The Regina Pats made a couple of moves at the WHL trade deadline, in an effort to get a little older, and quite a bit tougher, for the remainder of the season and - presumably - a healthy playoff run.
1) The Pats picked up 19 year old tough guy Myles Stoesz from Chilliwack in exchange for 16 year old prospect Brayden Metz from Regina.
2) Regina dealt 17 year old forward Derek Hulak to his hometown Saskatoon Blades in exchange for 18 year old forward Michael MacAngus and a couple of draft picks. Hulak was dealing with some tough family issues over the holidays, so this deal gives the young man a chance to be closer to his family while continuing his WHL career. Good luck to Derek.
So, are these deals enough to vault the Pats to contender status? Uh, no. But hopefully they add a couple of key pieces - the rest is up to the players and coaching staff.
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Reekie is the goalie of the week in the CHL!! Playing on a good defensive team sure pays divdends. If he had played there as a 17 yr old he may have been a 1st round pick....
The Lethbridge Hurricanes must be upset. They may not make the playoffs and could end up with more points than the 1st place team in the east. I bet they make a play for conference rankings after first place in divisions.
Boy the Giants keep getting richer and richer,,, The Giants didn't deal Slade....could have got them a draft pick.
Fighting has been bad for the Pats this year. Snellman has been out forever and just when he started playing better, Brownlee is likely done in the WHL, Elder could be out the rest of the season, and Riech has been getting away from his offence while trying to be the team tough guy. Then they had to go and trade for a short term tough guy giving up a 16 yr old. But you do what you gotta do.
Giving Hulak up was tough because is is a 40 goal man one day in Dub, very likely. His committment to his family speaks to his character, as well his mind couldn't be on the team. He is now home and his life should be somewhat easier. MacAngus is a gritty kid with good size who can score a bit. I have always liked him and he will be a very nice fit. He's a player who goes to the net, which is something the Pats are very shy on. I watched one game against Moose Jaw where he scored three goals wile standing in front of the net. I don't think his stick touched any of them.
I don't know anything about Stoesz at all. But if Elder happens to come back we should have lots of tough kids. I wished they could have got Gillen from Portland. Calgary got him for a draft pick. The kid is 6'7" and is plus 13 on a poor Portland team. He would have been our best plus/nimus d-man.
The Pats have to start playing a lot tougher defense and stop giving up so many quality shots. Rowatt has stood on his head for the last three home games facing 34, 36, 41 shots. He can't keep that up the rest of the season. They are going to have to win some road games. 2-1 even in a shootout is just fine on the road. Just think what only 3 more road wins would have done for the team.
Actually Gillen was from Tri-Cities and they are pretty good this year. He has a very good plus/minus though. Calgary was thrilled to get him for an 8th round bantam pick.
Interesting;
Rhinehart is still our leading+/- at +5
Brownlee was next at +3
Ryan Mcdonald Was +2 when he left
Ian Duval was +1 when he left
Niko Snellman was +1 when injured
Hulak was +1 when traded
Only one of those guys are with the Pats now.
I agree These trades have not turned them into a contender but they appear to have a lot of workmen. When you look at the above facts you see where the problem is. Defense has been spotty and that includes team defense. When you have to go nearly 100 players deep to find a Pat and he is no longer with the team, that says a lot. Unless they become very stingy in the next few months, that will be their undoing.
C'mon now I think its time for the Pats to get a wake-up call. For most of two periods they wern't in the game. The PP gave them some shots in the third. They were shooting long range and again not too many people going to the net. Perkins said the team wasn't ready for the T-birds forecheck. Well really, isn't that the coaches job to have them ready. They only had one new guy in the line-up and yet the excuses are flying about all the new people. If Stoesz is in the line-up tomorrow maybe they can use that as excuse for another loss. The Pats were really lucky tonight because Gagnon, their leading scorer was out, otherwise the score would have been much worse. Tonight was a golden opportunity for them and they absolutely blew another home. This team will never get on a 7 or 8 game run when they can't get 3 games in a row. They could learn a little from the T-Birds and the other Western Division teams, defense really does work.
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