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Thread: Pats sprinting down the home stretch....

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  1. #1

    Default Pats sprinting down the home stretch....

    It's getting down to the wire and we lead the division. Not many of us would have thunk it especially after the terrible start. Most of the experts had us just above Saskatoon for the basement of the conference. Now according to Alan Caldwell we are 3.5 games away from winning the pennant and #2 seed.

    There are obviously a lot of reasons like Leier and Wapple but there are a couple other lesser ones. At the Christmas break Williams was -17 and it wouldn't have hurt my feelings to move him. Since then he is a plus 17 and back to 0+/-. A good non trade there. Schacher has come in a done a real solid quiet job. Not fancy but effective. D'Amico has come back and is playing great hockey. He has 22 points which is just one short of McVeigh, in fewer games and a better plus/minus. The gritty winger they needed was obtained without having to trade any assets.

    The next 10 days or so are going to be extremely interesting. It's good to see some battles down the stretch.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Iconwhl

    IMO as well D'Amico is by far our best faceoff guy next in line to him is Stevenson...I've been really disappointed with the lack of development in the faceoff circle for Stephenson I would love to see his numbers in the faceoff circle my guess is he is only winning faceoffs around the 40% range and even that might be alittle too high. Steel was 2 for 5 in MJ at 15yrs old he even beat Point once as well (something Chandler struggles with every faceoff)

    I really don't think McVeigh has been given a fair shot to excel here in Regina, he has looked good on the 4th line and at times when he was given a bigger role during games due to another player not going that night. I know its a team concept and all but I think we do gotta tread water alittle thin here as he may not want to come back as a 20yr old next year if he isn't going to have a role on the team bigger then what he was in MedHat, as of right now I would say he will be Klimchuk's center next year to start the year.

    The thing I like most about this season as we have seen a lot of development with the younger/inexperienced players... players like Sinitsyn, Brooks, Harrison, Reagan, Wagner, Zimmer, Gay, Hansen, Williams but with those names mentioned could even go as far as listing down even our top end players (Stevenson, Stephenson, Klimchuk, Leier) as well have really took big strides this season.

    This coaching group does exactly what junior coaches are suppose to do and that's develop talent for the next level. Look at the career years our 20yr olds are having, now I get also as a 20yr old they are expected to produce they sit 9th & 11th in 20yr old scoring. I don't think many of us would or predicted Stevenson to score as many goals this season as he has his entire WHL career, right now has 35g entering this year he had 37 career goals. Boston Leier falls into the same story as well he has 31g this year and had 35 career goals. I really do think Cameron needs to be the Coach of the Year for the Eastern Conference but I don't think he beats Dave Lowry as the WHL Coach of the Year. There is a great article on Lowry and the Royals in that CHL magazine.

  3. #3

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    That's a real good assessment of our progression this year. There is also a glimpse into possible pieces for next season. I hope we can continue with the mantra the Pats have of wanting to get bigger. Kroeker and Smith would fit that bill nicely. There I go being a cigar store GM again Hopefully steel fleshes out at 6' 175lbs. I get a sense that we are only a season or two from becoming a perennial elite franchise in the conference.

  4. #4

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    Agree with both of you: we have seen a lot of improvement in all the players. Chad L has improved the team with out selling the farm.
    This year we have the tough end of the schedule to complete. Swift has Edm and Red Deer and then 4 games against the bottom three teams in the conference. Should EDM win (with out any loser points) the number becomes 5 points and those will need to be earned by the Pats. The six games to earn them are EDM, LETH,KOOT,PA,BRN2. Doable but only with hard work.
    Has anyone got any info on Robby Fulton who was in camp but dropped from the PPL. He was about 6ft 4in and 230lb as a 16 and played with an attitude. I can't seam to find any 2013/14 stats on him or even where he is playing

  5. #5
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    Iconwhl

    Not sure what happened to Fulton I really thought his size would benefit him for staying on with the Pats at least in the 50PL, I do remember in camp though he didn't handle the puck very well which is somewhat regular with a big hulking kid like that. I almost feel we dropped him too early without letting him develop some puck skills first. I mean come on we had what 2yrs of Fenske not able to control a puck there was at least abit of potential for Fulton to maybe develop that skill.

    If Steel fills out to that 6'0 175-180 range he should become a very high 1st round pick for the NHL, sometimes drafting too good at this level can hurt you ie look at RD when they drafted RNH.

  6. #6

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    No idea what happened to Fulton but the Pats listed two 98 D-men in Krushen and Lovell so it may have simply been list adjusting.

    I know it's a real trap trying to guess what teams you should beat, and ones that will be extra tough. While Swift seems to have the easier schedule, they pretty much have to run the table. Edmonton is elite tough, Red Deer has Bartosak and playing in Red Deer will be a challenge. Red Deer is clawing and fighting to make a playoff spot. They won't be easy. I believe they have lost two or three times to Saskatoon this year, and MJ has beat them this year. This could be MJ's swan song this year.

    If the Broncos run the table and the Pats collapse over the next 10 days or so, they didn't deserve to get 2nd seed. I don't think that's going to happen. I won't predict but I think we should be OK.

  7. #7

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    Chopper I agree with the run the table and we callaspe, we do not deserve the #2 seed. its that Swift final 4 game could be against a lot of midget and APs if those teams want to get a start on training camp. We need Pat wins and not Swift losses to stay in first. The Pats can do that by playing the way they have in February. 60 minuet high tempo games. Easy to say but may be hard to do.

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