Priestner gets the nod?

[dagley]

Anyone think Priestner should get the nod tonight vs. Red Deer?

[The Wheatiemaniac]

Since Hayes played against Red Deer, Joe will more than likely get the start against Regina. With struggling Saskatoon here on Tuesday, Priestner will no doubt make his debut then.

[sbtatter]

Hayes had no chance on Ferraro's deflection, looked very solid all night. Advantage Hayes....

[The Wheatiemaniac]

I'll second that. Hayes was there when we needed him. I hope he starts again tonight, but we'll probably see "Blueline Joe" in the crease tonight. I pray he has a better game than his last one if he starts.

[dagley]

I want Priestner to start, we didn't give up a 3rd round pick for nothing :P

[sbtatter]

I'm a little confused why everyone is putting the blame on Joe C here, and suddenly Hayes is the answer?? was anyone watching last season? he didn't have to do much more than stand there last night, does red deer even have an offence? easy to put the blame on Joe when kelly sticks him in here and there and expects him to come out on top of his game
I'm not blaming Joe C, but this stat tells a tale so far this season
http://whl.ca/stats/statdisplay.php?type=goalies&season_id=

It appears to me that Hayes has more potential, Caliguri a better team guy. We won't be bringing Caliguri back as an overager is my guess, so need to start looking for a new #1 now.....

[Allin44]

Joe C has only played 2 games, those stats can be a little misleading I'd say, going back to how bad our defense was in those first couple games. Suddenly the talk about the goaltending is much more positive but I'd say the tenders have it a lot easier right now with our d finally stepping up. give the guy a break, I'm tired of reading this forum with all the talk about Joe C and how bad he is

Sorry Mrs. Caliguiri

[Bully73]

Joe C has only played 2 games, those stats can be a little misleading I'd say
Did you watch the team play at all last January? His stats were atrocious then as well. Not that Hayes played any better last January, but I agree with sbtatter that Hayes has the greater potential together with the extra year of eligibility left. Unfortunately for Joe, Hayes also has something that can't be taught or gained from hard work and thats size. Hayes covers so much more of the net than Joe and its not quite as easy for the snipers to pick apart the corners.

[Bully73]

Sorry Mrs. Caliguiri
I was thinking the same thing when I read the comments from that poster. Appears as though your comment caused the poster to delete their comments because in the time between me quoting them in my last message and my post actually being posted, the two posts from that poster were deleted (I assume by the poster themselves).

[billyjames169]

The team played well in front of Hayes last night and Hayes played well for them making some key saves late in the third. I saw the Moose Jaw game last week and Hayes held them off as long as he could and only got beat on some really good shots facing 39 shots. I think Hayes will start tonight and Priestner on Tuesday. Not sure what will happen with Joe, but who knows what Kelly is thinking.

[Purple_Monkey_Dishwasher]

This team needs to quit being pathetic. Our offense is yuck for some reason and we've yet to score the first goal in a game I think. To the prognosticators that thought we would challenge for the Conference..what were you smoking.

[sbtatter]

This team needs to quit being pathetic. Our offense is yuck for some reason and we've yet to score the first goal in a game I think. To the prognosticators that thought we would challenge for the Conference..what were you smoking.
Lets be honest here, most people in the league thought we were going to be better than we currently are....

[dagley]

Yeah. I have been a season ticket holder for 8 years now, and this is probably one of the best teams on paper we have put on the ice. I don't think you can really honestly blame the men between the pipes as much as everyone wants too. Hayes has played great, it's more of the teams work ethic. I had a conversation with a guy that I sit beside almost every game, it perhaps might just be our opinions but it seems like the Calvert/Schenn/Glennie line just expect things to come easy for them now, besides a good shift or two last night they were not really a factor.

I can't really pinpoint the problem, besides maybe a lack of effort and what every team and every player needs....is passion, it's not there for them. This division can get away in a hurry, Swift Current is playing amazing hockey and if they don't have a few good wins before heading out West on that dreaded West Coast trip, we could be in for a surprise of where this team stands in a few weeks.

[sbtatter]

Yeah. I have been a season ticket holder for 8 years now, and this is probably one of the best teams on paper we have put on the ice. I don't think you can really honestly blame the men between the pipes as much as everyone wants too. Hayes has played great, it's more of the teams work ethic. I had a conversation with a guy that I sit beside almost every game, it perhaps might just be our opinions but it seems like the Calvert/Schenn/Glennie line just expect things to come easy for them now, besides a good shift or two last night they were not really a factor.

I can't really pinpoint the problem, besides maybe a lack of effort and what every team and every player needs....is passion, it's not there for them. This division can get away in a hurry, Swift Current is playing amazing hockey and if they don't have a few good wins before heading out West on that dreaded West Coast trip, we could be in for a surprise of where this team stands in a few weeks.
I think you're bang on, no forward is really working 100% right now, except the Hall, Stone, Ciarelli line. The transition game out of our zone is not good, I don't know if thats the d's fault or the forwards aren't giving them options. I think our defence is not as strong as it could be, McCue should be a # 5 or #6 on the depth chart, instead he's #3 right now, and he's just not that good. I'm not blaming him for this bad start, he just shouldn't be expected to be a top 3 d-man.
What I do know is that everyone who is there watching realize that none of last years forwards are working as hard as they could, maybe been reading their headlines a bit too much. If we're frustrated, imagine how the coaches must feel.......

