Battle for the Blades on Wednesday: the coast-to-coast

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

WHL

While there is more than one group trying to buy the Saskatoon Blades, the inside take is that Mike Preistner's bid is as solid as oak: "I don't know what it would take not to get approved." (Saskatoon StarPhoenix)

Focus up: former Edmonton Oil Kings captain Mark Pysyk is relating what it was like to go through the NHL draft and progress from junior to the pros. (The Pipeline Show)

Hockey mother of the year candidate? Melissa Willick, whose son Dylan was the Kamloops Blazers captain last season, has two rookies living under her roof, goalie Cole Kehler and left wing Nathan Looysen. Meantime, young defenceman Travis Verveda has signed on with the Blazers. (Kamloops Daily News)

Prince Albert's Leon Draisaitl or Calgary's Jake Virtanen, who's the second most highest-touted Dub draft prospect after the Reinhart kid? (Future Considerations)

OHL

Goalie Daniel Mannella kept his NCAA option, so the Ottawa 67's 'tenders will be overage Clint Windsor and 18-year-old Jacob Blair. (La Presse)

Wouldn't expect this to get as many headlines as his trade dad, but Jake Gilmour has signed with the Niagara IceDogs. His dad, Kingston Frontenacs GM Doug Gilmour, caused a kerfufflle last month by trading his son to give him a chance to make a restocking team.

Junior hockey geeks might like looking out to see who's the lowest-drafted 16-year-old to sign in training camp. Winger Michael Bunting, a ninth-rounder, has signed with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

The Windsor Spitfires didn't get through their two-game exhibition set without getting a defenceman banged up; Adam Bateman tweaked a knee. That being said, the D might be the Spits' strongest suit. (Windsor Star)

Today's should-read: Scott Colby explains how Karl Subban, father of Belleville Bulls defenceman Jordan Subban, has been an influence on him for more than 30 years. (Toronto Star)

Feel-good story! Undrafted defenceman Logan Schmidt has won a spot with the Kitchener Rangers. Kitchener now has 11 defencemen signed. (Waterloo Record)

Make it a quartet: defenceman Jake Carrick has signed with the Barrie Colts, meaning he could be the fourth member of his family to play in the OHL. Carolina Hurricanes-drafted D-man Trevor Carrick is coming into his 19-year-old year with Mississauga. (Stouffville Sun-Tribune)

QMJHL

New Rouyn-Noranda Huskies coach Gilles Bouchard is planning to do the start without a captain thing. (Parlons Junior) —

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.