YOUNG WOLVES GETTING TASTE OF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thunder Bay, ON- Although their season may be over, the summer has yet to come for members of the Thunder Bay Timberwolves' management team and scouting department.
>>>"After the [entry] draft, we'll take a break," said general manager, Blake Wendt from his office at Canadian National Gardens. "We have most of our prospects come to Thunder Bay after their seasons are over in junior or college or wherever to meet with our trainers and scouts and try to give them the right program to follow in the offseason to prepare for our Training Camp in September. This is a huge part of our season right now. Everyday we're going over draft strategy. Whether it be going over the kids that look to be where we're drafting at, or if we should maneuver to position ourselves where the players will be that we're high on."
>>>Even with the offseaon activities in full swing, there are still Timberwolves prospects very much playing hockey for their respective junior teams.
>>>In the Ontario Hockey League, the defending Memorial Cup champion-Windsor Spitfires will be taking on Alex Pietrangelo and the Barrie Colts for the Robertson Cup. Pietrangelo was drafted by the Timberwolves in 2008 in the first round, fourth overall. The King City, Ontario-native was dealt by the Niagara IceDogs to Barrie after winning silver at the World Junior Championships in Saskatchewan for Canada.
>>>In the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Moncton Wildcats will take on Marco Cousineau and the Saint John Sea Dogs for the President Cup. Cousineau was drafted by the Timberwolves in 2008 in the fifth round, one-hundred eleventh overall. This is the second consecutive year that Cousineau has back-stopped his team to the QMJHL championship. Last year the St. Lazare, Quebec-native took Drummondville all the way to the Memorial Cup.
>>>In the Western Hockey League, the Tri-City Americans will take on Martin Jones and the Calgary Hitmen for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Jones was drafted by the Timberwolves in 2009 in the fifth round, ninety-second overall. The North Vancouver, BC-native was a teammate of Alex Pietrangelo for Team Canada at this years World Junior Championships.
>>>As host of the 2010 Memorial Cup, the Brandon Wheat Kings are automatically included in the Canadian Hockey League championship. Playing for the Wheaties is Timberwolves prospect, Colby Robak. Robak was acquired by Thunder Bay in the summer of 2009 during the Contraction Draft after the Southwest, Lahr and Hamilton franchises folded.
>>>In the United States Hockey League, Nick Oliver and the Fargo Force will take on Anders Lee and the Green Bay Gamblers for the Clark Cup. Oliver was drafted by the Timberwolves in 2009 in the fifth round, ninety-first overall. He is in his first full season for the Force and is slated to go to St. Cloud State University in the fall. Lee was drafted by the Timberwolves in 2009 in the sixth round, one-hundred fourteenth overall. The Edina, Minnesota-native led the Gamblers in points in his first season in the USHL. He is slated to go to the University of Notre Dame in the fall.
>>>"It's exciting to have these young men in games like these," said Wendt. "They're all coming from excellent programs and organizations and to play in championship situations at any level is great for their overall development. This is wonderful for the future of the Thunder Bay Timberwolves."