Windsor Spitfires' Brady Vail, Kerby Rychel and Nick Ebert (OHL Images)

With the OHL season beginning next week, BTN taking an early look at each team in reverse order of last season's standings.

Windsor Spitfires

In 2011-12 — 29-32-2-5, 65 points, eighth in Western Conference. Lost 4-0 to London in first round of playoffs.

Final Dynamic Dozen ranking — 14th OHL, 39th CHL.

Drafted — D Patrick Sieloff (Calgary Flames, second round, from the U.S. national team development program), LW Ben Johnson (New Jersey Devils, third), C Brady Vail (Montreal Canadiens, fourth), C Michael Clarke (Colorado Avalanche, fifth), D Nick Ebert (Los Angeles Kings, seventh).

Draft watch* — C Kerby Rychel is a projected first-round pick in the 2013 NHL draft; RW Jordan Maletta and D Adam Bateman were the highest draft picks out of minor hockey among the Spitfires' five 17-year-olds.

Combing all corners of the country and the blogosphere for your junior hockey headlines ...

WHL

The Brandon Wheat Kings' season-ticket base is down by 700, which gives Gregg Drinnan pause to wonder how much longer the Western League can go without "some form of revenue sharing." (Taking Note, Brandon Sun, subscription)

Former Toronto Maple Leafs draft Josh Nicholls is trying to turn the page on being unsigned, focusing instead on playing for the MasterCard Memorial Cup-host Saskatoon Blades: "This is a storybook ending." (Saskatoon StarPhoenix)

Hey, the Kamloops Blazers have yet to lose in preseason. Whoops, now they are jinxed. (Kamloops Daily News)

Overage forwards J.T. Barnett and Dylen McKinlay have landed in Kelowna. That's a nice place to land. (Everett Herald, Cranbrook Daily Townsman, Regan's Rant)

The Everett Silvertips have a surplus of defencemen. At least one is named Ryan Murray. (Everett Herald)

Forward Luke McColgan, brother of New York Rangers draft pick Shane McColgan, will start the season in Junior A instead of Saskatoon. (Saskatoon StarPhoenix)

OHL

Third-round pick Ryan Verbeek's ambitions for his rookie season in Windsor go well beyond just sticking with the Spitfires. (Windsor Star)

Ottawa Gee-Gees coach Gary Etcheverry, shown in 2009 with the Roughriders

Football fans might get a more jarring visual these days from swinging by one of Gary Etcheverry's practices with the Ottawa Gee-Gees instead of visiting the National Gallery of Canada a few blocks away.

Canadian football offers advantages in the passing game unavailable south of the border such as a 65-yard-wide field and unlimited motion. Etcheverry, the former CFL head coach and defensive coordinator known for his novel schemes, has spurned that with Ottawa, following through on plans to use the double-wing offence that raised eyebrows when he was hired in May. So far, it's had mixed results at best, with Ottawa winless through two games the competitive Ontario University Athletics conference with No. 1 McMaster (1 p.m. ET Saturday, SSN Canada) and nationally ranked Queen's and Western yet to come.

Suffice to say, a scheme heavy on misdirection where 11 of 12 players amass around the ball like it was a campfire on a cold night goes against the trend in CIS. Eight of 13 CIS games last weekend saw one team pass for at least 300 yards, including the York Lions in their win over the Gee-Gees, who threw fewer than five times in the first half and finished with 86 yards.

"What's funny is people don't react well to being different," Etcheverry, who was the Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive coordinator during the successive Grey Cup appearances in 2009 and '10, said on Thursday. "Most people talk about they're not afraid to be different but they're definitely afraid of being different. I look around and I look at most offences look to me to be very, very similiar. It's funny that people talk about looking different when everyone else has similar formationing.

Oshawa Generals' Boone Jenner, Scott Laughton and Daniel Altshuller (OHL Images, Getty Images)

With the OHL season beginning next week, BTN taking an early look at each team in reverse order of last season's standings.

Oshawa Generals

In 2011-12 — 31-30-4-3, 69 points; eighth, Eastern Conference. Lost 4-2 to Niagara IceDogs in first round.

Final Dynamic Dozen ranking — 15th OHL, 40th CHL.

Drafted — C Scott Laughton (Philadelphia Flyers, first round), RW Tyler Biggs (Toronto Maple Leafs, first), C Boone Jenner (Columbus Blue Jackets, second), LW Lucas Lessio (Phoenix Coyotes, second), G Daniel Altshuller (Carolina Hurricanes, third), D Colin Suellentrop (Philadelphia Flyers, fourth).

Draft watch* — Six-foot-five rookie backup G Ken Appleby; C Cole Cassels.

