Scout
09-04-2007, 09:33 PM
Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, September 04, 2007
MARTENSVILLE -- The Saskatoon Blades' roster remains a little shaggy.
Coach-GM Lorne Molleken did weekend trimming, but he still has 32 players in training camp. That number doesn't include 18-year-old winger Colton Gillies, who is competing in the Canada-Russia Super Series.
"We thought we could be down to 26 guys, but they've made it difficult on us," Molleken said Monday.
Excluding Gillies, the Blades have 17 forwards, 11 defenceman and four goaltenders. Another forward, 15-year-old Charles Inglis, is destined to join the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts after this weekend's WHL exhibition games. The Blades travel to Prince Albert on Friday and play Saturday at home versus Regina.
Competition is particularly intense on the Blades' blue-line. Molleken plans to keep seven or eight defencemen. The only veterans are Brett Ward, 19, Ryan Funk, 18, Sam Klassen, 18, and Teigan Zahn, 17. Finnish defenceman Jyri Niemi, 17, is sure to nab a job, but after that, all bets are off.
"It should be a good exhibition season with all of the guys competing for spots," said Zahn, "and as a vet, you still have to work hard because these other guys are good."
BLUE-LINE IS GREEN
Ward enters the season with 129 WHL games on his résumé. After that, the blue-liners get green in a hurry. Funk, who missed most of last season with an inflamed pubic bone, ranks second with 75 games, followed by Zahn (40) and Klassen (39).
Whitewood product Colton MacPherson is the only other 18-year-old defenceman in camp.
"He's got a year of AAA midget under his belt (with the Saskatoon Contacts) and he played well for the (SJHL) Estevan Bruins last year," Molleken said of MacPherson, an eighth-round bantam pick in 2004.
"He's looked good in training camp. He's a real stay-at-home type of guy who plays a simple game. He's going to get an opportunity to make our hockey club and in all likelihood, he's going to play in every exhibition game."
Up front, the Blades have more depth than last season. Chris Durand has been centring Derek Hulak and Slovakian import Robert Brandis. Justin McCrae lined up between Michael Kaye and 16-year-old rookie Curtis Hamilton on Monday. Gillies is likely to replace Hamilton on the latter unit.
IMPORTS FITTING IN
"We have a lot more experience and our new European players are doing really well so far," said McCrae. "We have a lot of confidence going into the season and we have high expectations for ourselves."
Molleken said he's in no rush to name his goaltending tandem. Rookies Matthew Krahn and Adam Morrison are scheduled to start Friday and Saturday, respectively. Veterans Braden Holtby and Garrett Zemlak might see time in relief.
BLADE BITS: Veteran winger Troy Crowley, 18, chose to return home to Winnipeg following Saturday's ice session . . . The Blades are scheduled to practise in Martensville at 3 p.m. daily for the rest of the week . . . D Brad Cole, the captain last season, has been working out with the Blades to prepare for training camp with the NHL's Calgary Flames. Three current Blades are bound for NHL camps. LW Garrett Klotz leaves Friday for the Philadelphia Flyers' camp in Voorhees, N.J. C Justin McCrae goes camping with the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., on Sept. 12. Winger Colton Gillies is bound for Minnesota Wild camp after the Super Series . . . Fewer than 1,500 tickets remain for Wednesday's Super Series game at the 10,998-seat Credit Union Centre. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and game time is 6 p.m.
Published: Tuesday, September 04, 2007
MARTENSVILLE -- The Saskatoon Blades' roster remains a little shaggy.
Coach-GM Lorne Molleken did weekend trimming, but he still has 32 players in training camp. That number doesn't include 18-year-old winger Colton Gillies, who is competing in the Canada-Russia Super Series.
"We thought we could be down to 26 guys, but they've made it difficult on us," Molleken said Monday.
Excluding Gillies, the Blades have 17 forwards, 11 defenceman and four goaltenders. Another forward, 15-year-old Charles Inglis, is destined to join the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts after this weekend's WHL exhibition games. The Blades travel to Prince Albert on Friday and play Saturday at home versus Regina.
Competition is particularly intense on the Blades' blue-line. Molleken plans to keep seven or eight defencemen. The only veterans are Brett Ward, 19, Ryan Funk, 18, Sam Klassen, 18, and Teigan Zahn, 17. Finnish defenceman Jyri Niemi, 17, is sure to nab a job, but after that, all bets are off.
"It should be a good exhibition season with all of the guys competing for spots," said Zahn, "and as a vet, you still have to work hard because these other guys are good."
BLUE-LINE IS GREEN
Ward enters the season with 129 WHL games on his résumé. After that, the blue-liners get green in a hurry. Funk, who missed most of last season with an inflamed pubic bone, ranks second with 75 games, followed by Zahn (40) and Klassen (39).
Whitewood product Colton MacPherson is the only other 18-year-old defenceman in camp.
"He's got a year of AAA midget under his belt (with the Saskatoon Contacts) and he played well for the (SJHL) Estevan Bruins last year," Molleken said of MacPherson, an eighth-round bantam pick in 2004.
"He's looked good in training camp. He's a real stay-at-home type of guy who plays a simple game. He's going to get an opportunity to make our hockey club and in all likelihood, he's going to play in every exhibition game."
Up front, the Blades have more depth than last season. Chris Durand has been centring Derek Hulak and Slovakian import Robert Brandis. Justin McCrae lined up between Michael Kaye and 16-year-old rookie Curtis Hamilton on Monday. Gillies is likely to replace Hamilton on the latter unit.
IMPORTS FITTING IN
"We have a lot more experience and our new European players are doing really well so far," said McCrae. "We have a lot of confidence going into the season and we have high expectations for ourselves."
Molleken said he's in no rush to name his goaltending tandem. Rookies Matthew Krahn and Adam Morrison are scheduled to start Friday and Saturday, respectively. Veterans Braden Holtby and Garrett Zemlak might see time in relief.
BLADE BITS: Veteran winger Troy Crowley, 18, chose to return home to Winnipeg following Saturday's ice session . . . The Blades are scheduled to practise in Martensville at 3 p.m. daily for the rest of the week . . . D Brad Cole, the captain last season, has been working out with the Blades to prepare for training camp with the NHL's Calgary Flames. Three current Blades are bound for NHL camps. LW Garrett Klotz leaves Friday for the Philadelphia Flyers' camp in Voorhees, N.J. C Justin McCrae goes camping with the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., on Sept. 12. Winger Colton Gillies is bound for Minnesota Wild camp after the Super Series . . . Fewer than 1,500 tickets remain for Wednesday's Super Series game at the 10,998-seat Credit Union Centre. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and game time is 6 p.m.