Word Up

Training camps are now in full swing as we get ready for the first weekend of exhibition hockey involving New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects.

We got a chance to ask the voice of the Kelowna Rockets Regan Bartel how 2011 5th round pick Shane McColgan was doing this week via twitter and here are Regan's responses:

"He's been good. Again, he needs to distribute the puck more to be real affective imo. Great skater and good pp guy."

"17 and leading the team in scoring. No question he is fun to watch. Media friendly, so he wins bonus points with me"

Make sure you check out Reagan's Rant to keep up with the daily happenings of McColgan and his Kelowna Rockets.  The Rockets are headed to Vancouver to open up their exhibition season with a game against the Vancouver Giants Friday night.

In Moose Jaw, the Moose Jaw Warriors Director of Hockey Operations Alan Millar sent us his mini scouting report on Traverse City invitee Colin Bowman.

"Bowman is a well rounded, solid, complete defensemen. He plays in all situations for our hockey club. Collin is a key member of our team and an excellent leader.

Rangers fans would like Bowman's solid, reliable play. He competes hard in all situations and is very reliable at key times during a game, including, when the game is on the line."

Millar is in his second season running the Moose Jaw Warriors and Bowman was one of his key trades at the beginning of his putting together a team. Bowman wears an outfit by "A" on his uniform with good reason.

The Warriors open their exhibition season also on Friday on the road in Regina as the teams will play a home and home this weekend. Fellow prospect Dylan McIlrath is expected to play in 1 of the games this weekend.

Our thanks to Marnell Rasmussen for getting Millar to take the time to talk to us.

Labor Day Weekend

In addition to the games we have already listed there will be 2 WHL exhibition tournaments going in. First up in Everett the Silvetips will be hosting their 5th Annual Pre Season Classic with all 5 of the WHL's top US Division in action.

The Islanders will have Brendan Kichton (2011 5th) in action with his Spokane Chiefs while the Rangers do not have anyone playing in this tournament. The Games start Friday afternoon and go through Sunday with 2 games per day.

The Edmonton Oil Kings are hosting their Pre Season Invitational on Sunday and Monday with each team playing 2 games. The Rangers will have their 4th round pick Michael St. Croix in action for the Oil Kings.

The Islanders will see Johan Persson (2011 5th) in action for the Red Deer Rebels but sorry the Rebels and Oil Kings will not be playing each other.

In the OHL, we will see plenty of game action starting on Saturday night when Islander 2011 1st rd pick Ryan Strome is expected to play for his Niagara IceDogs vs. the Erie Otters. 2011 7th rd pick Mitchell Theoret is also expected to see action.

The New York Rangers 2011 1st rd pick JT Miller is expected to play in at least 1 of the home and home series his Plymouth Whalers will be playing against the Windsor Spitfires. Our expectation is that he plays on Saturday in the home game.

We have not heard if Christian Thomas will dress for Oshawa on Saturday when his Generals take on the Bellville Bulls. Same can be said for the Peterborough Petes with Andrew Yogan and Peter Ceresnak.

Information regarding the coverage of the exhibition games has not been finalized so if we here anything please check out facebook page( Jess Rubenstein) and our Twitter feed( theprospectpark) for any information and/or reports.

Miscellaneous Info 

The WHL wanted us to know that they are also requiring their players to switch to the soft cap shoulder and elbow pads this season. They made the move back on June 15th which leaver the QMJHL as the only league not making the switch (as of now).

Gregg Drinnan who has been both a friend and mentor for us here has taken the lead for the movement to ban fighting at the junior level. Several parents have emailed him about this subject including this mother who deals a lot with Alzheimer’s patients.

We see that within 2 years the call for the end of fighting at the CHL level will pay off as the more reports coming out on the effects of head trauma then the harder it is going to be for the CHL to ignore.

And yes we do see the NCAA taking full advantage of this as a recruiting tool with parents who are concerned about the health and well being of their children.

Finally this one was just too funny to pass up as it turns out that a former player of Glen Sather Jason Bonsignore just went on a rant which included some not so nice comments regarding Glen Sather.

You can read some of the comments here or listen to the entire interview here look for August 31 hour 3.  Then there is this kind of so-so defense of Glen Sather by David Staples who has covered the Oilers almost forever is seems.

Bonsignore was the 4th pick in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft and to be honest in our book the Hugh Jessiman of his day. Because there was no Center Ice back in the 90's you watched what you could and sorry Jason; Sather may have been many things but you just were a huge bust as the 4th pick.

Sather was a mean SOB in those days but there is no sympathy for you especially when you look all 2 picks later and how Ryan Symth was able to find a career under that big meanie head Glen Sather.

(McColgan courtesy of the Kelowna Rockets)