Lineup

[Boltz9]

Just wondering from a Hitmen fan perspective what you think the lines will look like this season and who will come back to the team?

[AlanC]

Just wondering from a Hitmen fan perspective what you think the lines will look like this season and who will come back to the team?

I'll take a shot at the roster....

Veterans:

G - Martin Jones
G - Michael Snider
D - Erik Bonsor
D - Ryan Kerr
D - Matt MacKenzie
D - Austin Madaisky
D - Michael Stone
F - Rigby Burgart
F - Tyler Fiddler
F - Mikhail Fisenko
F - Kris Foucault
F - Cody Gross
F - Brandon Kozun
F - Jason MacDonald
F - MacKenzie Royer
F - Chase Schaber
F - Ian Schultz
F - Cody Sylvester

If Joel Broda does return, then put him in place of Gross or MacDonald.

That leaves room for probably six to eight rookies - two or three defencemen and three or four forwards. Best candidates, in order by position:

G - Chase Komistek, 17
D - Peter Kosterman, 16 (a lock for the team)
D - Kyle Schmidt, 16
D - Zach Sweet, 17
D - Tim Daly, 17
F - Erik Haula, 18 (import, longshot to report)
F - Cody Beach, 17 (a lock for the team)
F - Justin Kirsch, 17
F - Brendan Santini, 16
F - John Lawrence, 17
F - Jesse Hilton, 18
F - Connor Hartley, 16

Since both Jones and Snider are returning in net, Komistek's shot at making the team involves beating out incumbent Snider in training camp for the backup job. That right there should be one of the best battles of camp since Komistek is highly regarded and Snider didn't exactly wow anyone last season in his limited action.

I think there's probably two scoring lines there and two good defence pairings, plus one of the best goalies in the league. That should be good enough to keep the Hitmen around .500 next season at worst. I don't think they'll be contenders but they should be in that #4 to #7 area in the Eastern conference. It'll be a young team with a lot of young players (10 to 12 players will be 16 or 17) but with guys like Kerr, Burgart, and Schultz, the young guys won't have to get pushed around much which will make it easier. Should be an interesting season.

[Boltz9]

So do you think Alex Plante will be in the Oilers organization? The team still looks pretty talented for whats supposed to be a rebuilding year, and they're always a team that scares me.

[Arthur Fonzerelli]

Komistek was injured early in the new year playing for Brooks and didn't return to play. What is his prognosis? Has he recovered enough to be a serious competitor for the backup spot?

[AlanC]

So do you think Alex Plante will be in the Oilers organization? The team still looks pretty talented for whats supposed to be a rebuilding year, and they're always a team that scares me.

Plante has signed a contract with the Oilers, and after the excellent season he had last year, there is really no reason to believe the Oilers would return him to junior again when he's old enough to go to the AHL now. So, he's gone.

It'll be a rebuilding year, just not a blow-it-all-up-and-start-from-scratch type of year like some teams have. Last year was "supposed" to be a rebuilding year in Calgary too and obviously didn't end up that way, but I think in hindsight Hitmen fans looking back at last year's roster would have to wonder why they ever thought it would be a rebuilding year in the first place. There was too much talent there for that. This year though, there simply isn't the same amount of high-end talent or depth at either forward or defence as there was last year. So this year's team is definitely going to be nowhere near as good as last year's....I'd take that to the bank. They'll be competitive but not contenders.

[AlanC]

Komistek was injured early in the new year playing for Brooks and didn't return to play. What is his prognosis? Has he recovered enough to be a serious competitor for the backup spot?

I have not heard anything new as far as a prognosis goes, but Komistek's problems were related to improper recovery from surgery on a nagging groin problem in 07-08. The last I heard was that he was sitting out the remainder of last season in order to let the groin muscles heal 100% and hoped to be ready for camp this year.

Assuming he's healthy, the biggest question will be what effect missing half of his 15 year old season and half of his 16 year old season will have on his development. The kid might have been one of the best goalies in Western Canada when he was 13/14 but he hasn't played a whole lot since then. Is he still a good prospect? Guess that's what camp is going to determine.

[Hitmen1]

Here is my guess of the upcoming roster for the Hitmen.

Joel Broda-F-Overager
Rigby Burgart-F
Tyler Fiddler-F
Kris Foucault-F
Brandon Kozun-F
Jason MacDonald-F-Overager
MacKenzie Royer-F
Chase Schaber-F
Ian Schultz-F
Cody Sylvester-F
Mikhail Fisenko-F

Eric Bonsor-D
Peter Kosterman-D
Matt Mackenzie-D
Austin Madaisky-D
Paul Postma-D
Michael Stone-D
Ryan Kerr-D-Overager

Marty Jones-G
Michael Snider-G

I have included both Broda and Postma because I think both players will return. I think Postma has to get bigger. I'm not convinced one great year says he is ready to move up, I could be wrong though. Alan C and I have very similar rosters. I have 11 forwards, 7 defencemen, and 2 goalies. Just to add to the Komistek discussion...I think he will be a Hitmen for a couple of weeks while Marty attends Kings camp, it wouldn't surprise me to see him get into a game or 2.

[AlanC]

Here is my guess of the upcoming roster for the Hitmen.

Joel Broda-F-Overager
Jason MacDonald-F-Overager
Paul Postma-D
Ryan Kerr-D-Overager

I have included both Broda and Postma because I think both players will return. I think Postma has to get bigger. I'm not convinced one great year says he is ready to move up, I could be wrong though.

Postma's an overager if he comes back though, so you can't have all four of Broda, MacDonald, Postma, and Kerr on the team. It's a no-brainer that MacDonald would be cut loose in that case but I just don't see Postma coming back. He only had one really good season in the WHL and he has some glaring deficiencies in his game but Atlanta's farm system isn't overflowing with good prospects. I think they'll find a place for him in the AHL or ECHL and work with him there.

It is just very rare for players who have signed NHL contracts to return to the WHL as overagers. I actually can't think of one off the top of my head right now although I am sure there have been some.

[Hitmen1]

My mistake, I thought Postma would be a 19 year old returnee. You are right it is very rare for a signed player to come back to the dub.

[hitmanfan]

Golicic has apparently signed a pro contract. Good for him.