For the first time ever, the top 3 prospects for the upcoming NHL draft will be playing in the same game at the Memorial Cup in Saskatoon, SK tonight.
The Halifax Mooseheads will face the Portland Winterhawks in the second game of the round robin as the QMJHL champs play the WHL title holders. Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin are forwards for the Mooseheads, who burned through the QMJHL playoffs with a 16-1 record. They are, according to most major sources, going to go #2 and #3 overall in July’s NHL Draft. Drouin led the QJMHL playoffs in scoring with 35 points, and MacKinnon was tied for 2nd, 2 points behind.
On the other side, staring them down will be the #1 prospect and most likely a future member of the Colorado Avalanche, defenseman Seth Jones. Jones is the #1 ranked prospect by Central Scouting and is all but guaranteed to be the first pick, because he also grew up learning how to play in Denver, so he will be a great hometown story.
As if that wasn’t enough to get you to tune in, the lone Ottawa Senators prospect in the tournament, overager Troy Rutkowski, is also a member of the Winterhawks defense corps. Portland’s journey to the Memorial Cup was a little tougher, but they made it with a 16-5 record.
If the first game of the tournament, the London Knights defeated the host Saskatoon Blades 3-2 to jump into first place in the round robin.