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Oil Kings poised to repeat, Sam Reinhart goes for 100: Seven predictions for the WHL season

In major junior hockey, every season has its share of differences from the previous year. From the scoring leader to the sixteen clubs that make the playoffs — the totem pole tends to change.

The Edmonton Oil Kings jumped up the Western Hockey League totem pole last year. They went from being swept by the Red Deer Rebels in the first round of the playoffs the previous year to going on to win the Ed Chynoweth cup.

Meanwhile, with the Dub's 2010-11 scoring-leader Linden Vey, who suited up for the Medicine Hat Tigers, moving on to the pros, Tri-City Americans star forward Brendan Shinnimin emerged as the league's top sniper, posting 134 points in 69 games. Shinnimin was later rewarded for his success by signing an entry-level contract with the Phoenix Coyotes in his overage season.

Although predictions are for gypsies, it is fun to use education guesses and instincts to take a stab at the crystal ball of sports. Here is a look at seven predictions for the upcoming WHL season, which begins Sept. 20.

1. Edmonton Oil Kings repeat as champions — Just because the Oil Kings won a championship last year doesn't mean they weren't built for the following season. That's right, Edmonton appears to be set to dress an even stronger team this year than last.

Edmonton has lost team captain Mark Pysyk to the Buffalo Sabres organization. Nonetheless, the positives weigh out the negatives in the Oil Kings' dressing room. New York Rangers prospect Michael St. Croix, Edmonton Oilers prospect Travis Ewanyk, Carolina Hurricanes prospect Keegan Lowe, and Calgary Flames netminding prospect Laurent Brossoit are headed into their 19-year-old seasons. Sophomore sniper Curtis Lazar is poised to break out. Highly regarded rearguard Aaron Irving is entering into his rookie season.

Frankly, on paper, only the Kamloops Blazers and Portland Winterhawks appear to be able to knock the Oil Kings off their pedestal, barring a surplus of injuries. Winning back-to-back Ed Chynoweth Cups won't be near as easy; however, they are definitely the odds on favourite for the time being.

2. Raiders, Broncos get back into the playoffs — All signs point to the Moose Jaw Warriors, Brandon Wheat Kings, and Medicine Hat Tigers not being near as strong this year as they were last season. Therefore, this should put the bottom-5 playoff spots in the Eastern Conference somewhat up for grabs.

Not even the Prince Albert Raiders know what happened last year. On paper, they should have easily made the post-season. Yet, they ended up finishing second last in the entire league.

If the Raiders reach their full potential this season, they could not only make the playoffs, but they could also clinch a home-ice-advantage spot in the big dance.

Prince Albert look great on paper. They have a surplus of offensive talent: Chicago Blackhawks prospect Mark McNeill, Dallas Stars draft choice Mike Winther, 19-year-old Anthony Bardaro, and German sensation Leon Draisaitl, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the import draft. The Raiders also had two defensive studs: Phoenix Coyotes prospect Harrison Ruopp and 17-year-old Josh Morrissey. And a veteran goaltender: Luke Siemens.

It is certainly a do-or-die year for Raiders GM Bruno Campese. He needs to get his team back into the second season.

Despite losing 83-point scorer Taylor Vause to the pros, the Swift Current Broncos offense looks like it is shaping up nicely. They have New Jersey Devils prospect Graham Black down the middle, Flames pick Coda Gordon, Winnipeg Jets prospect Adam Lowry on the wing. Recent Devils signing Reece Scarlett and Detroit Red Wings pick Richard Nedomlel hold down the back end.

The problem in Swift Current has been between the pipes. The Broncos dipped into the European talent pool by selecting Eetu Laurikainen in June. Whether Laurikainen is the answer or not is yet to be determined. He does, however, appear to be a very talented goaltender who could be a part of the solution in getting the Broncos back into the playoffs.

3. Winterhawks' Ty Rattie leads the league in points — Rattie was third in the league in points last year with 57 goals and 121 points. The two players that outscored him, Shinnimin and Mark Stone, have since moved onto the pros. So essentially, this prediction is about as gutsy as saying there will be an empty seat at a Phoenix Coyotes game in Glendale.

