nivek_wahs
08-21-2008, 06:51 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=0aa0189b-fdd1-44ae-a3e2-58d7c883c6ac
Battle for positions begins today
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, August 21, 2008
The numbers are daunting -- as is the task.
The Regina Pats are slated to open training camp today in Lumsden with an 88-man roster, roughly one-third of which has a legitimate chance of making the cut. Within that group lies some intriguing competition that could help set the tone for the 2008-09 season.
Here are a few battles worth watching:
SIX IS A CROWD: The Pats' 20-year-old situation is clear as mud with six players vying for three spots: Defenceman Victor Bartley, right-winger Ryan DePape, centre Scott Doucet, left-winger Josh Elder, centre Kirt Hill and left-winger Michael MacAngus. That group doesn't include captain Logan Pyett, who has one year of junior eligibility remaining but is set to begin his pro career in the Detroit Red Wings' organizaton.
Bartley's job is safe, assuming he doesn't land a last-minute pro contract. If he does, Doucet, Hill and MacAngus are the favourites to fill out the overage quota. If Bartley stays, the competition gets interesting. MacAngus is the most-proven offensive player of the bunch, plus he has great chemistry with sniper Jordan Eberle. Hill is a heart-and-soul player who brings leadership, grit, toughness and work ethic. Doucet is of a similar ilk, but with less grit and more offensive upside.
DePape would make the competition even more interesting if he returned to the form of two seasons ago, when he was a 25-goal, 50-point man for Prince Albert. DePape underachieved last season and found himself in the doghouse of head coach Curtis Hunt after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Raiders.
Elder, who's coming back from a major knee injury, has proven his worth as an enforcer and a physical presence, but he'll have to prove he's more than a fourth-liner to win a job.
The odd-men out of the overage competition will be trade bait. May the best men win.
NOTHING BUT NET: The Pats have four goalies who are capable of playing at the WHL level right now and just two openings. Who stays and who goes? That's the million dollar question.
Veteran Linden Rowat, named the top goalie in the Eastern Conference last season, gives Regina the security of an established starter and a proven winner. However, his inability to backstop Regina past the first round of the playoffs last season may open the door for promising backup Jeff Bosch, who, at 18, appears ready for primetime.
Damien Ketlo, 17, nearly unseated Bosch for the backup job in camp last season and ended up starting in the B.C. junior A ranks. He could slide seamlessly into the No. 2 job if Rowat or Bosch are traded. Then there's local product Derek Tendler, 16, who was named the top goalie and MVP in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League last season. Tendler's age suggests another year of seasoning with the Regina Pat Canadians wouldn't hurt. Then again, he has very little left to prove at that level.
A fifth goalie, prospect Austin Vargo, 16, could also throw his name into the hat.
"It's going to be an interesting situation," noted Pats GM Brent Parker.
FRONT AND CENTRE: The Pats are undergoing a major transition up front, with several young guns looking to make their mark following the graduation of Tim Kraus and J.D. Watt.
The list includes Dominick Favreau, Graham Hood, Jordan Weal and Andrew Rieder (all 16); Kyle Mulder, Matt Marantz, Clarke Breitkreuz and Kenton Miller (17); and, Spencer Braaten (18). Regardless of who emerges from the competition, you can bet the Pats will be smaller and younger up front this season. But they'll also be faster and more skilled.
"We've got a real host of young forwards," said Parker. "We're not going to be able to keep all those guys. That's going to be an interesting battle as well."
DEEP ON D: The blueline sets up nicely with six returnees: Bartley, Matt Delahey, Colten Teubert, Dallas Jackson, Curtis Kulchar and Alex Pym.
"Even without Bartley, we still have returning five defencemen," noted Parker. "We maybe don't have the depth we've had the last couple years but we still think it's a good group."
If that group remains intact -- which is by no means certain -- there will still be an opportunity for the likes of Koltyn Miller, 17, Byron Sorenson, 17, Travis Sparrow, 17, and Justin Slobozian, 16, to land a reserve spot.
"It's an important year for them," said Parker. "That group of defenceman is going to have to battle and see where they end up. One or two of those guys are going to have to make our team."
