2022 -= 2023 Season (Camp-pre-season-regular season)

[chopper]

We may as well get a new thread started for this season I guess.

I attended parts of a few inter-squad games. I noted there were a few guys missing from the fray. I assume there must be some injuries etc. Obviously guys like Woods are conspicuous by their absence. I was also hoping to see Brock Souch, the brother of Carter Souch. Brock is a talented young guy putting up big numbers in Alberta but the scuttlebutt I got was that he doesn't want to sign here. Stringer was also not here due to some injury...again!

Like most seasons it was is difficult to make an assessments. The play was loosey-goosey and a various times different guys looked OK, and other times not so much. Young Stinton had a big game with 4 goals but he tailed off from there. Young defensman King looked like a player but who knows I guess. The vets looked bigger and stronger as they should. The most noticeable thing for me personally was the play of the goalies. I felt the goaltenders looked little bit behind the curve with a lot of soft goals being scored. Not a real big deal but noticeable.

Anybody get out and see some of it? Thoughts?

[dsquared]

I am wondering who will be our 20 year olds. I have said before that Bateman & MacInnes (not on today's roster?) are locks. That leaves Brook and Dubinsky fighting it out for the third spot. Dubinskiy is a 20 -25 goal scorer. I see more upside with Brook - if he is truly healthy. What ever the case we should get someone or a pick for the odd man out - if there are teams with 20 yo spots..

Is Howe injured? I haven't seen his name in the scoring to date.

Stringer was also not here due to some injury...again!

Is this from last season or a new one?

[chopper]

I don't know the story behind Stringer's injury. If it's something that happened in the off season that would be better than the other option. If he re-injured/aggravated something from last season that would be real bad news. Stringer has only played 23 and 27 games respectively over the last two season and scored a grand total of 15 goals in those two seasons. If he is injured to the point of missing considerable games again this year, this trade may go down as one of the worst of JP's reign. IMO Stringer was AT BEST, a project. You never give up a #10 overall pick for a project. Then we need to trade what will likely be a top pick next draft for a #20 pick from Kamloops...sheesh! Then trade Stanick away for a #7 calibre D-man. He would have been miles ahead keeping Stanick (22 goals) and picking up a journeyman d-man for a 5th or 6th pick if he was so in need. Dewitt was around and could have been activated. All the while this team was never a real contender for more than scraping into the playoffs. Now we see why we are where we are.

I didn't see Howe around nor did I see Bateman. There were a couple others but I don't know the story behind their absence.

Suzdalev and Bedard had some chemistry but you can't read too much into it considering the type of opposition they were against. Bedard is all-world and Suzdalev looks quite good.

Susdalev and Svosil will be heading to their respective NHL camps, and later to their countries WJHC teams. Beadrd for sure and perhaps Howe will be attending the Canadian Camp. Bedard should be the captain of that team.

By the time the World Juniors are over it will be suspense time. Where the team is at by that point will likely determine what direction they go. After the deadline If they can keep Svosil along with Bedard, Suzdalev, and Howe, they have a chance of sneaking into a playoff spot. Where they land will depend on how the other 18 players perform. It's hard to build a winner without strong 19 and 20 year old talent. Perhaps they move some pieces and a goalie or two in order to get some older talent.

[dsquared]

Blue & white game tonight. $15 or $10 + food for ticket - they are trying to make up the non renewed ticket packages starting tonight. In 2019 - the tickets were like $2 + food and $5.

[Reider]

After watching the first pre-season game in PA:

- Alexander Suzdalev looks like a good-sized, and skilled hockey player. I can see how he was drafted in the 3rd round of the NHL draft. It's difficult to predict what kind of season he's going to have, but I'd like to see him on a line with Bedard and Howe. I think he's going to be good on the power play for sure. It looks like he's good (and comfortable) carrying the puck and he's definitely a good passer. He scored one goal vs. PA as well. It looks like he's going to be able to score some goals, if he gets the puck around the net.

- Corbin Vaughan is going to bring some much needed toughness on defence. I really hope that he plays tough game in and game out, throughout his entire WHL career.

- Corban Almen might be a WHL player sometime down the line, perhaps as early as in a year or two.

- In order for the Pats to have a chance at making the playoffs this year, they're probably going to have to get Stanislav Svozil back, their best players are going to have to stay healthy and play well (with good chemistry) and the rest of the players are going to have to show some improvement over last year.

- I would be shocked if Jakob Brook made the team and Cole Dubinsky was the odd man out. Dubinsky makes plays all over the ice and is a 20+ goal scorer and is getting close to being a point per game player (0.80 pts/g last year). Brook scored 4 goals last year.

- Some season ticket holders are not very impressed that they have to pay extra for the pre-season games, when they were included in the season ticket packages in the past.