Rattie will probably miss a handful of game due to quite likely representing Canada at the world juniors. So he may have to do some catch up on players hot on his tail such as the Oil Kings' St. Croix, Kamloops Blazers overager Brendan Ranford and the Medicine Hat Tigers' Hunter Shinkaruk. Nonetheless, assuming Rattie will continue to take strides in his game, a 140-point season appears to be in the St. Louis Blues prospect's reach.

4. Tigers' Hunter Shinkaruk lights the lamp 60 times — Shinkaruk scored 49 goals last year as a 17-year-old. Although he is now without running mate Emerson Etem, one assumes the 5-foot-10, 175-pound winger will be able to improve his goal total by one this year. But what about 11? Sure, it won't be easy, but it definitely seems plausible.

The sky is the limit for Shinkaruk. He is regarded as a top-5 prospect of the 2013 draft class. This could be his last year of major junior hockey if his development curve stays at the arc it currently sits at.

5. Calgary Hitmen make it to the Eastern Conference final — Behind the Oil Kings, the Hitmen and the MasterCard Memorial Cup-host Saskatoon Blades will battle it out for the second-best record in the East. But taking into account the Blades' poor track record in the second season, all signs point to the Hitmen meeting Edmonton in the East's final.

The Hitmen have a lot of talent up front, such as, Hurricanes prospect Victor Rask, rookie Jake Virtanen, overager Cody Sylvester, and 17-year-old centre Greg Chase. On the back end, they have overager Spencer Humphries and Washington Capitals prospect Jaynen Rissling, backed by Ottawa Senators third-rounder Chris Driedger.

Calgary earned the No. 3 seed last year. But the Wheat Kings knocked them out of the post-season in the first round in just five contests. It was a learning experience for a young team. Next year they'll have a much better idea on what to expect. Who knows, if they are able to add a anchor on their blueline via trade and if Virtanen and Chase blossom into 50-point scorers, they might be able to make some noise against the Oil Kings.

Since it could be centuries before the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers meet in a playoff series, Hitmen-Oil Kings confrontation could be a treat for Alberta hockey fans. The 2012-13 season could be the start of igniting a potent Hitmen-Oil Kings rivalry.

6. Blazers top the Western Conference — The Kamloops Blazers finished third in the West with 99 points. This year they'll have a more distinguished squad that is likely more capable of coming out on top.

Oilers prospect Colin Smith, Montreal Canadiens prospect Tim Bozon, and overager Brendan Ranford could be the best line in the Dub this year. The trio combined for 111 goals and 248 points.

Besides the big three, puck-stopper Cole Cheveldave's play will be key to Kamloops' expected success. He impressed last year as an 18-year-old rookie, posting a 2.62 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. He will likely play 55-plus games next year. He won't have a lot of pressure on his shoulders, though. The Blazers' elite group of forwards in front of him will allow him to breathe easy on most nights.

For good reason, the Winterhawks would like to beg to differ on this prediction. Despite losing Sven Bartschi, Joe Morrow, Brad Ross, Oliver Gabriel, Marcel Noebels, and Cam Reid to the pros, Portland will be eying a championship for the third consecutive year. They will definitely be in the mix; however, prior to puck drop of the first regular-season game, the Blazers appear to be the best in the West.

7. Ice's Sam Reinhart joins the 100-point club — Remember the name Sam Reinhart. Although Barrie Colts defender Aaron Eklbad will make his case to refute this, it is quite likely the name of the first-overall pick of the 2014 draft.

The youngest of the Reinhart clan possesses mind-blowing talent. In his first year of major junior eligibility, the 6-foot, 182-pound centre potted 28 goals and 62 points in 67 games for the Kootenay Ice.

Players' sophomore seasons tend to be the year they break out. Shinkaruk improved on his 42-point rookie season to scoring 91 points last year. Current Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins jumped from 65 points to 106 in his second season with the Red Deer Rebels before becoming a No. 1 overall pick.

Reinhart appears to be poised to follow suit, with a 100 points in his grasp. It would be a 38-point improvement. This definitely seems plausible. He will receive unlimited minutes in Kootenay and will frankly have the team on his shoulders since they're losing his brother, Max Reinhart, to the Calgary Flames organization and puck-stopper Nathan Lieuwen to the Buffalo Sabres.

Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen and contact him at Friesenkelly@live.ca