Trades

[Wildeyes]

On the website at 1 am and Colin Valcourt and Ryan Coghlan have been added from saskatoon

Dylan Busenius had been removed

Calgary and Prince albert made a trade

To PA Calder Brooks and a 2nd round pick 2014

To Calgary Mike Winther

[Sttop]

Love the winther deal. And vanscourt will love playing with leon

[Raiderfan8]

I'm impressed with both deals. Valcourt gives us grit and a guy that can tally some points on our first line with Draisaitl and Conroy. Coghlan is a decent defenceman and will be with us for the next few seasons. Brooks Calder for Winther gives Mike a much needed change and us a good left winger for the year.

[puckdad]

I agree with Raiderfan8. Valcourt gives us a net presence that we haven't really had since the days of Caine Pearpoint. I'm hoping he's used on Leon's line, but maybe on the 2nd unit with Hart suits his strengths more. Braid is trying to play that type of game, but doesn't have the hockey sense or hands to be good around the net on tips & rebounds.
Winther is a goal-scorer who was put in a role that didn't suit his abilities. More of a Brett Hull type of player who scores, but doesn't play great defense or carry the puck well. He'll thrive in a more offensive system in Calgary that better suits his talents, plus he plays closer to home. Was hoping for a better return than a mediocre 19-year-old who has a half-season left in the league & a pick. We needed to recoup that 2nd round pick, though.

[puckdad]

Okay-I take back my comment about the mediocre 19 year old. Kid played his heart out tonight. Brooks was the hardest-working player tonight. Pretty favourable 1st impression.
Coghlin scored the 1st goal & was generously awarded 2nd star.
Valcourt did not play.
Busenius was solid for Saskatoon & got a warm welcome from the crowd.
Andrlik had probably his best game of the season, but was completely gassed by the end of the game. Him, Lange & Johnston logged major minutes the last 2 nights.

[patsdude114]

Calgary and Prince albert made a trade

To PA Calder Brooks and a 2nd round pick 2014

To Calgary Mike Winther


From the outside looking in this trade looks great for both teams, Winther needed a change and playing on a very skilled team like CGY I think he brings that element that they are lacking (if they lack much) the Raiders imo lose abit of skill in this deal but they do land a 2nd rd pick as well even though it will be a very late 2nd rd pick (just recouping the pick that they sent to SAS is all)

PA is underachieving so some changes were bound to happen, more tweaks then anything. Hoping they don't work out being in the division but for you Raiders fans I guess ill say hope they do work out in the end.

Not sure if the Winther trade sets the bar or not for this trade deadline, hes a good player but not a great player by any means.

[Raiderfan8]

I'm under the assumption we are going to attempt to pick up a top 4 defenceman. Who's available? What do we give up?

[sbtatter]

I'm under the assumption we are going to attempt to pick up a top 4 defenceman. Who's available? What do we give up?

How about Walters from Lethbridge?

[shop2]

It will take a bit of time to gel but zaharachuk quinney and yaremchuk seemed to take strides in confidence and looked very good against a weak Blade team. Will be interested in how the game against the Pats go, they have been good of late and will be a test for the depleted Raider line up. The kid from Calgary played excellent and when Valcourt plays I am not sure what more PA will need or afford to get for players via the trade route. Building through the draft was the mandate for this team and while we are nowhere near a top 3 team in the league it would be irresponsible to sell the farm for one more round and sit out of the playoffs for the next three years. People have to remember the BIG blockbuster trade was made last summer and signed a coach that is supposed to get us to the 3rd round by just showing up on the bench. More trades should not be neccesary

[Raiderfan8]

Interesting take! I think we are going to be good for a couple rounds this year in the play offs once the teams back together. It will be interesting what Bruno does as far as the back end. I know Rylan Parenteau has played well as a starter in Weyburn of the SJHL. Is he trade bait? Is McBride trade bait? We saw 2 good Young goalies from the USA as well in camp. Cant wait to see how this unfolds.

[Raider Fan]

What might the lines look like when Leon and Josh return from World Juniors? Do the Raiders have to play 16 yr olds in 40 games? What about 16 yr old goalies?

[Sttop]

I will disagree. They need another very solid defensemen . there are some good ones out there. Walters , hamonic , and ruopp are interesting to me

[shop2]

Unless PA can steal a defenseman from someone desperate I do not see selling future players for a one year (improbable) run. I imagine Clouston would pressure Bruno to sell the farm for one year success to aid him to a higher league but that would be long term suicide for PA . next year McBride and Paranteau should fight it out for a # 1 spot, then you will have trade bait if they both play well. I personally think RP will end up being the better tender. The price tag for a 18yr old stud d man is not in pAs budget. It's time to watch the coaching factor be the influencing factor on the win loss record as promised, not running the bank empty for a one year attempted run

[Sttop]

Vanscourt - Leon - Conroy
Brooks - hart - Gardiner
Perreaux - danyluk - leverton
Vanstone - gennero - braid

Which leaves quinney and zah on the bench .IMO a deal involving leverton, perreaux or vanstone needs to happen to get quinney in the lineup.

Morrissey - lang
Johnston - anderlik
Guhle - Coghlan

[shop2]

I would love to see perreux and Braid back together as they were very good on a last year Leaverton and Vanstone would be my first picks as trade material to make room for Quinney and Zaharachuk Now Dea has not been played enough for me to have an opinion on him. As an 18 yr. old D man why is he a healthy scratch every nite? If he isn't in the plans why is he still here? These players are the only ones that I could see be traded but not sure of returning value because they would not be considered top line

[Wapitikev]

It would be a mistake to sit Quinney in favour of Leverton.

In the 9 games in December,

Leverton:
1 assist (Saskatoon on the 28th), -5, 4 minor penalties.

Quinney:
3 goals (Edm, Kel, Stoon), 3 assists, + 3, 0 penalties.

Quinney has performed better since the available minutes went up in the middle of December than Leverton has. He has better hands than Leverton. He also has shown a ton of chemistry with Danyluk in the last 2 games. He deserves to be on the ice until he falters.

Leverton is more of a substitute for Vanstone than for Quinney, but I'd take Vanstone over him as well due to his chemistry with Gennaro. Nothing against Levs, he has talent, just arguing that the ones who got us through December deserve to play, not sit.

Leverton has 3 more chances to pick up his game before the 3 kids and the 2 stars return on Tuesday the 7th against Calgary.

-Wapitikev

[Landon]

Raiders are still a few pieces away from a playoff team. Valcourt is going to be a great benefit for the 1st line. Brooks looked great his first game. I don't think he lost a faceoff draw all night.
Bruno stills needs to get a defenceman.