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008
Battle for positions begins today
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, August 21, 2008
The numbers are daunting -- as is the task.
The Regina Pats are slated to open training camp today in Lumsden with an 88-man roster, roughly one-third of which has a legitimate chance of making the cut. Within that group lies some intriguing competition that could help set the tone for the 2008-09 season.
Here are a few battles worth watching:
SIX IS A CROWD: The Pats' 20-year-old situation is clear as mud with six players vying for three spots: Defenceman Victor Bartley, right-winger Ryan DePape, centre Scott Doucet, left-winger Josh Elder, centre Kirt Hill and left-winger Michael MacAngus. That group doesn't include captain Logan Pyett, who has one year of junior eligibility remaining but is set to begin his pro career in the Detroit Red Wings' organizaton.
Bartley's job is safe, assuming he doesn't land a last-minute pro contract. If he does, Doucet, Hill and MacAngus are the favourites to fill out the overage quota. If Bartley stays, the competition gets interesting. MacAngus is the most-proven offensive player of the bunch, plus he has great chemistry with sniper Jordan Eberle. Hill is a heart-and-soul player who brings leadership, grit, toughness and work ethic. Doucet is of a similar ilk, but with less grit and more offensive upside.
DePape would make the competition even more interesting if he returned to the form of two seasons ago, when he was a 25-goal, 50-point man for Prince Albert. DePape underachieved last season and found himself in the doghouse of head coach Curtis Hunt after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Raiders.
Elder, who's coming back from a major knee injury, has proven his worth as an enforcer and a physical presence, but he'll have to prove he's more than a fourth-liner to win a job.
The odd-men out of the overage competition will be trade bait. May the best men win.
NOTHING BUT NET: The Pats have four goalies who are capable of playing at the WHL level right now and just two openings. Who stays and who goes? That's the million dollar question.
Veteran Linden Rowat, named the top goalie in the Eastern Conference last season, gives Regina the security of an established starter and a proven winner. However, his inability to backstop Regina past the first round of the playoffs last season may open the door for promising backup Jeff Bosch, who, at 18, appears ready for primetime.
Damien Ketlo, 17, nearly unseated Bosch for the backup job in camp last season and ended up starting in the B.C. junior A ranks. He could slide seamlessly into the No. 2 job if Rowat or Bosch are traded. Then there's local product Derek Tendler, 16, who was named the top goalie and MVP in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League last season. Tendler's age suggests another year of seasoning with the Regina Pat Canadians wouldn't hurt. Then again, he has very little left to prove at that level.
A fifth goalie, prospect Austin Vargo, 16, could also throw his name into the hat.
"It's going to be an interesting situation," noted Pats GM Brent Parker.
FRONT AND CENTRE: The Pats are undergoing a major transition up front, with several young guns looking to make their mark following the graduation of Tim Kraus and J.D. Watt.
The list includes Dominick Favreau, Graham Hood, Jordan Weal and Andrew Rieder (all 16); Kyle Mulder, Matt Marantz, Clarke Breitkreuz and Kenton Miller (17); and, Spencer Braaten (18). Regardless of who emerges from the competition, you can bet the Pats will be smaller and younger up front this season. But they'll also be faster and more skilled.
"We've got a real host of young forwards," said Parker. "We're not going to be able to keep all those guys. That's going to be an interesting battle as well."
DEEP ON D: The blueline sets up nicely with six returnees: Bartley, Matt Delahey, Colten Teubert, Dallas Jackson, Curtis Kulchar and Alex Pym.
"Even without Bartley, we still have returning five defencemen," noted Parker. "We maybe don't have the depth we've had the last couple years but we still think it's a good group."
If that group remains intact -- which is by no means certain -- there will still be an opportunity for the likes of Koltyn Miller, 17, Byron Sorenson, 17, Travis Sparrow, 17, and Justin Slobozian, 16, to land a reserve spot.
"It's an important year for them," said Parker. "That group of defenceman is going to have to battle and see where they end up. One or two of those guys are going to have to make our team."
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008