Memorial Cup Mega Preview: London, Moose Jaw, Drummondville Head to Saginaw for CHL’s Top Prize
Jacob Julien and Owen Beck Natalie Shaver/OHL Images
It’s time to name a champion among champions in the CHL.
The champion from each of the WHL, OHL and QMJHL will convene in Saginaw, Mich., to join the host Saginaw Spirit in the annual four-team tournament to decide the CHL’s ultimate winner.
The action kicks off on Friday, May 24, with one game per day in the round-robin until a tiebreaker game on May 30 if needed, the semifinal on May 31 and the final on June 2.
This season’s field of participants is loaded. Each of the league champions convincingly won their series in clean sweeps. None of the three champions lost more than four games en route to their titles.
Out west, the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with their sweep of the Portland Winterhawks. They lost just four games all playoffs, with three of them coming in a back-and-forth semifinal series against the Saskatoon Blades that featured six overtime games through the seven-game series.
In the QMJHL, the Drummondville Voltigeurs captured the Gilles-Courteau Trophy to cap off a run of nine wins through their final 10 games of the playoffs. The Voltigeurs allowed just five goals in the QMJHL final. With just three losses throughout the playoffs, they were dominant in their title run.
Arguably the most dominant run of any of the champions came from the J. Ross Robertson Cup champions, the London Knights. Not only did they lose just two games on their title run, but both losses came in the OHL semifinal against the Saginaw Spirit, the hosts of the Memorial Cup that loaded up to compete for the title.
With a stacked roster and plenty of rest heading into the tournament, the host Spirit are a legitimate contender to take home the title. This year’s Memorial Cup will be a legitimate heavyweight tilt with four strong squads in Michigan.
Here's the mega preview of each team.
Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
The ungracious hosts welcome each team, intending to take them all down to capture the Memorial Cup after falling short in a tough-fought series against London in the OHL playoffs. Saginaw’s roster was strong coming into the season, and the Spirit added to it throughout the year to be a threat when the Memorial Cup came to town.
Before the trade deadline, the Spirit quickly addressed some points of weakness by acquiring playmaking blueliner Rodwin Dionicio (ANA) and hard-working winger Alex Christopoulos in a mid-November deal to bring in some veteran talent. At the deadline, they brought in steady stay-at-home defender Jorian Donovan (OTT) and the prize of the OHL trade deadline, Owen Beck (MTL). All four were key cogs in their playoff run and should be big pieces for them at the Memorial Cup.
Beck, the Montreal Canadiens' 2022 second-round pick, is a well-rounded two-way force who has brought a high level of play to both ends of the ice. His defensive acumen and offensive efficiency has been a welcome presence for a young and sometimes immature group of forwards.
Josh Bloom, a former Saginaw captain, joined the team once again after the Vancouver Canucks sent him back to junior after a stint in the AHL and ECHL. His return to the club provided more leadership and yet another player who can provide some grit while producing wherever he is asked to play in the lineup.
On the back end, Donovan and Dionicio helped slot players into more appropriate roles. Donovan took some of the defensive load off of captain Braden Hache, while Dionicio helped ease the offensive burden on Zayne Parekh. The blueline became more balanced, and it gave them a deeper group of players to rely on in any situation.
Goaltending might be the Spirit’s biggest question mark. Andrew Oke and Nolan Lalonde have each looked good at times, but they’ve been inconsistent. Lalonde took the reins in the playoffs, and if he is the man in the crease when Saginaw kicks off the Memorial Cup, they better hope he puts together a consistent run of games.
X-Factor: Zayne Parekh
As the OHL’s highest-scoring defenseman and one of the top prospects eligible for the 2024 NHL draft, Parekh will have the chance to put a stamp on his season and ensure he’s taken high in the draft next month. Parekh is a wickedly skilled passer who creates offense as effectively as any defenseman at the Memorial Cup.
Parekh led the Spirit in scoring throughout the regular season, racking up 96 points with a team-leading 33 goals. Parekh loves to step in off the blueline for a backdoor scoring chance or join the rush to create a numbers advantage. His passing is what makes him so dangerous with the puck on his stick. This tournament will be an excellent chance for him to showcase his overall game and put the worries of defensive deficiencies to rest.
Sleeper: Michael Misa
While his season may not have been quite as productive as some had hoped, the former exceptional status player was Saginaw’s top-scoring forward with 75 points this season. While it may be a bit of a stretch to call Misa a “sleeper” for this squad, if he can bring the level of play we have seen when he is at his best, the Spirit could be lethal.
