Prime Gamers from the 2022 Memorial Cup

The Saint Johns Sea Canine turned the primary host group to take dwelling junior hockey’s most coveted trophy for the reason that 2017 Windsor Spitfires, combating again after a first-round elimination of the QMJHL playoffs.
Dealing with off towards the Hamilton Bulldogs, the Sea Canine acquired out to an early lead and by no means relinquished their benefit. Each time the Bulldogs appeared to climb again into issues, the Sea Canine would rating to place out the hearth and preserve the hometown crowd buzzing all evening lengthy.
Let’s zoom out a bit and check out the event as an entire. This is a have a look at among the high performers from the previous week:
RW William Dufour, Saint John Sea Canine
The QMJHL’s MVP additionally completed because the Memorial Cup’s high aim scorer after tying Mason McTavish for the scoring lead. Dufour put his group on his again in a memorable four-goal sport to assist the Sea Canine come again from a three-goal deficit towards the Cataractes in round-robin play to safe a visit to the Memorial Cup last. He then scored the cup-clinching aim within the last in entrance of a wild dwelling crowd.
The New York Islanders’ prospect’s efficiency was excellent from begin to end. Dufour put his spectacular shot on show in addition to his energy and energy sport. There have been so many small moments in a sport when Dufour would threaten along with his offensive potential, scoring virtually the entire Sea Canine’ greatest targets. Islanders followers must be very excited to see him work his method to the NHL over the following couple of years.
C Mason McTavish, Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs acquired McTavish to be the precise sort of difference-maker that he was through the Memorial Cup. The Anaheim Geese prospect might have been essentially the most impactful participant as an entire through the event, scoring massive targets, making some nice performs, bringing his bodily model of hockey in addition to enjoying a strong defensive sport.
McTavish completed tied for the event lead with eight factors, together with two targets within the last. The 6-foot-1 energy ahead was an impactful participant at each ends of the ice, utilizing his dimension and physicality to get better the puck. McTavish was the Bulldogs’ greatest participant on the Memorial Cup, as he was anticipated to be.
D Arber Xhekaj, Hamilton Bulldogs
The Canadiens’ prospect was the event’s top-scoring defender and he introduced the bodily model of hockey that followers of his are accustomed to. He examined – and at instances crossed – the road on the Memorial Cup, which is strictly what has made him one of the vital feared defenders in all of junior hockey.
Xhekaj was a punishing presence when opponents tried to enter the zone and an efficient puck mover when the Bulldogs have been making an attempt to start out the breakout. Useful physicality is what works within the fashionable sport and though there have been instances when Xhekaj would transcend that, his potential to play the sport of hockey at a excessive degree was evident as he helped the Bulldogs to the Memorial Cup last.
D Luke Prokop, Edmonton Oil Kings
The Oil Kings dissatisfied all through this event, shockingly turning into the primary group despatched dwelling from the Memorial Cup. However luckily for Nashville Predators followers, Prokop appeared nearly as good as ever. His defensive acumen was on show, utilizing his mobility and intelligence to thwart play earlier than it turned too harmful and his potential to interrupt out the puck with affected person and calculated passing was one in all Edmonton’s greatest qualities on the event.
Prokop will not you away on each shift, however his understated sport permits others to take dangers whereas the dependable Prokop ensures that nothing blows up of their face. He managed a point-per-game regardless of the Oil Kings’ lack of success and confirmed why he is a promising younger prospect.
C Mavrik Bourque and RW Xavier Bourgault, Shawinigan Cataractes
The dynamic duo of Bourgault and Bourque have been phenomenal for the Cataractes. The group got here in because the weakest on paper and so they wanted their stars to assist carry them, which they did by the round-robin. They got here up a bit brief within the semifinal, dropping in additional time, however the duo of Bourgault and Bourque have been one level behind McTavish and Dufour for the event’s scoring lead.
The dynamic duo was magic on so many performs all through the event, tearing groups aside on the ability play as they did all season lengthy. Bourgault displayed his off-puck potential and fast decision-making with the puck on his stick. Bourque confirmed off his dynamism and creativity as a playmaker, driving play on nearly each shift. With out this duo, Shawinigan seemingly struggles to maintain up in any sport.
C Ryan Francis, Saint John Sea Canine
The Sea Canine acquired Francis to be an impression participant, and regardless of a sluggish begin, he completed as sturdy as they have been hoping for. He completed second in scoring on the Sea Canine, enjoying maybe his greatest sport within the last after establishing Dufour for the successful aim.
Francis wasn’t tendered by the Calgary Flames, who selected him within the fifth spherical of the 2020 draft. He was going to want an enormous efficiency to get again on the group’s radars for the 2022 draft, and that is precisely what he did. Francis displayed his skating and playmaking creativity all through the Memorial Cup and had fairly the event due to it.