobby the NHL to use six forward lines and five defense pairings to fit all these young great players on their NHL roster. I guess it pays to have great scouts (Edmonton and Ottawa should take note), well and never trade players with other GM’s and continuously lose for a bunch of seasons (Realist). Niku is tied for first among all AHL defensemen in scoring and is tied for third in rookie scoring (behind Sprong and Appleton). Appleton is fourth overall in scoring and first among rookies.

 

• Well there are some future positives for Detroit in Hronek, at least if he can make that mess of a Detroit blue line. He should be able to make it; the problem will be is that it will still be bad. There is a chance for him to snag the #1PP role though as there really is no one else on that roster that looks capable to do anything with that, especially if Mike Green moves on

 

• Sprong is a known commodity by now, and next season he will be an NHL known commodity. Grab him in keeper leagues if you can

 

•  Strome is a player I have never been high on as I just never trust his skating, but he did put up soli AHL numbers meaning something has to be there. His NHL play is alright, but so far nothing to justify his draft spot. I would rather own Nick Merkley in keeper leagues than Strome… if he could stay healthy

 

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The OHL announced the awards finalists as well yesterday (http://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/ohl-announces-2017-18-awards-finalists), I listed the important ones below, also I will likely make incorrect predictions!

 

Rookie of the year:

 

• Cam Hillis (Guelph Storm)

 

• Blade Jenkins (Saginaw Spirit)

 

• Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)

 

• Blake Murray (Sudbury Wolves)

 

• Rasmus Sandin (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

 

• Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts)

 

Winner: Svechnikov (any doubt it won’t be?)

 

 

 

Overage Player of the Year / Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy Finalists:

 

• Justin Fazio (Sarnia Sting)

 

• Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)

 

• Aaron Luchuk (Barrie Colts)

 

• Garrett McFadden (Guelph Storm)

 

• Sam Miletic (Niagara IceDogs)

 

• Hayden Verbeek (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

 

Winner: Luchuk, as how do you not win if you lead the league in points

 

 

 

Goaltender of the Year Award Finalists:

 

• Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)

 

• Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

 

• Justin Fazio (Sarnia Sting)

 

• Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)

 

• Kyle Keyser (Oshawa Generals)

 

• Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

 

Winner: ….I am too awful at predicting goalies, so…….. Helvig

 

 

 

Defenceman of the Year / Max Kaminsky Trophy Finalists:

 

• Evan Bouchard (London Knights)

 

• Cam Dineen (Sarnia Sting)

 

• Sean Durzi (Owen Sound Attack)

 

• Ben Gleason (Hamilton Bulldogs)

 

• Nicolas Hague (Mississauga Steelheads)

 

• Joey Keane (Barrie Colts)

 

Winner: Hague

 

 

 

Most Outstanding Player of the Year / Red Tilson Trophy Finalists (one representative per team):

 

• Barrie – Aaron Luchuk

 

• Erie – Kyle Maksimovich

 

• Flint – Ty Dellandrea

 

• Guelph – Isaac Ratcliffe

 

• Hamilton – Robert Thomas

 

• Kingston – Jeremy Helvig

 

• Kitchener – Adam Mascherin

 

• London – Evan Bouchard

 

• Mississauga – Nic Hague

 

• Niagara – Sam Miletic

 

• North Bay – Justin Brazeau

 

• Oshawa – Kyle Keyser

 

• Ottawa – Sasha Chmelevski

 

• Owen Sound – Nick Suzuki

 

• Peterborough – Dylan Wells

 

• Saginaw – Evan Cormier

 

• Sarnia – Jordan Kyrou

 

• Sault Ste. Marie – Morgan Frost

 

• Sudbury – Drake Pilon

 

• Windsor – Michael DiPietro

 

Winner: I feel like it will be Frost or Kyrou, but just because I want to be different I will pick Suzuki #FavoriteProspectNotNamedKaprizov

 

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In Tuesday night CHL action the Barrie Colts defeated the Kingston Frontenacs 6-5 in overtime. Cliff Pu lead the way with three assists for Kingston, and Jason Robertson also had three points but he used one of them to get a goal. Undrafted Jason Willms recorded a goal and two assists for Barrie. Andrei Svechnikov recorded an assist giving him six points in three games since getting a bogus suspension

 

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The Capitals signed 2013 fifth sixth round pick Brian Pinho to a two-year contract yesterday, as rumours were swirling he was going to test free agency. Pinho left his senior year in the NCAA as Providence College’s captain and Hockey East’s Best Defensive Forward. For fantasy purposes he is nothing special but for NHL purposes he is a great bottom six forward addition to a team. He can see the ice very well and is great at anticipating the opponent’s plays, so there is some hidden upside there if everything works out.

 

Wramblings Wrapped Up.

 

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