2014-2015 WHL Thread

[DOOM]

Wow, the Hitmen are scoring lots of goals lately.

They have scored 6 or more goals in 5 of their last 7 games.

[Buff]

The Lethbridge Hurricanes fired head coach, Drake Berehowsky yesterday afternoon. They announced it on their website and won't respond to media requests for comments.

It was quite obvious to most people around Lethbridge when this past summer they hired former head coach Bryan Maxwell as the assistant coach, that Berehowsky's days were numbered. I would be suprised if Maxwell is not the new head coach, and I would be surprised if they didn't start to turn things around. Maxwell has always had the respect of his players and is one of the most popular coaches in Hurricane's history.

I recall when he came in and took over in the mid 90s. The team was horrible and within a season and a half they were top ranked in the CHL and went onto the Memorial Cup. There is an asterisks on the Memorial Cup run is that Maxwell was suspended from coaching games and attending practices for a year because he attempted to beat the tar out of a ref for calling a weak penalty in OT that lead to the 'Canes playoff elimination.

Edit: No sooner do I post that but I learn that they have a presser at 1:00pm to likely also announce that their GM, Robson, will also be let go. This isn't confirmed anywhere but it is also not a surprise as the guy they brought in to be the assistant was also speculated to be put in place to take over the GM position. Not many expected Robson and Berehowsky to last the season with Anholt and Maxwell in the organization.

[Hangman]

Anholt is now GM and head coach, Maxwell remains as assistant coach.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Buff

I would be suprised if Maxwell is not the new head coach, and I would be surprised if they didn't start to turn things around. Maxwell has always had the respect of his players and is one of the most popular coaches in Hurricane's history.

As with the Oilers, the Hurricanes' problems lie far above the coach. The Canes will never truly turn it around as long as it is operated by that abortion of an ownership situation.

[Buff]

Colour me very surprised that Anholt took over as GM AND coach. I could have sworn that Maxwell was going to be the coach. Fine with me. Maxwell was popular early on in his time in Lethbridge, but he actually hasn't had many seasons with a winning record as head coach... unfortunately if you look at Anholt's record, he hasn't either...

Steps are actually in place to change the ownership structure of the team. A motion was put forth at the last AGM by a board member to investigate selling the team to private ownership. Unfortunately they won't vote on that until the next AGM which is likely August or September.

In the meantime they have put together an advisory committe. I don't know the details of this committee, but I would imagine it is something in place to keep the board from getting involved in a daily basis on day to day operations as the two recently resigned board members would do. The funny part is, one of the members is Ron Sakamoto, top Canadian promoter. Why is that funny? He is rumored to be the money bags behind Kris Versteeg's bid to buy the team. Eitherway, I have full confidence in Sak's abilities to make sound decisions for the team in his current capacity and in any future ownership role he may be involved in (or not).

There is a light at the end of the tunnel for the current ownership woes, unfortunately it is likely two years away. Hopefull the advisory committee has enough influence to help steer the ship in an upward path... it can't get any worse, can it?

[Flickered Flame]

Morrissey has been traded to the Rockets.

[Red John]

That's a pretty huge deal for the Rockets.

They give up Jesse Lees who really wasn't a needed piece as they already had him playing out of position. PA will probably have him back on the blueline which he preferred anyway. He'll probably be a decent overager next year though.

Losing Glover hurts as he was near a PPG when healthy this year and only 18 but the key here was not giving up Dillon Dube and not giving up a 1st which is check and check. Gave up a 2nd and 3rd which isn't ideal but a worthwhile risk when you can run out Morrissey and Madison Bowey like the Winterhawks did last year with Pouliot and Dumba.

Still are carrying just two 20s, have to think the Rockets will add an overage forward as well as they could really use an extra decent scorer.

Fun year to be a Rocket fan.

[Matty81]

Wow that's a good deal... Lees will be an overager next year and I like Glover but he's 18, supporting cast and gets injured a lot. Surprised PA took quantity over quality.

As you said, with them trading Heffley in the last little bit to clear an overage spot, they've got something else in the works.

Wonder if they have a deal with a WHL and NHL team to have a 20 year old who is struggling the AHL/ECHL sent to them. Too bad Reinhart seems to have gone off the market, that would really have been going all in. Realistically probably will pick up a guy like Rodewald for a mid round pick or a couple late ones.

[Zach]

Van Giants have surely turned it around with Noel behind the bench.

[sureLoss]

Zenon Herasymiuk @ZenonHerasymiuk
The Calgary Hitmen have acquired the rights to Thatcher Demko from Spokane. He was a 2nd round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 14 draft.

Demko said he has no plans to go to the WHL yet. The pick the Hitmen gave up is supposedly conditional.

