The Memorial Cup provides fans with an amazing opportunity to see blossoming stars destined for the NHL.
Windsor’s Jeremy Bracco, a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect, are two examples.
Bracco and DeBrincat both played for Team U.S.A. in the World Junior Hockey Championships.
Two Memorial Cup performers who are still battling in the Stanley Cup playoffs are Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburg Penguins and Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks.
Both played in the 2005 Memorial Cup in London – Crosby for the Rimouski Oceanic and Perry for the London Knights.
The Knights won the team battle, but Crosby and Perry were compared as the two star players.
I remember Doris Labonte, the coach of the Oceanic, saying the comparisons between Crosby and Perry were unfair because Perry was older and more developed physically at the time.
He suggested we wait and see how they do in the NHL.
Fans in Windsor should take advantage of the opportunity to see the stars of tomorrow playing great hockey today.
Bracco and the Spits play again Sunday against Seattle, while Erie will take on Seattle Saturday at 3 p.m.
