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