- Most of the decent / good single ticket's between the goal lines are $41.25 this year. Yikes! ($34.25 and $29.00 for the end zone seats and seats with poor sight lines.). It doesn't seem very affordable for families to attend games anymore, especially when the Pats haven't made the playoffs since 2018 and there doesn't appear to be any urgency or wherewithal to build a contender.

[chopper]

At least the pre-season games are free to watch...and that's about what it was worth.

The Pats showed like it was a first game. The first thing I noticed was that once again this year it would appear that discipline will be an issue. They took 8 penalties last night. That was the "Highest" total in the entire league last night. They were most slashing, hooking and holding variety. They kept PA in the game all night. Simply can't take that many penalties each game and this team's lack of discipline seems to be an ingrained thing under this braintrust.

Dubinsky was the best player on the ice and Suzdalev showed some offensive creativity and flair. Fiest tried to do too much and got walloped a few times. He will need to position himself better and not take those type of hits. He isn't and will not be a Ryker Evans. None of the young forwards played with too much creativity and didn't show overly well. I hope Zacharias and Almen can live up to their billing. Pre-season games are when they should. Winning the draws was a big problem last night.

Both C. Vaughan and young Smith looked pretty good on defence last night. Jaxin Vaughan hasn't been very noticeable last year or this. Again, hopefully he lives up to his 1st round status. Barnett looked very good as did Armstrong. Sim was very strong in his 30 minutes of play.

Some other young guys should get a shot tonight. Free to watch on WHL TV

[chopper]

Not a banner effort tonight and by that the key word was effort. They had a good first 10 minutes or so and then folded a bit. Other than the two quick goals, they didn't generate much. You expect the pre-season games to be a bit sloppy but there is never any excuse for a lack of effort. They were short of want today, and that included some veteran players. I thought they looked pretty slow at times as compared to PA.

Corbin Vaughan looked stellar again tonight. If a few more guys laid on the body like he does, this team would change it's dynamic very quickly. I thought Barnett was very strong again tonite.

Paddock nailed it on his assessment of the game. It's the time of year that talented rookie forwards should be making their presence known. I had been hoping to see a contribution from some of the young forwards we're playing, so as to show a bit of their raw talent. So far in two games the only rookie to have a point is Kolten Bridgeman, a young D-man. Oddly by contrast young Derkatch scored the winning goal for PA last night!

[Reider]

It's hard to disagree with either of your assessments on the PA games. Last night, the Pats came out flying, Bedard was dominating PA and scored two goals in less than 5 minutes. I thought Bedard and the Pats might keep pouring it on a bit, but nope, that was the end of it. And I agree with you and John Paddock that the effort wasn't there last night. In PA, Bedard didn't dress and other players were forced to step up and they ended up winning that game by committee. As good as Dubinsky and Suzdalev were in PA, their compete levels weren't there last night. Bedard was the only player to score for the Pats last night (2 goals) and if the Pats want to win games and make the playoffs this year, that can't happen. They're going to need secondary scoring for sure, which means they're going to need a full team effort, game in and game out. Hopefully the veterans and young players alike take it as a learning experience and give more effort moving forward.

I really liked what Koen MacInnes said after last nights game. He knows what's going on. He basically said that the Pats need to use their speed more, play more physical, and stay out of the penalty box. And I couldn't agree more.

In terms of the young players, Corbin Vaughan seems to be at the front of the pack in terms of development and that's not a surprise to me as he was laying out veteran players last year as a 15 year old. I think he's going to continue to get better and gain more confidence (they go hand in hand) and it really wouldn't surprise me, if at some point this year, he earns / is asked to play a bigger role than what a 16 year old would normally play. And that may be accelerated if Stanislav Svozil goes pro this year. If I recall correctly, Barnett and Jaxin Vaughan both played a bit physical last game and I think it needs to be a mainstay in their games. The same goes for Adam McNutt and Luke Bateman etc.. Smaller players like Michaels, Spencer and Linklater etc.. have shown some serious quickness at times. They need to use their speed more often and the bigger players need to play physical more often. The team is short on elite talent, so they need to utilize all of the talent and strengths that they do have.

MacInnes and Drew Sim are both 6'3 and over 200lbs and they both look fairly big in the net. In my opinion, they are both ahead of Kelton Pyne and Matthew Kieper on the depth chart at this point, based on their play over the first two pre-season games etc.. but only time will tell how the goaltending situation shakes out. The Pats and the goaltenders are all in a tough spot because all 4 goaltenders have WHL experience and they've all shown something at one point or another. I thought Kieper had a good start to the season last year before his game fell off (whether it was injury related or otherwise). And Pyne had 2 shutouts in 9 games played last year as a 16 year old. I thought Sim had a slow start to the season last year, before his game picked up a bit and he's carried a stronger game into this year, so far. And MacInnes is an OA, who has put up solid stats his entire WHL career. He's had a sub 3.00 GAA and an above .900 Save% every year in the WHL, with both Saskatoon and Everett. Hopefully, he can maintain that stat line with Regina, even though I think it might be a tough ask, especially if the Pats lose Svozil to the AHL and Zack Stringer is injured for most of the season etc..

