NHL prospect victim of hit to head

Just when you thought hockey was through with headshots, along comes this hit in the Ontario Hockey League.
Let's hope Murphy recovers well and goes on to enjoy the career that's waiting for him in the NHL.

AAA debate in K-W

The debate over amalgamation of elite AAA minor hockey in Kitchener and Waterloo for next season rages on, with the latest being a plea in the Waterloo Region Record for the major junior Kitchener Rangers to butt out.
A reader of Wayne's World of Minor Hockey points out the article without comment. Well, maybe a sigh.
In a nutshell, the merger in K-W under the coaching eye of the Kitchener Rangers would mean better development of the best young players in the Twin Cities. By boiling down the teams, single local entries could finally compete with AAA teams from London, Elgin-Middlesex and Toronto.
Whether they admit it or not, it would also give the Rangers a better database of local talent and position them to find some late draft coupes.
But the downside is the damage to local hockey pride and the traditional Canadian grassroots approach to minor hockey. It's particularly stinging for Waterloo, the junior partner in this.
What do I think? I like the idea as it puts more kids at a level - AA - that better matches their skills.
AAA should be elite, intense hockey, where the players are from age 12 or 13 sincerely aiming at playing on Jr. B or major junior teams.

Selling the new AAA in Kitchener-Waterloo

Is the new organization of elite AAA midget hockey in Kitchener-Waterloo the way of the future? Will major junior cities such as London follow suit with a new system that has top homegrown players placed under the eye of local major junior coaches?
One wonders as the new organization starts getting traction in K-W. In a nutshell, the AAA teams in the Twin Cities are merging at the minor midget and major midget levels, creating half as many teams and bumping kids who aren't selected for AAA a level down to AA.
The Rangers say they are doing it for the good of the community and talent development, not to get the inside track on drafting local gems from minor midget.
This article from the Waterloo Region Record goes a long way in selling the new way of doing things, but tryouts for next season's teams in both cities could be interesting.
Most at risk of being lost might be small town and rural high-skill players living near Waterloo. Will this result in creation of a Waterloo-Wellington AAA organization similar to the highly successful Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs?

Kitchener, Waterloo ready to marry AAA programs

Interesting times ahead for elite minor hockey families in Kitchener and Waterloo as the number of midget and bantam AAA teams in the Twin Cities may soon be cut in half.
Under the hand of the Major Junior Kitchener Rangers, the AAA programs are slated to be amalgamated, meaning better AAA teams but fewer spots for players, who will either filter down to AA hockey teams or drift to other sports.
What's more, according to the Waterloo Region Record, the wheels are in motion to loosen the geographical restrictions for competitive hockey in Ontario in preparation for a "Super Midget League".
Interesting times are ahead for K-W that'll make last summer's AA debate in London look like child's play.