HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- Better scratch any thought of a rousing pregame speech from captains Nathan MacKinnon of Team Cherry or Seth Jones of Team Orr prior to faceoff at the 2013 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Metro Centre on Wednesday.
Both highly-coveted prospects -- MacKinnon of the Halifax Mooseheads and Jones of the Portland Winterhawks -- would prefer to do their talking on the ice.
MacKinnon and Jones, selected captains of their respective teams last month, were relatively low key when asked if they had any "One for the Gipper" speeches prepared for their teammates prior to skating out for pregame warmups.
"I'm not a big pregame speech kind of guy," MacKinnon said with a grin. "I don't think that's going to happen. Maybe another guy will step up and do that, but I'm sure everyone will be ready to go as it is."
Alternate captains for Team Cherry include MacKinnon's teammate in Halifax, Jonathan Drouin, along with defenseman Darnell Nurse of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. Forward Sean Monahan of the Ottawa 67's (OHL) and defenseman Shea Theodore of the Seattle Thunderbirds (Western Hockey League) are alternates for Team Orr.
Hunter Shinkaruk of the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) originally was to serve as an alternate for Team Orr, but the 5-10.25, 181-pound center is sidelined with the flu. Theodore will serve in Shinkaruk's place.
"I'm not too vocal, but all the guys know what's coming and I think they'll be ready for this game," Jones said.
Follow Mike Morreale on Twitter at: @mikemorrealeNHL
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