Valcourt - Leon - Conroy
Hart - Brooks - Gardiner
Braid -Danyluk - Zaharichuk
Quinney - Gennaro - Leverton

Vanstone and Perreaux haven't impressed me all year. Gennaro, Quinney, Zaharichuk and Guhle have played so well that they deserve to be in the lineup every night. Raiders have 7- 19 year olds on the roster now and can only keep 3 next year.

Morrissey - lange
Johnston - anderlik
Guhle - Coghlan

[Wapitikev]

I will disagree. They need another very solid defensemen . there are some good ones out there. Walters , hamonic , and ruopp are interesting to meAnother very solid D-man would be nice, and the ones you mentioned are interesting, but:

Despite everyone's predictions to the contrary, Mac Stu is still getting better every month...he was better than either 20yo on our roster in 8 games in December...+0 with 2 points (one a goal) while we were busy going 2-6.

Andrlik has improved as well...4 points and +7 in his last 7 games (5 of which were losses) and is on fire since Christmas.

Coghlan is better defensively than Busenius despite being on a worse team.

Giving (some or all of) Johnston's minutes in January to Coghlin would not only allow him to prove himself, but send a message to Johnston who is capable of playing far better than he did in December.

And Coughlin and Andrlik could be a fun pair to watch.

Johnston, Coghlin, Ghule or Stewart all have the potential to become decent #4 d-men by March...I'd rather develop the ones we know than spend the future on another Bus(t).

-Wapitikev

[Landon]

Despite everyone's predictions to the contrary, Mac Stu is still getting better every month...he was better than either 20yo on our roster in 8 games in December.

Busenius and Johnston played against the other teams best players every night. I agree they should have been better then they have been and obviously Busenius has been traded. Jonhston needs to step up his play big time, In saying that you cant compare those two players to Mac Stu. If Mac Stu played against other teams best players it would be like playing shorthanded all night. Mac Stu is still a number 7 defenceman at best.

[Sttop]

I am a big mac fan myself. And believe he will be useful next year. But agree he should be the spare guy this year. I would think that dea could be sent down for ice time though.

[Wapitikev]

I am a big mac fan myself. And believe he will be useful next year. But agree he should be the spare guy this year. I would think that dea could be sent down for ice time though.Agreed, but recall that not so long ago, many here were saying that Stewart had no business being at this level and that HE should be sent down for playing time.

Suddenly, after only 22 games of experience (some of which were at forward where it's hard to practice your defenseman skills), people are starting to admit that he's decent enough to be the 7th guy.

I've said it before...this kid has improved...a lot...at every level he's played at since being able to hear only 5 1/2 years ago. All he needs is the opportunity.

-Wapitikev

[Raiderfan8]

I think Stewart is a good 7th Defenceman as well. I don't think picking up a better 20 year old defenceman is out of the picture just yet either if Johnston continues to struggle. I think your gonna see possibly a couple of our 19 year olds be moved by the deadline.

[Sttop]

I agree with Quinney needing to play. He may be a big peice of the team over the next 2 years

[RandyJackson]

I'm not sure if finding a top 4 D man is in our cards at all before the deadline, but it would certainly be nice to land another quality guy on the blue line for additional depth. We are bursting at the seams with 19 y/os right now, so that's where we need to look for trade bait rather than to our thin prospect pool or our young goalies.

Here are some of my thoughts concerning trades:

1. Perreaux has been disappointing this season and would be on the top of my trade list. Carson started off relatively strong putting up decent points, but has steadily worked his way down the lineup to the fourth line. He's a big body and can skate well, so he could be attractive in a deal. He may just need a change of scenery and a wakeup call to get some consistency in his game, similar to Winther.

2. Braid is one of our only guys who will step up to fight (and wins practically every time), but he hasn't backed up his teammates enough this season for that to be a big enough factor to keep him around. Being on the first line he was expected to be aggressive and make room for Leon and Conroy, but doesn't seem to understand how to do that and doesn't possess the offensive mind/skill to pot the majority of golden opportunities Leon has served to him on a silver platter. I personally don't want to move him, but a demotion in minutes and a move to the 3rd or 4th line may get his edge back. Now that Valcourt is with the team and will take his spot on the 1st line, that is probably what we'll see happen.

3. Danyluk is a possible trade with the arrival of Brooks, but the line of Danyluk-Brooks-Quinney the other night in Saskatoon was just too good to break up. He has struggled a lot this season and seemed to be lacking a lot of offensive confidence in the first half, which had him up there on my trade list. But he has shown a vast improvement in these first two games back from the break and brings a contagious work ethic to the rink even when he's not putting up points.

4. Vanstone and/or Leverton are additional options. I realize that we just acquired Leverton this season, so he probably won't be moved, but he is the odd man out in my mind right now. All of our new younger guys (Gennaro, Zaharichuk, and Quinney) have played well and deserve a spot in the lineup, so it bothers me to see him occupying a roster spot right now with his poor level of play. Vanstone has played his role relatively well this season, but isn't necessarily essential to our lineup.

5. There has been a lot of judgment of our backend and a desire for a top 4 D man (which I agree with), but I don't think we should move another defenceman to fill that void. We have already moved Busenius, so I think it would be a mistake to move a second defenceman. Lange has put up strong numbers and is easily our second best D man behind Morrissey, even when Busenius was around. Andrlik has been fairly sound and moving imports isn't overly common. Guhle is our big draft pick and will stay with the club to continue his development into a top 4 blueliner. Johnston has been really weak and should have been sent instead of Busenius, but I don't know why any team would want him at this point for anything other than a mature presence in the locker room. And for some reason we continue to string along Stewart and Dea, neither of which are attractive commodities to teams in a trade.

IMO Perreaux, Vanstone, and Leverton should be the main guys we're looking to attempt to ship off in a trade for a D man. This way our first three lines will be very difficult to match up against and our 4th line will be a surprise against opposition as they develop. Looking at our defensive pairings, it seems like we just need ANY D man at this point if Johnston continues to play as poorly as he has. Because he certainly shouldn't be on the second pair.

Possible lineups once everyone returns could look something like this:

Valcourt - Leon - Conroy
Braid/Perreaux(?) - Hart - Gardiner
Danyluk - Brooks - Quinney (loved this line against the Blades!)
Zaharichuk - Gennaro - Vanstone/Leverton

Morrissey - Lange
Johnston - Coghlan/Andrlik
Guhle - Coghlan/Andrlik
Stewart

I personally really liked the way Coghlan looked in his first game and could see him potentially working well with Andrlik if he continues that effort. Brooks was a major improvement from Winther in his first game, playing a very speedy and responsible two-way game. And I'm very excited to see Valcourt's debut with Leon once they both return to the ice. Plugging in an additional top 4 defenceman would make that lineup look pretty dangerous if we can get some chemistry rolling. Here's to a better second half!

