Kootenay breaks camp with no guarantees
by Jeff Bromley
After the club’s first five days of 2009-10 training camp the head coach of the Kootenay Ice offered this warning; though this club is returning 19 veterans from last year’s young squad, there are veterans on the bubble. Following Team Blue’s 8-5 win over Team White in the club’s 12th annual Blue-White Intrasquad game for charity Sunday afternoon Kootenay’s head coach Mark Holick demonstrated a notable tone of concern over the play of some of his veteran players. “It was a good game today,” said the third-year WHL coach. “There were some performances that have me concerned, but that’s something that we’ll discuss internally. But then again, it is August.”
As the roster was cut down to a somewhat more manageable number of 32 bodies following the camp finale, the weekend was the first chance for both Ice brass and faithful so see the 1994 born crop of players drafted at the end of April. Among them forwards Colby Cave, the club’s first round pick, Jared Iron from Northern Saskatchewan, goaltender MacKenzie Skapski and defenseman Mike Simpson, a 6th round draft pick who impressed enough that he may return to the club for more seasoning this week before returning to his major midget club in Delta. “Mike Simpson’s stepped up big-time,” offered Ice Director of Scouting Garnet Kazuik. “And we thought he might. He’s a 1994-born player and that’s encouraging. Forward Carter Page and defenceman John Niebrandt have both come in here and done some exceptional things for non-roster (training camp invite) players. They’re forcing our hand and that’s a good thing. That’s why you see the intensity and the pace of the game being so high and some of the veterans know that these guys are pushing them.”
In Sunday’s Blue-White game 16-year-old d-man Dylan Schellenberg of Drumheller, Alberta had two goals while veterans Matt Fraser, Max Reinhart and Mike Cassivi chipped in a goal and an assist each in the 8-5 win. 17-year-old Cypress, California product Christian Johnson impressed the 380 in attendance with two goals and an assist along with forward Elgin Pierce, who notched a goal and an assist in a losing cause.
There was a notable absence of the bulk of the club’s veterans on Sunday. Goaltenders Nathan Lieuwen and Todd Mathews along with blueliners Brayden McNabb, Hayden Rintoul and forwards Drew Czerwonka, captain Dustin Sylvester and Kevin King all watched from the stands of the Cranbrook Rec Plex as the rookies along with eleven of the team’s veterans tried to impress the club’s brass enough for a longer look. “We didn’t need to evaluate the veterans as much as we needed to evaluate the young guys as it’s a little bit of a different situation this season,” continued Kazuik. “We basically had 10-11 spots open so all the veterans played (last year). With 18-19 players returning we don’t need to see the veterans as much as we need to see the young guys, especially the 92’s, non-roster players and the ‘93’s. We want to see what these guys can do.”
Quick Hits – Absent from this year’s class of 1994 players was the definite stand-out from the 2009 Bantam Draft. Aside from the 6th round pick Mike Simpson, trepidation was the name of the game for the 15-year-olds this past weekend. “There wasn’t any that really stood but I thought they showed okay,” said Holick. “Nobody’s concerned at this point. Czerwonka (in 2007) and Hurley (last year) were big bodies and strong kids. I don’t think anybody was really physically imposing or stood out that way (this weekend).”
That said, the club’s first round pick in forward Colby Cave had a slow start to the camp but finished with a stronger intrasquad game.
Goaltender MacKenzie Skapski, the club’s 3rd round pick this year is still with the club and will practice this week before returning to Abbotsford to play major midget.
Dylan Tait, 18, of Lethbridge rounds out the fourth goaltender still on the club’s roster. Tait, who also missed the Blue-White game, was acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes list over the summer for a conditional draft pick. Tait played last season for the Ice in an emergency role when Nathan Lieuwen was injured and Thomas Heemskerk had left the club and returned home.
Released on Sunday were goaltenders Derrick Pietsch, 17, Brett Teskey, 16 and Kevin Jacyna, also 16. Defensemen Mike Simpson, 15, Scott Helmkay, 16, Dylan Schellenberg, 16, David Heath, 15 and Randon Caceres, 17. Forwards Jared Iron, 15, Colby Cave, 15, Jared Zentner, 16, Brendan Mangone, 16, Riley Simpson, 16, Jung Ahn, 16, Eric Benoit, 16, Christian Johnson, 17 and Carter Page, 17.
Forward Christian Johnson, with a two goals and an assist in the Blue-White game, will return to California to play with the LA Jr Kings Midget squad.
LW Bryton Mills, a list player out of St. Albert midget last season who is still with the club, missed the Blue-White game with an undisclosed injury. He was replaced by veteran Matt Fraser.
D Petr Senkerik, 18, the club’s import draft pick saw his first action in an Ice uniform Sunday.
Kootenay’s first exhibition action goes September 4 in the Crows Nest Pass in a mini-tournament with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Calgary Hitmen. Kootenay will play Calgary in Coleman on September 4 and Lethbridge on September 6, also in Coleman. The club returns home to play the Lethbidge Hurricanes in their only home exhibition action Wednesday September 9.
