Preseason 2014

[Wapitikev]

The Raiders announced today that they have graduated "3 goalies, 12 defensemen, 17 forwards (http://www.raiderhockey.com/article/raiders-sign-three-more)" from main camp to the pre-season.

No list of players was released.

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

Total guess (except for goalies) at the roster for pre-season based on who is signed.

Goal
McBride
Parenteau
Scott

Defense (no 15yos)
Morrissey
Andrlik
Ghule
Warner
Lange
Stewart
Coghlan
Verrall
Riddle
Roach
Paivarenta
Thompson

Forwards
Hart
Brooks
Conroy
Quinney
Gardiner
Gennarro
Vanstone
Tkatch
Leverton
Zaharichuk
Stewart
Stransky
Williamson
Coleman
Kelly
Montgomery

...and 1 of Ryback or Josh Maser.

Ryback is not signed. Maser is signed.

Anticipating the official list!

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

Pruden...not Ryback or Maser.

-Wapitikev

[puckdad]

Vs Lethbridge:

Defense:
Guhle-Coghlan
Riddle-Roach
Pav-Verrall

Forwards:
Kelly Coleman pruden
Gennaro Gardiner Stransky
Stewart Vanstne Quinney
Zaharichuk Montgomery Willismson

Goal:
Parenteau
McBride

[puckdad]

I'm not sure if anyone is better than him right now. As a 19-yr old he should be dominating this lineup of rookies & wannabes. We need all able bodies on D while guys are away at pro camps.

[Sttop]

I don't know , out of the 6 that are playing now I would put guhle , riddle and roach as better players already . Then we still have Lange , warriner , stewy . Very disappointed with Verrall and PAv tho . On the bright side , Williamson , stransky , gennero , and Stewart .

[puckdad]

Guhle is playing like he's never played a game in the league before. Must be in double digits in turnovers.

[Raiderfan8]

"The Raiders went with a young lineup dressing 12 rookies. Only 23 players made the trip as veterans Sawyer Lange, Josh Morrissey, Hunter Warner, Tomas Andrlik, MacKenze Stewart, Calder Brooks, Jayden Hart, Dakota Conroy and Jordan Tkatch didn't make the trip and 19-year-old forward Craig Leverton was a healthy scratch." ( Taken from Drew Wilson on PAnow )

So i'm assuming Leverton plays today with probably Gardiner sitting in the stands.

[Raiderfan8]

Well i'll try not to read into the 12-3 blow out loss to Calgary because it is only pre season. It sounds like the 15 year olds Ian Scott, Cody Thompson and Parker Kelly made their way home after the game and Bruno mentioned another defenceman would be joining them but did not say a name as of yet.

I guess this weekend was just a look at the young guys battling for a roster spot but i'm still confused as to why are 20 year olds have yet to get "game" ready only practicing this year (except for Sawyer). Be a good week of practice and looking forward to watching the pre season game next friday in PA.

[Sttop]

I would think the other dman going home is Verrall . I'm not sure why they wouldn't just cut down to 9 now tho .... Josh , sawyer , anderlik, warriner , stewy , guhle , riddle and roach

[puckdad]

May as well release Paviarinta right now. Not even close to having the ability to playing in the league right now.

[Wapitikev]

Agree. Strongly.

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

I would think the other dman going home is Verrall . I'm not sure why they wouldn't just cut down to 9 now tho .... Josh , sawyer , anderlik, warriner , stewy , guhle , riddle and roachAgree.

Verrall may not have looked good yesterday, but did any of the D-men? Even Roach had a number of bad plays. I lost track of how many times our D hung the goalies out to dry after the the first 10 goals.

Verrall had a consistently better camp than Pav. But there's no room for either of them, so who's better is moot as you suggest.

Coghlan had a worse camp than Verrall, but Coghlin had a better game yesterday than I've seen him play since last winter...which still isn't saying too much...see my second sentence at the top.

Without Josh (who may be away at the Jets camp/pre-season/9 games until October 30th) we still have 8 D-men without Verrall or Pavs. The two games in Regina were to see who will begin leaving.

We could still do without one of those 8.

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

On the forwards side of things, our 4th line guys from last season and our rookies didn't fare so well against Calgary's solid goalie and tighter defense. Our goals were hard working individual efforts...few nifty passing plays were tried (and none of those connected).

