After the end of the three series of the tournament ‘ended with a sweep in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), the stage is finally set for the 2024 Memorial Cup, which will be held in Saginaw, Michigan. All four teams have had fantastic seasons so far and are carried by a number of top players and 2024 qualifiers.
So, the real question now is how the fans should be viewed and how the teams participating in the Memorial Cup performed there.
London Knights (Ontario Hockey League)
6th Memorial Cup appearance
2-time Memorial Cup Champions (2005, 2016)
The OHL champions, the London Knights are led by a roster full of NHL prospects. After finishing the regular season as the best team in the league with a 50-14-4 record, the Knights eased their way into the playoffs, losing only twice to the Saginaw Spirit.
Offensively, the Knights are led by Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan. Cowan earned the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player award in the regular season after putting up 96 points and being relentless on the penalty kill (including seven shorthanded goals). Cowan showed no signs of slowing down in the playoffs, leading the Knights in scoring again, with 34 points in 18 games and earning the OHL Playoffs MVP.
But Cowan is not the only player who has lit up the Knights. Up front, he’s joined by Philadelphia Flyers prospects Denver Barkey, Kasper Halttunen, and Ruslan Gazizov. In the backfield, 2024-eligible defenseman Sam Dickinson led the way, while goaltender Michael Simpson once again turned in a strong showing and postseason for the Knights.
With their roster, the Knights will easily be considered favorites heading into the Memorial Cup.
Saginaw Air (OHL)
First appearance in the Memorial Cup
After finishing second in the OHL behind the Knights, the Saginaw Spirit came up short in a comeback attempt against their Western Conference rivals in the Western Conference Finals. But luckily for them (and young hockey fans), they still earned a spot in the Memorial Cup by being the host city this year. They also have a strong roster, but their biggest and most consistent strength comes from late 2024 right back Zayne Parekh.
Related: Wrestling with Saginaw Air defenseman Zayne Parekh
Parekh has set several Spirit records as a defender and has been a force to be reckoned with on the offensive end. Without him, general manager Dave Drinkill has gone out and made several moves throughout the season to build a team that will compete in the Memorial Cup. Additions like Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck, Anaheim Ducks prospect Rodwin Dionicio, and Alex Christopoulos have played big roles for the Spirit this season.
With new additions and returning players like Michael Misa, Vegas Golden Knights prospect Matyas Sapovaliv, and goaltender Andrew Oke, the team set a record for wins this season. However, one underrated player for the Spirit is Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Nolan Lalonde. Lalonde helped carry the Spirit to the playoffs after Oke went down with an early injury. However, the hope is that Oke will be ready for the Memorial Cup and will be able to pick up where he left off after a strong regular season.
With more time off after losing their series to the Knights, the Spirit should head into the Memorial Cup rested and hopefully back to full health, looking to make some noise as a dominant team.
The Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
Appearance of the Fourth Memorial Cup
After making quick work of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) playoffs, losing only three games, the Drummondville Voltigeurs are back on the field for the Memorial Cup. They were led by a number of NHL prospects, including Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Ethan Gauthier, Buffalo Sabers prospect Vsevolod Komarov (who also earned league best defenseman honors), and Maverick Lamoureux of the Arizona Coyotes.
With Gauthier and Komarov having strong campaigns, the Voltigeurs had a strong season overall, finishing first in the Central Division and second in the league behind Baie-Comeau Drakkar, whom they beat in the championship series to earn their spot in the Memorial Cup. With the promising return of Lamoureux after missing the entire QMJHL playoffs due to injury, the Voltigeurs could get a big boost from an already strong and hot team heading into the Memorial Cup.
Moose Jaw Warriors (Western Hockey League)
First appearance in the Memorial Cup
Another team making its first appearance in the Memorial Cup, the Moose Jaw Warriors, is led by the three-headed beast of Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Brayden Yager, Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus, and Blue Jackets Denton Mateychuk (WHL defenseman of the year. ). These three led the Warriors in the regular season and now they have qualified for the play-offs, and all three are in the top 3 in playoff points. Mateychuk’s strong postseason was rewarded with playoff MVP honors after totaling 30 points.
The Warriors are another team, like the Spirit, that got a boost from a mid-season acquisition. Brayden Schuurman and Buffalo Sabers prospect Matthew Savoie joined the team in a trade and made a big impact. Between the pipes, Jackson Unger has been solid and carrying the workload all season for the WHL champions. The team will look to become the first WHL team to win the Memorial Cup since the 2014 tournament when the Edmonton Oil Kings earned CHL championship honors.
The Best of the Best of the CHL
The 2024 Memorial Cup boasts four of the best teams in the CHL, all loaded with talent for fans to watch. If all things go as planned, the tournament could be one of the most “star-studded” tournaments in recent memory.
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