[Wapitikev]

Agree on most of it, except:

I'd be surprised to see Vanstone or Leverton moved regardless of their play...they are 17 and 18 respectively and will be important role-players next year, since at least 5, maybe 6 of our 12 forwards will be gone in the fall...

Valcourt is 20, so he cannot return this fall. Leon could be gone, depending on who drafts him (I certainly hope he's back, though). Plus everyone who is 19 this season is eligible for the AHL this summer. That list includes:

Braid
Brooks
Conroy
Danyluk
Hart
Perreaux

I have to assume that Lange will be the 20yo D-man in the fall and that Bruno will break his trend of trading for a 20yo goalie...which leaves only 2 20yo spots open for the 6 players listed above.

It will be interesting to see what transpires over the next week, but Bruno traditionally is finished trading at this point in the season.

I suspect a number of our 19yos will be traded but not until the 2014 Bantam Draft, at the earliest.

-Wapitikev

[Landon]

Agreed, but recall that not so long ago, many here were saying that Stewart had no business being at this level and that HE should be sent down for playing time.

Suddenly, after only 22 games of experience (some of which were at forward where it's hard to practice your defenseman skills), people are starting to admit that he's decent enough to be the 7th guy.

I've said it before...this kid has improved...a lot...at every level he's played at since being able to hear only 5 1/2 years ago. All he needs is the opportunity.

-Wapitikev
I still think he would benefit more playing junior A. He has played 23 games of very limited ice time. He might be the 7th defenseman now but come trade deadline he could be playing junior A if the Raiders acquire another D-man. He has improved but not enough to get a regular shift every night.

[puckdad]

Agreed Landon.
Dave has been using him in very select situations where he has a high likelihood of success. Anyone who watched last night's game can see he's still struggling to learn even the basics of the position. Yes, he has shown improvement, but when you start from so low, there's nowhere to go but up.

Strengths:
Size - he's built like a linebacker
Shot - kid can shoot the puck through a concrete wall if he has time.
Weaknesses:
Hockey IQ - Situational Awareness - Don't think I've ever seen a player at this level who has scored lower
Physical Play - Big, but doesn't use his size or strength appropriately
Skating - needs a lot of work - forward, backward, pivots, turning
Passing - lacks appropriate control & vision - makes horrendous decisions with the puck that teammates cannot anticipate
Puck Control - a work in progress, but has shown the most improvement
Game Understanding - Positional play is improving, but still has to be reminded and directed by coaches & teammates
Puck support is weak due to his inability to read & react

Still very much a work in progress. Coaches obviously have a higher opinion of his abilities than Dea's, since he is more often in the lineup. With the addition of another 18-year-old in Coghlin and 17-year-old Ben Verrall, I think one of these 2 will be sent down by Jan 10.

[Landon]

Bruno doesn't have much more time to make the defence better. I hope he doesn't think the trades he made last week were good enough. Raiders need a legit number 3 and 4 defenseman. If the Raiders stick to what they have now they will have trouble getting out of the 1st round AGAIN.

[Raiderfan8]

I don't wanna run my mouth but I am hearing that Winther deal may include another 16 year old player coming to the Raiders but it can't be announced until after the Under 17 tourney out east is done and the young guys are back. Anyone else hearing this?

[raiderfan1818]

I found this on the Weaver kid from USA plays for the 2nd ranked team in the USA (Omaha) at the U16 AAA Tier 1 level. He is a 98 playing with mostly 97's.

GOALIE LEADERS

RK NAME TEAM GP MIN W L SOL SO GA GAA SV SV%
1 Weaver, Cole OMA 8 407:19 8 0 0 4 4 .50 99 .961

He was also part of the NAPHL All Star game as a 98 birth year.

Great stats from a weak league, but the team plays one of the toughest non league schedules in the nation. Team is 42-7-2 according to www.myhockeyrankings.com The teams GAA is under 2.0 so I'm sure he's a big part of that.

I did get to see him play in Detroit vs. Honey Baked (#1) team in the country and Omaha lost 2-1, but Weaver was outstanding. Great game by the way!

l thought he was the best goalie in rookie camp. He turns 16 this month.

There are also a couple articles out there on how he is considered one of the top goalie prospects for the NTDP program.

Anyone know anything more about him or the chances he signs with the Raiders?


If they could sign this kid, if he's ready, they may have some trade options with there other young goalies to get another solid defensemen?

[chalk_one_up]

I don't wanna run my mouth but I am hearing that Winther deal may include another 16 year old player coming to the Raiders but it can't be announced until after the Under 17 tourney out east is done and the young guys are back. Anyone else hearing this?

Didn't hear much on this front, but did hear Perreaux to Brandon for prospect (Bochinski? Boutin? Elder?) and conditional pick.

[sbtatter]

Didn't hear much on this front, but did hear Perreaux to Brandon for prospect (Bochinski? Boutin? Elder? Sanheim?) and conditional pick.

I was told the other day (not anyone connected with WK's so it's not verified) that Sanheim was dropped from WK's protected list and picked up by Hitmen (who have his brother).
My take on the other 3 names you listed is Boutin (16) has the most promise but needs to mature yet, Elder (16) has size and speed to burn but not much of a scorer yet, Bochinski (17)is more of a defensive forward with more limited speed and potential. Brandon has gobs of scoring forwards in the 15 to 17 age range so I'd rather keep a guy like Elder who can play some defensive roles and is only 16.
Perreaux is in his 19 year old season correct?

[chalk_one_up]

I was told the other day (not anyone connected with WK's so it's not verified) that Sanheim was dropped from WK's protected list and picked up by Hitmen (who have his brother).
My take on the other 3 names you listed is Boutin (16) has the most promise but needs to mature yet, Elder (16) has size and speed to burn but not much of a scorer yet, Bochinski (17)is more of a defensive forward with more limited speed and potential. Brandon has gobs of scoring forwards in the 15 to 17 age range so I'd rather keep a guy like Elder who can play some defensive roles and is only 16.
Perreaux is in his 19 year old season correct?

Yeah I thought Sanheim was re-listed by the Hitmen and that was confirmed earlier today too, so I edited my post to reflect that. No prospect names were tossed out to me and yes Perreaux is in his 19-year old season. I think PA is looking to get their 19-year old #'s down, but looking to add another body, whether they add the prospect right away (Bochinski for example), or does this possible trade lead to another one? P.A can ill afford to lose roster players without adding another, so maybe there's this deal and maybe another one to bring in a roster player if it is in fact Boutin or Elder.

[observe]

I found this on the Weaver kid from USA plays for the 2nd ranked team in the USA (Omaha) at the U16 AAA Tier 1 level. He is a 98 playing with mostly 97's.

GOALIE LEADERS

RK NAME TEAM GP MIN W L SOL SO GA GAA SV SV%
1 Weaver, Cole OMA 8 407:19 8 0 0 4 4 .50 99 .961

He was also part of the NAPHL All Star game as a 98 birth year.

