2014-2015 roster

[Moonergroupie]

Would be interested to see some stats on how teams have performed the following year after having two players picked in the first round of the nhl draft.

Starting to wonder if calcheyup shouldn't put his Hitman jersey on and head South.

[calcheyup]

Starting to wonder if calcheyup shouldn't put his Hitman jersey on and head South.

And I'm starting to wonder if you're 10 years old. Seriously, this is how a child would respond to criticism of his favorite team.

Just waiting for you to tell me you're rubber and I'm glue at this point.

Noted for future reference that you come here to wave Pom Poms rather than engage in serious discussion about the team.

[Moonergroupie]

Just to remind you, the website is called whlfans.ca. If all you are going to do is come on here and yammer on about how brutal the rebels are going to be this year, even though they have 2 first round nhl picks leading the team, lots of young skilled guys coming up through the ranks, and a coach and GM that figures he has the core talent in place to be a memorial cup contender in 2 years then I just figured you must be a fan of another whl team. No name calling required.

[calcheyup]

Just to remind you, the website is called whlfans.ca. If all you are going to do is come on here and yammer on about how brutal the rebels are going to be this year, even though they have 2 first round nhl picks leading the team, lots of young skilled guys coming up through the ranks, and a coach and GM that figures he has the core talent in place to be a memorial cup contender in 2 years then I just figured you must be a fan of another whl team. No name calling required.

So basically, either come here and gush about how amazing the Red Deer Rebels are, or don't post at all. Got it. No serious discussion about the actual quality of the team allowed. Either get on board with your point of view or leave. Team missed the playoffs last year, have no goalie, and gaping holes defensively, but nope, don't discuss that. Energy discussing the actual state of the club could be better spent planning the 2016 Memorial Cup victory parade.

Yeah, that makes sense. I'm not sure if you understand how "discussion" works.

[Moonergroupie]

I am not planning a memorial cup parade. I am simply "discussing" that I feel this team is improving. I have addressed that goaltending could be an issue but even Barto wasn't playing that good through training camp and into the start of the season last year till he got some games under his belt and got in the groove. There is a reason that Burman was a 2nd round pick. It may be that he will turn out to be a major flop, but I am not going to judge that based on him getting into every tenth game last year with lots of pressure being on the playoff bubble as a 16 year old. I am going to give the kid the benefit of the doubt and say he was successful in the past (which is why he was picked in the 2nd round) and I don't see any reason why he can't become a starting goalie in the dub. It might be a little much for this team to expect him to take over the reigns as a 17 year old but that is why Brent has the prospects and draft picks that he does so that he can address the issue if he needs to.
It has been discussed at length on this website that Sutter and Gaudet were by far the worst players on the Rebels last year. Both players are gone with hopefully an upgrade for Gaudet coming back in return. While I know there are always risks with the Import draft, I feel there is a good reason why Jansons was such a high Import pick as well. Why shouldn't we believe that this kid can come in here and play top 4 minutes for this team? If he does, I fail to see the "gaping" holes you talk about on our defence as we will have a very solid top 4 with a highly touted prospect and a guy that played regular minutes on the team last year rounding out the top 6.
The team finished 1 point out of the playoffs last year and had some major underachievers on the team. If it turns out that a few guys go backward in their development like what happened last year, then it may be a struggle to make the playoffs again, but if we don't see the regression, I can't see how it isn't going to be more fun to be at the rink this winter.
My playoff Pom poms are still in the closet yet, but I prefer to look forward to the possibilities and deal with the disappointment if they don't pan out rather than not giving them a chance before they step on the ice. I would really have to question my and all the other season ticket holders sanity if we are throwing good money down to go watch a team that we feel has no chance to make a splash.
You are looking at the what ifs negatively, I am looking at the what ifs as opportunities. Nothing against you personally.

[calcheyup]

I am not planning a memorial cup parade. I am simply "discussing" that I feel this team is improving.

Sure, and when I suggest that the team is going to have another middling season, you "simply" tell me to go cheer for another team.

