Rookies

[westernleague]

Okay folks, how is this wheat king roster going to end up... who will be our first year players and will kelly go with any 16 year olds this season?

[Joe Hallenback]

Lowry Clark ?
Glennie Schenn Calvert
Jefferies Fehr Green
Hale King Cowan

Robak Aulie
Melynchuk Grill
Erb or McCue ?

Joe C
Hayes

Granted we do not know our Imports yet and the possibility remains that we could possibly have both Mayorov and Gotovets in the lineup. Personally I expect Gotovets to be here and its probably looking 20/80 that Mayorov will not be here

So what 16 year olds does that leave

Brandon Regier
Ryley Miller
Jordan Depape
Dallas Ehrhardt
Mark Stone

Out of that group Regier is the lock for the team. First round pick and he can skate and is really physical. He should come into camp at 6'2 200 and hopefuly plays the wrecking ball type for us.

Miller is probably as close to a lock as well. He is one of those do it all kind of defencemen. He can skate well and has an edge to him. Look for him to be that 6-7 guy

After that its hard to say. I sure Depape and Stone will have a good shot but there is only so many open spots. Out of those 2 I like Stone alot hes very big and has nice soft hands. Erhardt is a Big defencemen whom I assuming they would like to come in and take on the Physical tough d role like Yeo used to do.

Saying all this lets say we get our 1 import Defencemen this is kinda what I think we will look like

Clark Lowry Regier
Glennie Schenn Calvert
Stone Fehr Green
Jefferies King Hale
Depape

Robak Aulie
Gotovets Melnychuk
McCue Miller
Erhardt

Joe C
Hayes
Hildebrand
Our top line has some added Size and Youth with Regier whom I think could score quite a lot. Our top line 2 just might be the best line not only in the WHL next season but the entire CHL. Our 3rd line could be very good with speed and I put Stone there to add some size and guy who can score but It could very well be Depape there as well. Our fourth line is the grind line and hopefully we see some Improvement from both King and Hale who have both been big disappointments for were they were drafted.

Our defence is solid. Robak and Aulie should and will play alot. Melnychuk is a year older and should have a Robak like draft year. Gotovets is a wild card but he was very good for a poor Belarus team at the u18s and I liked what little I saw of him. If he can bring that offensive game to us and adjust to the grind of the Dub he will be an excellent pickup. I think we will end up keeping McCue as we need an straight up enforcer for next year and he fits the bill pretty good. I also think we will carry two 16 year old Defencemen next season in both Miller and Ehrhardt as more than likely we will lose Aulie and McCue next season.

In net they will probably go with Joe C but I here they are not too confident in his abilities to lead them to a WHL title. Hayes Looked really good some nights and really bad others so that leads me to the wild card in Hildebrand. They are very high on him and I wouldnt be surprised if he makes the team and takes over the number 1

All in all we are in for a great season. We have the most exciting line in all of the WHL in kid line and I expect them to put up huge numbers. Not only that we have Clark and Lowry back for their 20 year old season and it could mean a huge year from that duo as well. We are stacked up front and we are very capable and big on the backend. Our only question mark is the goalie and that may very well be addressed at the trade deadline if no one grabs the reins and runs with it.

[mckayd2001]

Chad Erb rights got traded in the MJHL from Neepawa to OCN anyword as to if OCN has some inside knowledge that he is going to go play junior

[sbtatter]

McCue will not beat out Erb on this team. Erb is the only guy who consistently stood up for the rookies last year. He didn't win all his fights, but the main thing is that he was consistently there.
I see several young guys making the WK's, or being traded for a goalie (unless Hildebrand proves to be the answer between the pipes). Regier and Miller are locks to make the squad. Stone should be, but rumours persist the Thrashers really want him back as they are hosting the Telus Cup in 09. If Stone doesn't join the Wheaties, expect Depape to be on. Some of the talent that deserves a serious look are Rock, Erdhardt, Walker, Rouse, Hall (prob stay with the Thrashers for reasons listed by Stone).
Players who won't be back are obviously McCue and Bartek. Guys who have to fight (fighting might help their cause!) for their lives are King, Hale, Grille Donovan and both Hayes and Joe C. Guys who need to show continous improvement are Jeffries and Cowan. I like there work ethic, but your grinders have to be a continous physical threat out there, these 2 could fit that role, but we'll see.
I think Hildebrand makes this team, and maybe we should go with Hayes as backup, Joe had his chance last season and didn't convince....