Great stats from a weak league, but the team plays one of the toughest non league schedules in the nation. Team is 42-7-2 according to www.myhockeyrankings.com The teams GAA is under 2.0 so I'm sure he's a big part of that.

I did get to see him play in Detroit vs. Honey Baked (#1) team in the country and Omaha lost 2-1, but Weaver was outstanding. Great game by the way!

l thought he was the best goalie in rookie camp. He turns 16 this month.

There are also a couple articles out there on how he is considered one of the top goalie prospects for the NTDP program.

Anyone know anything more about him or the chances he signs with the Raiders?


If they could sign this kid, if he's ready, they may have some trade options with there other young goalies to get another solid defensemen?



Couldn't help but notice.
Heading into the Christmas break, your back-up goalie from last season was rated 9th in the CJHL and 3rd in BCHL ........ Seems to be doing well. Could have maybe saved a first round pick??

[Sttop]

I don't wanna run my mouth but I am hearing that Winther deal may include another 16 year old player coming to the Raiders but it can't be announced until after the Under 17 tourney out east is done and the young guys are back. Anyone else hearing this?

I heard something right along the lines of this at the rink.

[Raiderfan8]

I heard something right along the lines of this at the rink.

Be great if it happens but do we give up the 2nd round pick you think?

[Sttop]

If we just gave up cgys 2nd its a real good deal IMO.

[BillyBean]

If we are talking about 97 Brennan Riddle I think it's time to hit the reset button. There is a reason that the Hitmen sent this young player home from fall camp without keeping him. He needs development and is not ready for the WHL. His point total at recent U17 (0 points) and his point total with Tisdale (12 points - in 30 some games). He will play in the WHL eventually but has a ways to go. The Hitmen don't usually give up on young draft prospects unless there is a reason. So I find it strange they would include him in a deal for a 3 month rental player Winther.

From a numbers game this move makes no sense. Guhle is a 97 already playing, plus u have 2 other decent 97 D draft picks on the list. As well, u have 3 98 D draft picks on the list, one of which is signed - Paivaranta. The real kicker is that u now have 5 18 yo on the roster this year (mistake) - who will be all 19 yo next year. Morrissey and Andrlik will be back and Coghlan (according to the papers has been coveted for a long time by Raiders - even though the 3rd last place team in the conference gave up on him when they are short D with absence of Nogier?). Then there is Stewart who most people on this blog swear will be a player if we just give him time (so I assume he is staying). Verrall is signed and will be playing in the Telus Cup this year and then there is Lange the PA boy who will be a 20 yo next year.

So unless Calgary (who is always at the top of the division and makes good player assessments) made a mistake about Riddle then I am not sure why the excitement is about his inclusion in the trade (if true). What PA needs right now is a top 4 shutdown D man (Walters or maybe Brown) not a future hope. They need to get past the 1st round of the playoffs this year and a future prospect will not get them there this year unless he is flipped for a top D man now.

[Wapitikev]

Couldn't help but notice.
Heading into the Christmas break, your back-up goalie from last season was rated 9th in the CJHL and 3rd in BCHL ........ Seems to be doing well. Could have maybe saved a first round pick??Good on Andy! He was stuck behind an amazing, workhorse goaltender and never got a shot to put together a string of starts, here.

Hope he does well.

Would still rather have McBride, Parenteau, Weaver and Cheveldave, though.

JHL performance is not always indicative of WHL performance however...Rylan Parenteau is playing for the worst team in the SJHL but has the 6th best save % in the 12 team league at 0.930. I have to assume his defense isn't helping him pad that stat either. Yet he struggled at camp last fall.

Andy is 5th in the BCHL based on GAA, with a 0.914sv% and his team is 7th out of 16 in the standings...safe to say W. Kelowna are playing better defense in front of him than the Red wings are for Rylan.

Cheers,

-Wapitikev

[puckdad]

Watching last night's game against the last place team in the league without their top scorer in the lineup and giving up 37 shots it is pretty evident that we need a solid d-man who can play right now. We downgraded on D to get Valcourt and need to find someone who can replace Busenius' minutes. Nothing against Coghlin, he will be a competent defender, but is not top 4 calibre right now.

This was the most out-of-sync that the Raider's defence has looked for a long time. It is likely due to the fact that there were rarely the same pairing out for 2 consecutive shifts.

Tyler Dea stumbled & bumbled his way through 2 shifts in the 1st & did not see the ice again in the game. Johnston was ok, but his best plays last night were off the glass & out. Maybe we traded the wrong 20-yr-old d-man. Lange's mis-read at the red line lead to the Hurricane's goal and Coghlin couldn't react in time. Lange's passing from the d-zone is usually his strength, but he was forcing the puck to covered players all night. Andrlik has shown great improvement & confidence since Christmas, but his avoidance of contact makes it a challenge in the D-zone where you might have to take a hit to make a play.
On a positive note, it was Stewie's best game ever, so maybe Dave will make a player out of him yet.

If they play like that against Calgary next week, they'll be dead in the water.

[chalk_one_up]

Stewart reminds me of Garth Collins for some reason, except Collins was tougher.

[Wapitikev]

I found this on the Weaver kid from USA plays for the 2nd ranked team in the USA (Omaha) at the U16 AAA Tier 1 level. He is a 98 playing with mostly 97's.

GOALIE LEADERS

RK NAME TEAM GP MIN W L SOL SO GA GAA SV SV%
1 Weaver, Cole OMA 8 407:19 8 0 0 4 4 .50 99 .961

He was also part of the NAPHL All Star game as a 98 birth year.

Great stats from a weak league, but the team plays one of the toughest non league schedules in the nation. Team is 42-7-2 according to www.myhockeyrankings.com The teams GAA is under 2.0 so I'm sure he's a big part of that.

I did get to see him play in Detroit vs. Honey Baked (#1) team in the country and Omaha lost 2-1, but Weaver was outstanding. Great game by the way!

l thought he was the best goalie in rookie camp. He turns 16 this month.

There are also a couple articles out there on how he is considered one of the top goalie prospects for the NTDP program.

Anyone know anything more about him or the chances he signs with the Raiders?


If they could sign this kid, if he's ready, they may have some trade options with there other young goalies to get another solid defensemen?Great to hear that he's continuing to do well. From what I've read online, Omaha has a pretty good team this season which would account for only 4GA in 8 games as well as the 4 shutouts...8 games is a pretty small sample size.

I was asking about Weaver at the end of rookie camp last year and apparently he's said he was happy to come here for camp and, after it was over, was still interested in playing here next (this) fall. @ 15 last fall, this fall is his first real opportunity to crack the squad.

Don't think Weaver was better than McBride last fall...I had him as the 2nd best tender at rookie camp. Parenteau, who had a terrible camp, was tied with Balk (who was 17 last fall), a bigger kid who wasn't a bad goalie himself.

