nivek_wahs
04-02-2008, 07:07 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=0f3be084-36ad-4998-a9ce-97f0e2ef34f0
Pats to be younger, faster
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Wednesday, April 02, 2008
It's going to be a long offseason for the Regina Pats, but it's never too early to start working on your transition game.
The Pats are already in the planning stages for the 2008-09 campaign, when the WHL club is expected to be a younger, smaller and faster version of the team that captured its first East Division title in 10 years.
The transition from a veteran roster to a mix of youth and experience is likely to create some growing pains, but the Pats don't believe that will be an excuse for taking a step back in the standings.
"Our expectations don't change," insisted Pats GM Brent Parker, whose team was upset by the Swift Current Broncos in the first round of the playoffs. "We want to have success every year and we'll start training camp with the same intentions, to try to compete for a division championship and move forward. We'll be a little younger than we were this year. Our team speed will be a little bit better. It certainly isn't a rebuilding year -- I wouldn't look at it that way -- but it's a bit of a transition year. We have a lot of (prospects) that are ready to play."
YOUNG GUNS: At the top of the list is top prospect Jordan Weal, who played seven games with the Pats this season, including four in the postseason. He led the B.C. Major Midget league in scoring this season with 39 goals and 100 points in 40 games. Another top prospect expected to make the team is Kyle Mulder, who was one of the last cuts at last year's training camp. The two-way winger helped lead the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers to a 40-0 record this season while posting 23 goals and 52 points in 39 games.
Also knocking at the door is a trio of forwards from the midget AAA Beardy's Blackhawks: Dominick Favreau (first-round bantam pick, 13th overall, in 2007), Graham Hood (second-rounder) and Clark Breitkreuz (list pickup).
Regina's other prize list addition is Spencer Braaten, a small but ultra-skilled centre who finished third in the Saskatchewan midget AAA league's scoring race this season with 31 goals and 79 points in 43 games. Braaten has yet to commit to the Pats, but they're close to signing him.
Braaten and Weal, in particular, could make an immediate impact among Regina's top six forwards.
"We think we have a lot of good young forwards coming," said Parker. "That's the reason we were able to (make some trades this season)."
THE OVERAGE DILEMMA: With seven players eligible for three 20-year-old spots, there are more trades in Regina's future. If captain Logan Pyett graduates to the pro ranks as expected, the leading candidates for those three spots are likely defenceman Victor Bartley, who is also exploring pro options, centre Scott Doucet and left-winger Michael MacAngus.
"As we get closer to the (May 1 bantam) draft we'll look at some of our 19-year-olds and the opportunity to maybe pick up some draft picks back and things like that," said Parker. "We're going to give some of them an opportunity to go elsewhere, hopefully before the start of camp. Then we'll have some who will be back battling for positions. It's going to make for an interesting camp."
A CROWDED CREASE: The Pats are facing a good problem between the pipes with four players battling for two jobs: Veteran starter Linden Rowat, promising backup Jeff Bosch and highly touted prospects Damien Ketlo (a BCHL all-star this season) and Derek Tendler (the top goalie and MVP of the Saskatchewan midget AAA loop).
Bosch is knocking at the door to become a starter while Ketlo could step seamlessly into the backup spot.
"We've had some depth at that position (in the past), but nothing like this," noted Parker. "It's an area that we're going to have some tough decisions but those are great decisions to have to make."
THE OUTLOOK: Regina could have as many as 16 returning players next season, although two or three of them could easily be pushed aside by an incoming rookie. Bartley, Colten Teubert and Matt Delahey will anchor the blueline, with Curtis Kulchar and Alex Pym taking on larger roles while Dallas Jackson competes for more icetime with the likes of rookie Koltyn Miller.
Up front, Jordan Eberle (team-high 42 goals) returns as the go-to guy offensively. MacAngus, Doucet, Brett Leffler and Rudolf Cerveny are expected to step up their production with the graduation of No. 1 centre Tim Kraus and power forward J.D Watt. Garrett Mitchell and Matt Strueby have earned a promotion from the fourth line and will be key performers. The Pats are also crossing their fingers that they can get lucky and add some offensive punch in this summer's import draft.
Todd Kennedy and Cody Hanson are among the other incumbent forwards who will have to fend off challenges to retain their spots on the roster.
"The dynamics change (every year)," said head coach Curtis Hunt. "There's going to be a big change in terms of our age but we're going to have a ton of speed. Based on what we've just seen and what we've been through (in the playoffs) that's a very positive thing. If you look at some of our key performers in this postseason, that was some of our younger players who are now going to jump into some of those leadership roles. You can't help but be very excited about what's to come."
