Thursday notes

The WHL's second off-season coaching vacancy (Seattle was the first) opened up today with the news that Moose Jaw has decided not to renew the contract of coach Dave Hunchak.

This move kind of surprises me a little bit, I thought after a 40 win season that Hunchak would get another season behind the Warriors bench. You almost have to think the Warriors have somebody in mind already if they're going to let go of a guy who got a .600 season out of the league's 2nd-youngest lineup.

Second note today, the hosting privileges for the 2012 Memorial Cup have been awarded by the QMJHL to the Shawinigan Cataractes. The Cataractes finished 7th overall in the QMJHL this year with a team composed heavily of 17 & 18 year olds, so they are ideally positioned to have a strong season next year and be deserving hosts on the ice as well as off. They have a brand new (2 years old) 5,200 seat rink to host the tournament as well.

Lastly today, the 2nd round of the WHL playoffs starts tonight so I guess it's time for some predictions. I managed to go a perfect 8-for-8 in my first round picks and also managed to get the # of game correct on four of the series, so let's try to keep this roll going here....

Eastern Conference:

Saskatoon vs Kootenay: I think this is the 2nd round matchup that Kootenay was hoping that acquiring Cody Eakin would bump them up the standings enough to avoid. Obviously, that didn't work. Despite being given a rougher time of it in the first round than many expected, the Blades are still the team to beat in this conference and Kootenay just doesn't stack up that well against them. Blades in five.

Red Deer vs Medicine Hat: this one is the hardest series in the first round to pick, IMO. The Rebels finished as the higher seed but the Tigers won the season series 5-1, including a perfect 3-0 at the Centrium in Red Deer. But I'm concerned about the Tigers' injured stars, Bunz and Pitlick....especially Bunz. I think I'm going to gamble on this one......Tigers in six.

Western Conference:

Portland vs Kelowna: despite their sweep of Prince George in the first round, I still feel Kelowna is the "thing not like the others" in the West's top four. I don't think the Hawks will have this one as easy as they did with Everett in the first round, but I don't think Kelowna is going to win this battle either. Portland in six.

Spokane vs Tri-Cities: if Rebels-Tigers isn't the hardest series to pick, then it's this one. These two rivals were quite evenly matched in the regular season and it is easy to see this series going either way. Spokane has home ice advantage but the series is going to follow a 2-3-2 format and I can't help but wonder if that helps the Ams more than you might think. I'm going with the Chiefs but I can see it going either way. Spokane in seven.