nivek_wahs
09-04-2008, 01:10 PM
http://reginapats.com/News/390/
Pats' Top Scout Likes Team
2008-09-04
For Todd Ripplinger, training camp is an opportunity to take a glimpse into the future of the Regina Pats.
So far, he likes what he sees.
"We're happy with our '93(-born) draft this year," offered the Pats' director of scouting. "I can tell you right now, our '94 draft, we're going to have to take some forwards because we're deep on defence."
Ripplinger is basing that projection on the presence of his first two picks in the 2008 bantam draft -- defencemen Myles Bell (first round, 17th overall) and Tyler Borstmayer (second round, 39th overall). Both players have already committed to the Pats and are expected to be in the fold as early as next season.
Ripplinger is also elated with the early progress of ninth-round pick Tyler Pavkovich, who was among the most-pleasant surprises in camp.
"There's no way he should have been a ninth-round pick but things happen for a reason," said the veteran scout, who chose Pavkovich 196th overall. "I'm not going to argue that we got him in the ninth round."
Ripplinger is especially pleased with the development of last year's bantam crop. That group incudes forwards Dominick Favreau (first round), Graham Hood (second round) and Jordan Weal (fourth round), defenceman Justin Slobozian (third round) and goalie Derek Tendler (fifth round).
"All five guys could possibly make our team this year, which is very uncommon," noted Ripplinger. "With us not even being in a rebuilding stage, it's pretty unique to have a choice of five 16-year-olds maybe playing on your team. This might not be their year because of our depth but they all deserve to be here."
It's a good-news/bad-news scenario for Ripplinger, who has mixed feelings about watching young prospects push others out the door. For example, Kenton Miller, Brent Struble, Matt Marantz and Byron Sorenson were among a group of 17-year-old prospects assigned to the midget AAA ranks
early in camp. With limited room on the 50-player protected list, some of those players may eventually be cut loose altogether.
"There's a logjam there," Ripplinger admitted. "We're going to need three spots for our 20-year-olds and there's a couple kids at rookie camp who really shone that we're going to have to put on our list. We'll have to move some kids off our list that have been on our list for a long time. It wasn't a fun night (cutting them). There are a lot of kids who've been around here for a long time who soon won't be Pats.
It's too bad because I know they're all good kids but that's the nature of the beast."
As the saying goes, tough decisions are better than no decisions at all. That's why Ripplinger is excited about what the future holds for the Pats.
"I think our speed is better, we have good size, our back end is big and we have a good problem in net with four goalies who could easily play," he said in reference to Linden Rowat, Jeff Bosch, Damien Ketlo and Tendler, all former Pats' bantam picks. "(That kind of depth) doesn't happen all the time. I think we're in a good situation where we can maybe move a guy and deepen ourselves more up front or maybe the back end. We're going to listen (to offers). We want to give them a fair shot at being a starting goalie or a backup goalie in our league. We're going to have to make a decision there too."
gharder@leaderpost.canwest.com
Pats' Top Scout Likes Team
2008-09-04
For Todd Ripplinger, training camp is an opportunity to take a glimpse into the future of the Regina Pats.
So far, he likes what he sees.
"We're happy with our '93(-born) draft this year," offered the Pats' director of scouting. "I can tell you right now, our '94 draft, we're going to have to take some forwards because we're deep on defence."
Ripplinger is basing that projection on the presence of his first two picks in the 2008 bantam draft -- defencemen Myles Bell (first round, 17th overall) and Tyler Borstmayer (second round, 39th overall). Both players have already committed to the Pats and are expected to be in the fold as early as next season.
Ripplinger is also elated with the early progress of ninth-round pick Tyler Pavkovich, who was among the most-pleasant surprises in camp.
"There's no way he should have been a ninth-round pick but things happen for a reason," said the veteran scout, who chose Pavkovich 196th overall. "I'm not going to argue that we got him in the ninth round."
Ripplinger is especially pleased with the development of last year's bantam crop. That group incudes forwards Dominick Favreau (first round), Graham Hood (second round) and Jordan Weal (fourth round), defenceman Justin Slobozian (third round) and goalie Derek Tendler (fifth round).
"All five guys could possibly make our team this year, which is very uncommon," noted Ripplinger. "With us not even being in a rebuilding stage, it's pretty unique to have a choice of five 16-year-olds maybe playing on your team. This might not be their year because of our depth but they all deserve to be here."
It's a good-news/bad-news scenario for Ripplinger, who has mixed feelings about watching young prospects push others out the door. For example, Kenton Miller, Brent Struble, Matt Marantz and Byron Sorenson were among a group of 17-year-old prospects assigned to the midget AAA ranks
early in camp. With limited room on the 50-player protected list, some of those players may eventually be cut loose altogether.
"There's a logjam there," Ripplinger admitted. "We're going to need three spots for our 20-year-olds and there's a couple kids at rookie camp who really shone that we're going to have to put on our list. We'll have to move some kids off our list that have been on our list for a long time. It wasn't a fun night (cutting them). There are a lot of kids who've been around here for a long time who soon won't be Pats.
It's too bad because I know they're all good kids but that's the nature of the beast."
As the saying goes, tough decisions are better than no decisions at all. That's why Ripplinger is excited about what the future holds for the Pats.
"I think our speed is better, we have good size, our back end is big and we have a good problem in net with four goalies who could easily play," he said in reference to Linden Rowat, Jeff Bosch, Damien Ketlo and Tendler, all former Pats' bantam picks. "(That kind of depth) doesn't happen all the time. I think we're in a good situation where we can maybe move a guy and deepen ourselves more up front or maybe the back end. We're going to listen (to offers). We want to give them a fair shot at being a starting goalie or a backup goalie in our league. We're going to have to make a decision there too."
gharder@leaderpost.canwest.com