The Blue-White game raised almost $1900 for the Cranbrook United Way. Raising the total since relocating to Cranbrook to almost $23,000.
Local products Bryce Perpelitz, 15, and Derek Georgopoulos, 15, attended Kootenay’s training camp on invites. Fernie product Brendan Mangone, 16, played in Sunday’s Blue-White game. Perpelitz is expected to play Midget in Cranbrook this season while Georgopoulos will play in Nelson with the Major Midget Ice. Mangone is expected to play with the KIJHL’s Fernie Ghostriders.
The club named Dustin Sylvester the franchise’s 14th captain in their 14-year history on Thursday.
Still on the 32-man roster for the Ice; Goaltenders: Nathan Lieuwen, 18, Todd Mathews, 19, MacKenzie Skapski, 15 and Dylan Tait, 18. Defensemen: Hayden Rintoul, 18, Brayden McNabb, 18, James Martin, 18, Petr Senkerik, 18, Casen Machacek, 17, Tyler Vanscourt, 17, Joey Leach, 17, Luke Paulsen, 17, John Niebrandt, 17. Forwards: Dustin Sylvester, 20, Kevin King, 19, Dominic Pacovsky, 19, Steele Boomer, 19, Matt Fraser, 19, Joe Antilla, 18, Jordan Bauer, 18, Simon Skrudland, 18, Jesse Ismond, 18, Mike Cassivi, 18, Christian Magnus, 17, Max Reinhart, 17, Drew Czerwonka, 17, Brock Montgomery, 17, Elgin Pearce, 17, Brendan Hurley, 16, Bryton Mills, 16, Adam Rossignol, 16, and Ryan Bloom, 16.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Sylvester captain...
The obvious choice for team captain was made yesterday as the club announced that Dustin Sylvester becomes the 14th captain in team history.
First intersquad game goes this morning...
First intersquad game goes this morning...
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Stephens speaks....
For BC HockeyNow.....
Ice lose overager to University
by Jeff Bromley
The Kootenay Ice are losing a centre and the club’s second-leading scorer to school - flight school. Tylan Stephens, a Calgary product who was going to be the club’s top pivot heading into the 2009-10 season as a 20-year-old has decided to forego his final year of junior eligibility and will enrol in the University of Calgary in the first step of becoming a pilot. “I want to keep playing hockey but right now playing WHL hockey is not as big as the other things going on in my life right now,” said Stephens as he visited Cranbrook just before Kootenay’s training camp began August 27. “I want to play hockey but there are goals in my life that I need to run parallel to that as well. And that’s being a pilot and getting my degree.”
The only player on Kootenay’s roster to play in every game last season Stephens finished his best year in major junior with 27 goals and 30 assists, second only to graduated captain Andrew Bailey. Kootenay GM Jeff Chynoweth says his tenacity, offence, work ethic and ability as a key face-off man will be sorely missed and hard to replace. “Ty was really the engine that made us go last year and was rewarded from that work ethic of his with 27 goals,” said Chynoweth. “He’s a big loss up front and we’ll have to find a veteran player (to replace him) and hopefully someone who can replace those 27 goals.”
Stephens will suit up this season for the University of Calgary Dinos and begin his quest for a university degree, one that’s supplanted the standard hockey player’s dream of playing pro hockey. Armed with a mature outlook on his life it’s not often that a junior hockey player has the foresight to forego the pro hockey dream for another, though still tough to achieve, dream of flying fighter jets. Though Stephens admits, like playing pro hockey, not everyone gets a shot at flying for the RCAF. “I always wanted to be a fighter pilot but I’m going to have to get my degree first and then apply. The longer I wait, the older I get and the harder it is for me to accomplish that goal so I want to keep that option open.”
The option of playing pro hockey, if he would've taken the place of number one pivot on a contending Kootenay club also weighed on his mind. It could've opened up pro opportunities next year. “It could,” said Stephens. “And I see why people might second guess the decision but if I played another year and did get a pro tryout offer and played pro hockey, when is school going to start for me? In the long run, if I do still want to play pro hockey after I get a degree then I think it would be better if I’m coming out of university at 23 versus 25 or 26.”
Stephens decision to not return leaves the club with just one 20-year-old - forward Dustin Sylvester - heading into training camp set to begin August 27.
