Whats missing?

[Allin44]

What did we lose over the summer that has caused this start?

Is it the loss of our 1B/1C line of Lowry and Clark?

Aulie?

[patsdude114]

could be the early pressure of hosting the Memorial Cup. I am very puzzled as well as to why the Wheat Kings have got off to such a slow start. I thought once Schenn & Glennie returned you guys would be rolling over teams. So far i have yet to see that.

I am sure McCrimmond (however u spell it lol) will get that ship turned around soon. Hopfully when Schenn goes to world juniors you guys dont get set back too much cause of this. It may force a panic button during Team Canada's training camp & during the tournament though.

[dagley]

I am figuring he will make a significant deal before the WJHC to pick up someone who can help carry the load while him and Glennie are possibily both gone. Someone like maybe Ashton, etc.

[Section Ten]

For those of us who attended last year, there were many nights when the Clark/Lowry/ Fehr line did most of the heavy lifting. In fact for quite a stretch their line carried the team when Schenn/Glennie/Calvert were trying one too many thread-the-needle passes that looked pretty but didn't result in goals. Lots of talent, but shoot the damn puck please!

We also had third line players like Nathan Green and Aaron Lewadniuk who chipped in 39 goals between them last year. Now that Green is in Red Deer and Lewadniuk is on the 1B line, can you see any third line player putting up numbers like that? Maybe when Mark Stone returns, and Ferland has looked good at times, but 39 goals doesn't seem likely from the third line as it exists today.

Looking back in the time tunnel, this team is performing much like the 2003-2004 team after the graduation of Ryan Craig and Jordin Tootoo. The boys were supposed to light it up with Eric Fehr and Ryan Stone, but even after picking up Josh Harding, the Wheaties ended up below 500 and exited the playoffs in the second round. It wasn't until the next year when Fehr and Stone were 19 that they really got things going.

I don't suggest that this will happen again, but the best teams in the WHL can hurt you with three lines. I just don't see that right now.

The question for me is how long will Kelly McCrimmon allow sub-par results before taking action. Twenty-games? Twenty-five games? I'm just a season ticket holder, so I'm sure he knows better than I, but we all know something will have to change before too long--either results or personnel.

Just my two cents.

[Joe Hallenback]

Some nights they really dominate but haven't got rewarded on the score sheet and over nights when they need to grind out a win they can't seem to do it.

I expect to see a trade or 2 to make this team a little bigger up front. Add Stone back and we will start to win more consitently

Its early yet and we really haven't found our stride. I am hoping we come out of this road trip a more cohesive team. Considering how bad our Powerplay has been you know when that gets on track the Wheaties should really start to roll

btw I am still hearing Carter Ashton rumors from alot of people. The last one I heard was Ashton,Henke and Reddington for Depape,Wilson,Erdhardt, rights to Swyripa,2nd 2010 bantam pick and conditional picks if Ashton comes back but from what I understand and this is probably true with alot of teams is we probably won't see any activity till AFTER the world juniors. Teams don't want to give up on the season just yet

[Bocephus]

Some nights they really dominate but haven't got rewarded on the score sheet and over nights when they need to grind out a win they can't seem to do it.

I expect to see a trade or 2 to make this team a little bigger up front. Add Stone back and we will start to win more consitently

Its early yet and we really haven't found our stride. I am hoping we come out of this road trip a more cohesive team. Considering how bad our Powerplay has been you know when that gets on track the Wheaties should really start to roll

btw I am still hearing Carter Ashton rumors from alot of people. The last one I heard was Ashton,Henke and Reddington for Depape,Wilson,Erdhardt, rights to Swyripa,2nd 2010 bantam pick and conditional picks if Ashton comes back but from what I understand and this is probably true with alot of teams is we probably won't see any activity till AFTER the world juniors. Teams don't want to give up on the season just yet
Sold!
...and you will love Ashton. He really needs to get playing with linemates that are at his own caliber before it stunts his development. That trade really addresses both teams needs.
Where are you hearing this proposal from?

[Joe Hallenback]

A relative of mine who works part time as a WHL Scout for an NHL team

I have no doubt Brandon is trying to pull off some big deals but right now teams are only seperated by 8 points from first to worst so I can imagine even the bad teams are reluctant to pack it in early.

I don't know what your prospect situation is like in Lethbridge. How are your 16 and 17 year olds? Are they good enough that you will be able to make a run next year or the year after? I would imagine adding more 16/17 this year would help out in the long run but a trade of that magnitude would just kill the Hurricanes this year

[Bocephus]

A relative of mine who works part time as a WHL Scout for an NHL team

I have no doubt Brandon is trying to pull off some big deals but right now teams are only seperated by 8 points from first to worst so I can imagine even the bad teams are reluctant to pack it in early.

I don't know what your prospect situation is like in Lethbridge. How are your 16 and 17 year olds? Are they good enough that you will be able to make a run next year or the year after? I would imagine adding more 16/17 this year would help out in the long run but a trade of that magnitude would just kill the Hurricanes this year

I believe we have quality 16 and 17s. Moser, Tot, Reners, with Jackson and Oslanski on the back end would be the more elite ones. Sutter is draft eligible but isn't all that impressive for an 18 although his work ethic is there. Preston seems reluctant to play the younger ones all that much with one of them sitting out on rotation it seems. Tarnasky as a 17 isn't too hot and is super slow. Ryckman on the backend is 17 but he is merely servicable.
If this trade was to be made I'm sure we would be the youngest in the league.
Our weakness as a team right now is in our 18 and 19 year olds. They are merely decent which isn't near good enough to be a contender.

[Allin44]

perhaps all we were missing the whole time is the baby blues playing together!

[gowheaties]

or a goalie whose been drafted to the nhl that can make the big save. Hopefully DeSerres starts tonight again.

[Allin44]

I wonder how many teams have everybody on their top 2 lines averaging 1.00 pts per game or better

[Vik]

Well I haven't seen any games but the PP is currently 16th in the league and the PK is 15th. That can't be helping.