Dale Hunter watch begins after Washington Capitals ousted: Monday’s coast-to-coast

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

WHL

Buffalo Sabres prospect Mark Pysyk was the model for the Edmonton Oil Kings followed to advance to the MasterCard Memorial Cup. (Edmonton Journal)

Oil Kings veteran T.J. Foster thought about the people in his hometown of Slave Lake, Alta., after the win. Tuesday marks one year since the disastrous fire that ravaged the town is approaching: "People from Slave Lake have always supported me during my hockey career and it's awesome they still do. I was born there and lived there a long time and it's been a big part of my life." Foster was also a big part of Edmonton's checking line over the final three games. (Edmonton Sun)

Edmonton will need more of the "structured hockey" (coach Derek Laxdal's term) it showed in Game 7 to have a chance in the Memorial Cup. (Edmonton Journal)

St. Louis Blues prospect Ty Rattie, on Portland losing successive finals: "Their crowd took over tonight. They had a couple early goals to give them a little bit of juice, but we just couldn't respond." (Oregon Live, Edmonton Journal)

Is Red Deer's Mathew Dumba sneaking up draft boards? (La Presse)

Is Portland now the top destination for prospects who are picky about whom they'll play for in the WHL? See Jones, Seth. (Vancouver Province)

The Oil Kings came up big when it counted the most. (Coming Down The Pipe!)

Diehard Edmonton supporter Mel Nowytzkyj saw every Oil Kings playoff game, venturing to Portland, Moose Jaw and Cranbrook, B.C. So that means he's seen every Oil Kings playoff win. Now that's dedication. (Edmonton Journal)

The Calgary Hitmen might look forward to having right wing Brooks Macek for his overage season, since the Detroit Red Wings are relinquishing his draft rights. (MLive.com)

The Everett Silvertips have never had a hometown player, but recently drafted defenceman Daniel Woolfenden might be the first. (Everett Herald)

OHL

Former London Knights coach Dale Hunter is going to Shawinigan for the Memorial Cup, but in what capacity will the Washington Capitals bench boss serves? Coach-GM Mark Hunter says his brother "will be coming to Shawinigan and he will help but we haven't really talked about whether he will be on the bench." (London Free Press)

When the QMJHL hosts, it means the OHL team has to play three times in the tourney's first four days. It almost derailed Windsor in 2009 and helped sink Peterborough in '06. (London Free Press)

London's third goalie, Jake Patterson, has next to no chance to play in the Memorial Cup, but you'll hear from him someday. (Sault Star)

Niagara coach-GM Marty Williamson faces some rebuilding after the IceDogs' loss in the final. Who knows what a NHL labour stoppage would mean for stars Dougie Hamilton and Ryan Strome next season. (St. Catharines Standard)

Graduating IceDogs Andrew Agozzino and Alex Friesen forged a bond across their five seasons together. Agozzino: "Wherever our career paths take us, when we're 40 and 50 years old, I'm sure we'll still keep in touch." (St. Catharines Standard)

Can a local owner, Elliott Kerr, make the OHL relevant in Mississauga? (Mississauga News)

Kingston Frontenacs sophomore-to-be Jacob Smith is working for a greater role next season. Smith was the lowest 2011 priority selection pick to play full-time this season. (Northern Life)

QMJHL

Mikaël Lalancette offers a primer on the Memorial Cup. (TVA Sports)

The Shawinigan Cataractes are attempting to win the tournament after getting knocked out in the second round of their league playoffs. In 1999, Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Kilrea's Ottawa 67's did just that. Quoth the one they call Killer: "You win the first game and, suddenly, you know you can beat anyone, because you just beat a champion." (Le Nouvelliste)

Montreal Canadiens prospect Morgan Ellis, on being a Maritimer playing in Shawinigan: "It doesn't hurt to brush up on your French." (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)

Is Saint John's Tomas Jurco a future Marian Hossa? Detroit Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill describes the second-round pick as such. (MLive.com)

Shawinigan grinder Mitchell Maynard overcame being undrafted — along with overcoming a knee injury early this season — to play in the tournament. (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)

Cataractes equipment manager Patrick Leonard got a Memorial Cup ring with the 1996 Granby Predateurs. Granby was the last QMJHL team to win a non-QMJHL hosted tournament until Saint John did so in 2011. (Le Nouvelliste)

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.