CHL prospect preview

The Vancouver Canucks will have major representation in the CHL post-season as 10 prospects are about to begin their quest for the Memorial Cup.

The Canucks will have at least two prospects in each of the three leagues, with five in total in the QMJHL.

WHL Western Conference Quarterfinal

Prince George Cougars (45-21-6) vs. Portland Winterhawks (40-28-4)
Prospect: Tate Olson, Prince George
Notes: With the amount of travel and the 2-2-1-1-1 series format, there could be some tired bodies if this one goes long. Olson will most likely be tasked with shutting down the line of Glass, Iverson and McKenzie, which combined for 248 points. During their season series, the home team won all four games.
Series Schedule:
March 24: Portland @ Prince George (7:00pm PT)
March 26: Portland @ Prince George (5:00pm PT)
March 29: Prince George @ Portland (7:00pm PT)
March 30: Prince George @ Portland (7:00pm PT)
\April 1: Portland @ Prince George (7:00pm PT)
\April 3: Prince George @ Portland (7:00pm PT)
\April 5: Portland @ Prince George (7:00pm PT)
\If Necessary

WHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinal

Regina Pats (52-12-8) vs. Calgary Hitmen (30-32-10)
Prospect: Jakob Stukel, Calgary Hitmen
Notes: Stukel and the Hitmen are in tough against a Regina team that finished a whopping 42 points ahead of them in the standings and are also entering the post-season on an eight-game winning streak. One glimmer of hope the Hitmen can look at, is the fact they defeated the Pats 6-3 in their last matchup on March 4.
Series Schedule:
March 24: Calgary @ Regina (6:00pm PT)
March 25: Calgary @ Regina (6:00pm PT)
March 28: Regina @ Calgary (6:00pm PT)
March 30: Regina @ Calgary (6:00pm PT)
\April 2: Calgary @ Regina (3:00pm PT)
\April 3: Regina @ Calgary (6:00pm PT)
\April 5: Calgary @ Regina (6:00pm PT)
\If Necessary

OHL Western Conference Quarterfinal

London Knights (46-15-7) vs. Windsor Spitfires (41-19-8)
Prospects: Olli Juolevi, London & Jalen Chatfield, Windsor Spitfires
Notes: The only series that pits two Canucks prospects against each other features the newest member of the organization, Jalen Chatfield, taking on first-rounder Olli Juolevi and the defending Memorial Cup champion London Knights.
Series Schedule:
March 24: Windsor @ London (4:30pm PT)
March 26: Windsor @ London (11:00am PT)
March 28: London @ Windsor (4:05pm PT)
March 30: London @ Windsor (4:05pm PT)
\March 31: Windsor @ London (4:30pm PT)
\April 2: London @ Windsor (11:00am PT)
\April 4: Windsor @ London (4:00pm PT)
\If Necessary

OHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinal

Kingston Frontenacs (33-26-9) vs. Hamilton Bulldogs (33-27-8)
Prospect: Cole Candella, Hamilton Bulldogs
Notes: Nobody would be surprised if this series went to a seventh game. Each team finished with 33 wins and just one point separated them in the standings, while each team picked up three wins in the season series. Kingston finished dead last in goals for with just 179 tallies in 68 games.
Series Schedule:
March 24: Hamilton @ Kingston (4:00pm PT)
March 26: Hamilton @ Kingston (11:00am PT)
March 28: Kingston @ Hamilton (4:00pm PT)
March 30: Kingston @ Hamilton (4:00pm PT)
\March 31: Hamilton @ Kingston (4:00pm PT)
\April 2: Kingston @ Hamilton (11:00am PT)
\April 4: Hamilton @ Kingston (4:00pm PT)
\If Necessary

