Byron gears up for Memorial Cup

Today’s Ottawa Citizen featured a preview of the Gatineau Olympiques’ Memorial Cup appearance. C Paul Byron enters the tournament as the CHL’s top goal scorer with 21 goals. The next closest player is Kitchener RW Matt Halischuk with 16.

Groulx, Olympiques gear up for another run at Memorial Cup

Three players with something to prove in Kitchener, even if they say they don’t, are Claude Giroux, Paul Byron and Darryl Smith. Giroux and Byron were both passed over in the Ontario Hockey League draft before joining the Olympiques, while Smith started his major-junior career with the OHL’s Guelph Storm before joining the Olympiques in 2005.

Byron played junior B with the Ottawa West Golden Knights.

“Things happen for a reason and not being drafted by the OHL was probably the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Byron, who a year ago was a sixth-round draft pick by the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. “I’m happy Gatineau gave me the opportunity to play here, and I’m going to go to the Memorial Cup and play as hard as I can to win.”

The Olympiques open the tournament Friday against the host Kitchener Rangers.