The Canadian Hockey League’s playoffs are set for each of its three leagues: Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League.
The Blackhawks will have eight prospects in action, including four in the QMJHL. Defenseman Jake Ryczek and goaltender Alexis Gravel are already guaranteed a spot in the Memorial Cup as their QMJHL team, the Halifax Mooseheads, host the round-robin tournament between the CHL league champions.
OHL
Adam Boqvist, D (’18 first-rounder) — London
First-round opponent: Windsor
Boqvist’s goal this past weekend was to help the Knights claim the top seed in the OHL’s Western Conference. Mission accomplished. The smooth skating 18-year-old defenseman and the Knights will face No. 8 seed Windsor in the first round. London hasn’t won the OHL since 2016, when they completed the double by also winning the Memorial Cup.
Boqvist is sixth among OHL blue liners in scoring with 60 points (20 goals, 40 assists) through 54 games.
MacKenzie Entwistle, F (Trade with Arizona) — Guelph
First-round opponent: Kitchener
Entwistle finished the regular season strong with five goals and three assists in his last two games after talking with Second City Hockey’s Ian McLaren. Entwistle has shifted to the No. 2 center role for Guelph, who is full of top prospects like Nate Schnarr (Arizona), Isaac Ratcliffe (Philadelphia) and Nick Suzuki (Vegas).
Entwistle has almost identical numbers with Guelph has he did with Hamilton before the January trade. He tallied 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 29 games with Hamilton before putting up 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists) in 28 contests with Guelph.
Make sure to look for McLaren’s in-depth weekly articles on Boqvist and Entwistle later this week.
QMJHL
Nicolas Beaudin, D (’18 first-rounder) — Drummondville
First-round opponent: Gatineau
Like Boqvist, Beaudin is more offensive-orientated defenseman. The left-handed Beaudin ranks fifth in scoring among QMJHL blue liners with 56 points (seven goals, 49 assists) despite missing almost a month with a wrist fracture. Beaudin, who will likely start next season in the AHL and work on his skating, hasn’t scored a point in six straight games entering the postseason.
A series win likely sets up a second-round meeting against top-seeded Rouyn-Noranda, who tallied a league-high 119 points this season. Drummondville will be trying to end their President’s Cup drought before it hits 10 years. The Voltigeurs’ 2009 title is their lone championship in franchise history.
Alexis Gravel, G (’18 sixth-rounder) and Jake Ryczek, D (’16 seventh-rounder) — Halifax
Chicago has two prospects suiting up for Halifax with Gravel and Ryczek. Gravel is one of the best QMJHL goalies this season, with a 33-16 with five shutouts, a 2.49 goals-against average and .913 save percentage. He ranks in the top five in shutouts (second), wins and save percentage (third) and GAA (fifth). It’s only Gravel’s third QMJHL season and he’ll likely return to the Mooseheads to continue his development.
Ryczek has nine goals and 24 assists in 51 games during his first full QMJHL season after leaving Providence early last season. The right-handed defenseman finished strong the regular season strong with six assists in as many games.
Halifax is the top seed in the East, and will look to complete the double for the second time in five years.
Philipp Kurashev, C (’18 fourth-rounder) — Quebec
First-round opponent: Halifax
If Quebec is going to upset Halifax, Kurashev will play a major role. Kurashev, who signed with Chicago last week, leads the Remparts in goals (29), assists (36) and points (65) in 59 games. He also has won 52.9 percent of his draws from the faceoff dot.
Hockey Hall of Famer and Remparts coach Patrick Roy will be trying to deliver Quebec City its first QMJHL title since 1976.
WHL
Brandon Hagel, RW (Free agency) and Reese Johnson, C (Undrafted free agent) — Red Deer
First-round opponent: Prince Albert
The Blackhawks didn’t start the season with any WHL prospects, but they signed two Red Deer players during the season. Both now healthy after missing some time last season, Hagel and Johnson have emerged as a 1-2 scoring punch for the Rebels.
Hagel is tied with Edmonton’s Trey Fix-Wolansky (Columbus) for fourth in the WHL in scoring with 102 points. Hagel has 41 goals and 61 assists to lead the Rebels to the playoffs. He’s the Rebels’ second all-time leading scorer in franchise history.
Johnson is second in goals (27) and third in points (53) for Red Deer this season. He also leads the league in faceoff percentage at 65.3 percent.
The Rebels grabbed the second wild-card spot in the East with one day remaining in the season. They’ll have a tough opponent in Prince Albert, who had the most points in the regular season and are backstopped by one of the league’s best goaltenders in Toronto prospect Ian Scott. Red Deer’s last fallen in the first round three of the last four years.
Second City Hockey will provide round-by-round results for each CHL tournament. Blackhawks prospects playing in the NCAA will be featured next week when the NCAA tournament field is set.