QMJHL First Round Series

Charlottetown Islanders (46-18-4) vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar (26-32-10)
Prospect: Guillaume Brisebois & Carl Neill, Charlottetown Islanders
Notes: Brisebois (47 points in 61 games) and Neill (69 points in 67 games) are both coming off strong regular seasons on the blueline for Charlottetown, which finished with the second-best record in the QMJHL and are primed for a long post-season run.
Series Schedule:
March 24: Baie-Comeau @ Charlottetown (3:00pm PT)
March 25: Baie-Comeau @ Charlottetown (3:00pm PT)
March 28: Charlottetown @ Baie-Comeau (4:30pm PT)
March 29: Charlottetown @ Baie-Comeau (4:30pm PT)
\March 31: Charlottetown @ Baie-Comeau (4:30pm PT)
\April 3: Baie-Comeau @ Charlottetown (3:00pm PT)
\April 4: Baie-Comeau @ Charlottetown (3:00pm PT)
\If Necessary

QMJHL First Round Series

Acadie-Bathurst Titan (39-23-6) vs. Quebec Remparts (31-30-7)
Prospect: Rodrigo Abols, Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Notes: After posting 50 points (18-32-50) in 52 games during the regular season, Abols will look to cap off his junior hockey career with a long playoff run. This series could be tough for Acadie-Bathurst, as although the Titan finished 15 points ahead of the Remparts, it was Quebec that swept the two-game season series.
Series Schedule:
March 24: Quebec @ Acadie-Bathurst (3:00pm PT)
March 25: Quebec @ Acadie-Bathurst (3:00pm PT)
March 28: Acadie-Bathurst @ Quebec (4:00pm PT)
March 29: Acadie-Bathurst @ Quebec (4:00pm PT)
\March 31: Quebec @ Acadie-Bathurst (3:00pm PT)
\April 2: Acadie-Bathurst @ Quebec (12:00pm PT)
\April 4: Quebec @ Acadie-Bathurst (3:00pm PT)
\If Necessary

QMJHL First Round Series

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (39-25-5) vs. Gatineau Olympiques (33-31-4)
Prospect: Zack MacEwen, Gatineau Olympiques
Notes: Recently signed over-ager Zack MacEwen is coming off a 74-point (31-43-74) season with Gatineau, however his first round matchup with Cape Breton could prove to be difficult as the Screaming Eagles finished 12 points ahead of the Olympiques.
Series Schedule:
March 24: Gatineau @ Cape Breton (3:00pm PT)
March 25: Gatineau @ Cape Breton (3:00pm PT)
March 28: Cape Breton @ Gatineau (4:30pm PT)
March 29: Cape Breton @ Gatineau (4:30pm PT)
\March 31: Cape Breton @ Gatineau (4:30pm PT)
\April 3: Gatineau @ Cape Breton (3:00pm PT)
\April 4: Gatineau @ Cape Breton (3:00pm PT)
\If Necessary

QMJHL First Round Series

Chicoutimi Saguenéens (38-25-5) vs. Victoriaville Tigres (35-25-8)
Prospect: Dmitry Zhukenov, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Notes: Zhukenov has been the model of consistency since joining the QMJHL ranks in 2015, putting up 122 points (33-89-122) in 128 games over two seasons. Now he will look to build on his point-per-game 2016 post-season as Chicoutimi and Victoriaville go head-to-head in what should be the tightest series of them all. Just three points separated these two clubs during the regular season, however Chicoutimi took the season series 4-2, with two of those wins coming in a shootout.
Series Schedule:
March 24: Victoriaville @ Chicoutimi (4:30pm PT)
March 25: Victoriaville @ Chicoutimi (1:00pm PT)
March 28: Chicoutimi @ Victoriaville (4:00pm PT)
March 29: Chicoutimi @ Victoriaville (4:00pm PT)
\March 31: Victoriaville @ Chicoutimi (4:30pm PT)
\April 2: Chicoutimi @ Victoriaville (1:00pm PT)
\April 4: Victoriaville @ Chicoutimi (4:30pm PT)
\If Necessary