Quick Hits - All of Kootenay’s graduated players from last season are moving on play university hockey and attend school in the CIS. Captain Andrew Bailey will join former teammates Steve Da Silva and Casey Lee with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies while D Ian Barteaux will join the University of Alberta Golden Bears. D Eric Frere will join Stephens and play for the University of Calgary Dinos… Two former coaches have reunited as partners behind the bench in the NHL. Former bench boss Cory Clouston, who took over the Ottawa Senators last January after the firing of Craig Hartsburg, hired his former Ice assistant coach Brad Lauer in July to join him on the Senators bench this season. Lauer had spent the last two seasons as an assistant with the AHL Milwaukee Admirals… Four Ice veterans have accepted invites to NHL camps in September. D Brayden McNabb, drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round (66th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, will join the Sabres training camp while D Hayden Rintoul will head to Montreal to play with the Canadiens camp, forward Kevin King will once again attend camp of the Minnesota Wild and forward Dustin Sylvester has accepted an invite to the Anaheim Ducks training camp… Two 16-year-old Bantam Draft picks from 2008 - D Micheal King of Prince George and D Jagger Dirk of Kelowna, the latter the son of former Vancouver Canuck blueliner Robert Dirk, have decided to not attend Kootenay’s training camp to keep their NCAA options open. Forward Elgin Pierce, 17, a 2nd round Bantam pick from 2007 who played for Langley of the BCHL last season, will be at camp.
Ice lose overager to University
by Jeff Bromley
The Kootenay Ice are losing a centre and the club’s second-leading scorer to school - flight school. Tylan Stephens, a Calgary product who was going to be the club’s top pivot heading into the 2009-10 season as a 20-year-old has decided to forego his final year of junior eligibility and will enrol in the University of Calgary in the first step of becoming a pilot. “I want to keep playing hockey but right now playing WHL hockey is not as big as the other things going on in my life right now,” said Stephens as he visited Cranbrook just before Kootenay’s training camp began August 27. “I want to play hockey but there are goals in my life that I need to run parallel to that as well. And that’s being a pilot and getting my degree.”
The only player on Kootenay’s roster to play in every game last season Stephens finished his best year in major junior with 27 goals and 30 assists, second only to graduated captain Andrew Bailey. Kootenay GM Jeff Chynoweth says his tenacity, offence, work ethic and ability as a key face-off man will be sorely missed and hard to replace. “Ty was really the engine that made us go last year and was rewarded from that work ethic of his with 27 goals,” said Chynoweth. “He’s a big loss up front and we’ll have to find a veteran player (to replace him) and hopefully someone who can replace those 27 goals.”
Stephens will suit up this season for the University of Calgary Dinos and begin his quest for a university degree, one that’s supplanted the standard hockey player’s dream of playing pro hockey. Armed with a mature outlook on his life it’s not often that a junior hockey player has the foresight to forego the pro hockey dream for another, though still tough to achieve, dream of flying fighter jets. Though Stephens admits, like playing pro hockey, not everyone gets a shot at flying for the RCAF. “I always wanted to be a fighter pilot but I’m going to have to get my degree first and then apply. The longer I wait, the older I get and the harder it is for me to accomplish that goal so I want to keep that option open.”
The option of playing pro hockey, if he would've taken the place of number one pivot on a contending Kootenay club also weighed on his mind. It could've opened up pro opportunities next year. “It could,” said Stephens. “And I see why people might second guess the decision but if I played another year and did get a pro tryout offer and played pro hockey, when is school going to start for me? In the long run, if I do still want to play pro hockey after I get a degree then I think it would be better if I’m coming out of university at 23 versus 25 or 26.”
Stephens decision to not return leaves the club with just one 20-year-old - forward Dustin Sylvester - heading into training camp set to begin August 27.
Quick Hits - All of Kootenay’s graduated players from last season are moving on play university hockey and attend school in the CIS. Captain Andrew Bailey will join former teammates Steve Da Silva and Casey Lee with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies while D Ian Barteaux will join the University of Alberta Golden Bears. D Eric Frere will join Stephens and play for the University of Calgary Dinos… Two former coaches have reunited as partners behind the bench in the NHL. Former bench boss Cory Clouston, who took over the Ottawa Senators last January after the firing of Craig Hartsburg, hired his former Ice assistant coach Brad Lauer in July to join him on the Senators bench this season. Lauer had spent the last two seasons as an assistant with the AHL Milwaukee Admirals… Four Ice veterans have accepted invites to NHL camps in September. D Brayden McNabb, drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round (66th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, will join the Sabres training camp while D Hayden Rintoul will head to Montreal to play with the Canadiens camp, forward Kevin King will once again attend camp of the Minnesota Wild and forward Dustin Sylvester has accepted an invite to the Anaheim Ducks training camp… Two 16-year-old Bantam Draft picks from 2008 - D Micheal King of Prince George and D Jagger Dirk of Kelowna, the latter the son of former Vancouver Canuck blueliner Robert Dirk, have decided to not attend Kootenay’s training camp to keep their NCAA options open. Forward Elgin Pierce, 17, a 2nd round Bantam pick from 2007 who played for Langley of the BCHL last season, will be at camp.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Who replaces Stephens?
For KNA...
