WHL Talk - 2018/19 Season

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

What a disappointing end to the Canes season.

Best offense they've had since Anholt took over but defense and goaltending couldn't keep their end of the deal.

Plucky underdogs make it to round 3 two years in a row.

Then with a much stronger team they bow out in round 1.

Go figure...

We're going to lose a lot of our top scorers too. Ross and Elmer are done in the WHL, Leschyshyn, Henry and Bellerive are old overages next year and all likely to turn pro. That leaves Cozens who is expected to go top 5 and could even make the NHL right away, depending on who drafts him. Addison on the point should be back unless he makes the Penguins. Barlage is back and needs to step up and could.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Buff

We're going to lose a lot of our top scorers too. Ross and Elmer are done in the WHL, Leschyshyn, Henry and Bellerive are old overages next year and all likely to turn pro. That leaves Cozens who is expected to go top 5 and could even make the NHL right away, depending on who drafts him. Addison on the point should be back unless he makes the Penguins. Barlage is back and needs to step up and could.

Yeah, the Hurricanes are screwed if they lose all three of Bellerive, Leschyshyn and Henry. Is that the word out there? They are likely gone? I was hoping to get at the very least one of them back, but hopefully two. All three seems like a pipe dream. If not, we'll end up with guys like Mahavolich/Cox/Prefontaine/Wilson as our 20's, and we might as well flush the season down the toilet if that happens.

I'm thinking Cozens will be back though, not sure I see him going straight to the NHL. Addison should be back as the anchor on D as well.

Potential 20's - Bellerive, Henry, Lecshyshyn, Cox, Mahavolich
19's - Shepard
18's - Cozens, Barlage, A. Hall, J. Hall
17's - Boyko, Boucher, O'Neill
16's - Stringer

Potential 20's - Prefontaine, Wilson
19's - Addison
18's - Palivko, Jones, Cotton
17's - Regier?, Boucher?
16's - Arntsen

18's - Tetachuk
17's - Thomson

Still an open import spot.

The team needs a couple of those impact 20 year old forwards back though, as well as Cozens, or it looks ugly.

With so few 19 year olds the team will need high impact 20 year olds for sure. They will also need the 18 year olds to step up as well.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Haha look at all the Hitmen fans all of a sudden.

You mean two additional posters?

Talk about being sensitive.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

You mean two additional posters?

Talk about being sensitive.

Thats two more than the zero there was all season. And who's being sensitive? I just thought it was funny is all. Do I really seem mad to you?? Haha

I love talking junior hockey. Not many to chat with about it though. Im actually surprised it took this long for a few Hitmen fan to surface on a Calgary centric board with the strong season the Hitmen just had. They were one of the strongest teams in the league after a slow first few weeks to the season.

[speede5]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

What a disappointing end to the Canes season.

Best offense they've had since Anholt took over but defense and goaltending couldn't keep their end of the deal.

Plucky underdogs make it to round 3 two years in a row.

Then with a much stronger team they bow out in round 1.

Go figure...

Considering their starter quit on them and they had to call up a 16 yr old I think they did quite well. Hope Thomson sticks for you guys, he's a good kid, one of my sons buddies, he should have a good WHL career ahead of him.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by speede5

Considering their starter quit on them and they had to call up a 16 yr old I think they did quite well. Hope Thomson sticks for you guys, he's a good kid, one of my sons buddies, he should have a good WHL career ahead of him.

He's looked real solid when I've seen him play. Tetachuk had a great year too all things considered. Nerves seemed to get him a bit in the playoffs though.

It's just unfortunate that in a year where the Canes clearly pushed their chips in they had to rely on a rookie goaltending tandem. Then you have the Akira Smid and Liam Hughes fiascos. Just really disappointing. Plus their three oldest Dmen didn't bring enough to the table either for the team to truly reach their potential.

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Thats two more than the zero there was all season. And who's being sensitive? I just thought it was funny is all. Do I really seem mad to you?? Haha

I love talking junior hockey. Not many to chat with about it though. Im actually surprised it took this long for a few Hitmen fan to surface on a Calgary centric board with the strong season the Hitmen just had. They were one of the strongest teams in the league after a slow first few weeks to the season.

Yes, yes you do

You know what’s also note worthy? The vanishing act of Canes fans

[Roof-Daddy]

Yeah, nice try buddy. Lol

[Matt Reeeeead]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

What a disappointing end to the Canes season.

Best offense they've had since Anholt took over but defense and goaltending couldn't keep their end of the deal.

Plucky underdogs make it to round 3 two years in a row.

Then with a much stronger team they bow out in round 1.

Go figure...

A tough end indeed. Would have been wrenching for the Hitmen too after how close they were in game 6 to ending things.

Anyways - I get what you are saying... you are clearly more invested in WHL hockey than most here. Sorry to see your season end prematurely.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by speede5

Considering their starter quit on them and they had to call up a 16 yr old I think they did quite well. Hope Thomson sticks for you guys, he's a good kid, one of my sons buddies, he should have a good WHL career ahead of him.

I think Tetachuk did fine but could have benefited from being the backup this year and starter next year. He's got the experience now so I expect a strong year from him next year, depending on how the tram in front of him is built.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

He's looked real solid when I've seen him play. Tetachuk had a great year too all things considered. Nerves seemed to get him a bit in the playoffs though.

It's just unfortunate that in a year where the Canes clearly pushed their chips in they had to rely on a rookie goaltending tandem. Then you have the Akira Smid and Liam Hughes fiascos. Just really disappointing. Plus their three oldest Dmen didn't bring enough to the table either for the team to truly reach their potential.