My ideal starting line up (not including the 2 Euro's or trades), I think this team would score goals, only problem is maybe too much offensive talent for the minutes available? At least we would have 3 high scoring lines!!!

Calvert Schenn Glennie
Lowry Clark Regier
Stone Green Fehr
Jeffries Cowan Depape

On the squad Hale, King and Rouse


Aulie Grille-Donovan
Melnychuk Robak
Erb Miller

On the squad Rock and Erdhardt

Hildebrand and Hayes (unless Joe plays out of his jock pre season!).


One thing we need to be aware of is the large amount of 19 year olds we have on the roster. Maybe one or two of these guys will be traded to make room for youth?
Calvert, Cowan, Jeffries, Green, Fehr, Aulie, Caliguri.
Right now I have them listed as Aulie, Calvert, Fehr, Green, Caliguri, Cowan, Jeffries

[defencerocks]

Whatever happened to Lewadniuk. Wheaties traded for him and then never showed. He may be able to help with scoring up front but would be a 19 yearold rookie in the league.

[mckayd2001]

McCue will not beat out Erb on this team. Erb is the only guy who consistently stood up for the rookies last year. He didn't win all his fights, but the main thing is that he was consistently there.
I see several young guys making the WK's, or being traded for a goalie (unless Hildebrand proves to be the answer between the pipes). Regier and Miller are locks to make the squad. Stone should be, but rumours persist the Thrashers really want him back as they are hosting the Telus Cup in 09. If Stone doesn't join the Wheaties, expect Depape to be on. Some of the talent that deserves a serious look are Rock, Erdhardt, Walker, Rouse, Hall (prob stay with the Thrashers for reasons listed by Stone).
Players who won't be back are obviously McCue and Bartek. Guys who have to fight (fighting might help their cause!) for their lives are King, Hale, Grille Donovan and both Hayes and Joe C. Guys who need to show continous improvement are Jeffries and Cowan. I like there work ethic, but your grinders have to be a continous physical threat out there, these 2 could fit that role, but we'll see.
I think Hildebrand makes this team, and maybe we should go with Hayes as backup, Joe had his chance last season and didn't convince....

My ideal starting line up (not including the 2 Euro's or trades), I think this team would score goals, only problem is maybe too much offensive talent for the minutes available? At least we would have 3 high scoring lines!!!

Calvert Schenn Glennie
Lowry Clark Regier
Stone Green Fehr
Jeffries Cowan Depape

On the squad Hale, King and Rouse


Aulie Grille-Donovan
Melnychuk Robak
Erb Miller

On the squad Rock and Erdhardt

Hildebrand and Hayes (unless Joe plays out of his jock pre season!).


One thing we need to be aware of is the large amount of 19 year olds we have on the roster. Maybe one or two of these guys will be traded to make room for youth?
Calvert, Cowan, Jeffries, Green, Fehr, Aulie, Caliguri.
Right now I have them listed as Aulie, Calvert, Fehr, Green, Caliguri, Cowan, Jeffries

I like the looks of that lineup good post.

[booboo]

Good to see Schenn and Glennie both make the U18 team headed overseas Wed. to the Czech Republic for the Ivan Hlinka tourney :bounce:

[sbtatter]

Good to see Schenn and Glennie both make the U18 team headed overseas Wed. to the Czech Republic for the Ivan Hlinka tourney :bounce:
That is awesome news!!

[sbtatter]

Read that Schenn didn't play today due to a sore hip, hope that heals up soon....