Stephens Departure will hurt
by Jeff Bromley
The news that centre Tylan Stephens would not return to the Kootenay Ice lineup this season as a 20-year-old presents a hole that the suddenly offensively challenged Ice will be hard pressed to fill. On a personal level, fulfilling a childhood dream of becoming a pilot and enrolling at the University of Calgary in September is one of the good news stories the league loves to hear about. Junior hockey player hits the college route – using his tuition money earned from playing the WHL – in search of his dream; one that isn’t playing pro hockey. It’s a great recruitment tool though from a team perspective I’m sure they’d much rather Stephens have started that dream start next year….
The search now begins in earnest for a 20-year-old to replace Stephens as Dustin Sylvester – the obvious early favourite as team captain – is the only 20-year-old on the roster, the only time that the club hasn’t had at least the full compliment of three overagers as training camp starts in their 14-year history.
Looking down the long list of possible targets in a WHL that has an abundance of 20-year-olds available, it's a buyer’s market. The Brandon Wheat Kings have a glut of at least five eligible forwards – Matt Calvert, Del Cowan, Jay Fehr, and Aaron Lewadniuk not including D Keith Aulie, who is signed to an NHL contract with the Calgary Flames and forward Cale Jeffries who is also leaving the WHL to go to university early, the Wheat Kings could part with a forward at a reasonable price… With Tyler Ennis bound to the pros as the Sabres should sign the 40-goal scorer the Medicine Hat Tigers seem to have a bit of logjam at the 20-year-old spots. If they keep goaltender Ryan Holfeld that leaves D Mark Isherwood, a lock in my mind, along with forwards Colton Grant, Travis Dunstall and Bretton Cameron fighting it out for the last spot. Could Cameron or Dunstall be had?.... In Speedy Creek there’s an interesting development playing out. I say interesting in that the result could have a former Ice player back in uniform. The Broncos have D Derek Claffey, D Eric Doyle, D Ryan Molle along with forwards Micheal Stickland and Matt Tassone eligible to come back as D John Negrin, dealt, you’ll remember, with Stickland to the Broncos for D James Martin and forward Christian Magnus along with two draft picks at last year’s deadline, is headed for the pro ranks with either the Calgary Flames or their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. The Broncos would almost certainly want to keep Claffey, last year’s captain and their best defenseman, and Matt Tassone who is coming off shoulder surgery but could challenge for the scoring title this season if he stays healthy. That leaves Stickland, Doyle and Molle fighting over one-spot. If Stickland stays – which is probably likely – Doyle and Molle would generate a lot of interest for teams looking to add depth to the blueline, as Kootenay is. If the new regime in Swift Current doesn’t want to gut their blueline it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Stickland could be had. If you’re looking for dancing partners I’d say the both Brandon, Medicine Hat and Swift Current will likely field calls from Cranbrook in the next couple of weeks…
As training camp breaks look for this season to be different than others in one department almost certainly: the 16-year-olds. 1st round pick from 2008, forward Brendan Hurley who played in five games last season should be a lock but it looks that he could be the only one. At first thought, due to the vacancies on the blueline D Michael King and following the great camp he had as a 15-year-old, the Prince George product should’ve challenged for a spot but with his NCAA thoughts my only rookies that have an outside shot are forwards Ryan Bloom, a 2nd round pick who play in the 15-year-old Midget league last season and forward Adam Rossignol who finished in the top 20 in BC Major Midget league scoring with the Valley West Hawks….
That 1991-born battle during Ice camp is sure to be pushed by 18-year-old Calgary forward Simon Skrudland. Fellow 18-year-olds Joe Antilla and Michael Cassivi will be fighting off Skrudland from taking one of their jobs, though for the time being Stephens’ departure opens up one spot…
And finally, here’s one to former Ice GM and current Tri-City Americans GM and part-owner Bob Tory who hired Cranbrook product Jim Hiller to replace Don Nachbaur who took the helm of the AHL’s Binghamton Senators. Hiller was let go by the Chilliwack Bruins last year after a three-year expansion stint that garnered a record of 72-121-11-12. Hiller’s one of the good guys in the game that deserves another shot. That and it’ll give me more chances to reference those legendary battles Hiller had with Kimberley Knight forward Mike Catchpole in the ‘80’s. Yes, it was Junior B but Hiller, at 16, was a heavyweight that put on some great shows with the elder Catchpole. How old do you have to be to say, ‘ah, that was hockey.’
Stephens Departure will hurt
by Jeff Bromley
The news that centre Tylan Stephens would not return to the Kootenay Ice lineup this season as a 20-year-old presents a hole that the suddenly offensively challenged Ice will be hard pressed to fill. On a personal level, fulfilling a childhood dream of becoming a pilot and enrolling at the University of Calgary in September is one of the good news stories the league loves to hear about. Junior hockey player hits the college route – using his tuition money earned from playing the WHL – in search of his dream; one that isn’t playing pro hockey. It’s a great recruitment tool though from a team perspective I’m sure they’d much rather Stephens have started that dream start next year….