A year is a long time though and things can change pretty quick when you're 15 and doing so well in your home-country. I sincerely hope that he is still interested in being a Raider, come August 2014.

-Wapitikev

[sbtatter]

So, are you guys buyers, sellers or kind of stuck in the middle as trade deadline approaches? Tough position for Reg, Bdn and PA as the division is so tight, and 1 good purchase could secure the division and 2nd seed. SC are obviously buyers.

[Wapitikev]

Watching last night's game against the last place team in the league without their top scorer in the lineup and giving up 37 shots it is pretty evident that we need a solid d-man who can play right now. We downgraded on D to get Valcourt and need to find someone who can replace Busenius' minutes. Nothing against Coghlin, he will be a competent defender, but is not top 4 calibre right now.

This was the most out-of-sync that the Raider's defence has looked for a long time. It is likely due to the fact that there were rarely the same pairing out for 2 consecutive shifts.

Tyler Dea stumbled & bumbled his way through 2 shifts in the 1st & did not see the ice again in the game. Johnston was ok, but his best plays last night were off the glass & out. Maybe we traded the wrong 20-yr-old d-man. Lange's mis-read at the red line lead to the Hurricane's goal and Coghlin couldn't react in time. Lange's passing from the d-zone is usually his strength, but he was forcing the puck to covered players all night. Andrlik has shown great improvement & confidence since Christmas, but his avoidance of contact makes it a challenge in the D-zone where you might have to take a hit to make a play.
On a positive note, it was Stewie's best game ever, so maybe Dave will make a player out of him yet.

If they play like that against Calgary next week, they'll be dead in the water.The top 4 looked pretty tired last night (although better than they did in Moose Jaw). Chevy played well (although some of his good saves came off his own juicy rebounds).

At the other end Boes had an amazing game and deserved the first star...the great chances he turned away were in the double-digits...and that's without Leon and Morrissey. The score could easily have been 8-1 if we'd have converted on less than 1/2 of the glorious opportunities that Boes stopped.

Driedger is a good goalie, but I don't expect he'll play any better than Boes did last night...Calgary's defence is an order of magnitude above Lethbridge's.

So, for Tuesday, our Defence should be better (Morrissey back, fewer minutes for MJ as he shifts to the second pair, less pair-shuffling), our offense should be better (Leon and Genarro back), and Cheveldave has been solid since Christmas.

Our boys will have 3 days rest, whereas Calgary will be playing their 3rd game in 4 nights.

I'm confident in our chances on Tuesday.

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

So, are you guys buyers, sellers or kind of stuck in the middle as trade deadline approaches? Tough position for Reg, Bdn and PA as the division is so tight, and 1 good purchase could secure the division and 2nd seed. SC are obviously buyers.Based on the recent transactions, our position in the Divison and Bruno's trade-history I'd say he's either done this year or he's buying.

Definitely not selling.

Given our roster and our list, this is the year to push for a deep playoff run...next year, on paper, we should make the playoffs but I don't expect as strong a team (particularly if Leon makes his NHL team).

-Wapitikev

[shop2]

As far as I feel the only trades PA can afford are duplicate commodities and or third and fourth line players unless they can unload 20 yr olds and upgrade. There is no way they can afford high end shutdown D man after selling the farm for Chevy. We brought a star coach in that was supposed to win with current assets. Young took the blame for not winning in the first round last year Clouston better get us to the second at minimum or third round WITHOUT selling the farm. Selling out for one year is not the answer

[BillyBean]

The top 4 looked pretty tired last night (although better than they did in Moose Jaw). Chevy played well (although some of his good saves came off his own juicy rebounds).

At the other end Boes had an amazing game and deserved the first star...the great chances he turned away were in the double-digits...and that's without Leon and Morrissey. The score could easily have been 8-1 if we'd have converted on less than 1/2 of the glorious opportunities that Boes stopped.

Driedger is a good goalie, but I don't expect he'll play any better than Boes did last night...Calgary's defence is an order of magnitude above Lethbridge's.

So, for Tuesday, our Defence should be better (Morrissey back, fewer minutes for MJ as he shifts to the second pair, less pair-shuffling), our offense should be better (Leon and Genarro back), and Cheveldave has been solid since Christmas.

Our boys will have 3 days rest, whereas Calgary will be playing their 3rd game in 4 nights.

I'm confident in our chances on Tuesday.

-Wapitikev

Guhle, Gennaro and McBride should be back Monday. It is my understanding Morrissey and Leon may not be back until Tuesday. Not sure if the latter 2 will be in the line-up for Tuesday night. Might not be a bad idea to give-em time off until the 2 games in Brandon.

[Wapitikev]

Guhle, Gennaro and McBride should be back Monday. It is my understanding Morrissey and Leon may not be back until Tuesday. Not sure if the latter 2 will be in the line-up for Tuesday night. Might not be a bad idea to give-em time off until the 2 games in Brandon.If Leon and Josh are back before game time on Tuesday, I'd be very surprised if they chose NOT to play against the best team in the conference.

...and if his best players want to play, why would Clouston say no? Particularly with another 2 full days of rest before they leave for Brandon.

-Wapitikev

[BillyBean]

If Leon and Josh are back before game time on Tuesday, I'd be very surprised if they chose NOT to play against the best team in the conference.

...and if his best players want to play, why would Clouston say no? Particularly with another 2 full days of rest before they leave for Brandon.

-Wapitikev

Of course every player wants to play but most CHL teams consider giving their WJ players a few days rest to ensure their productivity throughout the remainder of what will hopefully be a extended season for the Raiders.

I know that the plan last year was to give McNeill some time off which did not happen due to the Raiders slump. I think most people would agree that McNeill was not as effective post WJC. Now whether the lack of time off was a factor or not is another question.

Anyway, I'm not the coach or the players involved. Just know that it's common practice with some other teams.

[chalk_one_up]

If Leon and Josh are back before game time on Tuesday, I'd be very surprised if they chose NOT to play against the best team in the conference.

...and if his best players want to play, why would Clouston say no? Particularly with another 2 full days of rest before they leave for Brandon.

-Wapitikev

They will be bagged with all the games played and the time zone difference. For the benefit of a long playoff run rather than 1 game or so, it's probably best to have them sit. Draisaitl may even want to go home for a couple days before coming back.

[sbtatter]

Based on the recent transactions, our position in the Divison and Bruno's trade-history I'd say he's either done this year or he's buying.

Definitely not selling.

Given our roster and our list, this is the year to push for a deep playoff run...next year, on paper, we should make the playoffs but I don't expect as strong a team (particularly if Leon makes his NHL team).

