CHL stars anxious for Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
The 2010 Home Hardware CHL-NHL Top Prospects Game is just around the corner and a trio of top prospects are anxious to strut their stuff during the annual event.
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Windsor Spitfires’ stars Taylor Hall and Cam Fowler will be playing for the home side when the two-day event comes to Windsor next Tuesday and Wednesday while Plymouth Whalers’ forward Tyler Seguin will playing close enough to almost call it a home game himself.
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“One of the goals of mine this year was to play in the Top Prospects Game and I’ve achieved that,” said Hall, who moved ahead of Seguin in the top spot among North American prospects. Hall was ranked second behind Seguin in the preliminary rankings released in November. “The next step is playing well in the game because it is something the scouts really evaluate.”
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Hall also skated in the OHL All-Star Classic last February and the SUBWAY Super Series in November on home ice at the WFCU Centre.
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“It’s not the first time I’ve been able to play at home for a special event,” Hall said. “It’s always been a great experience for me and it makes me a lot more comfortable. It’s a special feeling when you get to play in front of your family and friends.”
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Hall, Seguin and Fowler were the top three ranked players when the NHL Central Scouting mid-term rankings came out earlier this week.
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“It’s a pretty good feeling I guess,” Hall told NHL Network. “When the first rankings came out I was a little bit disappointed but I think I stepped up my play and maybe playing at the World Juniors made a difference,” he told NHL Network. “Overall, it’s not going to change the way I play and it’s not going to change the draft. I still want to be a player in the NHL someday and win a Stanley Cup.”
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Fowler is ranked third and first among defencemen.
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“My personal goal was to try to be the first defenceman taken in the draft and I guess with that ranking I’ve met my goal for right now,” Fowler said. “But I understand I still have a lot of work to do. I’ve got to keep working in practice and keep getting the little tips from the coaches. We’ve got a great coaching staff in Windsor and they’ve helped me out a lot. For right now, I’m pretty happy with where I’m at.”
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Despite the lofty rankings, the Spitfires’ teammates aren’t putting any added pressure on themselves this season.
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“People may think there is a lot of pressure on us but I don’t feel that,” Hall said. “We’re just having a lot of fun with it and just trying to contribute to a winning team.”
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“I think we’re both players that don’t let that kind of stuff affect our games,” Fowler said. “We’re pretty focused on the task at hand which is winning the Memorial Cup.”
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Hall and Fowler played on opposite sides in the gold medal game of the World Junior Championships between the U.S.A. and Canada a week ago but will both be on Team Cherry for the game next week. Seguin is suiting up for Team Orr.
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“The gold medal game was unbelievable,” Fowler said. “It was one of the most intense and epic games I’ve ever been a part of. I think I was expecting something like that, especially after the New Year’s Eve game. Canada gave it their all and so did we and that’s why it was such a great game.”
The game will be shown nationally live on Rogers Sportsnet at 7:00 pm Eastern Time on Wednesday January 20, 2010.
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Photo of Cam Fowler: Aaron Bell/CHL