[Vik]

No offense there sbtatter but I really don't like that lineup. Especially the d pairings. AGD isn't ready for heavy duty work. Even Melnychuk's questionable as a top 4 to me. We tend to go with 3 forward lines and 2 d pairings and give the top guys heavy lifting, which is a big reason I don't like having Regier on the top line as both you and Joe have suggested. Hopefully we get Mayorov because that should solve that problem but if we don't, I'd say...

Fehr - Clark - Lowry
Calvert - Schenn - Glennie
Cowan - Jeffries - Green
Hale - King - Regier

With Regier possibly moving up to the 3rd line at some point. And whichever rookies we end up with will fight with Hale and King for ice time.

For d...
Robak - Erb
Aulie - Melnychuk
AGD - (Rookie)

And I don't think we have a real problem in net. I'd like an improvement but don't think it's absolutely necessary.

[MidgetAAA]

Jesse Sinatynski has been put in school and they say that its his spot to lose..they have him in on the 3rd line wit a chance to play on the 2nd...they are very high on this kid

[Purple_Monkey_Dishwasher]

Mayorov, if he doesn't make the bluejackets, they intend on sending him to junior. so the chances are really high for him to come to brandon cause he would have to really impress to make the nhl

[westernleague]

How many forwards will the team go with?

[sbtatter]

No problem Vik!
Just a couple points. I put Regier on the 2nd line, not the top line (Schenn's). I hate to break up Fehr and Green b/c they appear to play well together. I didn't really match up the d-men, if I had to rank them I'd go Aulie, Robak, Erb, Melnychuk, GD, Miller, Rock, Erdhardt.
I think if we are to compete at the Memorial Cup level we need to add some more toughness and grit, both on d and up front, and our goaltending wasn't even average last season, so unless Joe manages to really step up this season, we need a new goalie. But if we're not wanting to contend for the Mem Cup, the squad we have should be able to win a couple playoff rounds....

[sbtatter]

Mayorov, if he doesn't make the bluejackets, they intend on sending him to junior. so the chances are really high for him to come to brandon cause he would have to really impress to make the nhl
That would be a huge bonus, but the AHL is also an option for him.....

[Vik]

Just a couple points. I put Regier on the 2nd line, not the top line (Schenn's).
Yeah, I was just considering your 2nd line our top line. I figured in terms of the minutes they'd play, they'd be more like our top lines of the past.


I hate to break up Fehr and Green b/c they appear to play well together.
Yeah I think Fehr with Jeffries and Green would be the better option for Fehr but I don't think any of our rookies are good to go for the top line. Maybe we could throw Cowan out with Clark and Lowry or something.


I think if we are to compete at the Memorial Cup level we need to add some more toughness and grit, both on d and up front, and our goaltending wasn't even average last season, so unless Joe manages to really step up this season, we need a new goalie. But if we're not wanting to contend for the Mem Cup, the squad we have should be able to win a couple playoff rounds....
I'd agree that we need to add something to be competing for the Mem. Though, personally, the thing I think is most important to this team's success is to get that PP going. Last year, it was just plain ugly so hopefully we get things sorted out there. That's one of the reasons I remember suggesting Alex Plante would look good here is that he has played well in big minutes there in the past.

Fun fact: While typing this up "Little Willy" came on.

[sbtatter]

Good point Vik, our PP has benn impotent since Xmas 06. That year Simek and Burki were dynamite, but then teams figured out the short side pass by the net. I wish we had a more basic PP where we put a big body in front of the net and have the d-men shoot a lot more...it was painful at times last year, we sometimes had more shots SH than on the PP!!!!!

[Bully73]

Mayorov, if he doesn't make the bluejackets, they intend on sending him to junior. so the chances are really high for him to come to brandon cause he would have to really impress to make the nhl
As sbtatter said, the AHL is also an option (because he was not drafted out of the CHL), and moreso, a very legit option to happen. From everything I read from Columbus fans during the rookie camp that Calvert also attended, Mayorov doesn't look ready for the NHL yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him make their farm club.

I'm still hopeful though that he may find his way to Brandon, but I definitely would not say the "chances are really high" for this to happen.

