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Ekblad, McDavid going head to head: the coast-to-coast

Neate Sager

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

WHL

Joining Calgary means New York Rangers second-rounder Adam Tambellini is reunited with former classmate Greg Chase, an Edmonton Oilers draftee. (Calgary Herald)

Add Adin Hill to the WHL all-name team; the 17-year-old goalie won in his Portland Winterhawks debut. He's not Khadyn Butterfly, though. (Portland Tribune)

Guy Flaming appears to have unravelled why the Edmonton Oil Kings supplemented their traditional-looking red, orange and blue uniforms with a green and black alternate. Apparently it has something to do with owner Daryl Katz and a football trip to Seattle. (Coming Down The Pipe)

Czech national junior team forward Dominik Volek has landed in Vancouver after a deal with Red Deer. Is he an upgrade over Giant-turned-Kelowna Rocket Marek Tvrdon, notwithstanding that the latter also occupies an overage slot? (Vancouver Province)

Today's should-read: Regina defenceman Tye Hand is stepping away after sustaining his sixth brain injury in the past four seasons: "You need your brain for everything you do. Resting it is probably the best decision right now." (Regina Leader-Post)

OHL

With a little more than 24 hours to the deadline, 19-year-old NHL first-rounder Ryan Hartman remains with Plymouth.(HockeyProspect.com)

Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid go head-to-head in Thursday's Barrie-Erie tilt. Wait, aren't they supposed to be touring major Canadian cities to apologize about the world junior result? (The Barrie Examiner, NHL.com)

Trevor Carrick's first game for Sudbury will be against his old Mississauga team. Remember, it is only awkward if we let it be awkward. (Mississauga News, Sudbury Star)

With that masked medical marvel Liam Herbst arriving in Ottawa, does that mean 67's overage goalie Philippe Trudeau might actually get a night off? That hasn't happened since Oct. 19. (Ottawa Sun)

Dallas Stars choice Gemel Smith's Memorial Cup experience goes back farther than that of any of his new London Knights teammates. (London Free Press, Owen Sound Sun Times)

The swap for defenceman Kevin Spinozzi means Sarnia will build with 11 underage players over the final 10 weeks of the season. The 17-year-old Spinozzi logged close to 25 minutes against his former Soo Greyhounds team on Wednesday. (Sarnia Observer)

Is that Kitchener's unheralded sophomore Darby Llewellyn who already has 20 goals? Yes it is. (Waterloo Record)

QMJHL

The Halifax Mooseheads were relatively quiet at the Q's trade deadline, which is perplexing to columnist Chris Cochrane. (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)

Nice Gatineau Olympiques debut for 17-year-old Alexis Pépin, who scored two goals on Wednesday. New Jersey Devils-drafted goalie Anthony Brodeur also ran his scoreless skein to 146 minutes. (Le Droit)

Who didn't get a charge out seeing Sherbrooke send veteran defenceman Dominic Talbot-Tassi to Blainville-Boisbriand, then turn around and beat the Armada? Other than the Armada, I mean? (Parlons Junior)

This week's East Coast trip will pretty much make or break last-place Shawinigan's playoff hopes. The Cataractes are eight points out of the final berth. (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.