I was never a fan of Merezhko. At least not as high on him as the team seemed to be. I thought it was a mistake to use both import and overage on him. If he had the impact of Addison, then maybe but I didn't think he was worth it.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Yeah, the Hurricanes are screwed if they lose all three of Bellerive, Leschyshyn and Henry. Is that the word out there? They are likely gone? I was hoping to get at the very least one of them back, but hopefully two. All three seems like a pipe dream. If not, we'll end up with guys like Mahavolich/Cox/Prefontaine/Wilson as our 20's, and we might as well flush the season down the toilet if that happens.

I'm thinking Cozens will be back though, not sure I see him going straight to the NHL. Addison should be back as the anchor on D as well.

Potential 20's - Bellerive, Henry, Lecshyshyn, Cox, Mahavolich
19's - Shepard
18's - Cozens, Barlage, A. Hall, J. Hall
17's - Boyko, Boucher, O'Neill
16's - Stringer

Potential 20's - Prefontaine, Wilson
19's - Addison
18's - Palivko, Jones, Cotton
17's - Regier?, Boucher?
16's - Arntsen

18's - Tetachuk
17's - Thomson

Still an open import spot.

The team needs a couple of those impact 20 year old forwards back though, as well as Cozens, or it looks ugly.

With so few 19 year olds the team will need high impact 20 year olds for sure. They will also need the 18 year olds to step up as well.

What did you think of Stringer? I only saw two of his games. The first one I though he looked good. The other game he looked lost. Both times his skating looked like it needed a lot of work. He seemed to do fairly well for a 15 year old joining the team at the end of the season though.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Buff

What did you think of Stringer? I only saw two of his games. The first one I though he looked good. The other game he looked lost. Both times his skating looked like it needed a lot of work. He seemed to do fairly well for a 15 year old joining the team at the end of the season though.

Mixed bag but not surprising given his age and experience.

I was really surprised, and not really comfortable, with how much Kisio used him in the playoffs. He had him playing in the top six in elimination playoff games. He had him out to start OT in game 6.

Doesn't seem like a great time to be grooming a 15 year old. I guess all we can do now is hope he gained a lot from the experience and is better for it in the long run.

I certainly don't think he's going to be as good as Cozens, like some seem to believe. I think he'll end up at a levrl somewhere between Cozens and Barlage. Roughly a point per game player during his draft eligible season.

[brocoli]

As someone who has spent a decent amount of time on the ice with Stringer, he has a lot of growing to do. He has always been weak on his feet and it has shown in MAAA. Hopefully he can gain some mass to get stronger.

The best part of his game that I saw this year was that he wasn't complaining as much to the refs. He worked on becoming more of a leader which did not go unnoticed and was gratefully appreciated.

I agree that he won't be a Cozens player and I would have him projected to be below Barlage. My honest assessment is that he will not spend his entire time as a Hurricane as I feel he could grow a lot more from being away from Lethbridge.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Yeah, the Hurricanes are screwed if they lose all three of Bellerive, Leschyshyn and Henry. Is that the word out there? They are likely gone? I was hoping to get at the very least one of them back, but hopefully two. All three seems like a pipe dream. If not, we'll end up with guys like Mahavolich/Cox/Prefontaine/Wilson as our 20's, and we might as well flush the season down the toilet if that happens.

I'm thinking Cozens will be back though, not sure I see him going straight to the NHL. Addison should be back as the anchor on D as well.

Potential 20's - Bellerive, Henry, Lecshyshyn, Cox, Mahavolich
19's - Shepard
18's - Cozens, Barlage, A. Hall, J. Hall
17's - Boyko, Boucher, O'Neill
16's - Stringer

Potential 20's - Prefontaine, Wilson
19's - Addison
18's - Palivko, Jones, Cotton
17's - Regier?, Boucher?
16's - Arntsen

18's - Tetachuk
17's - Thomson

Still an open import spot.

The team needs a couple of those impact 20 year old forwards back though, as well as Cozens, or it looks ugly.

With so few 19 year olds the team will need high impact 20 year olds for sure. They will also need the 18 year olds to step up as well.

Scouts feel Cozens is the most NHL ready of the *Big 3* (Krebs, Dach, and Cozens) or whatever you want to call them.

Lethbridge fans should keep an eye on Drew Englot. He really had a coming out party this year in midget.

[FLAME ENVY]

I appreciate the contributions/insights of all the posters in this thread. I really enjoy watching CHL hockey, most notably the WHL. I have had a far more vested interest the past four season's as my cousin plays for Spokane (Jaret Anderson-Dolan). I was in Spokane for the first two games of the Portland series and the hockey was great! I'm a Hitmen fan at heart but will be a Chiefs fan until JAD's WHL career comes to an end sometime this spring. Everrett/Spokane should be a great series.

Go Chiefs!

[Buff]

Originally Posted by brocoli

As someone who has spent a decent amount of time on the ice with Stringer, he has a lot of growing to do. He has always been weak on his feet and it has shown in MAAA. Hopefully he can gain some mass to get stronger.

The best part of his game that I saw this year was that he wasn't complaining as much to the refs. He worked on becoming more of a leader which did not go unnoticed and was gratefully appreciated.

I agree that he won't be a Cozens player and I would have him projected to be below Barlage. My honest assessment is that he will not spend his entire time as a Hurricane as I feel he could grow a lot more from being away from Lethbridge.

Just like Versteeg.

[Matt Reeeeead]

There is an updated link for those interested in purchasing tickets for Round 2:

https://www.ticketmaster.ca/calgary-...a521-208537013

Code - HIT20 for $14 tickets, which should be the lowest available price available.

[Roof-Daddy]

Ouch. Hitmen had a 2-0 lead with about 5 minutes left in game one and lost 3-2 in OT.

[Flickered Flame]

I thought I would put this here...Pittsburgh signed Calen Addison yesterday.

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