Preseason ranking #12?????

[DOF]

The Americans got no love out of the box this year. Number 12, that is a huge surprise when you consider we have one of the top 3 goalies in the Dub and return pretty much are whole defense, minus Fast. Problem might be scoring but I think it will be OK. Any thoughts on the rankings, I dont put much into it but it is fun to talk about....

[HAF]

Last year we were picked like 20th or something, same with the year previous. Personally, I put little merit in these predictions as they are rarely even close to accurate.
I don't mind it at all. I enjoy bieng underrated and watching the boys prove the experts wrong.

[AMSRocker]

I like it when we are picked like this. The last guy looked like a true idiot at the end of the season. :D

[LifelongChiefsFan]

I find this ranking to be more surprising than last year's. With Carey Price gone, there were a lot of questions about Tri-City's goaltending situation, although there turned out to be no issues at all. I don't see how they could be ranked so low this season though. Yeah they lost their number 1 forward and defenseman and yeah that hurts, but those guys were not the entire team. When you look at the Spokane/Tri-City series last year, Yellow Horn only scored 2 goals and I don't think Fast scored any and that was an incredibly close series. I don't foresee offense being an issue this year for Tri-City. On defense you guys have 5 of the six starters from that series last year returning, and of course the big guy Pickard backstopping the team.

When you look at what Spokane they have been chosen by just about everyone as the consensus number 1 team in the league. But when you compare how many people the Chiefs lost with how many the Americans lost and you consider that 1 period was the difference between Tri-City going to the Memorial Cup instead of Spokane (Sorry Hurricanes fans), it seems like there is a gap in logic to say these teams will be so far apart from each other. But like I said in another thread, you just have to keep in mind that these are just one person's opinion and he really doesn't have any idea how the teams are going to look when the season is finished.

[Buddy]

I think a big reason for being #12 is our youth.....we were one of the youngest teams in the league last year. I didnt think we could get much younger but we have. Right now it looks like we will have 9 rookies on this team that are 16 or 17 years old. That will at least be the opening day roster. I look for Tory to trade for some seasoned vets before long. I think the statement a lot of people were saying last year that "We are built for the future" is a lot more accurate this year than it was last.

Buddy

[HAF]

I think a big reason for being #12 is our youth.....we were one of the youngest teams in the league last year. I didnt think we could get much younger but we have. Right now it looks like we will have 9 rookies on this team that are 16 or 17 years old. That will at least be the opening day roster. I look for Tory to trade for some seasoned vets before long. I think the statement a lot of people were saying last year that "We are built for the future" is a lot more accurate this year than it was last.

Buddy

With Owsley's performance in net so far, As soon as Pickard returns from Nashville I see Birch, a prospect and a draft pick bieng packaged for for an 18 or 19 yr old forward. I'm not sure who is looking for goal tending but with consistant starts Birch may make a #1 for a team that is now less than desirable in net.

[HomerSimpson]

I find this ranking to be more surprising than last year's. With Carey Price gone, there were a lot of questions about Tri-City's goaltending situation, although there turned out to be no issues at all. I don't see how they could be ranked so low this season though. Yeah they lost their number 1 forward and defenseman and yeah that hurts, but those guys were not the entire team. When you look at the Spokane/Tri-City series last year, Yellow Horn only scored 2 goals and I don't think Fast scored any and that was an incredibly close series. I don't foresee offense being an issue this year for Tri-City. On defense you guys have 5 of the six starters from that series last year returning, and of course the big guy Pickard backstopping the team.

When you look at what Spokane they have been chosen by just about everyone as the consensus number 1 team in the league. But when you compare how many people the Chiefs lost with how many the Americans lost and you consider that 1 period was the difference between Tri-City going to the Memorial Cup instead of Spokane (Sorry Hurricanes fans), it seems like there is a gap in logic to say these teams will be so far apart from each other. But like I said in another thread, you just have to keep in mind that these are just one person's opinion and he really doesn't have any idea how the teams are going to look when the season is finished.

I hope you're just talking about the playoff series...because the regular season was a whole different story, and Yellow Horn was the main difference the Ams won the Munro trophy and we finished second. If Yellow Horn wasn't on the ice for them in the regular season, and if Fast wasn't their captain, I don't know that the Ams go as far as they did. One night that sticks out is their 7-1 drubbing of us in our own building in which Yellow Horn scored 4 goals.

All that being said - I do think the Ams are the only team in the US division that has any shot at keeping pace with us this year. We all know what Portland is capable of, Everett loses Irving, Gendur, Hamill, and Hardy, who were arguably their top 4 players last year - and alot of guys beyond that. I think Everett is going to compete with Portland for 4th place. Seattle is going to see a slight drop off with the loss of some key guys, and I don't see them keeping up with either the Ams or the Chiefs. 12th is definitely low - unless our division is really going to be THAT weak this year - so I do not think that it's merited. With guys like Procyshen, Reddick, Lazo, Schmidt, Mestery, Pickard, Reese etc, they are going to have one of the top offenses in the game again, and the top goalie from last year's NHL draft to go along with a growing defense. They'll be dangerous, and should once again be contenders.