For what it's worth, here's my report from this week's edition of the CHL Prospects Hockey Insider:
Training Camp Down to Short Strokes
By Pete Paczko
Aspiring Regina Pats are running out of opportunities to impress the coaching staff, as the team has just one exhibition contest left to tune up for the WHL regular season. The Pats travel to Kindersley Friday evening to take on the Swift Current Broncos. Currently, the Pats have 29 names on the roster, including injured players and those attending NHL training camps. Regina sports a 3-2 record on the preseason circuit, following a 4-1 loss in Medicine Hat Sunday evening. The loss continues Regina’s recent string of futility against the Tigers, including last spring’s 4-game sweep in the second round of the WHL playoffs.
The most recent loss to the Tigers also created some concerns among the members of the Pats brain trust. "Some of our veteran guys need to understand they're competing for jobs," Pats General Manager Brent Parker told the Regina Leader-Post. "Our young guys who think they're in a good position need to understand they're competing for jobs and they need to learn how hard you have to play in this league every night. It can't be a sometimes thing, it has to be all the time. I don't think we had enough guys competing at the level we expect of them and that they should expect of themselves."
The Pats, and their fans, are still waiting to see who will emerge as the top candidates to centre the team’s top two lines. Leading scorers Kyle Ross and Garrett Festerling have moved on, creating a large hole down the middle – literally – of the lineup. Newcomers Matt Strueby and Cody Gross are among the early contenders to replace Ross and Festerling on the first and second lines. Gross leads the team in preseason scoring with 7 points. The speedy centre was acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oil Kings; just hours after Edmonton had selected him from Prince Albert in the WHL expansion draft.
“Everyone is making it a really easy adjustment to the city and the team," Gross told the Leader-Post. "The coaches are unbelievable, always positive. They just want to see you do good. It's just a great group of guys. Everyone seems to get along. It should transfer onto the ice as well."
Gross notched six goals and five assists in 55 games as a rookie on the Raiders’ fourth line last season. He realizes he has an opportunity to significantly increase his ice time – and point production – this season. "I see myself being more of an offensive player; hopefully I can provide that. This team looks great - lots of depth up front and especially on the back. I haven't been on a winning team in a few years. I'm looking forward to it."
Returning centre Jared Jagow, who was deployed primarily in a defensive role last season, also is vying for increased ice time. Jagow helped his own cause with a three goal effort in a 4-2 win over Saskatoon Saturday night.
The Pats open the regular season in Prince Albert September 21. Regina’s home opener is September 23, also against the Raiders.
2 comments:
I listened to most of last night's game. The Broncos played without 6 vets. We played with all we had available, yet were not in the game at all. We have been outscored 9-1 in the last two games and have had quite a power outage over the pre-season. I am concerned that we don't have the offence we require. Hopefully Eberle gets going but he hasn't done much in pre-season, however neither has Ofukany, Saulitis, McAngus, Elder et al. There is absolutely no doubt they will have to make a trade or two. I think a vet or two along with a prospect or two will have to move. Ripplinger almost said as much.
I was really hoping the recent pattern wouldn't continue this year. You know the one: Come out of training camp feeling good about the team; play terribly the first two months of the season; spend the next couple of months tinkering with the lineup; play better after the trade deadline - not great, but well enough to keep the fans interested.
I am not, NOT saying I expect that to happen this year. Hopefully any holes will be patched right away. Better yet, hopefully there aren't many (or any) holes to begin with.
We'll see what we've got next weekend. Looking forward to it.
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