An injury early in the season limited his effectiveness, but as he got healthier throughout the season, his level of play rose to what we’ve all expected from Misa. He is a catalyst for the Spirit in the offensive zone, elevating whoever he plays with and providing some true dual-threat offensive ability. If Misa has a big week, the Spirit will probably be challenging for the title.
London Knights (OHL)
The London Knights might be the favorites coming into the Memorial Cup because they have incredible depth all over the roster.
After reaching the OHL final last year and narrowly missing out on a trip to the Memorial Cup last year, they were dominant on their way to punching their ticket this season. They are the second youngest team among the participants and most of their top players were drafted last year or eligible this year.
Oliver Bonk (PHI) and Sam Dickinson (2024) are the anchors on the blueline, each taking charge of their own pairing and ensuring that the Knights always have a go-to defender when they need it.
Bonk is a two-way force that can generate offense at one end of the ice and then shut down the opposing team’s best players at the other. Dickinson’s offensive game has grown as his confidence has throughout the season, pairing well with a well-rounded defensive game.
The Knights’ forward group is impressive, headlined by the top-line trio of Easton Cowan (TOR), Jacob Julien (WPG), and Denver Barkey (PHI). The three of them ran through the OHL playoffs, putting up big numbers despite playing against every team’s top defense pairings.
The depth of scoring is what makes London so dangerous, though. Kasper Halttunen (SJS) was on a tear throughout the OHL playoffs, notching 17 goals in 18 games. He was the ultimate power-play weapon, thanks to his booming shot. Draft-eligible forward Sam O’Reilly has come into his own throughout the playoffs, playing a tactical game. Ruslan Gazizov came into his own this season, playing with plenty of deception and crafty play. The scoring is up and down the lineup for the Knights.
The Knights’ depth continues on the blueline, where Jackson Edward and Isaiah George would be among the best defensemen on many other junior teams. They bring some maturity and experience to the blueline while young guns Bonk and Dickinson lead the way.
In net, the Knights have Michael Simpson who beat them in the OHL final last year. Simpson has the chance to redeem himself after an underwhelming performance at the Memorial Cup with Peterborough last year. He can lean on that experience, which no other team has in net.
X-Factor: Easton Cowan
A finalist for CHL player of the year, Cowan won everything he could individually on the way to an OHL title. He was the regular-season MVP and playoff MVP, and he was the CHL’s leading scorer throughout the playoffs. Cowan’s growth over the last two seasons all resulted in him becoming one of the OHL’s best players at 18 years old.
Cowan plays with skill and speed while never taking the foot off the gas. He looks to exploit the smallest of weaknesses, cutting through seams with his passes or gashing defenses with the puck on his stick to get a shot from high-danger areas.
Cowan’s development has been a sight to behold, and if he can continue playing at the level he showed throughout the playoffs, London should be a force to be reckoned with.
Sleeper: Jacob Julien
While Cowan and Barkey get all of the attention on the top line, and Halttunen’s goal-scoring put him in the headlines through the playoffs, Julien has been a key cog in their attack.
His ability to connect plays, keep up with his high-octane linemates and fill the gaps of his linemates game.
Julien must be good for the Knights as he plays between Barkey and Cowan. If he can take his game to the next level with those two by his side, he could be a big reason the Knights take home a Memorial Cup. He’s the forgotten member of London’s top trio, but he could put his stamp on a London championship.
Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
The WHL champions are the youngest squad at the Memorial Cup, but that certainly doesn’t mean that they aren’t a threat to take the title. This will be the franchise's first appearance at the Memorial Cup, and they are looking to become the first team since the 2011 Saint John Sea Dogs to win it in their tournament debut.
Moose Jaw has some impressive offensive firepower with as much raw skill as anyone in this tournament. They seem to be the team getting the least love heading into the Memorial Cup, but it shouldn’t shock anyone if they reach the final.
Jagger Firkus (SEA) has been one of the most lethal offensive players in junior hockey this past season, leading the entire CHL in scoring with 126 points. His creativity and playmaking are second only to his wicked release, which is made all the more impressive as he attacks downhill or east-west in transition. It would shock no one if Firkus helped carry the Warriors to the finals while leading the event in scoring.
The Warriors' big move at the WHL trade deadline was acquiring Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie in a blockbuster deal from the Wenatchee Wild. The uber-skilled center has been a welcome addition to the Moose Jaw lineup after putting up huge numbers in the WHL over the last few years with the Winnipeg Ice before their move to Wenatchee.