Leverton was playing at a higher level than most, yesterday (where he should be)...picked up where he left off during the Green and White. Working hard for every goal.

Quinney looked WHL ready in both games. Zaharichuk looked better against Lethbridge than Calgary, the stronger of the two teams. Same for Genarro. Those 3 need to take a big step forward this year.

Stransky is a good skater but I keep waiting for him to make a great move or pass...still waiting.

Stewart is showing some flashes of top 6 talent but is not consistent yet...reminds me of Leverton last season...only taller.

Vanstone is fast but his hands are no softer this season than in the past. Still a good agitator. Would be nice to see him take a step forward offensively as well, but he's looking more like Danyluk every year.

Williamson had a bad outing yesterday. Would be surprised to see him stay over Coleman. Like D. Stewart, he will have a much better chance to make the team as a 17yo, next fall, if he puts 15 lbs of muscle on his tall frame. I was afraid he was going to get injured every time he took a hit into the net or against the boards. Kept playing despite the punishment he was taking. He was also trying to do stuff yesterday...it just wasn't working. A for effort. You know the rest.

Coleman had some good rushes but had trouble finishing them, much like Williamson. Coleman wasn't offside as often and stayed out of the box in the 3rd.

Didn't notice Montgomery or Pruden much this weekend.

Kelly's going to be a fun player to watch as (if) he gets bigger.

McBride looked solid on Friday. The goal was a (powerplay if memory serves) deflection at the front of the crease that ended up going 45 degrees from the line it took to get to the crease. Moving across the crease to follow the play, Nick had no chance (nor would most any other goalie). Shame that our defense didn't clear the Hurricane player out of there. The shootout winner was a McNeilian slapshot 5-hole from about 15feet...still amazed at how often that move works.

Parenteau and Scott looked good on the stops they could see...and even many they couldn't. Calgary did a really good job of getting bodies in front of the net and we did a really bad job blocking shots and clearing the front of the net...and checking Hitmen behind the net feeding guys driving in toward the net...and pretty much everything else defenders are supposed to do when they don't have the puck, which was most of the time.

Looking forward to seeing a more veteran lineup on defense next Friday, as well as Conroy and Brooks. Hart's injury should be healed too but he may rest it in preparation for Buffalo's training camp.

-Waipitkev

[patsdude114]

I like the Raiders picking up Colton McCarthy big kid who plays on the gritty side, he just never met expectations in MJ and I hope for his sake a fresh start can help him progress. Sometimes these kids need a wake up call and maybe a trade is just what he needs.

[Wapitikev]

Not sure where McCarthy will fit into the lineup...at center or on the right wing (we already have way too many forwards on the pre-season roster). We'll find out on Friday vs. Regina, I suppose.

Welcome to Raiderville, Colton.

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

By Wednesday there will be at least 3 Raiders absent from the pre-season roster due to NHL camps (not including Leon).

Josh -WIN
Hart - BUF
Stewart - VAN

...any others that people know about?

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

Been a few busy days.

Looks like Hart is still in PA...was not announced as attending camp and was on the ice testing his injury yesterday with Dave.

Gardiner and Warner went to Minnesota's camp.

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

Enjoyed the game last night.

Really enjoyed McCarthy's style of play and effort.

Genarro, Ghule and McBride looked like the prospects they will need to be this season in order to make the draft next summer.

Za, Levy, Conroy and Brooks played to expectations as veterans should.

Quinney and Vanstone were absent (didn't hear the scratches though so not sure why).

Not a lot of physical play except for McCarthy until the last part of the 3rd...Andrlik is still undefeated in his fighting career. Why do we not see that side of him more than once a year?

Defense played pretty well except for the play that resulted in the Regina goal.

Coghlin played what might have been his best game as a Raider last night...still a few bad plays in the third, but he followed those up with good decisions shortly thereafter.

Roach looked very composed most of the time as well...making good decisions and passes for a 17yo.

-Wapitikev

[mill rat]

Enjoyed the game last night.


Quinney and Vanstone were absent (didn't hear the scratches though so not sure why).



-Wapitikev

Vanstone was on crutches. He left the last home game early. Don't know the severity of his injury.

[Wapitikev]

Vanstone was on crutches. He left the last home game early. Don't know the severity of his injury.. Yikes...totally missed that. Thanx.

Some of the the boys have had a cold this week, maybe Quinney was a game-time decision.

-Wapitikev