Scout
02-13-2008, 07:40 PM
Doyle, Broncos All Smiles These Days
By Jesse Watts
Eric Doyle of the Swift Current Broncos has been all smiles, lately.
Then again, when your team is riding a double-digit winning streak – 10 straight games, to be exact – and is one of the hottest units in the Western Hockey League, there are plenty of reasons to be happy.
“We’ve been playing well lately, and managing to get it done out there,” said Doyle, an 18-year-old defenseman from Calgary, AB, who is in his third WHL season, and first full campaign with the Broncos.
“With this winning streak, we’ve been playing great as a team, and sticking with our plan,” said Doyle, who began his WHL career with the Everett Silvertips but was dealt to the Broncos at the WHL trade deadline last season. “We’ve played games against teams like Calgary, which have been really good tests for us, and we’ve shown we can play with these top teams.”
The Broncos’ success this season wasn’t exactly unexpected.
Some significant off-season acquisitions coupled with the further development of their young talent meant expectations were high for the team at the start of the 2007-08 season. A solid season-opening road trip further bolstered the notion that the Broncos were ready to make some noise in the Eastern Conference.
Although there have been a few ups and downs for the Broncos through the first three quarters of the season, they have shown that, when they play to their potential, they are a force to be reckoned with.
A team with depth at all positions, the Broncos have been getting solid contributions on a nightly basis not only from their top veterans, but also from their younger players, who have shown they can step up when the need arises.
“You look at guys like Cody Eakin and Geordie Wudrick, who have stepped up and played really well for us,” said Doyle. “They are getting lots of ice time and responsibility, and are putting up the points as a result.
“A guy like (defenseman) Joel Rodgers, who didn’t get a lot of time early on, has stepped in a played well and helped us out with guys like (Mike) Wilson out,” he said.
Goaltending – crucial to all successful teams – has also been a strong point for the Broncos. The tandem of veteran Travis Yonkman and rookie Mark Guggenberger has provided stability in the Broncos’ cage, and given the team even more confidence.
“Yonkman is in his first year as a starter, and he’s been great for us…he’s kept us in some games, and helped us win some games where maybe we shouldn’t have,” said Doyle. “We didn’t know too much about Guggenberger when we got him (from Portland), but he’s showing us what he can do…he’s got three shutouts in four games here.”
Of course, Doyle himself has played no small role in the Broncos’ success. The 6’3, 185-lb rearguard has, for the most part, paired up with 20-year-old Michael Wilson to form one of the best defensive duos in the WHL. The two have combined for 14 goals, 86 points and a +40 rating while helping the team reduce its goals-against.
“I’m getting lots of playing time on the power play, and managed to put up some points,” said Doyle. “I get to play with Mike Wilson, who is such a great passer. He’s great at setting me up with one-timers.
“One thing I’ve really tried to work on is my defensive play,” he said. “Our coaches have really helped me out in that area, and I think I’ve done a good job of improving my defensive game.”
The on-ice success of the 2007-08 edition of the Broncos has made for happy and enthusiastic hockey fans in the Swift Current community. After struggling with sub-.500 records the last three seasons, the Broncos are now generating a buzz around town where the talk is not just about making the playoffs, but
“There was a lot of excitement around town at the start of the year, with all the trades we made and the team we could put together,” said Doyle. “We had a bit of a funk there for a bit, but now we’re back on the winning end right now, and our fans have been behind us the whole way.
“There is definitely some excitement about us,” he added.
With all the success the Broncos have enjoyed, they still have much work to do. With just over four weeks remaining in regular-season play and just seven points separating second place from seventh place in the Eastern Conference, Doyle and his teammates know they need to keep up their hard work as teams battle for playoff positioning.
“With how tight it is in the Eastern Conference, we just need to make sure we get all the points we can,” said Doyle, whose Broncos currently sit just four points behind Regina for the East Division lead.
“We need to take as many points as we can when we play divisional teams like Moose Jaw, Regina and Brandon, but we also need to make sure we’re competing no matter who we are up against because you can drop pretty quickly in the standings if you’re off your game for a few nights,” he said.
