By Scott Fisher /
RED DEER REBELS
The rebuilding Rebels, complete with a new coach for the first time in eight years, will have a very young lineup in 2007-08.
But that should mean plenty of ice time for top prospects like Landon Ferraro, the club’s first-round bantam pick in 2006, Matt Fraser, Cass Mappin, Jordan Draper and Czech import Tomas Polak.
Overagers J.D. Watt, who led the Memorial Cup champion Vancouver Giants in goals last season, and Brett Sutter will both attend camp with the Calgary Flames. The Rebels hope to have at least one player returned by the NHL club.
MEDICINE HAT TIGERS
The Tigers have traditionally iced one of the smallest lineups in the league for the past few seasons.
Thing is, no one could catch the little speedsters as the Bengals filled the net and racked up four straight conference titles.
But with a massive player turnover following last season’s Memorial Cup run, the Tigers are going with more size. Thomas Frazee (acquired from Portland) and free-agent John Stampohar add to the rebuilding club’s size.
KOOTENAY ICE
Going into their 10th season in Cranbrook, the Ice are looking fill some big holes — including behind the bench where Mark Holick takes over for Cory Clouston.
The majority of the offence will come from a trio of 19-year-olds, including Montreal Canadiens prospect Ben Maxwell, Andrew Bailey and Arnaud Jacquemet.
Youngster Kevin King could be ready to take a major step forward but all eyes will be on goaltenders Thomas Heemskerk and Nathan Lieuwen, who have a tough job following in the footsteps of Taylor Dakers.
CALGARY HITMEN
Roster spots are at a premium in the Stampede City.
A month after coaxing NCAA d-man Keith Seabrook out of school, the team traded a third-round draft pick to Portland for the rights to another teenage scholar, T.J. Galiardi.
The 19-year-old Calgary product scored 14 goals and 31 points in 33 games last season with Dartmouth College. But the Colorado Avalanche prospect couldn’t pass up the chance to play one final year of junior hockey in front of his family and friends.
LETHBRIDGE
HURRICANES
The Hurricanes and Blazers continue to swap goaltenders.
The ’Canes acquired Michael Maniago from the Blazers last season and he’ll likely start this season after Lethbridge shipped Justin Leclerc to Kamloops for a second-round bantam pick prior to training camp.
Maniago, 19, went 19-16-1-1 last season with a 3.60 GAA.
He’ll compete with Finnish import Juha Metsola, who is ranked fourth overall among goaltenders by the NHL Central Scouting Service. He was 14-7 with a .922 save percentage last season in the Finnish Junior League.
EDMONTON
OIL KINGS
Maybe this WHL stuff isn’t so hard. The expansion Oil Kings won their inaugural pre-season game with a 4-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets.
Nineteen-year-old Scott Skrudland, 6-4, 185 pounds, has been impressive in camp as has Tomas Vincour, the top pick in last summer’s CHL import draft.
Calgary product Dalyn Flette, who pl;ayed 18 games in Kamloops last season, is competing with four goaltenders, including former Chilliwack Bruin Alex Archibald.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
Winning a Memorial Cup is good for job security.
Giants owner tore up the two years head coach Don Hay had remaining on his contract and handed the bench boss a new five-year deal. GM Scott Bonner also inked a five-year contract.
On the ice, the G-Men welcomed back Czech import Michal Repik, who nearly returned home to play for Sparta Prague. If he hadn’t signed an NHL deal with the Florida Panthers, his contract with Sparta would have required him to return to Europe.
PRINCE GEORGE
COUGARS
There will likely be a power outage in northern B.C. this season.
The Cougars saw the top end of their offence move on to the pro ranks and are now searching for a way to replace 135 goals and 304 points.
The American trio of Alex Poulter (Colorado), Texan Colin Haas and Parker Stanfield (California) will need to kick in at the offensive end. Veteran goaltender Real Cyr will be counted on more than ever.
KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
The Blazers have a new owner.
The Kamloops Blazers Sports Society’s membership voted 151-43 to sell the club to River City Hockey Inc., a group led by Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi.
Former Blazers Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor are also part of tghe group, which paid a record $7 million for the franchise.
On the ice, the Blazers look to be the class of the B.C. Division and will have overager Dustin Butler and newly acquired Justin Leclerc between the pipes.
CHILLIWACK BRUINS
Head coach Jim Hillier will have his work cut out for him this season.
Gone are the five overage players expansion clubs are allowed to carry. The Bruins, like everyone else, will be down to three 20-year-olds.
With the Rockets showing improvement, the Bruins will be in a battle for a playoff spot. Mark Santorelli gives the second-year club a proven scoring threat.
If youngsters Colby Kulhanek and Jeff Einhorn, along with Czech import David Hoad, make an impact, the hard-working Bruins could be in the thick of things.
KELOWNA ROCKETS
The Rockets are looking to right the ship after their first losing season since 1999-2000.
But despite starting the pre-season 0-3, there is reason for optimism.
Kelowna was missing forwards Cody Almond (Minnesota) and Milan Kytnar (Edmonton) along with d-man Tysen Dowzak (Philadelphia) and goaltender Torrie Jung (Tampa Bay) at NHL camps. Blueliner Luke Schenn was away with Team Canada at the Super Series.
When these players return, the Rockets should be just fine. But the youth movement will continue. They only have two overagers — goaltender Kris Westblom and forward James McEwan. |
