Ice Goalie Quits

[Scout]

Alan Caldwell

Monday, December 8, 2008

Couple things today....

First, a position (goaltending) that seemed like a pillar of strength for the Kootenay Ice just two months ago is in tatters today after Thomas Heemskerk quit the team and went home. It boggles the mind of most of us fans that a kid with so much talent and potential would throw away his chance to play at this level but I guess if he's not happy, then this is the best decision for him.

So instead of having three starter-quality WHL goalies - Heemskerk, Nathan Lieuwen, and Kris Lazaruk - like they did back in September, today the Ice have only Lieuwen and are scrambling to find somebody to play backup. There is nobody on their protected list who is ready to play at this level so the Ice will have to either make a trade or add a currently unlisted goalie to their list from somewhere. Tri-City still has three goalies on their roster so perhaps there's a potential trading partner there if the Americans are willing to part with either Drew Owsley or Brett Martyniak. Martyniak actually hasn't seen the ice in a game this season yet, if you can believe that.

More likely the Ice will go after a WHL-experienced goalie who's not currently in the WHL. I think Birch or Aime might be the best choices since neither of them is currently WHL property and so they could both be had for free, provided they're willing to leave their Jr A teams and join the Ice. Mathews (Lethbridge), Barnstable (Everett) and Esposito (Prince Albert) are all property of WHL teams and so the Ice would have to make a trade to acquire them. Their current teams might not want to part with them either if they're counting on those guys either in the future or as insurance against an injury to one of their current goalies.

Other options I would toss out there are former Bronco and Cougar goalie Ian Curtis, now property of the Portland Winter Hawks; Joel Danyluk, who had a brief stint with Prince George and remains their property but isn't currently on their roster; Dalyn Flette, who seems to be the odd man out in Edmonton, although he is currently injured; and Alex Wright, who has played with Medicine Hat in the past and also been part of Prince George's organization, he is currently Spokane Chief property. Guess we'll see what happens.

The other note for today is a tip of the cap to the Lethbridge Hurricanes organization, who put their entire team on the bus after a home game on Friday night and drove them up to Calgary so they could all attend the funeral of former teammate Michael Maniago on Saturday morning. After the funeral the team got back on the bus and drove up to Edmonton for their game against the Oil Kings on Saturday night. I imagine the Canes put their players up in a hotel in Calgary on Friday night, incurring a not-insignificant expense they would not normally have had, so that the players could attend the funeral. Class move, good on them.

Scout

[Chipper]

Wow! I did not here about that yet. the internet can sure pass information on faster than you can here about it on the local news. I hope he knows what he is doing, I havent heard about any problems with him and the team but I guess that things happen. Hope he can get a trade to a team that he can continue a carrier with but I guess that there is much more to life than hockey and maybe the stress of Jr hockey is to much.

[HAF]

If they do deal with the Americans it won't be until after World Juniors. Pickard should make the team which will create a need for both Owsley and Martiniuk atleast until then.

[Scout]

Jeff Bromley's Ice Chips
HOCKEY - KOOTENAY STYLE

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Did some digging last night and wondered aloud who might be available to replace Heemskerk. If you continue with the premise that the club is going to give the 17-year-old Lieuwen the ball to run with - a theme of rebuilding and developing a core of young players for a serious run two season from now - it's unlikely that Chynoweth will pay a high price for a proven WHL goaltender/starter. The whole point of trading Lazaruk and going with Lieuwen and Heemskerk was that they would play more.

As per tonight's radio broadcast, Kootenay is using 17-year-old Kai Thompson of the Cranbrook Midget Ice to fill in until Tait arrives Monday.

Here's a quick list - feel free to add to it:

UPDATE - Ian Curtis, a former highly touted Bronco that was traded to the Cougars last season and then release before resurfacing with Powell River of the BCHL could be a possibility. He's another Abbotsford product a year old than Nathan Lieuwen, who is also from Abby.

I was also told today that Tait would only back-up Lieuwen for the three games and not practice with the club. The only way he'll play is if Lieuwen is injured and can't continue.

G Kyle Birch - 18; Bounced between Moose Jaw and Tri-Cities this season before being released and winding up in North Battleford, Saskatchewan playing for the Battleford Stars of the SJHL.

G Todd Mathews - 18; Another 18-year-old the Warriors auditioned for awhile before they acquired Jeff Bosch from the Pats. Mathews was acquired by the Lethbridge Hurricanes but remains in Notre Dame with the Hounds of the SJHL as a depth goaltender. Could Roy Stasiuk throw a lifeline to his old club in a time of need? Maybe.

G Kraymer Barnstable - 18; As far as I know he's still property of the Vancouver Giants and is currently playing in Nipawin with Hawks of the SJHL. He's a Kelowna product and could jump at the chance to play closer to home and in the WHL.

G David Aime - 19; A bit of journeyman after spending parts of the last three seasons with Prince Albert, Red Deer and brought in this season by Calgary before being released. The Manitoba product is currently with the OCN Blizzard of the MJHL.

G Matt Esposito - 19; He's have a stellar season with Sherwood Park Crusaders of the AJHL. Esposito started his WHL career with Everett before playing well with Chilliwack the last two seasons. Might have a bitter WHL taste in his mouth after the Bruins and him parted ways less than amicably.

With the exception of a few 20-year-olds (Jordan White and Tommy Tartaglione) the BCHL doesn't have any WHL cast-offs playing this season. Bringing in a 20-year-old isn't going to happen so any of the goaltenders on this list, providing they're even available at a decent price, would come in knowing full-well that they're there to bring Lieuwen along in a support role with the chance to revitalize their own careers should the rookie stumble.

Scout