If your anything like me (..and if your reading this blog in the offseason then the chances are good!) and love all levels of hockey be sure to mark your calendars for this Friday as the Memorial Cup swings into action.
For those unfamiliar with the Memorial Cup here is a great breakdown via Wikipedia:
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) champion. Each year the champions from three CHL member leagues; the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), along with a host team, compete in the MasterCard Memorial Cup Tournament. The WHL's Spokane Chiefs are the defending champions, having won the 2008 Memorial Cup in Kitchener, Ontario. The 2009 tournament is scheduled to be held in Rimouski, Quebec in May. 
As mentioned this year's host city is Rimouski who is a member of the QMJHL. They will be joined by OHL champ Windsor Spitfires, WHL champ Kelowna Rockets and the QMJHL champ Drummondville Voltigeurs.
I think we know who Derick Brassard will be rooting for as his junior team was the Voltigeurs.
Also keep your eye on Ryan Ellis of the Spitfires. He's a highly skilled offensive defensemen who projects to go in the top 15 of the 1st round of this year's NHL draft. He's certainly a guy who has to be on the Jackets radar.
All games will be telvised on the NHL Network starting Friday night at 7:00 p.m. EST when Rimouski hosts Kelowana.... and as luck would have it I'll be visisting my favorite home away from home (R Bar) that evening. With no NHL playoff games scheduled for that evening you know what I'll be watchin!
-LTL
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