Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Double the Doyle

We are barely into November and already this prospect season has produced a ton of Ranger prospect firsts. Evgeny Grachev's 9 game point streak, Grachev's 7 second goal, 5 prospects all putting on first star performances in the same night and now the latest in Prospect Park firsts.

Chris Doyle (2008 5th) of the Prince Edward Island Rocket becoming the very first Ranger prospect to earn back to back Prospect Park Player of the Week awards. This was a tough call for us as we looked at Evgeny Grachev of the Brampton Battalion (2008 3rd) who set 2 records (a 7 second goal as well as a 9 game point streak) and Derek Stepan (2008 2nd) of the Wisconsin Badgers who was 2-1-3 in 2 games.

Doyle was 3-2-5 in 3 games last week while extending his own scoring streak to 7 games as Doyle is rising up the QMJHL scoring charts standing 6th overall as well as tied for 2nd in the QMJHL in power play goals with 7.

Last week's QMJHL Telus Offensive Player of the Week was also given consideration for the same honor this week so it is not just us who are acknowledging the effort that Chris Doyle has been putting in.

The best part about Doyle winning back to back is not that he did it but rather that the Ranger draft class of 2008 is quickly becoming a force to reckon with. No previous draft class has come out with such an impact during the 5 seasons of Prospect Park.

Here is a scary thought as when Michael Del Zotto (2008 1st) gets going and Mitch Gaulton (2008 6th) gets healthy then this class has a shot at becoming the first Ranger draft class to all earn professional contracts.


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Just one Ranger prospect in action on Tuesday evening as Tysen Dowzak (2008 UFA) and his Kelowna Rockets traveled to face the Tri-City Americans in WHL action. The Rocket lost 4-1 as the US Division leading Americans were able to shut down the Rocket's high powered attack.

Dowzak had a mostly quiet game going -1 as we wonder if the bus ride from Calgary took more out of the Rocket than they let on. Kudos to the Rockets and their coaches for not using that as an excuse for the loss.

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The latest men's college hockey polls are are so we start with the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine's Mens College Hockey poll as Carl Hagelin (2007 6th) and his Michigan Wolverines moving up one place to 7th in the poll after sweeping Ohio State at home this past weekend.

Michigan is also 7th in the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports poll as well as the top ten in both polls appear to match.

For Danny Hobbs (2007 7th) and his UMass Minutemen the polls are a bit off as the USA Hockey Poll has them at 16th under the "others receiving votes" section but the CBS poll has them ranked 19th as they entered that poll after sweeping Providence last weekend.

We said after the Minutemen sweep to keep an eye on them as they are unbeaten in their last 4 games.

Derek Stepan and his Wisconsin Badgers despite just one win received 7 votes in recognition of the toughest schedule in all of college hockey.

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More TV for Ranger prospects as the NHL Network is going to be televising Max Campbell (2007 5th) and his Western Michigan Broncos as they travel to take on Nebraska-Omaha. If you live in Canada then this game will be shown live at 7:30 and on tape delay in the US on Sunday morning at 12 noon.

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Before we go we want to wish a speed recovery to Tom Tessier of the Prince Edward Island Rocket. Tom has been under the weather as of late and he has been a great help in getting us information and pictures of Ranger prospects playing for PEI.

How can you not like a guy who despite being down is arranging a Chris Doyle interview for us? Get better Tom and thank you for all the help that you give to us.



(Chris Doyle Picture Courtesy of the PEI Rocket)


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