Friday . . .

According to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, D Jesse Dudas, 20, suffered a torn MCL at the Edmonton Oilers’ rookie camp and won’t play for up to six weeks. The oft-injured Dudas, an offensive-type defenceman, would have been looking to crack the Swift Current Broncos’ roster if he didn’t get a contract offer from the Oilers. . . . You can bet that the Portland Winter Hawks are concerned about veteran D Scott Gabriel, 20. According to Jason Vondersmith of the Portland Tribune, Gabriel is being evaluated after incurring the third concussion of his career during an exhibition game last week. Gabriel’s status for games Saturday and Sunday is up in the air. "This one wasn't as bad," Gabriel, a physical player, told Vondersmith. "Others have been worse, where you have headaches all day, you're foggy and fatigued and you wanna sleep all day. Then you go to bed and you're not able to sleep. Messes everything up. But this one was mild." . . . The Prince Albert Raiders have given the captain’s ‘C’ to LW Dustin Cameron, 19, with the alternates being D Ryan Button, 17, C Bryce Lamb, 19, and LW Jordan Trach, 18. . . . RW Ian Schultz, 18, and C Brett Sonne, 19, are on their way back to the Calgary Hitmen from the camp of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues.
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The Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association’s preseason poll, with 22 points for a first-place vote, 21 for second, etc. (first-place votes in parentheses):
1. Spokane Chiefs (14) 371
2. Kelowna Rockets (1) 343
3. Lethbridge Hurricanes (1) 335
4. Brandon Wheat Kings 325
5. Tri-City Americans (1 ) 316
6. Vancouver Giants 278
7. Medicine Hat Tigers 266
8. Seattle Thunderbirds 251
9. Calgary Hitmen 233
10. Regina Pats 223
11. Swift Current Broncos 221
12. Saskatoon Blades 150
13. Kamloops Blazers 149
14. Moose Jaw Warriors 143
15. Prince George Cougars 129
16. Kootenay Ice 125
17. Prince Albert Raiders 114
18. Everett Silvertips 91
19. Chilliwack Bruins 88
20. Edmonton Oil Kings 77
21. Red Deer Rebels 54
22. Portland Winter Hawks 19