looking ahead

[RWAH]

coming up 7 home games. 3 are Stoon or MJ leaving PG tonoght RD Saturday and MH and Koot. all but MH are below us in the standing
Brandons next 7 are 3 home and 4 road including Cal and Ed.and Swift.
Swift's next 7 are 3 home and 4 road but the only game with a team above them is MH at Swift. They play PA twice Stoon and MJ once each
A strong home stand by the Pats and we should gain on Brandon but Swift will need to under acheive for us to gain any on them.
Heres hoping for a goog week end and 4 points
GO PATS GO

[chopper]

coming up 7 home games. 3 are Stoon or MJ leaving PG tonoght RD Saturday and MH and Koot. all but MH are below us in the standing
Brandons next 7 are 3 home and 4 road including Cal and Ed.and Swift.
Swift's next 7 are 3 home and 4 road but the only game with a team above them is MH at Swift. They play PA twice Stoon and MJ once each
A strong home stand by the Pats and we should gain on Brandon but Swift will need to under acheive for us to gain any on them.
Heres hoping for a goog week end and 4 points
GO PATS GO

These next stretch of home games will probably decide their season. Trying to handicap junior hockey games is a real challenge at best. The east division is so volatile that anything can and likely will happen.

While I hope the guys start winning some games it wouldn't surprise me to see them lose the next two. PG have played some good games lately and this is about the time Red Deer starts to pick it up. Any Sutter coached team is a concern.

The Pats have shown that they cannot consistently play with the big boys. They have a hard time finding any consistency whatsoever. While there is no exact way of knowing where the Pats will finish, I have to believe that 2nd, 5th, or 7th would be best in light of the teams above them. That is assuming they will actually make the playoffs. We all know what assume stands for. Nothing is a given at this point.

Right now our defence is very bad, our best players have ceased being our best players. Leier is in a funk and took three needless uncharacteristic penalties. He isn't delivering timely scoring any more. He has to find his game again. Stephenson's play has dropped off as well. When two key guys aren't producing it's hard to win. On the Alberta swing Klimchuk (PP) zagraggen and Hanson were our goal scorers.

I guess all that's left is to play out the hands dealt, and count the chips when it's over!

[RWAH]

Chopper: agree with the preferred play off positions 2, 5, 7 and I wouild throw in 4th. 6th or 8th is a date to a first round exit via Cal or Edm
I looked at the last 4 games and we play Koot, PA and Bnd twice if PA can right the ship all those games are teams in the playoff hunt and playing for positioning. Swift's last 4 games are Leth, Stoon MJ twice all teams that will be playing for draft positioning.

[patsdude114]

Right now our defence is very bad, our best players have ceased being our best players. Leier is in a funk and took three needless uncharacteristic penalties. He isn't delivering timely scoring any more. He has to find his game again. Stephenson's play has dropped off as well. When two key guys aren't producing it's hard to win. On the Alberta swing Klimchuk (PP) zagraggen and Hanson were our goal scorers.


First off don't get me wrong I love Leier's games how he works so hard each and every shift.

I took a lot of heat earlier in the year on I think it was Roddy's blog when I said Leier isn't really considered a true goal scorer, he even admitted it in the paper that he isn't a goal scorer that he was just benefitting from some good scoring chances. Now since the xmas break teams tend to tighten up defensively more and are more aware of the true top players, & guess what since xmas Leier only has 2 goals. At the rate he is going he will be lucky to reach 30goals. Hopefully he finds his mojo again and finds the back of the net soon again.

[chopper]

I really hope Leier gets his game back. When he plays at a high level he is a real inspiration to the team, and they feed off of it. I sure hope he gets 30+. It almost seems he is trying to do too much and taking all the teams woes on his back.

On the Alberta swing both Burroughs and Stevenson were -4. I'm just saying maybe some vets weren't totally engaged in these game. These guys have to be our best players down the stretch.

I don't know if anyone else feels it but I get the sense that something is out of sync with team right now. I don't know what it is but I feel something. However I'm getting old and it could be gas.....:D

Looking forward to seeing the Fiddler and the Cougars. Looking for a strong game from the boys. We want to make hay while on the home stretch.

[patsdude114]

IMO anything less then 5-2 during this home stand it will be considered a disappointment. Actually with who we actually play a 6-1 record should be attainable. Time to find some consistantcy over this home stand. If we go .500 we are battling for that final playoff spot & it may not turn out good

[Shooter]

Not sure if the team has quit on coaching staff but the team is sinking in the WHL standings. The Pats are one of the oldest team right now and looks like maybe the vets are sidetracked or wanting the season to end sooner than later unfortunately or maybe there s some injuries that players are playing through at moment. The Brandon Wheat Kings are climbing with their rebuild way faster than projected and Mr. Kelly McKrimmon showcasing why he is the smartest GM and coach in WHL. He gets the best out of his players 1 game at a time!

[Shooter]

I have heard rumor that Klimmer will be with the Calgary Flames next as season. We know Calgary is in a rebuild process. Sounds like a few older boys will be leaving the flames if the package deals are workable!

