WHL Schedule release

The New Western Hockey League season is going to start in just two months,  and this time we all are going to be ready. I know that the schedule was actually released about 2 weeks ago,  I have scoured the schedule and and found some nuggets.  This next season I am going to keep a running tally of games to look out for, games that are pivotal to the new season's US Division champs.

On September 22nd I foresee the first 395 rivalry setting the tone to who will control the middle of the division.  If Tri-City and Spokane will face off with ferocity meanwhile Portland and Seattle will once again spell out who is going to dominate their competition this season. I have a list a games for the month of September below.   

Month of September

September 22nd   Tri-City vs Spokane and Portland vs Seattle 

September 26th    Everett vs Tri-City

September 28th    Everett vs Vancouver

September 29th    Portland vs Kelowna

Summer Videos

Since we cant get out to watch a game in the middle of the heat.  How about some recaps why we love the game.  Once a week I will be posting a video of to keep us upbeat for the 2012-2013 season.  Starting today

Who from the US Div will play all 82 in NHL sweaters?

Last season we saw a great consolidation of young talent trickle into the dub.  South of the boarder we also had a great showing at the 2012 draft with 2 of the top 8 draftees from the US division.  So Whats next?

Prospect Camps.  Camps are an unofficial invite to a team interested in highly skilled player who was over looked during the frantic excitement of the draft or scouting reports.  The players have a chance to prove themselves amongst what soon could be their peers.  They might also walk away with a contract in hand too?

In my finite wisdom I am going to list off who is at camp and who is going to make it out of camp into a  NHL contract.

Toronto:  Brad Ross, Adam Hughesman
Nashville: Cam Reid
Pittsburgh: Joe Morrow, Dominic Uher,  Derrick Pouliot
Winnipeg: Zach Yuen
Calgary: Sven Bartschi, Tyler Wotherspoon
San Jose Taylor Peters
Vancouver Jesse Mychan, Corbin Baldwin
Dallas: Branden Troock
Ottawa: Darren Kramer
Columbus: Ryan Murray
Montreal: Patrick Holland
Minnesota: Josh Caron
Florida: Josh Birkholz
Buffalo: Matt Mackinzie
Chicago: Mac Carruth
ST Louis: Ty Rattie (already signed) Nick Walters
Philadelphia: Mitch Elliot, Taylor Leier

US Div Seasons on the Rise

The US division of WHL has quite a following and I have proof.  I was going over the attendance averages for the past season and the average attendance seems to be another good season for the teams south of the border.  The chart below has the seasons average for the past 5 years.

                           2008          2009          2010          2011          2012

Everett               6425          6030           5701         5807           5278
Spokane             6557          6656           6453         6439           6643
Seattle                4082          4181           3853         4096           4206
Tri City              4245          4424           4480         4702           4653
Portland             4460          3648           4437         5594           6075

The most interesting part of the data is that the worst attendance season for the division was 2010 with an overall average for all 5 teams being 4,984.8.  The 2012 season was best attendance season for the division for the past 9 years with an average of  5,371 people attending the games.

Trade time Shake out

Yesterday the WHL went screaming through the trade deadline with some amazing bargaining chips laid on the table.  Some of the Chip were surprising, One chip being a player who is currently playing in the NHL, but if he gets sent back Tri-City can add Brett Connolly to the roster.  Second being, Cam Reid getting only a 8th round draft pick for a trade to Portland.  Third, being Marcel Noebels leaving Seattle to add another scoring component for division rivals down I-5, the Portland Winterhawks.

The total sum of transactions for the US div is below.

Trade Time, Who will move?

Photo Courtesy foodcourtlunch.com

The trade deadline for the WHL is fast approaching and some of the unstoppable teams will be assailed to pick apart their top lines so that the teams with fewer W's can thrive for the second half.   Bargaining Chips for this round of trade talks will undoubtedly be a higher draft ranking to pick up some of the lower league's finest.

