Memorial Cup: Player to Watch – Jake Neighbours
For the first time since 2019, the Memorial Cup presented by Kia is back. Featuring the WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings, OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs, QMJHL champion Shawinigan Cataractes, and the host Saint John Sea Dogs, the tournament will take place from June 20-29 at Harbour Station in Saint John, N.B. Game 3 of the tournament is set for Wednesday, June 22 at 7 p.m. AT / 4 p.m. MT.
Catch tonight’s action on TSN 1 and TSN 5 in Canada, or live on the NHL Network in the United States.
Jake Neighbours
Airdrie, Alta.
St. Louis Blues (2020, 1-26)
Left Wing
#21
6-foot, 197 pounds
2022 WHL Playoffs
19 GP – 3G-14A – 17 points
Saint John, N.B. – Captain Jake Neighbours leads the Edmonton Oil Kings into Game 3 of the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia, with an all-important matchup against the host Saint John Sea Dogs on tap Wednesday evening.
“It’s similar to playoffs in that you have to make changes, you just have to make them a little more quickly with playing different teams in such a short amount of time,” Neighbours said about the tournament-style format upon arriving in Saint John. “We’re looking forward to it. It’s a short-term competition and most guys on this team played it growing up in spring hockey. (These tournaments) are always fun, we just have to make sure we don’t have too many breakdowns. We can’t afford a lot of mistakes in this tournament.”
The product of Airdrie, Alta., has been a force for the Oil Kings all post-season, finishing his checks, making life hard on defenders, and generally wreaking havoc in the offensive zone.
Following a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Shawinigan Cataractes on Tuesday, the Oil Kings will need that and a little more from Neighbours as they aim to get into the win column at the 2022 Memorial Cup.
Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (26th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Neighbours has enjoyed a successful run in the WHL, tallying 176 points (60G-116A) in 171 regular season outings, adding another 29 points (7G-22A) in 35 post-season contests.
Neighbours was originally selected fourth overall by the Oil Kings in the 2017 WHL Draft.
