hobster
01-11-2008, 04:27 PM
Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday's Western Hockey League trade deadline proved to be a yawner for the Saskatoon Blades.
When coach-GM Lorne Molleken emerged from his war room at Credit Union Centre shortly after the 4 p.m. cutoff, he had no earth-shattering news. Despite a long day of phone bartering, Molleken didn't pull the trigger on any deals.
"I'm tired. I haven't slept. It's time to go home to bed," said Molleken, whose team travelled overnight after posting a 2-0 victory Wednesday in Red Deer.
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Font:****"We had some interest in some of our older players, but for the most part, teams were playing against each other to see what was out there."
Molleken had declared 18-year-old winger Colton Gillies "untouchable," but there's little doubt that teams inquired about Saskatoon's overage forwards, Chris Durand and Ondrej Fiala. However, after trading 19-year-old captain Justin McCrae to the Spokane Chiefs earlier in the week, Molleken said he was wary of creating a leadership vacuum.
"We still need some leadership with older players to guide our younger guys along. With Durand, Fiala and (defenceman John) Flatters as our overage guys, they all bring something a little bit different to the hockey club as far as their leadership skills and their skills on the ice.
"We're looking to move forward now and I know from talking to all three of those guys, they're relieved that it's over and they're staying in Saskatoon."
The Blades (14-25-2-1) remain 18 points out of a playoff spot. The silver lining in this stinker of a season is that Saskatoon might nab two of the top six picks in this spring's bantam draft. The Blades have their own first-round pick as well as the Prince George Cougars' (from the Devin Setoguchi trade last season), and the Cougars' record (13-28-1-0) is even worse than the Blades'. Saskatoon also owns two second-round picks.
"I really believe we need to build through the draft," said Molleken. "We've started the process. We're in the middle of a rebuilding situation and we feel that we have a pretty good mix on our hockey club right now.
"We're surprised and disappointed to be where we're at. That was part of the reasoning in moving Justin McCrae. We had an opportunity to bring in two younger players who have some offensive upside."
Only one of those new players, 18-year-old forward Chris Langkow, will be a full-time Blade for the rest of the season. Winger Burke Gallimore, who turned 17 this week, is expected to finish the season with the Edmonton-based Gregg Distributors, who lead the Alberta Midget Hockey League with a 20-2-4 record. However, Gallimore will more than likely be called up for a game here and there.
"Our plan is to bring up some of our younger players and give them an opportunity to play a little bit at this level," said Molleken.
The Blades did make one roster move Thursday, reassigning 18-year-old forward Jordan Braid to the SJHL's Kindersley Klippers. The Saskatoon native registered one assist and 22 penalty minutes in 29 games.
Published: Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday's Western Hockey League trade deadline proved to be a yawner for the Saskatoon Blades.
When coach-GM Lorne Molleken emerged from his war room at Credit Union Centre shortly after the 4 p.m. cutoff, he had no earth-shattering news. Despite a long day of phone bartering, Molleken didn't pull the trigger on any deals.
"I'm tired. I haven't slept. It's time to go home to bed," said Molleken, whose team travelled overnight after posting a 2-0 victory Wednesday in Red Deer.
Email to a friend
Printer friendly
Font:****"We had some interest in some of our older players, but for the most part, teams were playing against each other to see what was out there."
Molleken had declared 18-year-old winger Colton Gillies "untouchable," but there's little doubt that teams inquired about Saskatoon's overage forwards, Chris Durand and Ondrej Fiala. However, after trading 19-year-old captain Justin McCrae to the Spokane Chiefs earlier in the week, Molleken said he was wary of creating a leadership vacuum.
"We still need some leadership with older players to guide our younger guys along. With Durand, Fiala and (defenceman John) Flatters as our overage guys, they all bring something a little bit different to the hockey club as far as their leadership skills and their skills on the ice.
"We're looking to move forward now and I know from talking to all three of those guys, they're relieved that it's over and they're staying in Saskatoon."
The Blades (14-25-2-1) remain 18 points out of a playoff spot. The silver lining in this stinker of a season is that Saskatoon might nab two of the top six picks in this spring's bantam draft. The Blades have their own first-round pick as well as the Prince George Cougars' (from the Devin Setoguchi trade last season), and the Cougars' record (13-28-1-0) is even worse than the Blades'. Saskatoon also owns two second-round picks.
"I really believe we need to build through the draft," said Molleken. "We've started the process. We're in the middle of a rebuilding situation and we feel that we have a pretty good mix on our hockey club right now.
"We're surprised and disappointed to be where we're at. That was part of the reasoning in moving Justin McCrae. We had an opportunity to bring in two younger players who have some offensive upside."
Only one of those new players, 18-year-old forward Chris Langkow, will be a full-time Blade for the rest of the season. Winger Burke Gallimore, who turned 17 this week, is expected to finish the season with the Edmonton-based Gregg Distributors, who lead the Alberta Midget Hockey League with a 20-2-4 record. However, Gallimore will more than likely be called up for a game here and there.
"Our plan is to bring up some of our younger players and give them an opportunity to play a little bit at this level," said Molleken.
The Blades did make one roster move Thursday, reassigning 18-year-old forward Jordan Braid to the SJHL's Kindersley Klippers. The Saskatoon native registered one assist and 22 penalty minutes in 29 games.