Printable View
I see they have an alumni/pro skate time listed. Any idea who will be there?
I would be very interested in seeing camp/player evaluations from anyone able to get to the camp sessions. New invited players of interest?? There were may different drills at the rookie camp. I expect the same at main camp. Tks
Red Deer Advocate finally has an article about the camp and who is on the main and rookie camp rosters. With Fafard, Bear and Dixon slotted in as forwards on the main camp roster, only three forward spots available and some very promising young forwards that got a taste of the action last year, I think you can see the writing on the wall for these guys.
With a change in 20's at camp, NOW what will the Rebels decide. (Look outside? Keep Fafford, Maxwell, and Cote? Go with younger players?
Can't see how Sterzer, Cote, and Maxwell aren't going to be the 20 year olds with Fafard the odd man out. Goalie positions are pretty much wrapped up (barring a trade) with only two on the main camp roster. Other than that it is going to be a bunch of 17 and 18 year olds leading the way with Pernitsky looking like the only listed player with a chance of cracking the roster.
Sterzer is apparently not at camp, and Greg Meachem tweeted yesterday that he has left the team to go back to school.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonergroupie
That sucks. With both Mpofu and Sterzer leaving the team it makes you start to wonder if there isn't some underlying reason besides the going to school thing. Nice that he waited till the day before training camp to make the decision as well, but I guess there is lots of time to snap up another 20 year old before the season starts.
I suspect that they didn't find out yesterday, but have probably known for a while.
Also, I suspect his reason for leaving had more to do with this --> http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/ster...nd-the-blazer/
Really to bad as the Rebels are going to miss his energy. I guess with it looking like he will never make the show and going through a tragedy like that, he obviously started feeling there was more to life than hockey. Still surprised he would walk away as he has the rest of his life to go to school and work, so why not take one more year and enjoy everything that hockey has to offer. He was looking like he was going to have top line minutes and be playing with some very talented line mates so it should have been a fun situation to be in. I guess if the headaches were causing issues during the games it would take the fun out of it though.
And the good news continues. That hurts. You have to figure he would have been good for about 25 goals this year. Don't know where they are going to replace that.Quote:
Originally Posted by SectionNDeserter
Has anyone been to watch any of the camp so far? Wondering who is impressing and who not so much. How do the imports look? I haven't been able to make it down yet. Planning on taking in the black and white game though.
I have taken in most of the last three days of camp, and have some observations.
The negatives? Not really any competition in goal whatsoever. Aside from Burman and Toth, only one player eligible to play in the WHL this season was invited (Entz), and he is only 16. Barring some sort of a move, it looks like they are going with the inexperienced tandem of Burman and Toth to start the season.
A lot of positives however. There wasn't the usual dozen or so 18-19 year old Junior A players in main camp. Just one 18 year old defenseman there from the SJHL. Looks like they are either going to make some early trades, or they are going to round out the bottom of the roster with some of their actual prospects this season, instead of a bunch of "one season" 4th line Jr. A players.
Three of the defensemen that were contributing factors to the lack of puck possession in their own end last season were dressed as forwards in camp (Fafard, Dixon, Bear). I suspect that the services of only one or two of them will be retained.
As far as players that have impressed;
Austin Pratt - Not eligible to play full-time yet in the WHL, but appears to be perfectly capable of it. Takes the body hard, backchecks hard, and gutted out a few really tough goals in the scrimmages. Was moved up to main camp today, and played on a line with Bleackley and Polei, opening the scoring with a nice goal.
Josh Mahura - Seems like he is a lock to make the team this season. Incredible skater with the puck, great hockey sense, and perfectly willing to join the rush. Moved up to main camp today.
Max Salpeter - Didn't look out of place in main camp, and was absolutely manhandling the opposition in the rookie scrimmages. Adequate skater, good positioning, and clogs up the shooting and passing lanes well. Just the sort of big rugged, stay-at-home defenseman that they need. Probably needs another season before he is ready. Was moved up to main camp today.
Chase Stevenson - I am not sure how this guy dropped to the tenth round in the bantam draft, but he was all over the ice in both rookie and main camp scrimmages. Him, Luke Farrell and Brayden Labant formed a line that was quite dominant in the rookie scrimages. Still needs a year or two to get some size, but reminds me of Willie Coetzee at his first camp. Stevenson and Labant were moved up to main camp, but Farrell was not.
Zachary Gladu - He is a sturdy forward that worked hard, and started a number of altercations with opposition players in the rookie scrimmages. Was moved up to the main camp today, where he scored a goal.
