Top Prospects Game: Time To Shine For Young Stars

January 20, 2012
Posted in Alberta Edition, Major Junior

By John Cullen /

The CHL Top Prospects Game converges on Kelowna this year, and has been a highlight of the Major Junior calendar since 1992 as a showcase of top draft-eligible players.

The game will once again feature Team Cherry and Team Orr doing battle in front of hundreds of scouts.

The province of Alberta not only has two players involved in the game, but one of the most recognizable players in the WHL’s Alberta circuit will be one of the main talking points.

Hulking 6-4 defenceman Griffin Reinhart is a leader on the Eastern Conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings, and a consensus top-10 pick for June’s NHL Draft.

Reinhart uses his size well, but also has touch with the puck, as evidenced by his 23 points in 31 games.

Meanwhile, Lethbridge-native Lukas Sutter will be carrying the torch for hockey’s famous Sutter family, as the centre is having a great season for the Saskatoon Blades, averaging nearly a point-per-game as an 18-year-old.

And Swift Current Broncos forward Coda Gordon will be featured alongside Sutter as a another Alberta youngster who is having a terrific season.

Gordon has 18 goals through 40 games, and the Cochrane, Alta.-native is just 17-years-old.

The game will also feature a slew of players fresh off great performances at the World Junior Championship.

All eyes will be on Nail Yakupov, the man many project to be drafted first overall in 2012, as his strong World Junior performance did nothing to detract from his draft standing.

Other World Junior stars in the contest will be Canada’s Ryan Murray and Tanner Pearson, Finland’s Olli Maatta, and Russia’s Mikhail Grigorenko and Daniil Zharkov.

There will be plenty of CHL star-power on display as well, as highly-rated forward Matthew Dumba, star defenceman Cody Ceci, and the highest-ranked goaltender by Central Scouting, Malcolm Subban, will all take part.

The game goes Feb. 1 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, with a skills competition taking place the day before.

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