MAYBE NEXT YEAR?

A report on Terry Doyle's Ontario Hockey League blog Loosepucks.com, reports that Windsor will host the 2010 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

The report says that the Canadian Hockey League will hold a press conference sometime next week to announce the winner, believed to be the Windsor Spitfires.

Saint John Sea Dogs president Wayne Long said numerous times last season that the Sea Dogs would put a strong push to host the game. It was believed that they, and the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, were the two bidders for this years tournament. There is no official rotation like the Memorial Cup, meaning that any league could host the two day event.

This is of course not an official report. A number of CHL officials had said the game would be hosted in Atlantic Canada this season. Even Hockey Night In Canada's Don Cherry said "it's going out east next year so I don't know if I'll go." East being Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

The last five hosts were Oshawa (2009), Edmonton (2008), Quebec (2007), Ottawa (2006) and Vancouver (2005). The game features the top 40 National Hockey League prospects from across the CHL. The event includes a skills competition along with the nationally broadcasted game.

"The game will also be close to home for three of the top draft-eligible players with Windsor's Taylor Hall and Cam Fowler joining Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers among the top 40 CHL players eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft," said Doyle in his release. But do not overlook the fact that Saint John has Stanislav Galiev and just up the highway are Brandon Gormley and Kirill Kabanov.

The defending Memorial Cup champions also host's a Subway Super Series game at the WFCU Centre, Windsor's sparkling new arena. All of this is in preparation for a bid to host 2011 Memorial Cup.

Cape Breton and Saint John both hosted a Canada/Russia game last season. The two are bidding against each other to host the 2012 Memorial Cup.

The game is expected to held on Wednesday, January 13.

Former Sea Dogs to play in the Top Prospects game are:

2006: Martin Bartos
2007: David Stich
2008: Yann Sauve
2008: Robert Mayer
2009: Simon Despres

It should be noted that Bartos, Stich, and Mayer - all European's, were never drafted into the NHL. Mayer signed a free agaent contract with Montreal last year.

To view Terry Doyle's Loosepuck blog click HERE.