Le Golie said:
Team Manitoba will be much more impressive in 5-10 years than it is now, some very good prospects coming from here. Eric Fehr, Travis Zajac, Cam Barker, Alex Steen, Jon Toews - all very high draft picks. Rej Beauchemin and Nigel Dawes are decent.
Don't forget other decent prospects like Joe Barnes (CAR), Dayln Flatt (NYR), Dustin Boyd (CGY), Andrew Murray (CLB), Ian White (TOR), Ryan White ('06), Derek Meech (DET), Darren Helm (DET), Owen Fussey (WSH), Dustin Penner (ANA), Brett Skinner (VAN), Barry Brust (LA), Ryan Cladwell (NYI), Eric Hunter (CHI), Duncan Keith (CHI), Troy Bodie (EDM), Aaron (ANA) and Ashton (BOS) Rome, Brett Krahn (CGY), Drew Bagnall (DAL), Gord Baldwin (CGY), Steven Later (TOR) and Brodie Dupont (NYR).
There are also the little bros of Jonathan and Travis - David Toews (Shattuck - Prep) and Darcy Zajac (Salmon Arm - BCHL). They don't figure to be as good as their older bros but I haven't seen them play yet so
.
I don't know much of Colin Wilson (USNTDP Juniors) except that he has dual-citizenship and played Midget AAA hockey in Winnipeg last year. He dominated the league and led it in scoring (36 GP - 51 G - 50 A - 101 PTS). Profile:
http://eteamz.active.com/midgetwarriors/roster/index.cfm?season=321464&sport=12&id=4315509
Brady Murray (LA), Adam Courchene (MIN), Tyler Mosienko (?), Tyler Metcalf (?), Alexander Steen (TOR) and Jacob Mickflickier (
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid[]=67729) were the biggest names around the kiddy leagues when I was young.
Of course, many of these players won't make it but I agree this is the best crop of young players Manitoba has had in ages.
FYI, Mike Richards (PHI) grew up in Kenora, ON (on Manitoba border) and he was a Jets fan growing up. Plays like a western boy too...
Le Golie said:
Right now I'd have to go with,
Tyler Arnason - Arron Asham - Mike Leclerc
JP Vigier - Marty Murray - Shane Hnidy
Bryce Salvador - Garnet Exelby
Cam Barker - ???
Ed Belfour
Manitoba is stacked at coaches. Andy Murray, Barry Trotz, Ron Low.... I think there might be more but I'm not sure.
There is Duvie Westcott for that last d-position. Some enforcers - Jody Shelly and Colton Orr. Kirby Law, Rick Berry and Lee Goren would make the Provincial team.
We'd have to get Justin Kurtz back from Germany and Theo Fleury back from Ireland for depth. Oh, and then there's Jordin Tootoo who was born in Churchill and played a lot in Manitoba but like Fleury, Steen and Murray lived elsewhere as a young one.
Is Exelby really Manitoban? News to me.