Redwic
04-17-2007, 11:46 AM
The Everett Silvertips’ most magical season, to date, is over. It just seems so surreal, and I cannot believe that this season’s ride is actually over. I barely had enough time to fully comprehend the team’s collapse during Game #5, and I believe that the team had the same issue. Give credit to the Prince George Cougars; their team has shown everyone what the terms “inspired hockey” and “killer instinct” are all about. I wish the Cougars only the best during the remainder of their playoff run, for however long it lasts.
After winning the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy by having the WHL’s best regular-season record, which is no simple task to achieve, it was easy to see why the team (and fans) had high expectations heading into this season’s playoffs. But the Silvertips are not the first WHL regular-season champions to lose in the playoffs… this is actually the fourth-straight such season of that occurring… and they certainly will not be the last. In fact, this current streak of regular-season champions failing to win the WHL Championship (let alone make it to the WHL Finals) started with a dominant Kelowna Rockets team being shocked by the expansion Everett Silvertips during the 2004 WHL Playoffs. If nothing else, this shows just how competitive the WHL has become, at least since Everett joined the league.
I have heard the possible reasons for the Silvertips’ early playoff departure. Perhaps the team was unable to maintain a high level of play during the regular season as a result of being so far ahead in the divisional standings, which proved detrimental once the playoffs began. Perhaps Leland Irving was not the same goaltender when he returned from the World Juniors back in January. Perhaps trading away fan-favorites Cody Thoring and Brady Calla destroyed the team’s chemisty. Perhaps the Silvertips underestimated their competition. Honestly, I don’t think that any one thing led to this conclusion to the team’s season. And one reality which cannot be overlooked is that the Silvertips faced a hot Prince George Cougars team which has been gaining momentum with each game played.
There is still much to be proud of this season. The Silvertips broke their single-season franchise records for wins (54) and points (111), and became the WHL’s regular-season champions for the first time in franchise history. The Silvertips tied a league-record 14 shutouts and allowed the fourth-fewest goals (142) in WHL history. The Silvertips won the U.S. Division for the second-straight season, and third time in the franchise’s first four seasons. During the regular-season, the Silvertips defeated the defending WHL Champion Vancouver Giants in all six games played against each other. During the regular season, the Silvertips defeated every team from a very strong Eastern Conference. Zach Hamill won the Bob Clarke Trophy for the WHL’s leading scorer, the first Silvertip player to accomplish that feat. Hamill, as well as several other players, are eligible for this year’s NHL Draft and we should wish each of those players the best of luck. Kyle Beach is a finalist for the WHL’s Rookie of the Year award. Kevin Constantine is a finalist for the WHL’s Coach of the Year award. These are all positive things that we can take, and build, from this season.
I believe that next season still looks very promising for the Everett Silvertips. Many key players will be returning, including Irving, Beach, and leading scorer Hamill, and those players have gained experience and become battle-tested through the course of this great season. Talented rookie prospects such as Kellan Tochkin and Jeff Regier, among others, are anticipated to join the team full-time. And if likely future NHL-bound players such as Peter Mueller or Dane Crowley return to the team, the expectations will become that much greater. So although we are currently saddened by the team’s wonderful season coming to a close sooner than expected, we have legitimate reasons to get excited heading into next season.
------------
Now I want to take a moment to thank some people who made this season very special for myself, as well as many other fans.
*First, thank you to our overagers, Jason Fransoo, Moises Gutierrez, Jesse Zetariuk, and even Cody Thoring, for their time spent as Silvertips and helping this team become successful throughout the season. I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors.
*Second, thank you to the Silvertips organization, for making some of the most difficult decisions yet for the franchise. I am glad that you at least attempted to make the team better, with the ultimate goal being the Memorial Cup and seemingly the talent to get to that goal. You are a top-notch organization, in my opinion.