I don't see any reason why he can't become a starting goalie in the dub.

Conversely, since he has proven absolutely nothing and looked absolutely sick last year, I could say that I don't see any reason why he CAN become a starting goalie. Being unproven cuts both ways. Either way it turns out, it's still a gaping hole until it's proven that it can be plugged by Burman or whoever else. As for Sutter making moves to address it, I prefer to evaluate the roster as we have right now, not a roster that might exist in four months.

Why shouldn't we believe that this kid can come in here and play top 4 minutes for this team?

Likewise, why should we? Have you seen him play? I haven't. So he's a question mark until he proves otherwise, not the other way around.

You are giving every single scenario the most positive possible benefit of the doubt, and then getting frustrated with me when I temper the expectations. I don't get it.

I would really have to question my and all the other season ticket holders sanity if we are throwing good money down to go watch a team that we feel has no chance to make a splash.

If you want to discuss this, then you're going to have to stop fabricating imaginary things that I've never said. And what do you mean by "splash"? Make the playoffs? Absolutely I think they could this year. But if you honestly, as this team stands, think they can make a "splash" as in compete for the division and/or conference against the likes of Calgary and Edmonton, then I don't know what else I can say to you. They are absolutely not at that level. That kind of "splash," barring some major transactions, exists only in your mind.

It doesn't, however, mean that we won't see some good, entertaining hockey this year, nor does it mean this couldn't be a playoff team. Even if the Rebels are awful this year, they have guys on the ice worth the price of admission on their own. That's why I have season tickets, because I love junior hockey. But if you're looking at this club and thinking anything more than "middle of the conference" as the best case scenario for this year, I think you're being foolish.

[Moonergroupie]

I have not seen Jansons play but let me show you why I am more optimistic than not that he pans out. You are Brent Sutter. You know that you are going to be putting a bid in on the 2016 memorial cup and that you are in need of an impact defensemen. You also know that you will have spots available on your roster for 2 imports and you are picking fairly high in the draft with the 27th pick. Wouldn't you think you would put some extra time and effort into making sure that the 27th pick isn't a waste? I am sure some Rebel scout or a trusted advisor of the Rebels has seen him play numerous times and thought he was worthy of the 27th pick. If the homework wasn't done on this pick, well obviously the problem lies above the personal on the ice and this team will never be competitive. The chance to put an impact player in the line-up to support the memorial cup run (should they happen to be selected) and it doesn't cost you a pick or a prospect. There is no sure thing and might be a complete flop, but that is why I consider him more than a question mark at this stage.

[calcheyup]

You also know that you will have spots available on your roster for 2 imports and you are picking fairly high in the draft with the 27th pick.

Jan Bittner was a 23rd overall pick, and SectionN has already outlined the myriad of import d-men busts in recent memory. Being drafted 27th means nothing.

Wouldn't you think you would put some extra time and effort into making sure that the 27th pick isn't a waste?

So if the Memorial Cup wasn't potentially here in 2016, the Rebels scouting staff wouldn't have tried as hard, put in that "extra time" to find a good import pick? They would've just said "good enough, let's pick this guy"? Come on. The scouting staff doesn't care more about picking good players because there is a Memorial Cup bid pending.

[Moonergroupie]

I can totally see Brent Sutter calling in the troops and telling them to put some extra focus in on making the import picks this year. Even without the memorial cup bid, the myriad of import D-men busts that you refer to should be reason enough to re-think the process they go through to make these selections. If the scouting staff doesn't care more about picking good players because of the memorial cup bid, well maybe they should care more about it because of the lack of success they have had the last few years. Like I said in prior post, if they don't then the problem with this team has nothing to do with the players on the ice.

[calcheyup]

Bottom line, the scouting staff does their best to find good players every year. They don't pick and choose some years to try extra hard.

Further to that - just because you care about picking good players doesn't mean you will. You can try as hard as you want and still be wrong. No scout has had every one of their recommendations pan out. Finding high caliber players is more than just a matter of effort.