While Savoie was the big trade acquisition of the season, Brayden Yager (PIT) finished the playoff run as their top center, playing alongside Firkus. Yager is a dual-threat pivot who has flourished as a playmaker over the last two seasons, but his shot remains a lethal weapon. The duo of Firkus-Yager is so dangerous because you never know where the shot is coming from.
The blueline may be Moose Jaw's weak point, but they have plenty of reliable defenders, led by captain Denton Mateychuk (CBJ) and Kalem Parker (MIN). The Warriors' top pair will be asked to play big minutes, and they are capable of it. Vojtech Port (ANA) can move the puck in a depth role, and Lucas Brenton will bring some veteran experience to the back end, but it’s going to be on the top dogs to bring their A-game.
X-Factor: Denton Mateychuk
The Warriors’ captain and No. 1 defenseman was second on the team in scoring in the post-season, and he was dominant in his minutes. The Blue Jackets’ first-rounder controlled play at an elite level, rarely giving up chances in his own zone because he constantly had the puck. Mateychuk was a magnificent example of offense being your best defense at times.
Mateychuk has the chance to be the best defenseman at the Memorial Cup and he will need to be for Moose Jaw to compete with CHL’s other champions. His passing and skill always seem to shine through but he will need to continue to dominate possession, control the play, and ensure that his team is taking advantage of every play when he’s on the ice.
Sleeper: Martin Rysavy
The big Czech forward has elevated his game in the playoffs. Playing on the team’s top line, Rysavy is the third wheel on with Yager and Firkus stealing many of the headlines. His ability to get open and use his shot as a weapon will be much needed as the opposing teams at the Memorial Cup will be focusing in on his linemates.
Rysavy may not be the flashiest or most exciting player to watch but he’s found a way to be an effective player using his size and physicality on the forecheck. He isn’t afraid to do the dirty work and it’s paying off for him in the playoffs as his scoring rate has seen a jump. If he can continue to play smart, effective hockey at both ends of the ice, he will be a valuable piece for the Warriors.
Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
Drummondville will be looking to continue the league’s dominance at the event as of late.
The QMJHL has captured the last four Memorial Cups, with the Windsor Spitfires being the last non-QMJHL squad to capture the prize in 2017 since the event didn’t occur in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drummondville is a well-rounded team that has won with a bit of an offense-by-committee approach. A few higher-end players have led the way, such as Ethan Gauthier (TBL) and Alexis Gendron (PHI), but they’ve seen players up and down the lineup score in key moments and find ways to contribute.
Only London (11) has more players with double-digit playoff scoring than Drummondville (10), which should bode well for the Voltigeurs when it comes to other teams' desires to shut down their top players. When Gauthier or Gendron are taken away, Sam Oliver or Noah Reinhart can step up.
Captain Luke Woodworth has had an excellent playoffs, playing center on Gauthier’s line. He makes quick decisions, understands how to manipulate space and often makes life much easier on his linesmates. He isn’t the biggest guy, but he has blossomed into an excellent junior playmaker and he will be motivated to capture the title in what is likely his last run in the QMJHL.
On the back end, the biggest difference-maker is Sabres prospect Vsevolod Komarov, who really hit his stride offensively this season. The big Russian defender flashed some creativity and skill in the past, but it's become a much more constant factor in his game this season. With hulking stud defenseman Maveric Lamoureux (Utah) unavailable since mid-March due to a shoulder surgery, Komarov has had to take on a much bigger load.
X-Factor: Alexis Gendron
Although Gauthier led the team in scoring, and Woodworth was right behind him, look for Gendron to be a massive difference-maker for Drummondville if they go far in the Memorial Cup.
After spending the first half of the season in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Gendron was returned to the QMJHL and immediately dealt to the Voltigeurs to be a key contributor down the stretch.
Gendron averaged more than a point per game this season, including during the playoffs, while leaning on his goal-scoring as he’s begun to physically mature a bit more. Teams will look to take away the top line, and Gendron will need to take over a game or two for the Voltigeurs to continue the QMJHL’s dominance at the Memorial Cup.
Sleeper: Riley Mercer
After a solid regular season, goaltender Mercer was a stud in the playoffs. His .934 save percentage through 19 games is one impressive feat, and his two shutouts in the QMJHL final is another. He allowed four goals just twice on their playoff run and became a real differentiating factor in just about every series the Voltigeurs were in.
Mercer’s play was a big reason why Drummondville made a run through the QMJHL playoffs with just three losses. He must continue playing all-world hockey in net for Drummondville to keep up with some of the other teams in this tournament, as they don’t have the same kind of elite firepower at the top end of their roster.
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