Winnipeg Americans?

Alan Caldwell, who knows the WHL, its teams, their players and prospective players like no one else, had a neat take on the Tri-City Americans the other day.

Caldwell, who lives and works in Calgary where he follows the Hitmen rather closely, points out that the Americans have nine prospects from Winnipeg signed to WHL contracts and slated to attend training camp. Those players, with positions and birth years, as supplied by Caldwell:

G Kyle Birch (90)
D Colin Frederickson (90) - played some games last year for Lethbridge
F Jason Gardiner (91) - played some games for Ams last year
F Adam Hughesman (91) - played some games for Ams last year
F Colan Jackson (90)
F Johnny Lazo (89) - played some games for Ams last year
F Joel Ridgeway (90) - played some games for Ams last year
F Brendan Shinniman (91)
F Mason Wilgosh (91)

You can make it 10 because the Americans have also signed F Colin Phaneuf (90).

And, as Caldwell points out, the Americans have four Winnipeggers on their roster — G Chet Pickard, D Eric Mestery, D Tyler Schmidt and F Blair MacAuley.

Gotta think Americans GM Bob Tory, who obviously has spent some time in the Manitoba capital, is on a first-name basis with some hotel clerks in Winnipeg. Maybe he saves money by renting an apartment there.