Improved - but more needed Citizen 03-04-06

Improved, yes, but more needed
Returning to the playoffs only the first step back to respectability

Season wrap-up by JIM SWANSON Citizen Sports Editor

After three-straight fifth-place finishes and two consecutive seasons out of the playoffs, the 2005-06 campaign has to be considered an improvement.
Better, but still not good enough — unless the goal is to scrape by for a playoff spot and be knocked out in the first round, losing two home playoff games in the process.

Even for the mediocrity-stained Prince George Cougars, a plus-.500 record and a playoff spot in the toughest division in major junior hockey is not worthy of a glorious monument.

The strides of the past season, which ended Saturday in Vancouver, will only be admirable if next year's jump is as measurable.

"We've taken some steps here," said Cougars general manager Dallas Thompson.

"Look at a team like Vancouver, that had to go through growing pains before they got to this point. I think our team was playing playoff hockey since the trade deadline, battling to get in and doing it shortstaffed. The way our back end had to play the last half of the season, it took its toll in the series."

But the Vancouver Giants are but five seasons old. They have a banner for winning this year's B.C. Division, and are serious contenders for the WHL berth in the Memorial Cup. Both nuggets are the kind of stuff envy is made of in Prince George.

The playoffs over, the Cougars were now willing to delve into 'what if' chat and discuss the absence of front-line defencemen Andy Rogers and Jesse Dudas, both of whom were lost prior to Christmas.

"Andy took a lot of heat, but he's a first-round NHL pick and he would've helped," said Thompson.

"Jesse was a guy in the same mold as Ty Wishart, a top prospect and a guy we were counting on to help our power play. I told our guys I was proud of them that they didn't use that as an excuse — we were one shot away from coming into Game 5 tied 2-2. A lack of experience and depth hurt us, no doubt about it.

"We also had some spots up front where we expected more out of people."

With a 35-win regular season and an entertaining five-game loss behind us, here's a look in both directions — past and future — for the Cougars, with decisions that must be made in the present:


GOALTENDERS

Considering both goaltenders are eligible to return, Scott Bowles as an overager and Real Cyr as a 19-year-old, it would be surprising if there isn't a move before next season starts. And considering Bowles played every minute of the five playoff games, it would appear Cyr is the most likely to have a new postal code come fall.

The odds-on scenario is to have Cyr traded (to the expansion Chilliwack Bruins?) for a veteran forward, with another netminder brought in to spell Bowles in 15-20 games. The Cougars don't have an heir apparent for the backup role on the protected list, but that hole could be plugged with one of many journeymen currently with other teams.

Bowles and Cyr gave WHL-level goaltending on most nights, and both bettered the franchise mark for goals-against average and were key parts in setting a new club low for goals allowed.


DEFENCEMEN

What a short list, what a long list.

Didn't it seem that the short list included those who were healthy enough to play, while the long one was the disabled brigade?

The absence of Rogers and Dudas left huge holes and ultimately led to this club's playoff downfall. But it did lead, most notably, to the rushed development of Devin Featherstone, whose progress reminded of Tim Wedderburn, who went from workable blueliner to a once-unlikely six-year pro in the American Hockey League.

Kalvin Sagert turned into a find, not to mention the team's best on-ice trash-talker since Shon Jones-Parry, and he'll be a big part of next year's team as a 19-year-old.

But it's not hard to wonder what would have been if this coaching staff had the benefit of Dudas and Rogers, as much as the latter's play was panned following the Jan., 2005 trade from Calgary that sent Justin Pogge the other way.

"Without question, our whole season would've been different (with Dudas and Rogers)," said head coach Mike Vandekamp.

"I think we would've made the playoffs sooner, and we could've maybe clawed our way into the battle with Kootenay and Kelowna. We would've been a healthier team and people would be fresher and better players because of it. Dudas is a tremendous power play guy, and he would have really helped us out there."

The workload handed to the healthy defencemen, particularly Wishart, should help down the road, but did sow the seeds of some bad habits that will have to be addressed.

"Wishart played too much. Featherstone played too much. Sagert and Cooper played too much," said Vandekamp.

"You could see in Ty's play, they put a lot of pressure on him and guys got tired and made mistakes. But all four of them will be better and will learn from the experience."

Curtis Patterson is a depth guy, nothing more. And no matter how little icetime Chris Vanduynhoven got, he's still on target to be a better player than Ryan Kerr.

With no Featherstone or Rogers (he's signed to an NHL contract) next year and Cooper in a battle to nab one of the three overage spots, the bulk of the duties will fall to Sagert, Dudas, Wishart, Patterson and Vanduynhoven, who played sparingly all season. The best hope on the horizon, barring a trade, is 17-year-old Lance Redden.


FORWARDS

It was felt that this team would not have trouble scoring goals. That feeling was wrong.

Eric Hunter had a breakout year with 40 goals and was the team's best player, far-and-away, in the playoffs. Is he back next season as a 20-year-old? Some NHL team will make that call.

But after Hunter, in the playoffs at least, there was nothing.

On the heels of a 30-goal season, Nick Drazenovic got his first chance to operate in the playoffs since he was 15, and he did not acquit himself well, held pointless in the five games. Work ethic was not an issue, but being willing to take the punishment to score was lacking against Vancouver.

Colin Patterson's final season was a bust. The skill and size to score 40, he didn't reach 20, and was all but invisible in the playoffs.

Captain Myles Zimmer gave everything he had, but that package doesn't come with natural touch around the net. Jared Walker's big body was a great addition in the regular season, but did not help balance the scoring against the Giants.

Greg Gardner can build on a strong showing, and needs to take more responsibility for the secondary offence. Dana Tyrell is the best young player in the organization, aside perhaps from Dale Hunt, who might earn Tyrell-type minutes next season.

Not returning, it is apparent, are Fred Wikner, Cody McMullin and Jamison Orr. Despite 10 goals in the regular season, Wikner dressed for just one playoff game as a 19-year-old and is yet another failed European project. McMullin and Orr were late-season additions from the BCHL ranks, and neither are serious candidates for the three important overage spots.

Kirk Meaver has not lived up to the promise that made him a second-round bantam draft choice by Tri-City, and intensity is the main missing ingredient. Evan Fuller had a dreadful draft year and might be passed over altogether. Levi Brotnov and Prab Rai can help themselves most by getting stronger in the offseason, and Dan Gendur can't possibly be hurt as much next season.

Next year's team is Hunter's team, if he returns. Drazenovic must be a premier forward as a 19-year-old. But depth is a pressing issue — if Hunter and Walker are pros, this team will have forward problems to address. As many as eight of this year's forwards could be gone, and in the days of the watered-down 21-team WHL, they will not easily be replaced.