-Wapitikev

Yeah, thanks for that, agree with you that you're not sellers

[Sabes]

If we are talking about 97 Brennan Riddle I think it's time to hit the reset button. There is a reason that the Hitmen sent this young player home from fall camp without keeping him. He needs development and is not ready for the WHL. His point total at recent U17 (0 points) and his point total with Tisdale (12 points - in 30 some games). He will play in the WHL eventually but has a ways to go. The Hitmen don't usually give up on young draft prospects unless there is a reason. So I find it strange they would include him in a deal for a 3 month rental player Winther.

From a numbers game this move makes no sense. Guhle is a 97 already playing, plus u have 2 other decent 97 D draft picks on the list. As well, u have 3 98 D draft picks on the list, one of which is signed - Paivaranta. The real kicker is that u now have 5 18 yo on the roster this year (mistake) - who will be all 19 yo next year. Morrissey and Andrlik will be back and Coghlan (according to the papers has been coveted for a long time by Raiders - even though the 3rd last place team in the conference gave up on him when they are short D with absence of Nogier?). Then there is Stewart who most people on this blog swear will be a player if we just give him time (so I assume he is staying). Verrall is signed and will be playing in the Telus Cup this year and then there is Lange the PA boy who will be a 20 yo next year.

So unless Calgary (who is always at the top of the division and makes good player assessments) made a mistake about Riddle then I am not sure why the excitement is about his inclusion in the trade (if true). What PA needs right now is a top 4 shutdown D man (Walters or maybe Brown) not a future hope. They need to get past the 1st round of the playoffs this year and a future prospect will not get them there this year unless he is flipped for a top D man now.

Riddle is younger and has better stats the a guy like Verral. He's clearly superior to him regardless of Ben being signed and playing in the telus cup. Riddle is the better player with a higher ceiling. If it is Riddle I'll be happy cause it will help in future years.

[Raiderfan8]

Agree with Sabes. I'd be happy with Riddle. We have some great looking D prospects that we need to finally develop. Be nice to have 3 or 4 rather this time around.

[Raiderfan8]

Was looking at PG Cougars game roster last night. They only dressed 16 Skaters and 1 Goalie. Noticed Alex Forsberg wasn't in the line up. Wonder if he final got his move....

[BillyBean]

The purpose of my post was not to rate players. It was more an armchair WHL GM/business question as to the value of a trade and the return the Raiders are getting for the trade. The original trade was Winther to Calgary for Brooks and a 2nd round pick. What I am not clear on is that if we receive another player from Calgary do we have to return that 2nd round pick to Calgary for the 2nd player.

My point was that if PA does need to return the 2nd to Calgary for a 2nd player I would think that in PA's current situation it would make more business sense to use the 2nd pick to get an experienced veteran D man to help out the blue line this year and hopefully extend the Raiders run in the playoffs than it would to get a 16 yo future prospect that would have no immediate impact on the current Raiders season. Unless of course the Raiders know that the 16 yo prospect is wanted by another team and will flip him for a player the Raiders want.

The Raiders are a business, and most likely need to make it at least through the 1st and possibly 2nd round this season to have a profit or break even. The 2nd half of their season will be extremely difficult including the dreaded US road swing in which most eastern division teams are falling flat on their faces. The pressure on this team with the new coaching changes and added expenses should alter their decision making path.

I think it is fair to say that a 2nd round pick is of more immediate value than a 16 yo prospect (regardless of who it is) in terms of the possible immediate impact to this team. If the 16 yo prospect in question was currently playing and being a significant contributor to a WHL team I might change my mind - but he is not.

BC has made two great trades (Valcourt and Brooks) to improve the F's on this team but as much as I think Coghlan is decent D - man, his 1st year 30+ games experience in the WHL is still a step down from the experience that Busenius gave to the blue line (in spite of his defensive liabilities at times).

I would think that most people that read this blog would agree that the Raiders need a veteran stay at home D man added to the roster prior to the trade deadline in order to have a chance at playoff success. A 2nd round pick will go a long way to acquiring that player. If they don't make that move I think it will be very difficult to expect a long playoff run but I could be wrong.

As far as commenting on player "ceilings" and the ability to predict future success in the WHL (or any league) I would suggest that common sense shows us that success in any league is more about getting the opportunity to play at a certain level and what you do with that opportunity. Its also about the ability to acquire and learn new skills that keep you at a certain level or take you to the next level. Hockey leagues around this country are littered with players who were given projected "ceilings". Some are playing above their "ceiling" and some are playing below their "ceiling" which tells us placing "ceilings" is a waste of time.

In the case of the 2012 draft the Hitmen chose Brennan Riddle 17th overall in the 1st round and Loch Morrison 149th overall in the 7th round. Dan Bonar was quoted at the time of the draft that " Brennan would play with the Hitmen as a 16 yo". At last falls Hitmen camp Loch Morrison stayed and played through all 6 exhibition season games for the Hitmen while Brennan Riddle was sent home after 1-2 games. Loch almost stayed with the Hitmen for the entire year. Brennan Riddle made Team West U17 team while Loch Morrison did not. So each has had success in their own way but both had totally different "ceilings" placed on them in the form of the WHL Bantam Draft. This proves my point that placing ceilings on players is futile as the end result depends on - opportunity, the team, the coach, the management and so many uncontrollable factors that no one can predict.

A local case in point is Big Mac - who knows how far he can take his opportunity.

Anyway - just my 2 cents. Hope the Raiders aren't done trading.

[Sttop]

Great post . I am a Morrison fan myself and wished the raiders took him. IMO if the draft was now Morrison would be a high pick. Calgary's 2nd round pick will be late and I would think the original deal had riddle in it but couldn't get a deal done because riddle was at the macs. Either way riddle helps the future and to me brooks is exactly what the forward group needed. He has been fantastic in every aspect. And a big upgrade on what we have seen in winther.

[BillyBean]

Great post . I am a Morrison fan myself and wished the raiders took him. IMO if the draft was now Morrison would be a high pick. Calgary's 2nd round pick will be late and I would think the original deal had riddle in it but couldn't get a deal done because riddle was at the macs. Either way riddle helps the future and to me brooks is exactly what the forward group needed. He has been fantastic in every aspect. And a big upgrade on what we have seen in winther.

I absolutely think Brooks is a huge addition for the Raiders. His face-off skill and percentage is key. His speed, work ethic and puck skill are impressive. I'm excited to see where they use him in line pairings when everyone gets back.

Interesting... Winther was 6th overall 1st round pick in 2009 draft while Brooks was 176th overall 8th round in the same 2009 draft. Just another example of "ceilings" "potential" or any other label you want to use not being valuable. I'm not saying one player is better than the other but they both now have equal value to the teams they are playing for regardless of what someone saw as there future limits 5 years ago.

