Joe Hallenback
12-20-2009, 06:36 PM
It took a while for this team to really show its true self. I have to admit I was worried after the first 20 games. We were no way near a true Memorial cup team and I wondered if a huge shakeup was going to happen. But lo and behold the real wheat Kings showed up and have really taken off. Right now there is no one in the WHL that can compare with our top 6 and with the addition of Wiebe I would say our top 9 is much stronger than anyone else. By the end of the season we could have 8 guys with 70 or more points and we will have at least 8 players with 20+ goals.
Our defense has improved ALOT since the season began. Robak has been very good and Urbom has gone from being just ok to a stand out. Schnieder is a dependable safe player and Melnychuk is a incredible +24 and playing great as of late. Bestland and Miller have gotten rid of some of the lapses and riverboat gambler style while still playing physical. It is a Solid 6 and honestly only 1 guy away from being great.
Our goaltending can be great to meh. Both guys have a habit of letting in soft goals but both are solid goalies as well. The only superstar out there is Pickard and there is no chance that Seattle will deal him. One of these guys will have to step it up as the season goes along.
Alot of things can be said of Kelly M. Is he a good enough coach to coach a team to the Memorial cup? I think he is. I think he has a good knack of putting guys together and making them successful.
I think a special shout out to Kelly M and the scouting staff needs to be said. For a small team like Brandon to be able to go out and find so many players year after year is amazing. It allows us to make deals and not hurt our future. Case in point when you can find a guy like Rene Hunter and slot him in the lineup and look pretty good. That is amazing. We exploit our Manitoba connection and year after year we turn up guys like Robak,Glennie, Fehr,Lewadniuk,Bestland,Stone,Depape, and Ferland. None of these guys were drafted higher than the 2nd round and most of them are from the 4th round on.
To continue with the thought above is we are going for it this year and we have alot of damm good players on the way. Roy,Kuczek,Seaman,Conroy,Fransoo,Listom and Swripya are all the way and thats not counting the guys that Kelly will find out of no where like a Hunter.
Our defense has improved ALOT since the season began. Robak has been very good and Urbom has gone from being just ok to a stand out. Schnieder is a dependable safe player and Melnychuk is a incredible +24 and playing great as of late. Bestland and Miller have gotten rid of some of the lapses and riverboat gambler style while still playing physical. It is a Solid 6 and honestly only 1 guy away from being great.
Our goaltending can be great to meh. Both guys have a habit of letting in soft goals but both are solid goalies as well. The only superstar out there is Pickard and there is no chance that Seattle will deal him. One of these guys will have to step it up as the season goes along.
Alot of things can be said of Kelly M. Is he a good enough coach to coach a team to the Memorial cup? I think he is. I think he has a good knack of putting guys together and making them successful.
I think a special shout out to Kelly M and the scouting staff needs to be said. For a small team like Brandon to be able to go out and find so many players year after year is amazing. It allows us to make deals and not hurt our future. Case in point when you can find a guy like Rene Hunter and slot him in the lineup and look pretty good. That is amazing. We exploit our Manitoba connection and year after year we turn up guys like Robak,Glennie, Fehr,Lewadniuk,Bestland,Stone,Depape, and Ferland. None of these guys were drafted higher than the 2nd round and most of them are from the 4th round on.
To continue with the thought above is we are going for it this year and we have alot of damm good players on the way. Roy,Kuczek,Seaman,Conroy,Fransoo,Listom and Swripya are all the way and thats not counting the guys that Kelly will find out of no where like a Hunter.