[nivek_wahs]

Add Lewadniuk and take off Regier from your lists....

http://www.wheatkings.com/news_item.aspx?news_id=4450



Monday, August 11, 2008

Brandon, Manitoba – With Hockey School underway this week at Westman Place and Training Camp just two weeks away, the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings are pleased to announce two significant signings.

In addition to receiving a commitment from 15-year old Klarc Wilson (pictured player on front page), Wheat Kings’ general manager and head coach Kelly McCrimmon has confirmed that 19-year old Carman product Aaron Lewadniuk has come to terms with the WHL club.

A member of the USHL’s Omaha Lancers last season, the former Winkler Flyer was chosen winner of the Vince Leah Trophy as the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Rookie of the Year in 2006-07. That season, he finished 13th in league scoring and sixth in goals with 87 points including 43 goals. In 58 games with the Lancers this past season, the 5’11” 175 lb. Lewadniuk scored fifteen goals and 38 points.

A sixth round pick of the Winter Hawks (110th overall) in the 2004 WHL Bantam draft, Lewadniuk’s playing rights were obtained from Portland in a June 2007 trade after he had accepted an NCAA Scholarship.

“As a 19-year old player we anticipate Aaron making a real significant contribution to our club,” says McCrimmon. “He is a gifted offensive player that will complement our forward group.“

Wilson meanwhile was Brandon’s first round selection, 13th overall, during May’s WHL Bantam draft and is coming off an impressive showing at this spring’s Prospects Camp in Brandon.

“Klarc is a great young prospect,” McCrimmon says. “Our staff held him in high regard heading into the bantam draft, prompting us to trade up to select him. We look forward to him developing in our organization.”

In 31 games with the Edmonton Knights of Columbus Squires last season, the 6’ 190 lb. Wilson scored 34 goals and 79 points to finish third in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League North Division scoring race.

In other player news, 16-year old right-winger Brandon Regier, the club’s first round pick in last year’s bantam draft, has informed the Wheat Kings that he will not be attending this year’s Camp, choosing instead to stay home and concentrate on his school for this year. Regier, who has signed a WHL contract with the club, appeared in four games for the Wheat Kings last winter.

“Brandon’s decision has caught us off guard but we respect his reasons for making this choice,” says McCrimmon. “We remain hopeful that he will one day join our team.”

In 31 games with the Fraser Valley Bruins last season, Regier scored fifteen goals and 19 points while accumulating 150 penalty minutes. The 17th overall selection in 2007, the 6’ 180 lb. Regier scored 49 goals and 72 points in 2006-07 as a member of the Abbotsford Bantams.

[sbtatter]

Holy hell, adding Lewadniuk just gave us a bucket more of production, now the lines could look like this,

Calvert Schenn Glennie
Lowry Lewadniuk Clark
Stone Green Fehr
Jeffries Cowan Depape

or they could reunite him with Fehr

Calvert Schenn Glennie
Fehr Lewadniuk Clark
Stone Green Lowry
Jeffries Cowan Depape

Surprised to hear about Regier's sudden decision not to play this year, very strange, and too bad.....hate to lose a year from a first rounder.....trade bait for a BC team maybe?? A defenceman or a tender??

[booboo]

You have made some very good points. Lewandniuk is a very good addition to the team. Imagine if Mayorov also came to the Wheats. Wow what a line up.Almost impossible to stop offensively. Regier will be back next year which is O.K. or will be traded out west later this year for a big d-man or a goalie(Mucha from Portland?). Depape and Stone should be added to the lineup as they are both very good and will develop into excellent players. King ,Hale,and or Cowan are in real danger of not making this team. I am not totally sold on the goaltending but both Caliguri and Hayes should be given a chance to play. dancing pi

[sbtatter]