[patsdude114]

In the end you never know but in my opinion Klimchuk is a couple yrs away, he doesn't dominate much at the WHL level like other guys tend to do. Keep in mind too that the Flames will most likely land a top 5 pick this year and will prob end up having that player selected ahead of Morgan Klimchuk (28th ovr) & Emile Poirier (22nd ovr)

If the season ended today the Flames could be picking 3rd overall & would have a chance at Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekblad or even Leon Draisaitl.... all those guys I would put ahead of Klimchuk as they all dominate games that they play in, I truly believe that Klimchuk is abit of a project yes he is signed but that don't kick in til he actually plays pro which in my opinion wont be til he is 20yrs old anyways.

[chopper]

Not sure if the team has quit on coaching staff but the team is sinking in the WHL standings. The Pats are one of the oldest team right now and looks like maybe the vets are sidetracked or wanting the season to end sooner than later unfortunately or maybe there s some injuries that players are playing through at moment. The Brandon Wheat Kings are climbing with their rebuild way faster than projected and Mr. Kelly McKrimmon showcasing why he is the smartest GM and coach in WHL. He gets the best out of his players 1 game at a time!

The progression and maturation I was hoping to see hasn't materialized. We are still giving up more than we score, and we are still dead last on the PK. Those two stats alone are enough to put you in a bad place. Our top four older guys appear to be a bit off the mark. They need 10-12 points to stay in the hunt. Anything less will seriously jeopardize a playoff spot.

McCrimmon is a brilliant GM and he will apparently get Saskatoon's first pick in the 2014 draft. Should Saskatoon's ball come up, it could be the #1 over all. His only knock is that his teams don't always do as expected in the playoffs.

I am a very strong supporter of the Pats. I also believed before the trade deadline as I do today; that the Pats are not good or deep enough to go anywhere. I expressed my feelings and opinions on the benefits of being sellers. In order to market your assets you have to make teams aware that you are indeed marketing them. You have to be proactive. I have reason to believe that was never the case and in fact the Pats never wanted to move assets. After this season I can see a gutting of this teams core by the attrition. What's left over isn't high end and not reassuring. They will have to cobble together another similar squad once more. I know - I know:) I shouldn't get started because it drives me nuts.....sorry...LOL

[witness]

OK guys, just relax!!!!
The Pats were predicted to be second last in the Conference. The only team that people thought were worse was MJ. They have played pretty well on the road. I think people's frustration is consistency at home. The game against Calgary, wet everybody's whistle on the potential of the team. They just need to bring that to every game.

I didn't think that the team would be a .500 team. They are above that and have a good home schedule to end the season. They play in a pretty weak division. Nobody in this division is going to compete with Calgary and Edmonton in a 7 game series.


The Pats are one of the oldest team right now and looks like maybe the vets are sidetracked or wanting the season to end sooner than later unfortunately or maybe there s some injuries that players are playing through at moment.
The Pats are one of the younger teams in the conference. Comparable in age with Brandon. MJ is the youngest. The older guys play a ton and maybe they are getting worn down. I don't think that I would question their desire.

The only complaint that I have is the PK. I don't get it. Instead of moving guys out from in front of the net, they are trying to block the shot. And when the shot gets through the goalies don't have a chance in hell to stop it. Guys are running around and it looks like total chaos. I am all over if it is working don't try to fix it. But, here's a news flash ... IT'S NOT WORKING!!!

[chopper]

OK guys, just relax!!!!
The Pats were predicted to be second last in the Conference. The only team that people thought were worse was MJ. They have played pretty well on the road. I think people's frustration is consistency at home. The game against Calgary, wet everybody's whistle on the potential of the team. They just need to bring that to every game.

I didn't think that the team would be a .500 team. They are above that and have a good home schedule to end the season. They play in a pretty weak division. Nobody in this division is going to compete with Calgary and Edmonton in a 7 game series.


The Pats are one of the younger teams in the conference. Comparable in age with Brandon. MJ is the youngest. The older guys play a ton and maybe they are getting worn down. I don't think that I would question their desire.

The only complaint that I have is the PK. I don't get it. Instead of moving guys out from in front of the net, they are trying to block the shot. And when the shot gets through the goalies don't have a chance in hell to stop it. Guys are running around and it looks like total chaos. I am all over if it is working don't try to fix it. But, here's a news flash ... IT'S NOT WORKING!!!

Understand and respect your opinion. I agree we were predicted to be 2nd last in the conference. It does lead to nagging questions about the franchise. Is this perpetually ongoing slightly below/slightly above .500 what we should be aspire to be? Should we be giving up high draft picks for a 20 yr old player to help us get from below to above .500? Is a talent pool that doesn't have even one CSS Prospect on it really hold out great promise? Isn't this a time when the division is so weak that we should try to win a pennant? The long suffering fans truly need something to get excited about.

I know it can be better. Other teams have turned around and made it better in 3-4 years i.e. Portland. I have a hard time accepting we are happy with .500 when we should have done poorer. Shouldn't we be expecting a bar set a bit higher? This is all food for thought!