The search now begins in earnest for a 20-year-old to replace Stephens as Dustin Sylvester – the obvious early favourite as team captain – is the only 20-year-old on the roster, the only time that the club hasn’t had at least the full compliment of three overagers as training camp starts in their 14-year history.
Looking down the long list of possible targets in a WHL that has an abundance of 20-year-olds available, it's a buyer’s market. The Brandon Wheat Kings have a glut of at least five eligible forwards – Matt Calvert, Del Cowan, Jay Fehr, and Aaron Lewadniuk not including D Keith Aulie, who is signed to an NHL contract with the Calgary Flames and forward Cale Jeffries who is also leaving the WHL to go to university early, the Wheat Kings could part with a forward at a reasonable price… With Tyler Ennis bound to the pros as the Sabres should sign the 40-goal scorer the Medicine Hat Tigers seem to have a bit of logjam at the 20-year-old spots. If they keep goaltender Ryan Holfeld that leaves D Mark Isherwood, a lock in my mind, along with forwards Colton Grant, Travis Dunstall and Bretton Cameron fighting it out for the last spot. Could Cameron or Dunstall be had?.... In Speedy Creek there’s an interesting development playing out. I say interesting in that the result could have a former Ice player back in uniform. The Broncos have D Derek Claffey, D Eric Doyle, D Ryan Molle along with forwards Micheal Stickland and Matt Tassone eligible to come back as D John Negrin, dealt, you’ll remember, with Stickland to the Broncos for D James Martin and forward Christian Magnus along with two draft picks at last year’s deadline, is headed for the pro ranks with either the Calgary Flames or their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. The Broncos would almost certainly want to keep Claffey, last year’s captain and their best defenseman, and Matt Tassone who is coming off shoulder surgery but could challenge for the scoring title this season if he stays healthy. That leaves Stickland, Doyle and Molle fighting over one-spot. If Stickland stays – which is probably likely – Doyle and Molle would generate a lot of interest for teams looking to add depth to the blueline, as Kootenay is. If the new regime in Swift Current doesn’t want to gut their blueline it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Stickland could be had. If you’re looking for dancing partners I’d say the both Brandon, Medicine Hat and Swift Current will likely field calls from Cranbrook in the next couple of weeks…
As training camp breaks look for this season to be different than others in one department almost certainly: the 16-year-olds. 1st round pick from 2008, forward Brendan Hurley who played in five games last season should be a lock but it looks that he could be the only one. At first thought, due to the vacancies on the blueline D Michael King and following the great camp he had as a 15-year-old, the Prince George product should’ve challenged for a spot but with his NCAA thoughts my only rookies that have an outside shot are forwards Ryan Bloom, a 2nd round pick who play in the 15-year-old Midget league last season and forward Adam Rossignol who finished in the top 20 in BC Major Midget league scoring with the Valley West Hawks….
That 1991-born battle during Ice camp is sure to be pushed by 18-year-old Calgary forward Simon Skrudland. Fellow 18-year-olds Joe Antilla and Michael Cassivi will be fighting off Skrudland from taking one of their jobs, though for the time being Stephens’ departure opens up one spot…
And finally, here’s one to former Ice GM and current Tri-City Americans GM and part-owner Bob Tory who hired Cranbrook product Jim Hiller to replace Don Nachbaur who took the helm of the AHL’s Binghamton Senators. Hiller was let go by the Chilliwack Bruins last year after a three-year expansion stint that garnered a record of 72-121-11-12. Hiller’s one of the good guys in the game that deserves another shot. That and it’ll give me more chances to reference those legendary battles Hiller had with Kimberley Knight forward Mike Catchpole in the ‘80’s. Yes, it was Junior B but Hiller, at 16, was a heavyweight that put on some great shows with the elder Catchpole. How old do you have to be to say, ‘ah, that was hockey.’
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Stephens heading to school....
It appears the wait whether or not 20-year-old centre Tylan Stephans will return this season has been answered. The Calgary product is heading to the University of Calgary this fall. The release from the club is here. Let the search for scoring depth begin.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Ice training camp primer....
For the News-Advertiser...
Ice training camp set for Aug 27
by Jeff Bromley
Training camp for any team usually means a myriad of decisions for the coaching and management staff. Who stays? Who won’t make the cut?
Returning a roster of at least 19 players from last season – and possibly 20 if overage pivot Tylan Stephens decides to play his last year of junior eligibility this season – as the Kootenay Ice get set to host their 12th training camp in Cranbrook those decisions could be few and far between, making it that much harder for the 55 or so invitees trying to earn a spot.
If you’re looking for where the battles will be staged this weekend you can look no further than the 1991-born group of players, of which the club has a whopping ten players signed. “You always want to try to balance out the age groups,” said Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth. “We’re going to have ten 1991-born players under contract and obviously not all the players are going to make the hockey club. We’ve also got some 92-born players ready – not just the three that played with us last season – to step in and then there’s a couple of ‘93’s that will want to push for a job.”