*Third, thank you to our 19-year old players, David Reekie, Jesse Smyke, Brennan Sonne, Dan Gendur, Brandon Campos, Damir Alic, and Dane Crowley. With the exception of expansion teams, the WHL only allows three overagers per team, so most of you will, sadly, not be returning. You all represented the Everett Silvertips well, both on and off the ice, and I wish you the best, whether it be with this team or elsewhere.
*Fourth, thank you to the team in its entirety, for having a successful season and generating a lot of excitement every game.
*Fifth, thank you to Dave Piland, for his continuous dedication to announcing at Silvertips home games despite facing personal adversities.
*Sixth, thank you to the forum-poster most commonly known as “Dubber”, for singlehandedly arranging some of the largest, loudest away game groups in Silvertips history. The amount of fans at the first game against Chilliwack was something to behold, and will be in my memories for many years.
*Seventh, thank you to the fans who sit near me at home games. We have had a lot of great conversations, chants, and high-fives throughout the season. I couldn’t ask for better people to sit around during each game.
*Eighth, thank you to all of the Silvertips’ fans in their entirety. You have helped make this a wonderful season to be a part of, whether it be at home games, away games, or during online discussions. You are truly the WHL’s best fans, in my opinion.
*Ninth, thank you to the fans of opposing teams who I have met throughout the season, both at home game and away games. Most of you were awesome to socialize with, and I always value different points of view.
*Tenth, last but certainly not least, I thank the Everett Silvertips for helping to inspire me, personally, to do bigger & better things in my own life. During the middle of this season, I made the tough decision of going back to school. Later this summer, I will be attempting to summit Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, and possibly even Mount Whitney, the tallest peaks in each of the three western U.S. States; I will be dedicating these summit-attempts to the Everett Silvertips. I figure, metaphorically speaking, that if the Silvertips can “climb to the top of a mountain” during the regular season, then why can’t I do the same during the offseason?
------------
I will really treasure this season, and all of the great people and events associated with it. During the offseason I will miss interacting with the fans, but I still might see some of you during the Memorial Cup Tournament, and I still might post from time to time during the offseason (such as during the various drafts, during trades, or during the pre-season tournament). I want you all to know that I wish you well and I hope to interact with you next season.
GO TIPS!!!
Best Regards,
Craig W., the forum-poster most commonly known as "Redwic"
After winning the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy by having the WHL’s best regular-season record, which is no simple task to achieve, it was easy to see why the team (and fans) had high expectations heading into this season’s playoffs. But the Silvertips are not the first WHL regular-season champions to lose in the playoffs… this is actually the fourth-straight such season of that occurring… and they certainly will not be the last. In fact, this current streak of regular-season champions failing to win the WHL Championship (let alone make it to the WHL Finals) started with a dominant Kelowna Rockets team being shocked by the expansion Everett Silvertips during the 2004 WHL Playoffs. If nothing else, this shows just how competitive the WHL has become, at least since Everett joined the league.
I have heard the possible reasons for the Silvertips’ early playoff departure. Perhaps the team was unable to maintain a high level of play during the regular season as a result of being so far ahead in the divisional standings, which proved detrimental once the playoffs began. Perhaps Leland Irving was not the same goaltender when he returned from the World Juniors back in January. Perhaps trading away fan-favorites Cody Thoring and Brady Calla destroyed the team’s chemisty. Perhaps the Silvertips underestimated their competition. Honestly, I don’t think that any one thing led to this conclusion to the team’s season. And one reality which cannot be overlooked is that the Silvertips faced a hot Prince George Cougars team which has been gaining momentum with each game played.