You have made some very good points. Lewandniuk is a very good addition to the team. Imagine if Mayorov also came to the Wheats. Wow what a line up.Almost impossible to stop offensively. Regier will be back next year which is O.K. or will be traded out west later this year for a big d-man or a goalie(Mucha from Portland?). Depape and Stone should be added to the lineup as they are both very good and will develop into excellent players. King ,Hale,and or Cowan are in real danger of not making this team. I am not totally sold on the goaltending but both Caliguri and Hayes should be given a chance to play. dancing pi
If Mayorov showed up, WOW!!
the bottom 4 forwards from last year in my mind are
King - too passive
Hale - too passive
Jeffries - good hustle but low production and not physical enough
Cowan - beats Jeffries b/c he is a decent middleweight

Kelly Mac has an embarrasment of forward riches available to trade for a tender and d-man if he so wishes.....

[Vik]

Sucks about Regier but Lewie coming is big for us. If Mayorov joins us...

Mayorov - Clark - Lowry
Calvert - Schenn - Glennie
Fehr - Lewie - Green

That's gotta be the best forward group in the league by far. It'd be interesting to see who we throw out on the power play though.

[sbtatter]

Sucks about Regier but Lewie coming is big for us. If Mayorov joins us...

Mayorov - Clark - Lowry
Calvert - Schenn - Glennie
Fehr - Lewie - Green

That's gotta be the best forward group in the league by far. It'd be interesting to see who we throw out on the power play though.
A 4th line of Cowan, Jeffries and one of Depape/Stone, we would be stacked up front!
I think the PP situation will be ok, whichever line has the hot hand gets to start the PP, keep them from getting complacent!!

[Brandonite]

It probably boils down to the fact that he is not mature enough to move away from home. Alot of kids cant do it and its understandable. Regeir is not the 1st kid to do it and will not be the last. The fact that he is from the same city as former captain Ryan Craig I thought would really help him coming (Craig called Regeir right after he got drafted and congratulated him and told him about Brandon). Hopefully he will come around

[Crush Kill Destroy]

Adding Aaron Lewadniuk to the roster for the upcoming year took away a spot for a younger player.

Should young forwards such as Mark Stone, Jordan DePape, Jesse Hall, or Jesse Sinatynski show well at training camp, McCrimmon may have been put in a position of having to send his 1st round pick from 2007 back to midget or Junior A for another year.

While Regier certainly appears physically ready to play in the WHL, he did not have a very good offensive season in midget last year (15G 4A 19PTS in 31GMS). With the Wheat Kings' forward depth, he may have had a tough time making this year's squad.

Well, with Lewadniuk here, that is one down, two to go. Now Kelly has to convince Rylan Schwartz and David Toews to come to Brandon, and the Wheat Kings would be all set. Let's keep hoping.

[WorkHorse]

I believe that this year 16 Year Olds are no longer allowed to play Jr. A? Anyone know for certain? That would mean their only option is Midget.

[sbtatter]

Well, with Lewadniuk here, that is one down, two to go. Now Kelly has to convince Rylan Schwartz and David Toews to come to Brandon, and the Wheat Kings would be all set. Let's keep hoping.
I hear Schwartz will not come here, what with his sister's great experience through the US college system, but Toews, well if he see's we're going to make a serious run, you never know, he might just come here to get the exposure of a Mem cup run.....

[Vik]

I hear Schwartz will not come here, what with his sister's great experience through the US college system, but Toews, well if he see's we're going to make a serious run, you never know, he might just come here to get the exposure of a Mem cup run.....
That's kind of what my hope is with Mayorov. Hopefully Columbus will see the kind of position we're in and figure it makes more sense for him to be here. Plus he can get used to playing with his future teammate Matt Calvert.

[GlutenGlutton]

Lowry Clark ?
Personally I expect Gotovets to be here and its probably looking 20/80 that Mayorov will not be here


Joe from your posts you seem to be very in the know. I've had trouble finding anything in the news about Mayorov either way since the article in July that said he was going to play in NA. I'm curious what info you have that would suggest he is 80% going to play AHL?

