Stephenson Player of the week

[patsdude114]

http://www.whl.ca/article/stephenson-denny-s-whl-player-of-the-week


4 goals 2 assists +6 with a team record of 2-1 helps get him this award this week... it could of been back to back weeks the Pats could of won this award as last week Leier had a stunning week as well but was edged out by Draisaitl which prob had a lot to do with him leading the way in the Raiders come from behind win over the Pats.

Anyways congrats to Chandler he has a great week

[Fight Guy]

It seems the Pats have been a little more consistent lately putting the puck in the net, and when they don't, they're still putting lots of shots on net, which like I've said many times already, it sure is a nice change. Hell, it's even being done without Klimchuck in the line up. Burroughs missing has hurt too. Two weeks in a row a Pat has been up for Player of the Week. There's no way Leier wasn't considered at all for last weeks honours. Stephenson has looked great the last few games. When ever he gets the puck, you get that feeling that he's gonna make something happen. Kinda like when Eberle used to touch the puck. You knew every time he had the puck around the goal, there was an 80% chance it was ending up in the back of the net.

After Kamloops and Saskatoon, the real test begins with some top teams in Kelowna, Med Hat again, and Calgary. Not saying Kamloops will be a walk in the park, but if the Pats don't play down to them, they should have no problems at all. It's always the basement teams that tend to hurt the Pats.

[patsdude114]

With the recent play of the Pats along with Stephenson, Stevenson & Leier it really puts Lang in a tough spot on what he wants to do in 1 months time when trade deadline comes around. We are right in the thick of things but also we are still considered a rebuilding team I cant recall what year of the rebuild this is I think year 2 but could be year 3 although it feels like year 15....

Does Lang consider moving any of those 3 to gain some assests back? Can he move Stephenson and get a quality 16 or 17 yr old that can still help us this year but as well as the years ahead? Lets face it everybody knows the Pats lack 17yr old talent, anything would be an upgrade in that age group.

Lang has some decisions to make forsure, he doesn't want to upset fans more then they already are (losing over 1000 season tickets speaks for itself) if he makes a bold move to improve us next season & beyond but hurts us to make the playoffs this year does that hurt season tickets even more? Let's face it money talks this is a business, as much as a move of moving Stephenson/Stevenson/Leier would benefit us down the road, it would more then likely be a hit against our current roster and we could find ourselves down with MJ pretty quickly.

Does Lang take the chance that Stephenson doesn't earn that contract & has a good chance coming back as a 20yr old?
Does Cameron have enough pull with some pro buddies to maybe keep Stephenson here even if he gets a contract?
Does the Pats new life systems want to keep pro signed players here as a 20yr old to further development?

So many questions that could be asked, but only Lang himself knows any possible answer's to these questions...

What would you do in Lang's shoes??

[Bighat]

This would be year 2-1/2 of rebuild, I would go status quo for the rest of the year. Maybe a call up or 2 but no trades where fine.

[RWAH]

I for one am for moderate selling. IMO teams are built via the draft,
Our drafts in 12 and 13 were good but need to be followed with good drafts in 14 and 15. We are missing (I think 3rd 4th and 5th) round picks in 14 and need to get some of them back. Sam Steel will need a strong 14 draft for support.
Our record against the 5 teams above us (PA, Swift, Edm, Med Hat, Cal) is 2 wins and 9 losses. Our record with Brandon and Koot is 1 win and 2 losses We have benefited from a good US trip and a favorable schedule which IMO at this point has distorted the league standings. I also believe Brandon is similar as they have played Moose Jaw 6 times and have 6 wins

[patsdude114]

As long as we keep our 1st & 2nd round picks in this up coming draft the draft will be fine, especially if these list players Lang has added can turn into anything decent.

Either way Lang has some big decisions to make in the coming weeks, also ya we don't have a good record against SC or PA going what 0-6 or is it 0-7 we played them 4 times very early in the season where we were struggling with goaltending & learning new systems. We have made huge strides since Nov 1st & that can't be over looked.

Every team is beatable in our conference no matter if your MJ or MH PA SC there is no clear run away. You can say REG & BRN are 6-0 against MJ apiece but I'm sure there are AB teams that have just as many wins against LETH as well. You can over shadow those wins all you want but in the end those are games you have to win & both REG & BRN have won those games. The teams above us in the standings we have played well especially aas of late, things that happened back in sept & oct mean nothing anymore in junior hockey its all about how the kids are progressing as a team moving forward & imo the Pats are progressing & not getting worse like in previous seasons. Are we true contender? Hell no, but as a fan all you want to be is entertained & enjoy some quality hockey which that Pats are playing. If fans are expecting a championship in the next 3yrs they got another thing coming no matter how our drafts go that just isn't going to happen some fans have extremely high expectations for where we are as a franchise right now. Parker screwed us royally & it will prob take a good 7yrs to really recoup from all the wrong he did with this team.

[RWAH]

First a correction I think the draft picks the Pats traded are the 3rd 4th and 6th round draft picks in 14 and the 4th in 15 and the 2nd in 16. The only recoop is Leth 5th in 2015.

I agree Chad Lang has a difficult decisions and the games we play between now and the deadline will figure prominent in those desisions. I too am enjoying the more entertianing offencive style the Pats are playing (and the winning too)

FYI in the other division Leth has played Edm. and Cal 3 times. Med, Koot, and R D twice so their schedule has been more balanced than ours

FYI From the OHL Windsor traded two players to Guelph for 1 player and 8 picks (2014 a 2nd & 4th) (2015 a 2nd & 4th) (2016 a 2nd & 3rd) (2017 a 2nd (2018 a 2nd). In the O teams can not trade 1st round picks. London is the host of the 2014 MC

[patsdude114]

In the O teams can not trade 1st round picks.

That's prob not a bad rule to have in junior hockey this way you ensure that every team is bringing in the best possible player in every draft & keeps elite talent balanced throughout the league. Maybe this is something the WHL has to look at.

[sbtatter]

That's prob not a bad rule to have in junior hockey this way you ensure that every team is bringing in the best possible player in every draft & keeps elite talent balanced throughout the league. Maybe this is something the WHL has to look at.

That rule would mean Lorne Molleken couldn't be a GM anymore because he specializes in trading away 1st round picks!!!

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

without looking too far into it, I think the pats should reinforce the team's strengths they have already, without putting all the chips down. We played great on that US road trip while many teams havnt had it dent their record yet, we don't lose anybody to the world juniors(and are healthy in december for once), and Steel isn't ready for this year so we are getting a notable youth infusion to compensate for any assets lost this year.

The way I see it, we are losing the Stevensons and leier after this year, so we should make it count and gun for the 2nd round. There is no real top team in this conference this year like years before, so dialling back and staying with the pack might the difference between getting a low home seed or 8th place.

...and even if we poop our pants in the first round(as usual), making a good trade and getting there with confidence would benefit this class of youth we have here, not to mention Klimchuk and Burroughs, next year's pillars.

As much as I don't like establishing a winning culture through high picks, Steel and stars like Klimchuk leading the way could be the way to finally right this ship. We have to build good habits, and this is how to start.

[sbtatter]

Any news on Burroughs health status? You won't want to be without him for too long

[patsdude114]

Any news on Burroughs health status? You won't want to be without him for too long

as far as I know he is listed as day to day... he wasn't on the ice today at practice so I would assume that he is a no go again for tomorrow nights game... best case would be games against KEL MH CGY starting on Saturday night... will be tough to beat those teams without our #1 Dman