What is wrong with the Wheaties?

[sbtatter]

Maybe many opinions here!
I think this team lacks some grit, some toughness. I know it's a new era of speed, but I still believe we need some toughness, some nastiness. We need a guy like Mitchell who lives to run guys into the boards, to hurt someone. We need a guy like Grantham to intimidate. We need our big horses to stand up for the smaller guys, like Bartley did for Weal. Last night Teubert 2 handed Calvert, McCue and Aulie were on the ice and did nothing. Calvert slashed him back, but I want one of those 2 big guys to go up and fight Teubert, let him know that there is a price to pay for hitting us.
I think our most physical d-men are Bestland and Miller, I want to see those guys get more icetime. GD is erratic withthe puck, but he's a a 0 in plus/minus and at least he tries to hit.
All night I watched Regina forwards finish there checks, hit our d into the boards, make them dump the puck up the boards. Our forwards don't hit the opposing defence, we peel off, it's as though we don't want to hit.
The Schenn line is a combined -3, Clarks line is -11, Jeffries line is -14, the Hall line is -1. Aulie and mcCue are -11, Robak and Melnychuk are -4.
I think if Jeffries, King, Cowan are going to continue like this, lets give Walker and Depape a chance.
I'm not ready to push the panic button yet, but this team needs to get a heart transplant pretty soon.
Interested in others opinions.

[The Wheatiemaniac]

King's gotta go....plain and simple. He's the second coming of Matt Hallick. Hale needs to be a forward, not a defenceman. He's a banger and a crasher that needs to do just that. When a guy like Hale bangs and crashes it wears down the other team. Why is Jordan DePape palying for the Winnipeg Saints in the MJHL while King and Cowan are here doing nothing? Cowan needs to go back to the MJHL, and I think Melnychuk might need to watch a game or two from Section 1 to wise him up. He almost looks scared to be there. He panicks with the puck almost instantly. If he's such a hot prospect, he should start playing like one.
A game is 60 minutes long, and they have to start playing as a unit for all 60 minutes. If this keeps up, never mind all the talk about league titles, we'll be lucky to make the playoffs. On paper we look great in preseason. On ice, we are anything but.
Before the game last night, Joe Caligiuri sat alone in the stands last night while the other scratches were in the room with the team. I wonder if there are some ego dilemnas going on behind a closed dressing room door. Nothing a good coach couldn't cure....I said a "GOOD" coach.

[Vik]

Yeah, the team's playing poorly so let's call out the depth players. If we had better 4th liners, we'd be tops in the league. That makes sense.

Anyways, I haven't seen the games so I can't say too much but I'm guessing the team is missing Daryl Boyle. He was such a solid dman at both ends of the rink and having a guy like that decreases the workload for all our other guys.

Right now, I'd say you'll have to wait this out until the Mem Cup announcement because I'm guessing that's when Kelly decides what moves to make.

[Brandonite]

Sanfred King really needs to go already. This is getting old now, i hate to bash the kid because he is only 18 years old and still just a kid but this is business and he just is not working out for the wheat kings. Maybe a different scene other then his hometown team would be better but in all reality I dont see him ever being much of a player in the WHL. Even when he played AAA, he never really "lit the lamp" so to speak. I think even if he goes to MJHL , he will still just be an average player. He just never has developed and he has gotten plenty of opportunity. The fact he is 18, and they got a 16 year old like Jordan DePape playing in MJHL they are far better off bringing in DePape now and send King down or something. Biggest off season pick up for brandon was Darren Bestland...great d-man and cant believe other WHL teams werent going after him before. I have no clue how these scouts find some of these kids but hats off to McPherson and the scouting staff

[The Wheatiemaniac]

Bestland, I believe, was listed last fall when he had not yet recieved a scholarship offer from NCAA, which is what he was looking for. I guess they like bigger D-men down there....better for us.
But Sanfred King has never done a thing, and time is up. He's never in position, and he has been a hinderance to the progress of the team.
As for the 4th line comment, he started the season on a line with Schenn and Glennie....hardly the 4th line. He just doesn't fit. Hale back on forward will help with banging and crashing. But we need alot more from the big guns.
The best players have to be the best players. It's really that simple.

[Brandonite]

I think people are forgetting that they are still young players coming into their own. There will be ups and plenty downs but hopefully they can figure it out quick!

[Joe Hallenback]

You all need to relax and take a deep breath

Its the beginning of the season and unless we are playing this way come game 70 I for one will not panic

The fact is the Best players have not been the Best players. Clark and Lowry need to pick it up as do Schenn,Glennie and Aulie. Once they start to put the pedal to the metal each and every shift good things will come

The goaltending situation seems to have resolved itself hopefully with the acqusition of Priestner.

I thought they had a pretty good game against Red Deer and a decent game against a very good Regina team. I thought the goaltending let us down in that game with some softies in the 3rd and it just seemed to deflate the whole team.


We have some very winnable games in the next little while and an "easy" first road travel. Ill give it until then till I past judgement.

[Vik]

As for the 4th line comment, he started the season on a line with Schenn and Glennie....hardly the 4th line.
And is he there now?


Hale back on forward will help with banging and crashing.
I have yet to see Hale really throw his weight around when playing forward. He's had a few hits but, unless he's realized what his role should be, he's not one to go after guys.


But we need alot more from the big guns.
The best players have to be the best players. It's really that simple.
So you go on about how little you think of King and Cowan and now you're saying it's the "big guns" that need to get it going. Seems someone's changed his tune.

[sbtatter]

I didn't start this thread to be a ***** session, rather an open discussion on what ails the Wheaties. It's clear to see from the discussion that no one theory/reason prevails, fingers have been pointed at top forwards, bottom forwards, defence, goalies, even the coaching!!
Lets hope it all works itself out!!