Cats and Eagles... 7PM... Coliseum... a few observations:
- I will be surprised if this game is anything close to entertaining. I hope I'm wrong , but it almost feels like the Cats will be able to use this game to test out their new and improved lineup against a deeply rebuilding (still) Screaming Eagles team. Good as time to experiment, I suppose. One of those games where if it is exciting, it's probably for the wrong reasons.
- If you do happen to enjoy this game, do yourself a favor and venture out to the AJL on Sunday for the Commandos/Slammers game... because either Jr.A club would probably fare all right against Cape Breton at this point, sadly. 2:30 start in Dieppe, by the way.
- The Cats will be without the services of Connor Garland, who suffered a hand injury against Saint John on Wednesday night. That might be the most unfortunate side note to this game, as I would have truly enjoyed seeing Garland - who has seen his icetime understandibly reduced due to the return of Dimirtij Jaskin and the acquisition of Phillip Danault - get the opportunity to perhaps see some prime minutes against the Eagles.
- Tonight should mark the Cats debut of forward Lucas Batt, acquired from Victoriaville on deadline day. The 16 year old is a native of Lewisporte, NL (also the hometown of Cats assistant coach Darryl Seward). Hopefully, this debut is as successful as the last time a 16 year old player made his Wildcat debut after being acquired from Victoraville.
- Quebec and Blaineville will be without the services of Mikhail Grigorenko (Buffalo) and Stefan Matteau Jr (New Jersey) respectively for at least the next couple weeks as both have reportedly made the NHL out of training camp. Jonathan Huberdeau has also made the Florida Panthers, in a not terribly surprising turn of events. Should Grigorenko and Matteau manage to stick, the Remparts and Armada will certainly suffer huge blows to the rosters of their contentious clubs. I would think neither has tremendously high odds, though if I was to bet on one staying up, it would have to be Grigorenko, although Matteau might be the more "NHL ready" player between them, if that makes any sense.
- In a rare instance of me discussing Bruins news, Dougie Hamilton has reportedly made the Bruins out of camp. Although my sometimes color commentator Craig Eagles may not totally agree with the decision (based on his earlier tweet recommending Hamilton stay in Niagra for another year while the B's pursue Wade Redden), I would've been surprised had he not stayed in Beantown. Bruins brass has been higher on the offensive dman than any other prospect they've drafted in the last number of years, save Tyler Seguin. He's already mature and responsible on the blueline at 19. I admittedly do not get to watch the Ice Dogs too much but from all that I took in this season, it feels as if Hamilton was - despite still giving an excellent effort in the OHL - laying in wait until the NHL season finally started He's too advanced in too many facets of the game not to be in the pros right now and - much like a guy like Matt Dumba in Minnesota - is going to gain more from the experience of being in the NHL and getting his feet wet this year than he is continuing on at a level at which he has little else to personally prove.
- Commandos are in Campbellton tonight to take on the Tigers. Dieppe is perfect against Campbellton this season and usually finds a way to flex it's offensive muscles against a Tigers team that would seemingly have no luck if it didn't have bad luck. The Tigers have been stripped of their top three forwards in Grant West (traded to Truro), Andrew Meredith (signed by Bathurst) and Robert Pelletier (traded from Gatineau to Bathurst and now a regular with the Titan). The hard luck December the Tigers suffered made making the playoffs in the MHL go from an uphill battle to climbing a wet, slippery cliff with very few footholds.
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