The 10 year plan!

[soccer69]

Really, I don't understand what the he-- we are trying go do with this team! I have been coming to games for 20 years and the coaching over the last 5 has been nothing less than embarrassing! What am I missing in Ryckman? He is big and slow, can't hit, can't play the boards, can't clear a puck to save his life and on the ice for almost every goal against us! Why don't we start using our draft picks and start making some trades for defenseman or give our young guys the time instead of double shifting a dead beat! We've also got all these young forwards who are working there ass off ever time they are on the ice yet we continue to let the veterans take part in the shoot outs! What do they have to do to earn a chance.

[taylor0017]

I thought I was the only one who thought Ryckman was horrible and slow ! Yes I agree , why do we not have some of this young talent, that we are supposed to have , playing here now. I don't think that the line of Moser ,tarnasky, R. Maxwell , played more then 5 shifts in the game. If we are again building for the future , lets use our young players ......also time for Max Ross to go ...... We have a very weak overage group .........Sure looking forward to all your comments :bounce:

[PeacefulChaos]

I agree that we have weak overagers. Ross, Maxwell and even Reddington are not the best 20 year olds in the league.

Mitch Maxwell is frustrating. Why does he get to shoot in every shoot out when he RARELY scores in them? The kid gets at least 2 break aways a night and can't put the puck in the net. And Preston still tries him in the shootout. Next time I'd almost rather see Russ give it a try instead. Berglund is our only consistent shootout guy- he does the same move everytime, but it seems to work.

Yes Ryckman is slow, but he is MILES better than he was in past seasons. Cason sure loses it when he gets gased out. PLaying with only 4 dmen last night, by the end of his shifts he really wasn't there. Just kind of flopping around not sure about whats going on.

On the plus side, Mike Sofillas is the FACE OFF KING! and He's going to be a GREAT hockey player, if coached and guided right. And Tot seems to have picked up his game as of late.

Why doesn't Preston give Kuvaev more ice time?

[TooLoud]

I agree that we have weak overagers. Ross, Maxwell and even Reddington are not the best 20 year olds in the league.

Mitch Maxwell is frustrating. Why does he get to shoot in every shoot out when he RARELY scores in them? The kid gets at least 2 break aways a night and can't put the puck in the net. And Preston still tries him in the shootout. Next time I'd almost rather see Russ give it a try instead. Berglund is our only consistent shootout guy- he does the same move everytime, but it seems to work.

Yes Ryckman is slow, but he is MILES better than he was in past seasons. Cason sure loses it when he gets gased out. PLaying with only 4 dmen last night, by the end of his shifts he really wasn't there. Just kind of flopping around not sure about whats going on.

On the plus side, Mike Sofillas is the FACE OFF KING! and He's going to be a GREAT hockey player, if coached and guided right. And Tot seems to have picked up his game as of late.

Why doesn't Preston give Kuvaev more ice time?

I have to agree...our overagers aren't superstars...but I think Ross gets a lot of undeserved flak. He is one of the few guys on the team that steps up and gives you 100%...every game. He certainly is not blessed with stellar talent, but he is a gamer, although I wish he would take fewer stupid penalties. Reddington, when he wants to be, is a solid player. Trouble is, he doesn't seem to want to be much anymore. He is a wuss in the corners, lets people stand around in front of the net, and is, in my opinion, a poor captain. I would have chosen Braes or Fyten. Maxwell impressed the hell out of me last year, he had lots of drive, and a nasty edge. That seems to have disappeared. He got knocked on his ass at least 5 times last night. That wouldn't have happened last year. He needs to take some lessons on intensity from little bro. I don't know the exact reason that Kubaev hasn't been playing, but I think it might be his defensive play (or lack of it). He is usually the last guy back, cherry picks quite often, and doesn't seem to be clear on assignments in the defensive zone. The kid is an absolute wizard with the puck, and I think he is going to light the lamp a lot in this league, but he also has to be aware that WHL hockey has both offensive and defensive components, and coaches tend to get cranky when you don't play their "way". Of course, maybe he's just sick...who knows....LOL

[CanesCrazy]

I agree in part with a lot of you.

Reddington has become nothing but a disappointment. I never see him fighting for a puck and he has to lead the team in turnovers as I don't know how many times he has attempted to pass the puck and put in directly on the opposing forward's stick. He must be one hell of a captain in the dressing room because I see no leadership on the ice.

Ross can be counted on to go out and go hard every shift, every game. No, he is not the most skilled 20-yr-old in the league but he certainly gives 'er hell more than most do. You can tell that this game and this team mean a lot to him.

Ryckman has improved his game immensely over last season and while he is not our best defenseman (I'll give that title to Johnston or Jackson) he at least contributes and most often it is a positive contribution.

Sofillas is going to be a superstar in this league one day. That's all I have to say about him.

R. Maxwell plays like he is 6'4" and 220 lbs. Where does that fire come from?! I see him pushing around guys twice his size and just shake my head. He has tenacity and (maybe a little foolishly) more bravery than most. He is one to watch in the coming years and has proven he deserves to be here.

M. Maxwell has lost that same fire it appears. He tends to forget to pass when he should and more often than not shoots the puck straight into the goalie's pads because he has run out of ice. The one time he did pass in the game last night it resulted in a beauty of a goal by Ross.

As appropriately stated in TooLoud's post, Kuvaev is a wizard with the puck. I suppose the beginner's luck has worn off and now the real world of the WHL has smacked him in the face. I believe that he will come around and get back to his scoring ways. Glad to see that the coaches aren't afraid to send a message to him. I only wish they would send the same message to a couple of veterans once in a while and remind them that this team is only going to succeed when everyone contributes.

The Hurricanes are not a great team but they are far from a bad team. These young men simply have to believe in themselves and know that when they do what they have been taught, they are able to take down any team in this league. We have no superstars here so working together is the only way they will get it done.

Let's hope they realize that very soon.