Advertisement

Nick Cousins cleared, Hamilton OHL talk starts up again: Thursday’s coast-to-coast

Neate Sager

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

WHL

The Calgary Flames have signed Edmonton Oil Kings goalie Laurent Brossoit to an entry-level contract. Yeah, you wouldn't want that to drag out until the goalie for the Edmonton Oilers-owned team could face the Flames-owned Calgary Hitmen in the next round of playoffs. (Edmonton Journal)

That possibility depends on what NHL first-rounder Hunter Shinkaruk's and the Medicine Hat Tigers' input, of course. (Sportsnet)

Ottawa Senators prospect Troy Rutkowski and his Portland Winterhawks expect a second-round challenge from "skilled" Spokane. (Portland Tribune)

Tyson Baillie's monster series for Kelowna has put him on the 2014 NHL draft radar. (WHL From Above, Regan's Rant)

Remember when Calgary and Red Deer would meet in the playoffs every season? (Red Deer Round-Up)

Calgary rookie rearguard Colby Harmsworth is thriving at keeping the puck out of harm's way. (Calgary Herald)

OHL

Philadelphia Flyers prospect Nick Cousins and former Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds teammates Andrew Fritsch and Mark Petaccio had sexual assault charges withdrawn after the Crown decided there was "no reasonable prospect of conviction." (CBC News)

Michael Andlauer, owner of the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs, is kicking the tires on moving an OHL team to the Hammer. Is there a U.S.-based team that's constantly rumoured to be moving and has a player named Connor McDavid? (Hamilton Spectator, Chatham Daily News)

If the Kitchener Rangers go out in Round 2 after coach-GM Steve Spott called this a "Memorial Cup year," well, people are going to be right upset, writes Ryan Pyette. (London Free Press)

Former teammates Frank Corrado and Justin Sefton, who are on opposite sides of the Kitchener-London series, will not speak much until it's over. (London Free Press)

The Owen Sound Attack better hope their series vs. peaking Plymouth comes down to goaltending. The Whalers seem mighty confident. (Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Owen Sound Sun Times)

Dale Hawerchuk notes his Barrie Colts got away with being "lethargic" in their come-from-behind Game 1 win over Oshawa. (Barrie Examiner)

Belleville Bulls assistant coach Jake Grimes kind of acknowledged that the top-seeded Los Toros underachieved in Round 1. Will that change when the Eastern semifinal vs. underdog Sudbury begins Friday? (Belleville Intelligencer)

Niagara IceDogs coach-GM Marty Williamson, who has the No. 6 overall choice on Saturday, wants a "special" player to boost the transition to the team's new arena. Please don't joke that Sean Day will still be there, but man, you start to wonder. (St. Catharines Standard)

Without commenting directly on Cousins case, some thoughts worth reading on how people react to sexual assault stories in hockey. Please read with an open mind. (Only A Northern Song)

QMJHL

This Jonathan Drouin fellow cleaned up at the Golden Puck Award galas. (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)

Hard to believe, but fellow coaches André Tourigny and Patrick Roy have never met in a playoff series. (Le Soleil)

The cycle of junior hockey means the Baie-Comeau vs. Victoriaville series isn't really a rematch. (Le Soleil)

Remember that time Gatineau came into the Halifax Metro Centre early this season and made the Mooseheads humble? Yeah. (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)

Winning the first overall in the entry draft is just what the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles need. Okay, well, it's a start. The Shawinigan Cataractes will pick No. 2 in June. (Station Nation, Le Nouvelliste)

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet. Please address any questions, comments or concerns to btnblog@yahoo.ca.