[Joe Hallenback]

I know people in and around scouting for the WHL. Just what I heard is Columbus will be evaluating Mayorov at camp. Apparently at rookie camp he was very weak physically and would need at least a year of toughing up. Since Columbus does not have to send him to Junior the thought is he would go to the AHL BUT what I got now is because of what happened with Brule Columbus is a little gunshy about rushing prospects and the idea of him coming to a very good team and dominating offensively is very appealing. Whatever happens we won't know until NHL training camp starts.

Disappointing news about Regier. I hope he figures things out because he is a talent and would have really fit in well on this team.

[D_J]

Abbotsford News
Top hockey prospect hangs ’em up

By Dan Kinvig - Abbotsford News

Published: August 13, 2008 6:00 PM
Updated: August 14, 2008 2:59 PM Becoming a big-time hockey star is what every Canadian boy is supposed to dream about.

But with the bright lights of the Western Hockey League staring him in the face – not to mention the dream of a potential NHL career after that – highly touted prospect Brandon Regier has made a stunning decision to hang up his skates.

The 16-year-old Abbotsford product recently informed the Brandon Wheat Kings, who made him a first round bantam draft pick in the spring of 2007, that he doesn’t intend to play hockey this year – not in the WHL, not on any other junior circuit, not even in the local men’s league. And while Regier hasn’t completely closed the door on returning to the game, it sounds for all the world like he’s done with hockey for good.

“It’s never been my favourite thing to do in the world,” he told The News on Tuesday. “Everyone’s telling me they hope I change my mind.

“But I haven’t been on the ice since March, and I haven’t missed it at all.”

For a kid who doesn’t really like hockey, Regier happens to be pretty good at it. Just over a year ago, he was the toast of the local hockey community after the Wheat Kings selected him in the first round of the bantam draft, 17th overall. His stats the previous season with the Abbotsford bantam AAA Hawks were a testament to his rare blend of speed and skill (52 goals in 62 games) along with size and toughness (174 penalty minutes), and scouts called him a prototypical WHL player.

But as it turns out, hockey had never really captured Regier’s imagination. When he was a kid, he says, his dad more or less had to drag him to the rink. And early in the 2006-07 season, he told WHL scouts he didn’t even want to be drafted. As the year wore on, though, he changed his mind, as teenagers are known to do from time to time.

Regier, who suited up for the Fraser Valley Bruins major midget squad this past year, decided his heart wasn’t in it when the season wrapped up in March.

At this point, he’s not sure what he wants to do with his life, but he’s fairly certain it’s not hockey. He’s a gifted student, maintaining an academic average in the mid-90s at W.J. Mouat Secondary last year, and he imagines he’ll attend university one day, perhaps to pursue a business or finance degree.

“I’m just a kid – my mind can change at any moment,” Regier acknowledged. “I’m not going to promise I’m never going to play hockey again, but for now, I really don’t want to.

“Right now, I don’t think I’ll regret it. People who make it to the NHL want to be there (at the rink) every second of the day.”

Regier’s choice to walk away from the game is even more fascinating when you consider that his older brother Jeff is as driven as any hockey prospect you’re likely to find. Abbotsford bantam AAA Hawks bench boss Troy Campbell, who coached both Regier brothers, called Jeff “the most intense player I’ve ever coached” on draft day 2006 when the Everett Silvertips picked the burly blueliner in the second round (34th overall).

Asked if he’d ever consider hanging up the skates, Jeff Regier could only chuckle.

“Absolutely not,” said the 17-year-old, who appeared in 41 games with the Silvertips last season. “We’re brothers, but there’s a few things where we’re different.

“I tried to change his mind, but it didn’t work out,” he added. “I didn’t like it at first, but it’s his decision.”

Brandon Regier played four games for the Wheat Kings last year as an affiliate player, and the WHL club anticipated that he’d crack the roster this fall as a 16-year-old rookie.

“We were caught off-guard, just based on how good a player he is and the fact that he was real excited to be part of our organization,” Wheat Kings coach/GM Kelly McCrimmon said. “Everything was on track for him to be on our team this year. But that’s life – people make decisions, and he deserves some credit for being honest and up-front about how he feels.”





From the local paper...