Bartley believes the present and future look bright.
"We'll lose a lot of key guys but we have so many young players coming up it's going to be absolutely amazing," said the veteran blueliner. "Our defence is going to be really stacked. Jordan Eberle will be 18 next year. He might pot 50. Young guys like Garrett Mitchell and Matt Strueby will be stepping up. I'm actually really excited about next year, just knowing the kind of guys we have."
A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2008-09 REGINA PATS:
Key losses: D Ryan Bender, C Tim Kraus, RW J.D. Watt (all graduated) and D Logan Pyett (likely to turn pro).
20-year-olds (three spots available): D Victor Bartley, RW Ryan DePape, C Scott Doucet, LW Josh Elder, C Kirt Hill, LW Michael MacAngus and Pyett.
Key returnees: Bartley; LW Rudolf Cerveny, 19; Doucet; D Matt Delahey, 19; RW Jordan Eberle, 18; RW Brett Leffler, 19; MacAngus; G Linden Rowat, 19; D Colten Teubert, 18.
Stepping up: G Jeff Bosch, 18; D Dallas Jackson, 19; LW Todd Kennedy, 18; D Curtis Kulchar, 18; RW Garrett Mitchell, 17; D Alex Pym, 17; C Matt Strueby, 19.
Top prospects: C Spencer Braaten, 18 (Saskatoon Blazers midget AAA); F Clark Breitkreuz, 17 (Beardy's AAA); F/D Dru Cotterill, 18 (St. Albert AAA); F/D Aaron Enns, 17 (Calgary AAA); LW Cody Hanson, 18 (Regina AAA); C Dominick Favreau, 16 (Beardy's); F Graham Hood, 16 (Beardy's); G Damien Ketlo, 17 (Prince George junior A); F Kenton Miller, 17 (Nipawin junior A); D Koltyn Miller, 17 (Tisdale AAA); LW Kyle Mulder, 17 (Winnipeg AAA); D Justin Slobozian, 16 (Dauphin, Man., high school); D Byron Sorenson, 17 (Blazers); D Travis Sparrow, 17 (Moose Jaw AAA); G Derek Tendler, 16 (Regina AAA); RW Jordan Weal, 16 (Vancouver major midget).
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008
Pats to be younger, faster
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Wednesday, April 02, 2008
It's going to be a long offseason for the Regina Pats, but it's never too early to start working on your transition game.
The Pats are already in the planning stages for the 2008-09 campaign, when the WHL club is expected to be a younger, smaller and faster version of the team that captured its first East Division title in 10 years.
The transition from a veteran roster to a mix of youth and experience is likely to create some growing pains, but the Pats don't believe that will be an excuse for taking a step back in the standings.
"Our expectations don't change," insisted Pats GM Brent Parker, whose team was upset by the Swift Current Broncos in the first round of the playoffs. "We want to have success every year and we'll start training camp with the same intentions, to try to compete for a division championship and move forward. We'll be a little younger than we were this year. Our team speed will be a little bit better. It certainly isn't a rebuilding year -- I wouldn't look at it that way -- but it's a bit of a transition year. We have a lot of (prospects) that are ready to play."
YOUNG GUNS: At the top of the list is top prospect Jordan Weal, who played seven games with the Pats this season, including four in the postseason. He led the B.C. Major Midget league in scoring this season with 39 goals and 100 points in 40 games. Another top prospect expected to make the team is Kyle Mulder, who was one of the last cuts at last year's training camp. The two-way winger helped lead the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers to a 40-0 record this season while posting 23 goals and 52 points in 39 games.
Also knocking at the door is a trio of forwards from the midget AAA Beardy's Blackhawks: Dominick Favreau (first-round bantam pick, 13th overall, in 2007), Graham Hood (second-rounder) and Clark Breitkreuz (list pickup).
Regina's other prize list addition is Spencer Braaten, a small but ultra-skilled centre who finished third in the Saskatchewan midget AAA league's scoring race this season with 31 goals and 79 points in 43 games. Braaten has yet to commit to the Pats, but they're close to signing him.
Braaten and Weal, in particular, could make an immediate impact among Regina's top six forwards.
"We think we have a lot of good young forwards coming," said Parker. "That's the reason we were able to (make some trades this season)."
THE OVERAGE DILEMMA: With seven players eligible for three 20-year-old spots, there are more trades in Regina's future. If captain Logan Pyett graduates to the pro ranks as expected, the leading candidates for those three spots are likely defenceman Victor Bartley, who is also exploring pro options, centre Scott Doucet and left-winger Michael MacAngus.