By Jesse Watts
Eric Doyle of the Swift Current Broncos has been all smiles, lately.
Then again, when your team is riding a double-digit winning streak – 10 straight games, to be exact – and is one of the hottest units in the Western Hockey League, there are plenty of reasons to be happy.
“We’ve been playing well lately, and managing to get it done out there,” said Doyle, an 18-year-old defenseman from Calgary, AB, who is in his third WHL season, and first full campaign with the Broncos.
“With this winning streak, we’ve been playing great as a team, and sticking with our plan,” said Doyle, who began his WHL career with the Everett Silvertips but was dealt to the Broncos at the WHL trade deadline last season. “We’ve played games against teams like Calgary, which have been really good tests for us, and we’ve shown we can play with these top teams.”
The Broncos’ success this season wasn’t exactly unexpected.
Some significant off-season acquisitions coupled with the further development of their young talent meant expectations were high for the team at the start of the 2007-08 season. A solid season-opening road trip further bolstered the notion that the Broncos were ready to make some noise in the Eastern Conference.
Although there have been a few ups and downs for the Broncos through the first three quarters of the season, they have shown that, when they play to their potential, they are a force to be reckoned with.
A team with depth at all positions, the Broncos have been getting solid contributions on a nightly basis not only from their top veterans, but also from their younger players, who have shown they can step up when the need arises.
“You look at guys like Cody Eakin and Geordie Wudrick, who have stepped up and played really well for us,” said Doyle. “They are getting lots of ice time and responsibility, and are putting up the points as a result.
“A guy like (defenseman) Joel Rodgers, who didn’t get a lot of time early on, has stepped in a played well and helped us out with guys like (Mike) Wilson out,” he said.
Goaltending – crucial to all successful teams – has also been a strong point for the Broncos. The tandem of veteran Travis Yonkman and rookie Mark Guggenberger has provided stability in the Broncos’ cage, and given the team even more confidence.
“Yonkman is in his first year as a starter, and he’s been great for us…he’s kept us in some games, and helped us win some games where maybe we shouldn’t have,” said Doyle. “We didn’t know too much about Guggenberger when we got him (from Portland), but he’s showing us what he can do…he’s got three shutouts in four games here.”
Of course, Doyle himself has played no small role in the Broncos’ success. The 6’3, 185-lb rearguard has, for the most part, paired up with 20-year-old Michael Wilson to form one of the best defensive duos in the WHL. The two have combined for 14 goals, 86 points and a +40 rating while helping the team reduce its goals-against.
“I’m getting lots of playing time on the power play, and managed to put up some points,” said Doyle. “I get to play with Mike Wilson, who is such a great passer. He’s great at setting me up with one-timers.
“One thing I’ve really tried to work on is my defensive play,” he said. “Our coaches have really helped me out in that area, and I think I’ve done a good job of improving my defensive game.”
The on-ice success of the 2007-08 edition of the Broncos has made for happy and enthusiastic hockey fans in the Swift Current community. After struggling with sub-.500 records the last three seasons, the Broncos are now generating a buzz around town where the talk is not just about making the playoffs, but
“There was a lot of excitement around town at the start of the year, with all the trades we made and the team we could put together,” said Doyle. “We had a bit of a funk there for a bit, but now we’re back on the winning end right now, and our fans have been behind us the whole way.
“There is definitely some excitement about us,” he added.
With all the success the Broncos have enjoyed, they still have much work to do. With just over four weeks remaining in regular-season play and just seven points separating second place from seventh place in the Eastern Conference, Doyle and his teammates know they need to keep up their hard work as teams battle for playoff positioning.
“With how tight it is in the Eastern Conference, we just need to make sure we get all the points we can,” said Doyle, whose Broncos currently sit just four points behind Regina for the East Division lead.
“We need to take as many points as we can when we play divisional teams like Moose Jaw, Regina and Brandon, but we also need to make sure we’re competing no matter who we are up against because you can drop pretty quickly in the standings if you’re off your game for a few nights,” he said.