There is still much to be proud of this season. The Silvertips broke their single-season franchise records for wins (54) and points (111), and became the WHL’s regular-season champions for the first time in franchise history. The Silvertips tied a league-record 14 shutouts and allowed the fourth-fewest goals (142) in WHL history. The Silvertips won the U.S. Division for the second-straight season, and third time in the franchise’s first four seasons. During the regular-season, the Silvertips defeated the defending WHL Champion Vancouver Giants in all six games played against each other. During the regular season, the Silvertips defeated every team from a very strong Eastern Conference. Zach Hamill won the Bob Clarke Trophy for the WHL’s leading scorer, the first Silvertip player to accomplish that feat. Hamill, as well as several other players, are eligible for this year’s NHL Draft and we should wish each of those players the best of luck. Kyle Beach is a finalist for the WHL’s Rookie of the Year award. Kevin Constantine is a finalist for the WHL’s Coach of the Year award. These are all positive things that we can take, and build, from this season.
I believe that next season still looks very promising for the Everett Silvertips. Many key players will be returning, including Irving, Beach, and leading scorer Hamill, and those players have gained experience and become battle-tested through the course of this great season. Talented rookie prospects such as Kellan Tochkin and Jeff Regier, among others, are anticipated to join the team full-time. And if likely future NHL-bound players such as Peter Mueller or Dane Crowley return to the team, the expectations will become that much greater. So although we are currently saddened by the team’s wonderful season coming to a close sooner than expected, we have legitimate reasons to get excited heading into next season.
------------
Now I want to take a moment to thank some people who made this season very special for myself, as well as many other fans.
*First, thank you to our overagers, Jason Fransoo, Moises Gutierrez, Jesse Zetariuk, and even Cody Thoring, for their time spent as Silvertips and helping this team become successful throughout the season. I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors.
*Second, thank you to the Silvertips organization, for making some of the most difficult decisions yet for the franchise. I am glad that you at least attempted to make the team better, with the ultimate goal being the Memorial Cup and seemingly the talent to get to that goal. You are a top-notch organization, in my opinion.
*Third, thank you to our 19-year old players, David Reekie, Jesse Smyke, Brennan Sonne, Dan Gendur, Brandon Campos, Damir Alic, and Dane Crowley. With the exception of expansion teams, the WHL only allows three overagers per team, so most of you will, sadly, not be returning. You all represented the Everett Silvertips well, both on and off the ice, and I wish you the best, whether it be with this team or elsewhere.
*Fourth, thank you to the team in its entirety, for having a successful season and generating a lot of excitement every game.
*Fifth, thank you to Dave Piland, for his continuous dedication to announcing at Silvertips home games despite facing personal adversities.
*Sixth, thank you to the forum-poster most commonly known as “Dubber”, for singlehandedly arranging some of the largest, loudest away game groups in Silvertips history. The amount of fans at the first game against Chilliwack was something to behold, and will be in my memories for many years.
*Seventh, thank you to the fans who sit near me at home games. We have had a lot of great conversations, chants, and high-fives throughout the season. I couldn’t ask for better people to sit around during each game.
*Eighth, thank you to all of the Silvertips’ fans in their entirety. You have helped make this a wonderful season to be a part of, whether it be at home games, away games, or during online discussions. You are truly the WHL’s best fans, in my opinion.
*Ninth, thank you to the fans of opposing teams who I have met throughout the season, both at home game and away games. Most of you were awesome to socialize with, and I always value different points of view.
*Tenth, last but certainly not least, I thank the Everett Silvertips for helping to inspire me, personally, to do bigger & better things in my own life. During the middle of this season, I made the tough decision of going back to school. Later this summer, I will be attempting to summit Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, and possibly even Mount Whitney, the tallest peaks in each of the three western U.S. States; I will be dedicating these summit-attempts to the Everett Silvertips. I figure, metaphorically speaking, that if the Silvertips can “climb to the top of a mountain” during the regular season, then why can’t I do the same during the offseason?
------------
I will really treasure this season, and all of the great people and events associated with it. During the offseason I will miss interacting with the fans, but I still might see some of you during the Memorial Cup Tournament, and I still might post from time to time during the offseason (such as during the various drafts, during trades, or during the pre-season tournament). I want you all to know that I wish you well and I hope to interact with you next season.
GO TIPS!!!
Best Regards,
Craig W., the forum-poster most commonly known as "Redwic"