Malc
11-26-2008, 03:00 PM
By D. Soleski
DS: Is your team where you thought it would be at this point in the season?
BH: I’m not overly disappointed in our play. Certainly, we’d like to have a few more wins. But, we started the season without 3 of our top defensemen. No matter what anyone says, it’s tough without veterans on defence. And, we still need to get our goaltending situation straightened out.
DS: How would you categorize your goaltending at the present time?
BH: It’s still a work in progress. We’re not at all disappointed in the job Adam Brown has done. But we need to get Kris Lazaruk playing to the level he’s capable. We’ve got Kim Dillabaugh (goaltending coach) working diligently with him trying to get his game where it needs to be. He needs to be the difference maker for us against the top teams in the league.
DS: In the past you’ve had physical forwards like Ryan Cuthbert, Travis Moen and Simon Ferguson. Is that an element you’d like to add to this team?
BH: Yes, that’s an area we’d like to address. Those types of players bring some bite to the game and they play with heart and soul. But, they’re harder to find these days. Teams that have those agitating, checking types don’t want to trade them. Certainly, it’s an element that would benefit our team.
DS: How do you like your defence with Tyler Myers and Tysen Dowzak back, but without Luke Schenn?
BH: I think Tyson Barrie has been our best defenseman all season. He’s been our most consistent for sure. We need to get Dowzak playing the way he can. He has to play with toughness and a physical edge consistently for us. Myers has played fairly well. Collin Bowman has been fine. Earlier in the year I think he got away from his strengths a bit by trying to do too much. But, he’s back on his game now. Our young guys, Aaron Borejko and Curt Gogol are coming along and Riley McIntosh is hanging in there.
DS: Tell us more about the play of Tyler Myers.
BH: Last season we were working with him to improve his stamina so we could get his minutes up. That’s still a factor and a main reason why we needed to get a veteran like Dowzak back – someone who could take up some minutes.
DS: Myers doesn’t seem to be rushing the puck end to end as much this year. Is that by design?
BH: Jeff Finley may have asked him to back off a bit on that. Certainly, you’re not going to tell him not to do it because he’s very dangerous when he does take off. But, Jeff may want him to pace himself more.
DS: Do you anticipate making any more changes to the roster before the trade deadline (early January)?
BH: We’re going to wait and see where we are after Christmas and go from there. The easiest part of dealing is talking. It’s much harder actually completing a trade. And, there’s a price to pay in trading. If we have to give up some pieces that might be a big part of our team in a couple of years, it may not be worth it.
DS: Can you talk more about the anatomy of trades and how they come about.
BH: In our case, Lorne Frey and I sit down, consult with the coaches and decide what we need. Then, we’ll pick out a player we’d like to acquire. At that point, we’ll start the process with a phone call and find out the availability and the cost. Usually, teams who aren’t going to make the playoffs are looking to unload older players. But, like I said, it’s hard to make trades and we don’t make a lot of them. We prefer to fill out needs from within if we can.
DS: Any news on Luke Moffat (top pick in 2007 Bantam Draft)? Will he be coming to the WHL next season?
BH: I don’t really have an update on his situation at this point. He’s playing with the US Development program and he’s playing on a line with another of our prospects, Nick Shore. I know he hasn’t put up as many points as he would have liked to at this point. But, both those guys still have to make a final decision to come here or play in the NCAA. Lorne Frey has kept in touch with them, but that decision hasn’t come yet.
http://www.kelownarockets.com/Story.aspx?ID=432
DS: Is your team where you thought it would be at this point in the season?
BH: I’m not overly disappointed in our play. Certainly, we’d like to have a few more wins. But, we started the season without 3 of our top defensemen. No matter what anyone says, it’s tough without veterans on defence. And, we still need to get our goaltending situation straightened out.
DS: How would you categorize your goaltending at the present time?
BH: It’s still a work in progress. We’re not at all disappointed in the job Adam Brown has done. But we need to get Kris Lazaruk playing to the level he’s capable. We’ve got Kim Dillabaugh (goaltending coach) working diligently with him trying to get his game where it needs to be. He needs to be the difference maker for us against the top teams in the league.
DS: In the past you’ve had physical forwards like Ryan Cuthbert, Travis Moen and Simon Ferguson. Is that an element you’d like to add to this team?
BH: Yes, that’s an area we’d like to address. Those types of players bring some bite to the game and they play with heart and soul. But, they’re harder to find these days. Teams that have those agitating, checking types don’t want to trade them. Certainly, it’s an element that would benefit our team.
DS: How do you like your defence with Tyler Myers and Tysen Dowzak back, but without Luke Schenn?
BH: I think Tyson Barrie has been our best defenseman all season. He’s been our most consistent for sure. We need to get Dowzak playing the way he can. He has to play with toughness and a physical edge consistently for us. Myers has played fairly well. Collin Bowman has been fine. Earlier in the year I think he got away from his strengths a bit by trying to do too much. But, he’s back on his game now. Our young guys, Aaron Borejko and Curt Gogol are coming along and Riley McIntosh is hanging in there.
DS: Tell us more about the play of Tyler Myers.
BH: Last season we were working with him to improve his stamina so we could get his minutes up. That’s still a factor and a main reason why we needed to get a veteran like Dowzak back – someone who could take up some minutes.
DS: Myers doesn’t seem to be rushing the puck end to end as much this year. Is that by design?
BH: Jeff Finley may have asked him to back off a bit on that. Certainly, you’re not going to tell him not to do it because he’s very dangerous when he does take off. But, Jeff may want him to pace himself more.
DS: Do you anticipate making any more changes to the roster before the trade deadline (early January)?
BH: We’re going to wait and see where we are after Christmas and go from there. The easiest part of dealing is talking. It’s much harder actually completing a trade. And, there’s a price to pay in trading. If we have to give up some pieces that might be a big part of our team in a couple of years, it may not be worth it.
DS: Can you talk more about the anatomy of trades and how they come about.
BH: In our case, Lorne Frey and I sit down, consult with the coaches and decide what we need. Then, we’ll pick out a player we’d like to acquire. At that point, we’ll start the process with a phone call and find out the availability and the cost. Usually, teams who aren’t going to make the playoffs are looking to unload older players. But, like I said, it’s hard to make trades and we don’t make a lot of them. We prefer to fill out needs from within if we can.
DS: Any news on Luke Moffat (top pick in 2007 Bantam Draft)? Will he be coming to the WHL next season?
BH: I don’t really have an update on his situation at this point. He’s playing with the US Development program and he’s playing on a line with another of our prospects, Nick Shore. I know he hasn’t put up as many points as he would have liked to at this point. But, both those guys still have to make a final decision to come here or play in the NCAA. Lorne Frey has kept in touch with them, but that decision hasn’t come yet.
http://www.kelownarockets.com/Story.aspx?ID=432