Josh Logel - Big, power forward type. Likes to play the body, and has a bit of a nose for the net. Scored a number of goals, including a natural hat trick in the rookie scrimmages, and was moved up to main camp today.
As for the imports, they both appear to play a similar game. They are great skaters and move the puck well, and around on the point quickly and effectively. Grman got caught out of position once, but caught up to the puck carrier and managed to get his stick on the puck as he shot it. Jansons had a few instances where he looked like he was struggling with the distance between the side wall and the net while defending, but he will adapt to that in time.
Thanks for the info for those of us who did not see much of the camp. Any insight on Pernitsky, Shmoorkoff, and Strand? Any of them ready?
Did anyone watch Rookie camp? Wondering who looked god in rookie camp.
Pernitsky is a smaller defenseman, but looks like he has enough speed to play at this level, but is not exceptional offensively or defensively. As for Schmoorkoff and Strand, there appears to be three big, low-risk defensemen competing for one job--Salpeter, Schmoorkoff and Strand. I can't really say that one of them is really significantly better than the other, but both Salpeter and Schmoorkoff are quite a bit more aggressive and really like to take the body, while Strand plays a lot smaller than he actually is. I would be surprised if any of them ever get more than 10 points in a full WHL season, but I think that any of them could add a steadying presence to the blueline. I think that I would prefer Schmoorkoff over Strand just because they are so similar, and Schmoorkoff is a lot more physical, but I think either one would do ok. As I said before, I think that Salpeter needs another year.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiny
Took in the Rebels Black and White Game and wanted to give some comments and see what others figured about the game.
Goaltending
I thought Burman, Toth and Entz all looked pretty good tonight. A couple of highlight reel saves and all were positionally sound so pucks through traffic we're hitting them.
Defence
Thought Cote was a stud. Big body, carried the puck with poise up the ice, jumped into the offence when the opportunity presented itself. Should really help to stabilize what will still be a young back end.
Also thought Charif looked really good tonight. Good gap control, carried the puck well, joined in the offence when it wasn't a defensive liability.
I thought Mahura had a tough game. Might just be that my expectations were to high or that he was a player that I tried to watch every shift, but I thought he was out of position at times, got beat on the wide side and really didn't create much offensively.
I liked what the imports brought to the game as well. Jansons played a pretty safe game with a good first pass and made sure to look after his own end. Nothing really noticeable from either a positive or negative standpoint. Grman was more offensive than I expected. Jumping into the play a few times to lead or join a rush. Got caught a couple times because of it though.
I thought Pernitsky struggled the first two periods but followed it up with a strong 3rd. Would have been nice to see a little finish on the penalty shot and break away though.
Other than that the rest of the young guys played a pretty solid game with no one really standing out over the others. One of them did lay out Wyatt Johnson with an open ice hit, but I can't recall which one of them it was.
Forwards
Most of the returning players held their own, but I didn't think there was as big a gap between the players on last years roster and the new guys as what we have seen in past years. Hopefully a reflection of the new guys being more skilled and not the returning being not as good as previous years.
Kopeck looked really good and lead the way offensively for the white team scoring goals and drawing penalties.
I thought Leshchyshyn looked unbelievable for a 15 year old. He is the definition of hockey sense and will be a fun one to watch for years to come.
Wasn't as impressed with what Pratt had to offer, but may have been my expectations were set higher for him based on previous reports.
Also thought Burke would offer more tonight as I really liked him in the games he got into last year.
Based on tonight's game it looks like Nell may be ready to take the step and start contributing offensively.
I though Chorney was non-existent the first two periods and then really turned it up in the third. Looked like a 30 goal man with the roof-daddy goal.
Wondering what happened to the speed that Maxwell had as a 17 and 18 year old. Didn't show it much last year and showed it once and only once tonight. Not sure we couldn't upgrade his position with the depth of 20 year olds that some of the other teams have.
I would give the battle of the defencemen turned forward to Dixon tonight. He looked pretty strong the first 2 periods. Fafard didn't look comfortable at all and certainly didn't generate anything. Can't see how we won't upgrade this 20 year old spot for sure. Bear looked okay but there were lots of younger players that were as good that should take his spot.
That was my take, but there was lots to watch so I am sure I missed a bunch too so I am interested to hear what others at the game noticed.
I thought most of the players looked tired (especially in the third) which is understandable with the effort that went into the camp over the week.