The Team I think that has the most to offer and the highest gamble is Spokane.  The Chiefs sitting in the middle of the fight for a playoff spot, they will have to maneuver around the other GM's with utmost grace to bring home another franchise man.  Everett Silvertips task for finding second half talent will should focus less on individuals more on whole roster mentality.  The boys in the north of the US division   should worry less about acquisitions more on identity.

As for the answer to the title, nobody knows, but the second half of the US division is going to force some serious change for the teams with 3,4, and 5 in front of their names on the rankings score sheets.

Son Of a Goal

Courtesy WHL.ca

The stats would suggest that Calvin Pickard is an average goalie, but if you have seen him play, you know, that he is a goal tender destined to follow his brother to the NHL.

Night in and Night out Calvin faces more than 30 shots per game.  He has shown his face in 32 games, and taken 1163 shots so far.  Now lets compare, Tyler Bunz of the Medicine Hat Tigers has played 35 games and faced 37 fewer shots, or Luke Seimens of the Moose Jaw Warriors who has played 32 games and faced 280 fewer shots.  Tyler and Lukes' stats are a close sampling of the level of play Calvin has been tasked to face when he steps out on the ice.  What dose this suggest?  Defense

Seattles Defense is iffy at best, the boys rarely go down to defend a shot for their goalie.  T-birds D-men's sticks are always in both hands while behind the blue line, nor are using they busy stick technique to defend their zone, nor to do they dig in while occupying the natural zone.  The D-men are willing to place the W on Calvin's Shoulders who routinely takes home one of the 3 stars of the game.

The Defensive end must increase their intensity to seek the puck.   They are the first string net minders, and winning those one-one battles are what keeps the puck out of the blue ice.  

USA out of International Hockey?

Photo Care of Hockeysence.ca 

Well Well Well,  On December 30th United States National Hockey team failed to qualify for a medal round in the International Ice Hockey Fedreation U20 Tournee with a loss to the Czech Republic. It was a sad day south of the boarder.  Hopes were high on Charlie Coyle and Brandon Saad offensive talent but the abysmally overextended goal tending by Jack Campbell lead to the 2 big losses.  The Silver lining is the Canadian Hockey League's BMO rankings.
I would speculate that the WWE would like to sign some contracts with a few London Knights players after the December 26th brawlers bash, which lead the Knights loss and poor showing. The Spectacle should lead to a demotion in BMO rankings enough to put an American Team on top of the CHL's top spot.

The Kennewick Washington based Tri City Americans brought home a New Years Eve game Victory over the Spokane Chiefs and a big W column tally vs the Kelowna Rockets on the 29th.  Which should be enough to propel the Americans to the Top of the BMO and put the target on their backs for the top cup contention for either the Ed Chenoweth cup and the Memorial Cup.

Are the Americans Out of International Hockey? NO the USA is just aided by a bunch of Northern boys trying their best. Good on ya Ams!

Update: 1/05/12 As previously stated, The Bank Of Montreals Canadian Hockey Leagues Rankings came out yesterday and Americans are  on top.

Rank	Team (Record)	Last Week	# of Weeks
1	Tri-City Americans (29-7-0-0)	2	12
2	London Knights (27-8-0-1)	1	14
3	Quebec Remparts (28-7-2-2)	3	12
4	Plymouth Whalers (25-9-2-1)	6	8
5	Saint John Sea Dogs (29-12-0-2)	4	15
6	Shawinigan Cataractes (26-10-2-2)	5	13
7	Edmonton Oil Kings (25-10-1-3)	8	3
8	Kitchener Rangers (25-10-1-0)	9	4
9	Kamloops Blazers (26-10-1-2)	7	6
10	Moose Jaw Warriors (24-10-4-1)	10	2
	Honourable Mention:
	Brampton Battalion (22-10-1-4)	-	0
	Halifax Mooseheads (24-11-1-3)	-	1
	Portland Winterhawks (25-11-2-1)	-	2