"As we get closer to the (May 1 bantam) draft we'll look at some of our 19-year-olds and the opportunity to maybe pick up some draft picks back and things like that," said Parker. "We're going to give some of them an opportunity to go elsewhere, hopefully before the start of camp. Then we'll have some who will be back battling for positions. It's going to make for an interesting camp."
A CROWDED CREASE: The Pats are facing a good problem between the pipes with four players battling for two jobs: Veteran starter Linden Rowat, promising backup Jeff Bosch and highly touted prospects Damien Ketlo (a BCHL all-star this season) and Derek Tendler (the top goalie and MVP of the Saskatchewan midget AAA loop).
Bosch is knocking at the door to become a starter while Ketlo could step seamlessly into the backup spot.
"We've had some depth at that position (in the past), but nothing like this," noted Parker. "It's an area that we're going to have some tough decisions but those are great decisions to have to make."
THE OUTLOOK: Regina could have as many as 16 returning players next season, although two or three of them could easily be pushed aside by an incoming rookie. Bartley, Colten Teubert and Matt Delahey will anchor the blueline, with Curtis Kulchar and Alex Pym taking on larger roles while Dallas Jackson competes for more icetime with the likes of rookie Koltyn Miller.
Up front, Jordan Eberle (team-high 42 goals) returns as the go-to guy offensively. MacAngus, Doucet, Brett Leffler and Rudolf Cerveny are expected to step up their production with the graduation of No. 1 centre Tim Kraus and power forward J.D Watt. Garrett Mitchell and Matt Strueby have earned a promotion from the fourth line and will be key performers. The Pats are also crossing their fingers that they can get lucky and add some offensive punch in this summer's import draft.
Todd Kennedy and Cody Hanson are among the other incumbent forwards who will have to fend off challenges to retain their spots on the roster.
"The dynamics change (every year)," said head coach Curtis Hunt. "There's going to be a big change in terms of our age but we're going to have a ton of speed. Based on what we've just seen and what we've been through (in the playoffs) that's a very positive thing. If you look at some of our key performers in this postseason, that was some of our younger players who are now going to jump into some of those leadership roles. You can't help but be very excited about what's to come."
Bartley believes the present and future look bright.
"We'll lose a lot of key guys but we have so many young players coming up it's going to be absolutely amazing," said the veteran blueliner. "Our defence is going to be really stacked. Jordan Eberle will be 18 next year. He might pot 50. Young guys like Garrett Mitchell and Matt Strueby will be stepping up. I'm actually really excited about next year, just knowing the kind of guys we have."
A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2008-09 REGINA PATS:
Key losses: D Ryan Bender, C Tim Kraus, RW J.D. Watt (all graduated) and D Logan Pyett (likely to turn pro).
20-year-olds (three spots available): D Victor Bartley, RW Ryan DePape, C Scott Doucet, LW Josh Elder, C Kirt Hill, LW Michael MacAngus and Pyett.
Key returnees: Bartley; LW Rudolf Cerveny, 19; Doucet; D Matt Delahey, 19; RW Jordan Eberle, 18; RW Brett Leffler, 19; MacAngus; G Linden Rowat, 19; D Colten Teubert, 18.
Stepping up: G Jeff Bosch, 18; D Dallas Jackson, 19; LW Todd Kennedy, 18; D Curtis Kulchar, 18; RW Garrett Mitchell, 17; D Alex Pym, 17; C Matt Strueby, 19.
Top prospects: C Spencer Braaten, 18 (Saskatoon Blazers midget AAA); F Clark Breitkreuz, 17 (Beardy's AAA); F/D Dru Cotterill, 18 (St. Albert AAA); F/D Aaron Enns, 17 (Calgary AAA); LW Cody Hanson, 18 (Regina AAA); C Dominick Favreau, 16 (Beardy's); F Graham Hood, 16 (Beardy's); G Damien Ketlo, 17 (Prince George junior A); F Kenton Miller, 17 (Nipawin junior A); D Koltyn Miller, 17 (Tisdale AAA); LW Kyle Mulder, 17 (Winnipeg AAA); D Justin Slobozian, 16 (Dauphin, Man., high school); D Byron Sorenson, 17 (Blazers); D Travis Sparrow, 17 (Moose Jaw AAA); G Derek Tendler, 16 (Regina AAA); RW Jordan Weal, 16 (Vancouver major midget).
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008