Justin Azevedo OHL MVP

[hockeylifer]

Well said, fzusher.

The nice thing as a free agent is that you can get more opportunities as you aren\'t restricted to a single team. Garet Hunt is a forward with Vancouver Giants of the WHL. He has a physical presence and is a great fighter.

He wasn\'t drafted into the NHL but was signed by the Vancouver Canucks, last year. He wasn\'t successful in making the Canuck roster (he came back from a broken leg). He returned to the Giants and played as an overager. This year he has been signed by Calgary Flames. Great to see a player get another opportunity.

Azavedo could find himself in a similar situation. It is amazing, considering his offensive prowess, that he hasn\'t been provided an opportunity. I am sure that he will be getting one.

[fzusher]

Thanks for the info hockeylifer. Looked Hunt up just to see when he was born, and indeed he was born October 87, which puts him in the same draft class as Azevedo (born April 88), so they are indeed in the same situation.

Two corrections though from the stuff I found - Hunt was in Vancouver\'s rookie camp last year but was not signed to a pro-contract; his current pro-contract is an AHL one and it\'s with Springfield, the Oilers farm team

http://www.vancouvergiants.com/HuntS...LContract.html
http://www.oursportscentral.com/serv...es/?id=3636691
http://coppernblue.blogspot.com/2008...-contract.html

[hockeylifer]

I stand \'corrected\'. Hope it works for Hunt and that Azavedo gets his opportuntiy.

[fzusher]

Azevedo was overlooked last year because he was a 5\'6\'\'/168 kid posting about a point-per-game, and there\'s been plenty of those in the CHL over the years. This year he\'s a 5\'8\'\'/180 kid posting almost 2 points per game and being voted the best player in the OHL. He\'ll get his chance, FA or draft.

[hockeylifer]

Being declared \"The CHL Player of the Year\" will further ensure his getting an opportunity.

[ccsitdown]

Note that Hunt is on the small side as well, being generously listed at 5\'8\". I\'ve seen him play a number of times, he is feisty, loves to throw down with guys much larger than him. He does look really small out there compared to the rest of the players though.

[plug]

Somehow I get the feeling that Detroit will take Azevedo in the 6th. Trying for irony there, suprised they didn\'t draft him last year.