[dsquared]

I too watched both the PA games. There was basically no play by play audio for the game in Regina on either my computer or my wife's laptop. This is not a great way to sell regular season subscriptions.

Discipline

As has been noted by chopper that discipline is again going to be a problem. 8 vs PA 4 in game 1 and 3 vs PA 2 in game 2. Pats penalties equal opponent goals - It is that simple. I am convinced that JP does not care about the discipline problem and is not prepared to do anything about it. Boys will be boys and the Pats will continue to be in the upper echelon of penalized teams this season..


Goaltending

My thoughts are that MacInnes demonstrated why he will be the goto goalie for the majority of this season Sim was not really challenged in the 30 minutes he played in the first game. Sim is facing an uphill challenge to make the team this season. I disagree with Reider on his assessment of Sim. I base my assessment on his play last season 4.33 GAA, SAV .859 and a 6-18-1-2. He has a track record that does lead one to expect a difference in reliability. However, he will no doubt get more play (as will all the 3 other goalies) in the preseason and if he can demonstrate that he has elevated his play - he stands a chance of cracking the team. Kieper demonstrate, along with the rest of the team, a typical Pats game effort. They played for 5- 10 minutes in the first and then put the car on cruise control and mailed in their effort for the remainder of the game. He was ok for the last 10 minutes of the second but was unprepared for the increase in effort that the Raiders would put forth in the third. Momentum shifted to PA after their second goal. Pyne seems to be a project for the future and will have to really shine in his outtings if he is to get the number 2 spot.


Forwards

Suzdalev, played a good game on Friday, but seemed invisible on Saturday night. I am concerned that Howe has not surfaced in camp and he will be behind the rest of the team when he does report. On Saturday night except for Bedard's 2 early goals, Nobody was going to the slot - the rest of the game the shots came from the blue line and boards - harder places to score. Speaking of Bedard - how come JP has not tried to evelate his defensive play? Give him some PK experience to make him a well rounded player...


Defense

McNutt did not appear in either game - Is he inured?

I sure wish the Pats were more transparent about player absences and how long they be absent.

[Reider]

Nice OT win vs. Winnipeg last night by the Pats, without many of their top players in the line up (Bedard, Howe, Svozil, Dubinsky, Suzdalev, Stringer, and Feist etc.). Of course, Winnipeg was missing a lot of their top players as well (7 if I recall correctly). Valis showed in this game that he may take a step forward this year. There's talk of him scoring 30 goals this year etc... And perhaps he will score 30+ goals. But this was a pre-season game vs. the younger players. Lets wait and see how things go once the regular season starts before we start singing the 30 goal song. And I'm referring to the play by play guys singing the 30 goal song. Spencer, Linklater, Michaels, and Berge etc.. looked decent last night as well. Hopefully they are all able to take a step forward this year.

One has to think that MacInnes and Sim are (still) possibly the front runners in goal so far with only one pre-season game remaining. Sim hasn't let in any goals in 50 minutes of play, over parts of two games. MacInnes has played parts of 3 games (102 mins) and has a 1.76 GAA and a 0.944 Sav%. This doesn't necessarily mean that these two will both be #1 and #2 this year. There are a lot of factors at play. Trades can happen.

Howe is resting. Bedard was resting this game. Svozil, Dubinsky, and Suzdalev are at or headed to NHL camps. Feist is "banged up" as per JP. But as far as the guys that we haven't seen play any pre-season games (besides Stringer and Svozil) like Whitehead and McNutt, we can only speculate. I think Stringer is injured, but Whitehead and McNutt, I have no idea. They might be injured as well. Where are Jacob Dewitt and Jake Johnson?

Now that the regular season is approaching and the Pats start the season off with a home and home against Moose Jaw, I was looking at ticket options in Moose Jaw. I was shocked at what I discovered, so I looked at ticket prices in all of the WHL arena's in Saskatchewan. This is what I found. These are the ticket prices (per game) for a family of 4:

Saskatoon: $68.00 - $78.00
Swift Current: $76.50
Prince Albert: $72.00 - $82.68
Moose Jaw: $73.30 - $85.50
Regina: $165.00

Regina's ticket prices are approximately twice the price, if not more, than all of the other WHL arena's in Saskatchewan.

Note: All ticket prices are comparable to the seats in section 109 in Regina.