[Brandonite]

I think you're bang on, no forward is really working 100% right now, except the Hall, Stone, Ciarelli line. The transition game out of our zone is not good, I don't know if thats the d's fault or the forwards aren't giving them options. I think our defence is not as strong as it could be, McCue should be a # 5 or #6 on the depth chart, instead he's #3 right now, and he's just not that good. I'm not blaming him for this bad start, he just shouldn't be expected to be a top 3 d-man.
What I do know is that everyone who is there watching realize that none of last years forwards are working as hard as they could, maybe been reading their headlines a bit too much. If we're frustrated, imagine how the coaches must feel.......

I think the "baby blue" line is trying to do it all themselves exactly!! They go out there and like you it was said earlier they think things are just gonna come easy for them and trying to do things themselves most the time. I also noticed they are really trying to make things cute instead of just focussing on putting the puck in the net reagaurdless of how it looks! The fact that every headline you read, and every time you turn on the tv for a brandon station all you hear about is these kids and we are forgetting THEY ARE KIDS! The fact that Brayden Schenn is painted on the side of a truck that comes out on the ice during intermission is ridiculous!! He is 17 years old and think of the feeling he is getting when he passes that truck on the streets with his buddies! We dont need this hype going to these kids heads before they even truly prove themselves!!

[Section Eight]

Wow, all of a sudden a goaltender who won 30 games between the pipes last year, and played pretty well in the playoffs against a very good Lethbridge team, isn't the answer and two guys who didn't win 20 games combined are the answer?

Maybe, but if you're looking for what really ails the Wheaties I suggest these "arm-chair goaltenders" take their eyes away from the crease and you'll see a defensive corp that gives the puck away in their own end at an alarming rate, allows the opposition to control the front of its own net and short of Robak (who has his own defensive short comings) transitions very awkwardly from the defensive side of the game to offense. No Boyle in this group!

Injuries to Erb and Fehr haven't helped and neither has a 4th line that doesn't hit, won't fight and can't score.

[Section Ten]

Ok, so maybe the election is influencing my hockey talk (maybe Bill Clinton can come coach our hockey team, or at least be entertaining to watch from Section 10), but as a spectator for each of our home games, the defense as a group have given me nightmares...

Have you all noticed the number of odd man rushes given up compared to last year? But it isn't fair just to blame the pinching defense (mostly Melnychuk and McCue as of late)--in many cases the forwards have not been providing support in a defensive role (paging Daniel Bartek).

Anyone remember how much better our team became when we traded Leblanc for Kohn, at a time when we couldn't find the back of the net to save our lives?

Until we address the defense issue, it won't matter who is in net.

P.S. Though it is against my contract to say such a thing about a player of a divisional rival, I would consider selling my kidney on e-bay for a quality defenseman like Victor Bartley of the Pats--that guy is awesome.

P.P.S. The Chinese gymnastic team was able to fake their athletes birth certificates. Maybe we could try the same for Daryl Boyle! That would fix things up in a hurry!

[Brandonite]

The fact that Melnychyk was in the same breath alot of times last season as glennie & schenn all the time as one of the 3- 16 year olds is something to think about. He is playing awful and clearly trying to do one too many things out there. I heard many scouts say last season that if he continued his play he would be a very high draft pick with schenn & glennie. I do not see that anymore as im sure his stock has likely dipped a bit. I think you'll see Melnychuk being a 3rd, maybe even a 4th round pick this summer. Schenn I predict top 8 and glennie possible 1st round, but 2nd for sure! Thats my guesses for the day

[Allin44]

The fact that Melnychyk was in the same breath alot of times last season as glennie & schenn all the time as one of the 3- 16 year olds is something to think about. He is playing awful and clearly trying to do one too many things out there. I heard many scouts say last season that if he continued his play he would be a very high draft pick with schenn & glennie. I do not see that anymore as im sure his stock has likely dipped a bit. I think you'll see Melnychuk being a 3rd, maybe even a 4th round pick this summer. Schenn I predict top 8 and glennie possible 1st round, but 2nd for sure! Thats my guesses for the day

If Schenn gets back to where he was last year, he'll be the #3 pick, bank on it

[Brandonite]

If Schenn gets back to where he was last year, he'll be the #3 pick, bank on it

I agree 100%...I said at the start of the year he was going to be a top 5 pick in this summers draft. You just never know by the end of the season. Look at Angelo Esposito, his stock dropped BIG! Not saying thats the case with Schenn but I was just saying top 8-10 pick based on you never know what could happen. But in saying that, who knows he could drop to a 20th overall pick or a #2 pick. I still believe he will find himself being called no later than top 10 but would not shock me at all to see him in top 5.