The club is hosting it’s annual call for talent a week earlier this year because of the late Labour Day and will welcome 75 players to Cranbrook, their biggest camp in recent memory. The players are divided into four teams that will practice Thursday and then start intrasquad games Friday morning at the Rec Plex and running through to Sunday where the final 40 or so will play in the club’s 11th annual United Way Intrasquad game for charity, a function that’s raised over $21,000 for the local chapter of the United Way over the past decade.
“That’s what training camp is all about and it creates a competitive atmosphere,” said Chynoweth.
Of course the club’s rebuilding process over the last two seasons saw that number of 18-year-olds grow by design, setting the club up for a possible championship run over the next couple of seasons. G Nathan Lieuwen, D Brayden McNabb, D Hayden Rintoul, D Cason Machacek, D James Martin along with forwards Jesse Ismond, Mike Cassivi and Joe Antilla who round out a cast from last year’s club will fight with list players F Simon Skrudland, F Jordan Bauer for probably 7 or 8 spots. “We’re not going to be able to keep all the ‘91’s when we’ve got the ‘92’s pressing and we’re going to want to have balanced age groups.”
Where last season the question marks were on the depth of the defence corps it’ll be up front where the immediate needs will surface, depending on Stephens and the ‘will he’ or ‘won’t he’ watch. “It’s hard to judge our immediate needs when we still don’t know if Ty Stephens will come back,” said Chynoweth. “He still hasn’t given us any word on it and we’re not forcing the issue. To get Ty back would be boost for us as he was really the engine that made us go last year and was rewarded from that work ethic of his with 27 goals. He’d be a big loss up front and if we lose him we have to find a veteran player and hopefully someone who can replace those 27 goals.”
Chynoweth admitted that he’s been looking for a veteran defenseman to augment his current group. The search of such of player via the trade route over the summer has proved easier said than done, at least at the right price. It’s an acquisition that will put even more pressure of that 1991-born blueline group. “We’ve been exploring that option since the end of the season. If all goes well by the start of the season we’ll have an older defensemen in our line-up.”
Quick Hits – Parts of Kootenay’s training camp will be vacated by at least four veterans who will be attending NHL training camps. D Brayden McNabb, drafted by the Buffalo Sabres last June, will attend their camp while D Hayden Rintoul will head to Montreal to take part in the Canadiens camp. Forwards Kevin King will head to Minnesota while veteran Dustin Sylvester accepted an invite to the Anaheim Ducks training camp… Two notable 16-year-olds – D Micheal King from Prince George, a third round pick of the Ice in the 2008 Bantam Draft and an 11th round pick from the same year, D Jagger Dirk from Kelowna, son of former NHL’er Robert Dirk, will not be at training camp to keep their NCAA options open. A no-show from last year’s camp – 2nd round pick from 2007 forward Elgin Pierce, who played with the Langley Chiefs of the BCHL last season, will be at camp.
Ice training camp set for Aug 27
by Jeff Bromley
Training camp for any team usually means a myriad of decisions for the coaching and management staff. Who stays? Who won’t make the cut?
Returning a roster of at least 19 players from last season – and possibly 20 if overage pivot Tylan Stephens decides to play his last year of junior eligibility this season – as the Kootenay Ice get set to host their 12th training camp in Cranbrook those decisions could be few and far between, making it that much harder for the 55 or so invitees trying to earn a spot.
If you’re looking for where the battles will be staged this weekend you can look no further than the 1991-born group of players, of which the club has a whopping ten players signed. “You always want to try to balance out the age groups,” said Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth. “We’re going to have ten 1991-born players under contract and obviously not all the players are going to make the hockey club. We’ve also got some 92-born players ready – not just the three that played with us last season – to step in and then there’s a couple of ‘93’s that will want to push for a job.”
The club is hosting it’s annual call for talent a week earlier this year because of the late Labour Day and will welcome 75 players to Cranbrook, their biggest camp in recent memory. The players are divided into four teams that will practice Thursday and then start intrasquad games Friday morning at the Rec Plex and running through to Sunday where the final 40 or so will play in the club’s 11th annual United Way Intrasquad game for charity, a function that’s raised over $21,000 for the local chapter of the United Way over the past decade.
“That’s what training camp is all about and it creates a competitive atmosphere,” said Chynoweth.
Of course the club’s rebuilding process over the last two seasons saw that number of 18-year-olds grow by design, setting the club up for a possible championship run over the next couple of seasons. G Nathan Lieuwen, D Brayden McNabb, D Hayden Rintoul, D Cason Machacek, D James Martin along with forwards Jesse Ismond, Mike Cassivi and Joe Antilla who round out a cast from last year’s club will fight with list players F Simon Skrudland, F Jordan Bauer for probably 7 or 8 spots. “We’re not going to be able to keep all the ‘91’s when we’ve got the ‘92’s pressing and we’re going to want to have balanced age groups.”