[Bezer]

That's pretty interesting. So either they know he is thinking about going to the WHL or the Hitmen are goin to try and convince him to come up. I suspect that they are gonna try and convince him considering it's only a conditional pick

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Bezer

I suspect that they are gonna try and convince him considering it's only a conditional pick

yup.

Will Nault @Fan960Nault
Mike Moore on Thatcher Demko: "we don't have any indication he's coming to play for us. With Adam (Tambellini) we had a pretty good idea."

Will Nault @Fan960Nault
Moore on Demko cont'd: "This is still a long shot. We're taking a flyer here, no doubt." #Hitmen #WHL

Will Nault @Fan960Nault
Thatcher Demko is at US World Junior Camp and the Hitmen are hoping to talk to him again when he returns from the tournament on January 5th.

[sureLoss]

FWIW, Demko's father just tweeted out that Demko will not go to the WHL.

[Matty81]

Rumors flying about Draisaitl - Friedman and Matheson have both said that the Oilers might send him down to the WHL if he gets traded to the Rockets.

He's burned a year off his entry level but once he plays more than 39 games he also gets a year closer to UFA status. Rumor is they didn't want him to play for Germany but wouldn't mind him in the dub with Kelowna due to the close ties between the Oilers management and the Rockets ownership (bleh).

Will be interesting to see what happens here when the roster freeze lifts on Friday. Almost makes too much sense for an Oilers move, and PA basically gets something for nothing here if it works out.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Retur...634/story.html

[Red John]

Draisaitl deal is done. Merry Christmas Rockets fans.

They'll be adding another 20 as well.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Red John

Draisaitl deal is done. Merry Christmas Rockets fans.

They'll be adding another 20 as well.

Wow really? I can't find anything online confirming so am assuming you heard from an inside source... thanks for sharing. Am really interested to hear the price.

If so, boy are they ever stacked. Rumor that the Jets might be sending Ryan Olsen back down after xmas to fill that last 20 year old slot as he's been struggling and not getting a ton of ice in the AHL. Gonna be a fun new year.

[Resolute 14]

Getting real tired of Kootenay having our number. Oy.

[Red John]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Wow really? I can't find anything online confirming so am assuming you heard from an inside source... thanks for sharing. Am really interested to hear the price.

If so, boy are they ever stacked. Rumor that the Jets might be sending Ryan Olsen back down after xmas to fill that last 20 year old slot as he's been struggling and not getting a ton of ice in the AHL. Gonna be a fun new year.

Deal probably going down today.

[Flickered Flame]

Should be an interesting week and half here, the deadline is Jan. 10th. The Rockets are obviously the front runner and I like that Hamilton is making moves to put them over the top, they are usually an organization that doesn't make the flashy, big trade. In the East its really interesting, all the teams are pretty much the same outside of Brandon and to a lesser degree Medicine Hat. Everyone else goes on 5 game winning streaks or long streaks with earning points but then they all turnaround and go the opposite way with long losing streaks or winless streaks.

As for the Hitmen, they are desperately trying to find a goaltender, they are still hopeful that Demko will come but they know its a long shot at best and because of that, it is my understanding that they are trying to find an upgrade on Shields who is very inconsistent. It would not surprise me to see them move Ben Thomas for an upgrade on the blueline or maybe in a deal for a goalie.

[Matty81]

Pats have gutted their team, rarely see a teardown this dramatic for a team still kind of in the mix. Kinda crazy scenario where you have the 4th place team (RD) buying rentals at a steep price from the 3rd place team (Regina).

After trading Klimchuk they've moved Dryden Hunt and Kyle Burroughs for a prospect and a couple picks to Medicine Hat and now Connor Gay to Red Deer for Jake Leschyshyn, some picks involved.

The second deal hasn't been fully confirmed as to the details but it sounds like they did really well... getting the 6th overall pick in the draft a few months after he was picked and potentially more picks for a 19 year old who is just an OK player for me. Red Deer must be desperate with the memorial cup coming up next year - 3 of their top 6 scorers this year are 19s already so they'll have to sell one at a cut rate this offseason. That's a massive cost to upgrade from Kopeck to Gay.

Bad decision to award the memorial cup to Red Deer next year anyway imo... how you give it to a team that missed the playoffs last year is beyond me. Losing Cote and Maxwell next year, they are a long ways from being even a top 2 team in their conference and contending with Brandon or MH who will both be very good next year, let alone the whole league.

Still no word on Draisaitl being dealt. After all the rumors PA's GM came out a couple days ago and said he was still shopping him and it wasn't done so Kelowna doesn't seem like a lock at all unless he just made that up for some reason. Would be nice if they get him but I'm not convinced Kelowna is the lock everybody is saying they are even if they do. They'll have a good chance is all.