By Ryan Laverty /
It came as no surprise to coach Tim Fragle, but success came with a heavy price tag for Edmonton’s Canadian Athletic Club Gregg Distributors (CAC) Canadians following their run to the Alberta Midget Hockey League final in 2007/08.
Gone are such talents as Brendan Ranford, the 15-year-old who took down the league’s scoring title with 33 goals and 79 points in 35 regular season games, Burke Gallimore and Cole Gibson. In fact, just about everybody from last year’s squad has moved on, finding a home in the Western Hockey League or some other Junior A club in Western Canada.
“We knew it was going to happen, but we decided last year that we were going to take an older team and take a run at it,” said Fragle, who will ice only five returning players from his regular season championship squad in 2007/08. “The guys we have returning knew that last year was going to be more of a development year for them, but now it’s their turn to step up and lead.”
Markus Gerbrandt, Tyler Parks, Briemen Snell and defencemen Josh Middleton and Andrew Ruditis will be the only veterans on this year’s Canadians squad, a light number even by Midget AAA standards. With that in mind, Fragle said he’s not necessarily expecting a repeat performance in terms of actual wins and losses, but he’s counting on his returning crew to teach his new charges what chemistry and hardwork can lead to.
“It would be totally unfair for me to expect this year’s team to do what last year’s did because we are basically starting from scratch,” Fragle said. “My hope for this year’s team is that they can come together in terms of chemistry in the first part of the year and build from there. That’s something we had a lot of last year, so if we can be a .500 team in the first part of the season and build our chemistry, I think we’ll be fine.”
In addition to his returning contingent, Fragle will be counting on first-year Midget Colin Smith to help the Canadians to that .500 record in the early going. Like Ranford a year earlier, Smith lit up the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League last season, leading all scorers with 108 points in 34 games.
“Just like Brendan last year Colin is a guy that we definitely expect to step in and contribute right away,” Fragle said of the Kamloops Blazers’ first round pick in last year’s bantam draft. “We know he’s only a one-year guy and that he’ll be playing with Brendan again next year in Kamloops, but we’re excited he’s here with us even if it’s only for a year.”
The Canadians began their rebuilding process on Sept. 27 when they opened up the season at home to the Sherwood Park J. Ennis Kings. Visit www.amhl.ab.ca to follow the league throughout the 2008/09 season. |