Where last season the question marks were on the depth of the defence corps it’ll be up front where the immediate needs will surface, depending on Stephens and the ‘will he’ or ‘won’t he’ watch. “It’s hard to judge our immediate needs when we still don’t know if Ty Stephens will come back,” said Chynoweth. “He still hasn’t given us any word on it and we’re not forcing the issue. To get Ty back would be boost for us as he was really the engine that made us go last year and was rewarded from that work ethic of his with 27 goals. He’d be a big loss up front and if we lose him we have to find a veteran player and hopefully someone who can replace those 27 goals.”
Chynoweth admitted that he’s been looking for a veteran defenseman to augment his current group. The search of such of player via the trade route over the summer has proved easier said than done, at least at the right price. It’s an acquisition that will put even more pressure of that 1991-born blueline group. “We’ve been exploring that option since the end of the season. If all goes well by the start of the season we’ll have an older defensemen in our line-up.”
Quick Hits – Parts of Kootenay’s training camp will be vacated by at least four veterans who will be attending NHL training camps. D Brayden McNabb, drafted by the Buffalo Sabres last June, will attend their camp while D Hayden Rintoul will head to Montreal to take part in the Canadiens camp. Forwards Kevin King will head to Minnesota while veteran Dustin Sylvester accepted an invite to the Anaheim Ducks training camp… Two notable 16-year-olds – D Micheal King from Prince George, a third round pick of the Ice in the 2008 Bantam Draft and an 11th round pick from the same year, D Jagger Dirk from Kelowna, son of former NHL’er Robert Dirk, will not be at training camp to keep their NCAA options open. A no-show from last year’s camp – 2nd round pick from 2007 forward Elgin Pierce, who played with the Langley Chiefs of the BCHL last season, will be at camp.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Gold but no golds for Canada....
Holick coaches U-18 to gold
by Jeff Bromley
Kootenay Ice head coach Mark Holick returned home from Piestany, Slovakia Sunday after a stint as assistant coach to Canada's U-18 team with somewhat heavier luggage. Souvenirs for the family will do that. His biggest souvenir would've been a gold medal around he and his players neck, however the gold medal winning club didn't receive any gold medals. "It would've been nice for the kids," said Holick. "But they didn't have any to give out this year."
Gold medals or not Team Canada’s U-18 entry in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament - formerly the Junior World Cup - in the Czech Republic and Slovakia came away with yet another championship after the squad dumped Team Russia in the final by a lopsided 9-2 score. “We were as good against the Russians as anytime in the tournament,” said Holick following a gruelling 20-hour trip home through Vienna, Frankfurt, Calgary and finally Cranbrook Sunday afternoon. “We studied some video our guys got from Russia’s game the night before in Braclav and they like to skate, make the pretty pass and make the long-bomb down the ice. We took that away and were very physical with them and once we got the lead it didn’t seem like they wanted any part of it anymore.”
Team Canada ran the table with four wins at the eight-team tournament with their closest game a 3-2 decision against Team Sweden to open the annual summer gathering of 17-year-olds. The next night they doubled Switzerland 6-3 before trouncing the Czech Republic 9-0 Thursday night to gain a berth in the tournament championship. Though you’ll never hear him say it, from afar it looked very much like one of the easiest gold medals Canada’s ever won at this tournament. Though things almost got derailed in an early battle with Sweden. “We viewed the start of the tournament with Sweden as potentially the gold medal game right out of the gate,” continued Holick. “We were fortunate and after the first five minutes it easily could’ve been 2-0 Sweden. Our goalie, Calvin Pickard, played really well for us in the opening minutes and allowed us to get our legs. We were a little bit shell-shocked.”
After the 3-2 win against Sweden Canada took Team Switzerland for granted somewhat in the second contest. Tied 2-2 going into the second period the score garnered the club a less than cordial motivational speech from head coach Bob Bougher along with Holick and the other assistant coach, Oshawa Generals bench boss Chris Dipiero. “We had to get after the guys in the intermission and made sure where their focus was,” said Holick. “We had a couple words to say and Bob (head coach Bougher) took charge and obviously nothing you can print but certainly he got their attention and why they were there and that there were people sacrificing their time and energy for those players to get together. When you put that Maple Leaf on your chest be prepared to battle. After that we were better in the second, took care of it in the third and got better as the tournament wore on.”
The tournament win continues a growing tradition for both Ice players and coaches who have struck gold in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, including Brayden McNabb and Nathan Lieuwen last year, John Negrin, Ben Maxwell, Nigel Dawes, Jarrett Stoll and Steve McCarthy before them but also former Ice head coach Cory Clouston, presently the Ottawa Senators head coach, who won gold as an assistant in 2005 and then as head coach in 2006.
