[Hard Canadian]

Well the Memorial Cup is around the corner again and we all know Jr. hockey is great hockey so i decided to make a seperate thread about the tournament instead of combining it within the NHL thread.
May 18 - May 27
TEAMS

Host City: Vancouver Giants (WHL)
WHL Champs: Medicine Hat Tigers
OHL Champs: Plymouth Whalers
QMJHL Champs: Lewiston Maneiacs

Sportsnet will be televising the tournament: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/index.jsp">http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/index.jsp</a><!-- m -->

Also see:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.2007memorialcup.ca/index.php">http://www.2007memorialcup.ca/index.php</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://whl.ca/hm/">http://whl.ca/hm/</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/hm/">http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/hm/</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php">http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php</a><!-- m -->

Enjoy the tournament! :thumb:

[j-monster]

I've watched most of the games in the tournament so far, it's been great hockey. Junior hockey is a lot of fun and great to be involved in, I did some work behind the scenes with the Ottawa 67s this year and really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about how a game is put on for the fans and how to take care of the whole entertainment experience.

It's great to see the Memorial Cup get the coverage it deserves. In some ways it's harder to win this trophy than the Stanley Cup so it will be a great achievement for whoever wins it. The host Vancouver team has looked good so far, I think they'll take it this year.

[Hard Canadian]

In some ways it's harder to win this trophy than the Stanley Cup so it will be a great achievement for whoever wins it.

of course its harder, over 50 teams compete for it. first you have to make the playoffs in your league, then win the chapionship to qualify for the Memorial Cup tournament, then defeat the other three teams in the tournament!

[d_alex_d]

[

Don't forget you only have about 3 or 4 years to try and win it, technically a player could have 20 years or more to get there

[grimes]

Quite the beating Vancouver laid on Plymouth in the semi-final last night. The final on Sunday looks like it should be a good one, given the way Vancouver and Medicine Hat have played against each other the last few weeks.

[j-monster]

In some ways it's harder to win this trophy than the Stanley Cup so it will be a great achievement for whoever wins it.

of course its harder, over 50 teams compete for it. first you have to make the playoffs in your league, then win the chapionship to qualify for the Memorial Cup tournament, then defeat the other three teams in the tournament!

Don't forget you only have about 3 or 4 years to try and win it, technically a player could have 20 years or more to get there

All righty then... points well taken. :oops:

Sunday's final should be a good one!

[Hard Canadian]

Congrats to the Vancouver Giants of the WHL for winning the 2007 CHL Memorial Cup!

[j-monster]

Congrats to the Vancouver Giants of the WHL for winning the 2007 CHL Memorial Cup!

Great game... major junior hockey at it's finest!

[tigerthelion]

I can't take the Memorial Cup seriously. When a team can lose a seven game series and still be in the tournament as the "host" team, it lacks integrity in my opinion. So, for defeating Vancouver in a seven game series, Medicine Hat's reward was having to play them again. :roll:

[opiated]

I can't take the Memorial Cup seriously. When a team can lose a seven game series and still be in the tournament as the "host" team, it lacks integrity in my opinion. So, for defeating Vancouver in a seven game series, Medicine Hat's reward was having to play them again. :roll:

when did you lose your happy gene???

[Lizard King]

I can't take the Memorial Cup seriously. When a team can lose a seven game series and still be in the tournament as the "host" team, it lacks integrity in my opinion. So, for defeating Vancouver in a seven game series, Medicine Hat's reward was having to play them again. :roll:

when did you lose your happy gene???

He might be a in a mood today, but I have to agree. Just because you are the "host" team it shouldnt gurantee you are in the finals win or lose, it does take some of the integrity away. I can see having automatic qualification as a reward but not a final berth.

[opiated]

I can't take the Memorial Cup seriously. When a team can lose a seven game series and still be in the tournament as the "host" team, it lacks integrity in my opinion. So, for defeating Vancouver in a seven game series, Medicine Hat's reward was having to play them again. :roll:

when did you lose your happy gene???

He might be a in a mood today, but I have to agree. Just because you are the "host" team it shouldnt gurantee you are in the finals win or lose, it does take some of the integrity away. I can see having automatic qualification as a reward but not a final berth.

He's just been pretty bitchy lately!!!

[Lizard King]

Well Tiger's never been shy about expressing himself on here. I dont agree with him on alot of things, but at least he keeps it interesting here. If it wasn't for people like him, this place would be a total bore.

[opiated]

Well Tiger's never been shy about expressing himself on here. I dont agree with him on alot of things, but at least he keeps it interesting here. If it wasn't for people like him, this place would be a total bore.

no arguments there!

[j-monster]

Well, Vancouver didn't automatically get in the final, they did have to play their round-robin games just like everyone else in the tournament. They happened to play themselves into the final. Just in case there was any confusion about that.

Now whether there should be a host team that gets to that level may be another question. Logistically a four-team tournament is much better than a three-team one, and I'm not sure how else you set that up with only three major junior leagues.

Here's the other thing... these kids, while young and highly trained athletes, have already gone through four playoff series to get to this point (granted the host team doesn't necessarily have to get to this point, but host teams have for the last few years anyway), and often those series are gruelling. So does it seem fair after that to ask them to play one or two more seven game series? Not to me it does. The format may not be perfect, but it works and creates an exciting tournament feel, so I am happy with the Memorial Cup as it is now.