MasterCard Memorial Cup 2007 will start in Vancouver, British Columbia

 

Michail Boncea (HV)

 

For Hockey fans in Canada especially, Memorial Cup after Stanley Cup is the second most important North American Hockey Cup.

Memorial Cup will start tonight Friday May 18th, 2007 and finish on Sunday May 27th, 2007. It’s not just about hockey is an entire atmosphere that must be experienced by all hockey fans at least once in their lifetime. The fours hockey teams taking part in this year Memorial Cup tournament are Vancouver Giants from Western Hockey League (WHL) automatically qualified as hosts, Medicine Hat Tigers (Champions of WHL), Plymouth Whalers Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Champions and Lewiston Maineiacs Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Champions.

Lewiston Maineiacs is the first American based team to win the QMJHL but they have 15 Quebec born players. Lewiston went 16-1 in the playoffs, including sweeping Val-d’Or in the final. The players to watch for from Lewiston include: Jonathan Bernier, David Perron, Stefan Chaput and Marc-Andre Cliché.

Medicine Hat Tigers straight is a high scoring style game play that relies on speed. The players to watch for from Medicine include: Matt Keetley, Derek Dorsett, Brennan Bosch and Chris Stevens.

Plymouth Whalers straight is their aggressive fore-checking combined with a rock solid defence. The players to watch for from Plymouth include: Michal Neuvirth, Evan Brophey, James Neale and Tom Sestito.

Vancouver Giants straight is rock solid defense combined with a strong fore-check style. The players to watch for from Vancouver include: Tyson Sexsmith, Cody Franson, Milan Lucic and Michal Repik.

While attending the games fans will be treated to a number of events before and after the games including concerts by 54-40, Chilliwack, Trooper, Powder Blues and Loverboy. Hockey fans can go to the Molson Party Central that will be located next to Pacific Coliseum where the Memorial Cup games will be hosted and this area will have jumbo video screens to catch all the hockey action, sports radio on-location live broadcasts and a main stage sponsored by Canadian Direct Insurance Concert Series. As well fans can go to Chevron Hockey Central at the Save on Foods Fan Zone which features a tented area hosting Hockey Hall of Fame exhibits, live television and radio broadcasts, the Stanley Cup, the Memorial Cup, hockey memorabilia, exhibits, silent auction items, autograph sessions etc….

Why is Memorial Cup though so important to Canadian and American Hockey fans? To start the Champion Teams from the top 3 Junior Leagues in Canada (some teams in this leagues being located in USA) take part for the Top Junior North American Hockey Cup Trophy. These numbers while not giving full justice speak for themselves: 25 players playing at this year Memorial Cup have been drafted by NHL Teams and this year Memorial Cup will be 88 year old and 33 year old as a round – robin tournament.

The list of current or past NHL Super Stars and Stars that have played in Memorial Cup would be way to long to list them all, but here are just some of the famous players names from past Memorial Cup Champion teams since 1977. As well included in the list are some of the current or past NHL Head Coaches that have won the Memorial Cup:

1977 – 78 New Westminster Bruins: Stan Smyl
1980 – 81 Cornwall Royals: Doug Gilmour and Dale Hawerchuk
1982 Kitchener Rangers: Scott Stevens, Wendel Clark
1983 Portland Winter Hawks: Mike Vernon, Coach Ken Hodge
1984 Ottawa 67’s: Gary Roberts
1986 Guelph Platers: Coach Jacque Martin
1987 – 88 Medicine Hat Tigers: Trevor Linden, Coach Barry Melrose
1990 Oshawa Generals: Eric Lindros
1992 Kamloops Blazers: Darryl Sydor, Darcy Tucker and Coach Tom Renney
1993 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds: Dan Cloutier, Coach Ted Nolan
1994 - 95 Kamloops Blazers: Jarome Iginla, Darcy Tucker, Shane Doan and
Coach Don Hay
1997 Hull Olympiques: Martin Biron
1998 Portland Winter Hawks: Marian Hossa, Brenden Morrow
1999 Ottawa 67’s: Mark Bell
2000 Rimouski Oceanic: Brad Richards
2001 Red Deer Rebels: Colby Armstrong, Martin Erat and GM / Coach Brent
Sutter
2002 Kootenay Ice: Jarret Stoll, Marek Svatos
2003 Kitchener Rangers: Mike Richards, Derek Roy
2004 Kelowna Rockets: Shea Weber
2005 London Knights: Corey Perry (Sidney Crosby played in the final for Quebec
Remparts but didn’t win the tournament)
2006 Quebec Remparts: Alexader Radulov

 

Well the time has come for MasterCard Memorial Cup 2007 to start, for new hockey memories to be made and new future NHL Super Stars to have their turn at winning the most important North American Junior Hockey Cup.

Photo: Brad Richards played for Rimouski Oceanic © Michail Boncea (HV)