[Sttop]

Brooks has taken a lot of pressure off danyluk as well. Seems to be a great fit. And a guy that could play as a 20 yr old . guys like hart and Conroy would bring back higher return in the trade market next year.

[Wildeyes]

The Prince Albert Raiders have acquired 16-year-old defenceman Brennan Riddle and a 3rd round pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft from the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for a 2nd round pick in 2014 and a 4th round selection in 2015.



Riddle was the Hitmen’s first round selection, 17th overall, in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft after the 6’2”, 180-pound blueliner scored 11 goals and 6 assists for 17 points in 22 games for the Prairie Storm in the Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League. The Balgone, Saskatchewan product has 2 goals and 12 points in 27 games with the Tisdale Trojans this season, and represented Team West at the 2014 World under-17 Challenge.



The second round selection heading to Calgary was originally sent from the Hitmen to the Raiders in the transaction involving the two clubs on December 28th that saw the Raiders obtain Calder Brooks.

[puckdad]

So, when its all said & done, works out to:
Winther(94) & a 4th Round Pick in 2015 for....
Brooks(94), Riddle(97), & a 3rd Round Pick in 2015

The 2nd Round Pick was just Smoke & Mirrors until they could announce the actual trade after U17's.

[puckdad]

Can see Riddle play vs Mintos in Tisdale on Feb 1., and at the AHC on Feb 6.

[puckdad]

Still doesn't change the fact that we are in need of quality & depth on the blue line for this year.

[Landon]

Tonights game should be a huge indicator that Bruno better go get some defence if he wants to make it through 1st round of playoffs. As a Raider fan I am tired of watching this unfold. Calgary had 4 lines rolling all night and wore down the Raiders to the point where Raiders couldn't get the puck out of there own end on the power play. Raiders have one play coming out of there end and its high off the glass and skate hard to try and get it. Raiders have a few liabilities upfront and a few on defence that need to be held accountable which I thought Clouston was supposed to do...

[Raiderfan8]

I agree with you we need a top four d-man but I don't think we need one for the powerplay. Once Morrissey is back we will be fine. We are ranked 4th in the league on the PP and were 1st when he left. I think the boys are going to make some noise here the last few months.

[Landon]

I think they need a # 2-3 defenceman. Lange on any other time would be a number 4. He has been putting up points but his decision to pinch have cost the Raiders quite a few goals against. He tries to do to much. Now that Busenius is gone Johnstone seems to be in that #3 spot and it seems all he can do is shoot it high off the glass if it doesn't end up in his own net to say the least!! He hasn't found much of a game since coming here and has been a liability. Andrlik should be the #6 but he is playing at #4. In my opinion he is taking developmental minutes from Guhle. Raiders should have tried to get defenceman Graham Craig from Saskatoon along with Valcourt and Coghlan.

[sbtatter]

I think they need a # 2-3 defenceman. Lange on any other time would be a number 4. He has been putting up points but his decision to pinch have cost the Raiders quite a few goals against. He tries to do to much. Now that Busenius is gone Johnstone seems to be in that #3 spot and it seems all he can do is shoot it high off the glass if it doesn't end up in his own net to say the least!! He hasn't found much of a game since coming here and has been a liability. Andrlik should be the #6 but he is playing at #4. In my opinion he is taking developmental minutes from Guhle. Raiders should have tried to get defenceman Graham Craig from Saskatoon along with Valcourt and Coghlan.

How about Thomson from Kamloops who is sitting at home currently?

[Landon]

How about Thomson from Kamloops who is sitting at home currently?
I thought about Jordan Thomson and he is a right handed shot. He left the Blazers which raises a flag for me.

[puckdad]

Graeme Craig (93) & 7th in 2014 + fifth in 2016 from Saskatoonm for....
Mackenzie Johnston & Tyler Dea from PA & 3rd & 5th in 2015

[chalk_one_up]

Raiders acquire Graeme Craig and picks for Mackenzie Johnston, Tyler Dea and picks.

http://saskatoonblades.com/article/blades-continue-rebuild-acquire-picks-and-players-from-raiders

[puckdad]

Final piece of the puzzle. Now Chevy has to stop some pucks & we need to go on a streak.

[Raiderfan8]

Well we got our top 4 d-man now and hopefully the boys can string together some wins here on the weekend. I think this is a really good pick up.

[Wapitikev]

Final piece of the puzzle. Now Chevy has to stop some pucks & we need to go on a streak.
Either that or PLAY MCBRIDE MORE!

Chevy looked great in the first 3 games back but not as sharp in the last three.

Hopefully the team realizes that resting Chevy more by playing McBride more will be what's best for the team.

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

Well we got our top 4 d-man now and hopefully the boys can string together some wins here on the weekend. I think this is a really good pick up.As I mentioned in the 2nd half thread, the next 7 games are all against teams that are either in our division or behind us in the standings. If the boys are serious about making a deep playoff run (and I have to assume they are) then the future is now.

-Wapitikev

[Raiderfan8]

Is Bruno done or will there be one more last minute deal?

[Sttop]

I could see a vet forward moved. As it is 2 good forwards sitting. I wouldn't mind if bruno explored the option of Chevy and adrlik for bartosak

[Raiderfan8]

Kudos to Bruno for a job well done the last few weeks getting some key pieces for a playoff run. I still think we are in the mix for maybe one more d-man and some of our 19 year old forwards will be trade bait. It should be an exciting last few months in Hockey Town North if this team comes together.

I also wanted to point out that even trading draft picks in the early rounds for the next few years is not going to hurt our club. Our future looks bright as well with the following players coming up.

Defence - Good big young kids

Brennan Guhle 6'2 16 - PA Raiders (Signed)
Brennan Riddle 6'2 16 - Tisdale AAA Trojans (Acquired via trade)
Cody Paivarinta 6'5 15- Fraser Valley Thunderbirds (Signed)
Noah Turanski 6'3 15 - Pursuit of Excellence Hockey

Forwards -

Matteo Gennaro 6'1 16 - PA Raiders (Signed)
Dylan Stewart 6'0 16 - Edmonton Canadians Midget AAA ( team captain ) (Signed)
Dylan Williamson 6'2 15 - Pursuit of Excellence Hockey (Signed)
Sean Montgomery 5'9 15 - Calgary Royals ( top 20 in scoring Alberta MidgetAAA)
Luke Coleman 6'0 15 - Red Deer Optimist Chiefs (Signed)

Goalie -

Nick McBride 6'3 16 - PA Raiders (Signed)

It's my belief that Josh Morrissey and Leon Draisitl will be back next year as well. Even if the Raiders are pushing for the playoffs next year I think it would a good option to send these two fella's to a contender for some good young talent.

[sbtatter]

Will Draisitl and Morrissey be back playing this weekend?

[Raiderfan8]

Both Leon and Josh will be playing this weekend.