Quick Hits - Holick was able to see Czech d-man David Musil play in Canada’s 9-0 drubbing of one of the host squads over the week. Musil was property of the Ice for about five minutes in June when the league held a special lottery for the Canadian-born son of former NHL’er Frank Musil when it was learned he wanted to play in the WHL at the age of 16. His rights were traded to the Vancouver Giants in exchange for a 5th round Bantam pick in 2010 and a 1st round Bantam pick in 2011. “I don’t think he had a great game but I don’t think any of the Czech players had a great game that night,” said Holick. “But he’s certainly a kid that’s going to be noticed in our league.”… Kootenay also had another list player in the tournament, forward Colten St Clair of the U.S. St Clair, a Phoenix product, was drafted by the Ice in the 10th round, 218th overall in 2007 and has committed to the NCAA’s Colorado College. St Clair, who plays junior with the Fargo Force of the USHL, finished the tournament with a goal and two assists in four games for Team USA who finished fourth... Holick was also able to meet his newest blueline hopeful, import d-man Petr Senkerik, 18, who will join the club in the next week or so in preparation for training camp which begins August 27.
by Jeff Bromley
Kootenay Ice head coach Mark Holick returned home from Piestany, Slovakia Sunday after a stint as assistant coach to Canada's U-18 team with somewhat heavier luggage. Souvenirs for the family will do that. His biggest souvenir would've been a gold medal around he and his players neck, however the gold medal winning club didn't receive any gold medals. "It would've been nice for the kids," said Holick. "But they didn't have any to give out this year."
Gold medals or not Team Canada’s U-18 entry in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament - formerly the Junior World Cup - in the Czech Republic and Slovakia came away with yet another championship after the squad dumped Team Russia in the final by a lopsided 9-2 score. “We were as good against the Russians as anytime in the tournament,” said Holick following a gruelling 20-hour trip home through Vienna, Frankfurt, Calgary and finally Cranbrook Sunday afternoon. “We studied some video our guys got from Russia’s game the night before in Braclav and they like to skate, make the pretty pass and make the long-bomb down the ice. We took that away and were very physical with them and once we got the lead it didn’t seem like they wanted any part of it anymore.”
Team Canada ran the table with four wins at the eight-team tournament with their closest game a 3-2 decision against Team Sweden to open the annual summer gathering of 17-year-olds. The next night they doubled Switzerland 6-3 before trouncing the Czech Republic 9-0 Thursday night to gain a berth in the tournament championship. Though you’ll never hear him say it, from afar it looked very much like one of the easiest gold medals Canada’s ever won at this tournament. Though things almost got derailed in an early battle with Sweden. “We viewed the start of the tournament with Sweden as potentially the gold medal game right out of the gate,” continued Holick. “We were fortunate and after the first five minutes it easily could’ve been 2-0 Sweden. Our goalie, Calvin Pickard, played really well for us in the opening minutes and allowed us to get our legs. We were a little bit shell-shocked.”
After the 3-2 win against Sweden Canada took Team Switzerland for granted somewhat in the second contest. Tied 2-2 going into the second period the score garnered the club a less than cordial motivational speech from head coach Bob Bougher along with Holick and the other assistant coach, Oshawa Generals bench boss Chris Dipiero. “We had to get after the guys in the intermission and made sure where their focus was,” said Holick. “We had a couple words to say and Bob (head coach Bougher) took charge and obviously nothing you can print but certainly he got their attention and why they were there and that there were people sacrificing their time and energy for those players to get together. When you put that Maple Leaf on your chest be prepared to battle. After that we were better in the second, took care of it in the third and got better as the tournament wore on.”
The tournament win continues a growing tradition for both Ice players and coaches who have struck gold in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, including Brayden McNabb and Nathan Lieuwen last year, John Negrin, Ben Maxwell, Nigel Dawes, Jarrett Stoll and Steve McCarthy before them but also former Ice head coach Cory Clouston, presently the Ottawa Senators head coach, who won gold as an assistant in 2005 and then as head coach in 2006.
Quick Hits - Holick was able to see Czech d-man David Musil play in Canada’s 9-0 drubbing of one of the host squads over the week. Musil was property of the Ice for about five minutes in June when the league held a special lottery for the Canadian-born son of former NHL’er Frank Musil when it was learned he wanted to play in the WHL at the age of 16. His rights were traded to the Vancouver Giants in exchange for a 5th round Bantam pick in 2010 and a 1st round Bantam pick in 2011. “I don’t think he had a great game but I don’t think any of the Czech players had a great game that night,” said Holick. “But he’s certainly a kid that’s going to be noticed in our league.”… Kootenay also had another list player in the tournament, forward Colten St Clair of the U.S. St Clair, a Phoenix product, was drafted by the Ice in the 10th round, 218th overall in 2007 and has committed to the NCAA’s Colorado College. St Clair, who plays junior with the Fargo Force of the USHL, finished the tournament with a goal and two assists in four games for Team USA who finished fourth... Holick was also able to meet his newest blueline hopeful, import d-man Petr Senkerik, 18, who will join the club in the next week or so in preparation for training camp which begins August 27.
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