Steelheads fishing for fans, Mooseheads still in sick bay: Wednesday’s coast-to-coast

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

WHL

It sounds like the setup to a joke: "A CHLPA guy walks in on team unannounced as they're having dinner after a game tonight. Introduces himself by saying 'Hi, I'm Jake but please call me John'. Handed these guys a sheet asking them all to sign. No info, no details... nothing." Dean Millard and Guy Flaming dined out on the lack of information coming from proposed CHLPA. (Coming Down The Pipe, The Pipeline Show)

The Kamloops Blazers are top of the heap in the B.C. Division in the pundits' view. (Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Kamloops Daily News)

The people demand conference previews from Steve Ewen and Peter Loubardias. (The Pipeline Show, times two)

The two-time defending Western Conference champion Portland Winterhawks aren't that experienced, notes Dylan Bumbarger. (Oregon Live)

Defenceman Tye Hand is hoping to get a foothold in Regina after having the start of his junior tenure deferred by a concussion. (Regina Leader-Post)

Is Patrik Polivka the No. 1 goalie in Victoria? (Victoria Times-Colonist)

New York Islanders first-rounder Griffin Reinhart is the new captain in Edmonton. (iNews 880 AM)

Portland's Ty Rattie as league scoring champion? Count me in for that bandwagon. (WHL From Above)

OHL

Today's should-read is about Mississauga Steelheads owner Elliott Kerr's plan to make major junior work in 'Sauga: "Most people were saying, 'It can't be done, it can't work.' That was a motivator for me, to be quite frank." (Globe & Mail, Mississauga News)

Oh, you didn't think London Knights coach Dale Hunter would publicly say who gets the nod in goal for his team's season opener Friday? Ryan Pyette notes 18-year-old Jake Patterson had a strong preseason. (London Free Press)

Draft-year centre Max Domi can shoot, pass, and tape his own ankle. The 17-year-old hopes to be healthy for the Knights' opener. (London Free Press)

Former Ottawa 67's coach Brian Kilrea stood up for players' rights in the 1960s, but he's not terribly impressed with either side in the NHL lockout. (Ottawa Citizen)

Ten issues for the Ontario League season. (London Free Press)

No shocker: Carolina Hurricanes first-rounder Ryan Murphy will be captain in Kitchener. (Waterloo Record)

Oshawa Generals coach D.J. Smith wants to have a "defence-first hockey team." (Oshawa Express, durhamregion.com)

The fine people in the Peterborough Petes organization did not need to be reminded they have won one playoff game since their 2006 championship year, thank you. (Peterborough Examiner)

QMJHL

As of Tuesday, the Halifax Mooseheads were still seven skaters shy of icing a full lineup for Friday's regular-season opener. (Metro Halifax)

World junior forward Jonathan Huberdeau starting the season in Saint John instead of Miami? That's fine by the Florida Panthers. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Station Nation)

Former Saint John coach Gerard Gallant revisits his team's MasterCard Memorial Cup defeat to Shawinigan, noting the "hungrier team" won. (Le Nouvelliste)

Seems appropriate: a story on Shawinigan raising their Memorial Cup banner on Friday dressed up with a photo of Anton Zlobin, who's now with Val-d'Or. (Montreal Gazette)

Former Cataractes coach Eric Veilleux has his work cut out for him in Baie-Comeau. (Parlons Junior)

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