[Wapitikev]

Pretty sure Bruno's done for this year...but I thought we were done before the Craig trade, so things could still happen.

Yes Josh and Leon would bring a great return at the trade deadline next year, but please remember, the team needed 2 playoff games and record attendance to turn a profit last year and costs have likely gone up this year. With no reason to believe that costs will go down next year it would be pretty irresponsible, financially to risk missing the playoffs by trading your two best players.

So if we are in a playoff position next jan 1, I'd be really surprised if we traded either one of them.

Unless the board gives BC the green light to roll the dice on blowing the budget in order to build for the future.

[Wapitikev]

Both Leon and Josh will be playing this weekend.REALLY looking forward to seeing them play with Craig and Valcourt. Lets hope they gel quickly.

[sbtatter]

REALLY looking forward to seeing them play with Craig and Valcourt. Lets hope they gel quickly.

Well, not too quickly;)

[Wapitikev]

Well, not too quickly;)Heh.

[Raiderfan8]

Appears the Raiders are done dealing from recent news articles in the herald and on PAnow. Campese said he doesn't expect to do anything else.

[Dwight Schrute]

http://starsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/stars-sign-goalie-prospect-henri-kiviaho-to-entry-level-contract.html/

Winther won't be getting signed and I doubt re drafted
Returning as a overage maybe makes that deal better for Calgary

[puckdad]

To PG: Chance Braid & Lance Yaremchuk
To PA: Jordan Tkatch

[the voice]

Wow. Surprised by the lack of comments to this move. Possibly we are all on holidays. It'll be a tough call on overagers. Braid is one of 4 quality players we won't see in uniform. Sucks. Fact of life with WHL teams. Not sure about Yaremchuk though. I saw him as a 2-3 year goal scorer, unless there are underlying issues. Stay tuned. More dealing to come, even though Bruno said he was standing pat til fall. Not sure if we'll ever see a cast of characters like what we had last year. It was fun to watch. So many different types of players. Had the makings of a championship team. Not up to me to say why it didn't end up that way. It won't take long to realize what we had, but we need to look forward to what we will have. The cycle of a whl squad.

[Wildeyes]

I dont mind this move Braid probably would not make it as a 20 in PA this gives him a chance to make a squad. Lance is a small forward who does have some scoring ability at the AAA level but his is small and likes to skate with his head down.

Jordan coming to PA is a good move he comes back to PA where he played AAA. He will be a top 6 if not top 3 here he has 82points in 196 games where as a 19 year old he can pick it up.

[puckdad]

With 6 '94's still on the roster, I think we'll see at least 2 more over-agers moved through the summer & likely come to camp in August with 4 20-yr-olds. It'll be difficult to move three of them to other teams because of the number of good 20-yr-olds throughout the league, even minus the ones who will go on to their Minor Pro teams. Bruno will probably have to package an over-age with a prospect or swap for draft picks in order to get any kind of return, unless a team is looking for a particular player as an upgrade.

Brooks - 15G 16A 31 Pts +3 14 PM
Came from Calgary in the Mike Winther deal. Best Face-Off Man on the team last year, and good work habits & D-Zone Player. A bit more offensive upside than Danyluk, as he has more patience at the net, but the 2 have very similar skill sets.

Conroy - 30G 31A 61 Pts -2 24 PM
Has been a steal for a 7th round pick. The only reliable scoring forward that is in this age group. Raiders will really need his touch at the net this year, as most others are not proven goal-scorers. May be "carrot" to try to pursuade whoever drafts Leon to return him to Major Junior and not play Pro this year.

Danyluk - 7G 17A 24 Pts -15 29 PM
Great work ethic & reliable D-Zone Player. Alternate Captain for past 2 years, so has good leadership skills. - Has not progressed offensively at all since entering the league as a 16-yr-old. Still a 3rd line centre/penalty killer - a role better suited for a younger player.

Hart 14G 28A 42 Pts -9 66 PM
Injuries limited his effectiveness for the past 2 years. Was easily the best Raider in pre-season & early on in the campaign, but after suffering a concussion early in the year, and a shoulder injury later on, didn't return to the same form until late in the season. Divisive influence off the ice. Big upside if he stays healthy and if he mends fences with his team-mates. Searching for some consistency.

Lange 7G 44A 51 Pts -7 30 PM
Local player. The only 20-year-old defenseman in the group. Quietly had an excellent year last year when paired with Morrissey on the top defensive pairing. One of the most efficient puck-moving d-men in the league. For a smaller-sized defenseman, played an amazingly good shut-down role against the opposing teams top lines. Burned with a team-high 10 empty net goals against last year.

Perreaux 18G 11A 29 Pts -18 41PM
Big-bodied forward who is probably one of the best-skating players on the team, or at least the fastest. Struggled with consistency & work ethic last year. Shows he has the ability to score, but the play often died on his stick with either a give-away or a shot. For some reason Clouston decided to try & play him on his off-wing for most of the 2nd half of the season. Couldn't take a pass on the right-wing boards to save his life. Play-making, passing, and on-ice vision has not progressed much in the last 3 years.

Every one of these players bring something to the team that the others do not, so there will have to be some hard decisions made on who to keep and who to try & move. The 2 top candidates to return are Conroy, for his scoring abilities and Lange for his defensive abiliies. Hart has a good chance of being the 3rd overager if the team needs scoring, or either Brooks or Danyluk if they need more defensive reliability.

[Wapitikev]

...Hart 14G 28A 42 Pts -9 66 PM
Injuries limited his effectiveness for the past 2 years. Was easily the best Raider in pre-season & early on in the campaign, but after suffering a concussion early in the year, and a shoulder injury later on, didn't return to the same form until late in the season. Divisive influence off the ice. Big upside if he stays healthy and if he mends fences with his team-mates. Searching for some consistency.

Hart has a good chance of being the 3rd overager if the team needs scoring...I don't follow the Mintos and I didn't pay much attention to the 2 PG games last season so I don't know Tkatch's skill-set. Would he be more likely to take Hart's 2nd line center spot or Danyluk's third line spot? His stats suggest 2nd line this fall unless he plays his way down the roster in Camp.

Genarro is a center as well and in his NHL-draft season. I expect him to come to camp about 15lbs heavier and looking for a regular spot in the middle this fall...3rd line to start but 2nd line as the season goes on, if he develops as expected.

So, unless Leon sticks in the show, we'll have too many centers for Hart to stay. As such, I'd expect Hart to be in camp this fall as our insurance policy against that possibility. Talk about big shoes to fill!

If Leon does return, Brooks would be my 3rd 20yo along with Conroy and Lange (all their skills being the same this fall as they were last Winter).

The only question is: what will Hart be worth in mid-October if Edmonton (or whoever) sends Leon back after 9 games? Here's to some (other) teams going on major losing streaks to start the season.

-Wapitikev