Western League commissioner Ron Robison (OHL Images)

There has been more than enough time to brace for the coming NHL lockout, since everyone has known this was coming for, what, at least the last 12 months.

It is always important not to be reactionary in these types of situations. So it is refreshing, in some sense, that the Western Hockey League didn't swing into overreaction at the prospect of having 20-year-old should-be pros pushed back into junior hockey. While a lockout is going to cost people roster spots, it would seem especially unfair to have that trickle down all the way to younger juniors who could get squeezed out of ice time if teams were allowed to dress a fourth or fifth overage instead of just three.

Combing all corners of the country and the blogosphere for your junior hockey headlines ...

WHL

Ryan Murray is skating with the Everett Silvertips for however long the NHL lockout lasts. Of course, there could be a deal in the next 60 or so hours, brokered by Jimmy Hoffa. (Everett Herald)

That's what you pay money to see, more blocked shots... the MasterCard Memorial Cup-host Saskatoon Blades are equipping all of their defencemen with special ankle guards. Hey, it's a probably a wise step for the only team guaranteed to play in May. (Saskatoon StarPhoenix)

The Regina Pats spent a day helping build a Habitat for Humanity home and wouldn't you know it, they made a game of it. Forward Dyson Stevenson, who grew up on a farm: "I got to go there and work and show the city slickers what to do." Sounds like the time in the Ottawa Sun newsroom a few years ago when two managers struggled to remove a round table from the corner office. Then a copy editor wordlessly walked over, flipped it on its side and rolled it through the doorway. (Regina Leader-Post)

The Saskatoon Blades will surely need load up for the Memorial Cup; Guy Flaming wonders if a certain Toronto Maple Leafs first-rounder named Morgan Rielly might be available in January. (Coming Down The Pipe!)

Annie Fowler memorializes two Tri-City Americans fans who left us over the off-season. (Red Light District)

Get to know new Canadian Junior Hockey League president Kirk Lamb. (Edmonton Journal)

OHL

Owen Sound Attack coach Greg Ireland notes his team-building activities such be much more productive with NHL camps closed due to the likely lockout: "This should be one of the best years for it because there aren't any NHL camps. We'll have our whole group. Last year we had eight guys gone." (Owen Sound Sun Times)

Carolina Hurricanes first-rounder Ryan Murphy has not officially been named captain of the Kitchener Rangers, but you know, there's probably less chance of losing him to the NHL in the next few weeks. (Waterloo Record)

Peterborough Petes' Slater Koekkoek, Alan Quine and Nick Ritchie (Getty Images, OHL Images)

With the OHL season beginning next week, BTN taking an early look at each team in reverse order of last season's standings.

Peterborough Petes

In 2011-12 — 27-34-3-4, 61 points; ninth, Eastern Conference.

Final Dynamic Dozen ranking — 18th OHL, 49th CHL.

Drafted — D Slater Koekkoek (Tampa Bay Lightning, first round), C Alan Quine (Detroit Red Wings, third), D Clark Seymour (Pittsburgh Penguins, fifth), D Peter Ceresnak (New York Rangers, sixth), RW Derek Mathers (Philadelphia Flyers, seventh).

Draft watch* — LW Greg Betzold, RW Stephen Nosad and Ds Trevor Murphy and Steven Varga; sophomore RW Nick Ritchie's late birthday puts him in the 2014 NHL draft class.

Combing all corners of the country and the blogosphere for your junior hockey headlines ...

WHL

Minnesota Wild first-rounder Mathew Dumba grew a couple inches over the summer, so that means he's now a team leader in Red Deer. My reasoning might be a bit deductive. (Sportsnet)

Top draft prospect Seth Jones, of the Portland Winterhawks, on how he's handling the spotlight that will be on him this season. (The Pipeline Show)

The Victoria Royals will have a brother act if 16-year-old defenceman Jack Walker sticks. (Victoria Times-Colonist)

So too might the Saskatoon Blades, if defensive forward Luke McColgan makes the team alongside New York Rangers pick Shane McColgan. (Saskatoon StarPhoenix)

Brandon Wheat Kings defender Ayrton Nikkel feels more at home entering his sophomore season. (Luber's Lounge)

Dean Millard has an open invitation for the organizers of the proposed CHLPA to appear on his radio show. (Coming Down The Pipe!)

Former 11th-rounder Patrick D'Amico is poised to make the Regina Pats' opening-night lineup. (Regina Leader-Post)

OHL

The Windsor Spitfires note any increased attendance from a lockout might not be sustainable: "It's not the type of increase you want to see. Are you just gaining them over the short term?" (CBC)