WHL U.S. Division preview

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This article was published 20/09/2012 (5010 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EVERETT SILVERTIPS:

Last season: 22-40-2-8, eighth in Western Conference. Lost in first round of the playoffs.

General manager: Garry Davidson (first full season).

Head coach: Mark Ferner (second season).

Assistants: Chris Hartsburg (fourth season), Mitch Love (second season), Taylor Dakers (goaltending coach, second season).

Key losses: Longtime No. 1 G Kent Simpson is off to the minors. RW Josh Birkholz, last season’s leading scorer, graduated as an overager, as did D Brennan Yadlowski and D Josh Caron.

The 20-year-olds: LW Ryan Harrison and RW Cody Fowlie return. D Landon Oslanski was picked up off waivers from Lethbridge.

The imports: Swiss D Mirco Mueller and Czech LW Stathis Soumelidis were selected in this year’s CHL Import Draft.

Key returnees: Star D Ryan Murray will be with the team as long as there’s NHL labor strife, but is presumed gone once it’s settled. While Birkholz is gone, Everett returns the rest of its top six forwards in Harrison, Fowlie, LW Joshua Winquist, C Reid Petryk and C Kohl Bauml. D Nick Walters, a third-round pick in this year’s NHL draft, will be asked to step into a leadership role on the blue-line.

New faces: G Cole Holowenko was acquired from Prince Albert this week. Mueller and D Ben Betker, acquired when Everett was forced to trade superstar prospect Seth Jones to Portland, will have to play big minutes in a depleted defence. C Ty Mappin, Everett’s first-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, is expected to provide offence.

Watch for: Everett to give plenty of ice time to the youngsters as it builds toward the next two seasons.

Just notes: Everett has four players — Mappin, C Carson Stadnyk, LW Dawson Leedahl, D Cole MacDonald — who played in last season’s Telus Cup Midget AAA championship.

Did you know: This is the first full season as GM for Davidson, a Souris native.

The prognosis: Everett is extremely young and inexperienced on defence. However, with a heavy influx of talent throughout the lineup, the Silvertips should see progress from last season as they look toward the future.

— Nick Patterson/Everett Herald

PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS:

Last season: 49-19-3-1, third in Western Conference. Lost WHL final.

Head coach/general manager: Mike Johnston (fifth season).

Assistants: Travis Green (fifth season), Kyle Gustafson (ninth season).

Key losses: LW Sven Baertschi, D Joseph Morrow, C Marcel Noebels and LW Brad Ross head to the AHL. LW Oliver Gabriel, C Cam Reid and D William Wrenn graduated.

The 20-year-olds: C Taylor Peters and D Troy Rutkowski both return for a fifth season in Portland. If G Mac Carruth goes pro as expected, ex-Kamloops netminder Cam Lanigan could stick.

The imports: Danish rookie RW Oliver Bjorkstrand hopes to become the latest European sensation in Portland. D Kirill Vorobev is the other import.

Key returnees: RW Ty Rattie (57 goals, 121 points) is the league’s top returning scorer, and should contend for the WHL scoring title. C Brendan Leipsic (28G, 58Pts) could be the other primary sniper. Eighth-overall NHL draft pick Derrick Pouliot leads the defensive corps.

New faces: D Seth Jones, a projected top-three pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, is on a mission to live up to the hype. American 16-year-old forwards Paul Bittner, Keegan Iverson and Dominic Turgeon should contribute.

Watch for: LW Taylor Leier to have a breakout season in a key offensive role, sophomore C Nicolas Petan and C Chase De Leo to play bigger than their slight frames and 17-year-old G Brendan Burke to take over between the pipes.

Just notes: The Winterhawks have won 143 games over the past three regular seasons, the most in the WHL … Coach/GM Johnston is a former captain of the old BU Bobcats hockey team.

Did you know: Iverson will be the first player in franchise history to wear No. 13, in honor of paralyzed friend Jack Jablonski.

The prognosis: The Winterhawks lose a lot of talent, but Portland seems to reload rather than rebuild these days. There’s still an abundance of skill and goals will come in bunches, but an uptempo style can lead to occasional defensive breakdowns. If they take care of their own end and Burke handles the spotlight, the Hawks should be in the mix for a third straight Western Conference banner.

— Scott Sepich/freelance writer

SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS:

Last season: 25-45-1-1, ninth in Western Conference. Did not make playoffs.

General manager: Russ Farwell (16th season).

Head coach: Steve Konowalchuk (second season).

Assistants: Darren Rumble (second season), Jim McTaggart (ninth season), Dusty Imoo (goalies, second season).

Key losses: G Calvin Pickard, team record holder with 7,727 career saves, has moved on to Lake Erie of the AHL. Burke Gallimore, who led the team with 40 points in 72 games, has graduated and D Dave Sutter signed a pro contract in the Swiss League.

The 20-year-olds: C Luke Lockhart, G Brandon Glover and former Brandon Wheat King C Brendan Rouse.

The imports: Russian LW Alexander Delnov, 18, was the eighth overall pick in the CHL import draft and a fourth-round NHL selection by the Florida Panthers. C Roberts Lipsbergs, 18, is from Riga, Latvia.

Key returnees: Lockhart, the team captain, played in all 72 games last season, notching 16 goals and 53 points. D Shea Theodore led the team in assists (31). RW Branden Troock had 26 points. RW Connor Honey joined the team in mid-season and finished with 21 points. RW Seth Swenson, acquired at the trade deadline from Portland, had 17 points in 34 games.

New faces: LW Riley Sheen was acquired from Medicine Hat for RW Jacob Doty. D Jesse Forsberg was acquired from Prince George for C Colin Jacobs, while Glover was acquired from Calgary.

Watch for: C Justin Hickman to at least double his 22-point output from last season … Imports Delnov and Lipsbergs to be prominent players … Theodore to emerge as a top NHL pick.

Just notes: The Thunderbirds have four D-men who stand 6-foot-4 or taller (Taylor Green is 6-foot-7, Kevin Wolf is 6-foot-6, and Jared Hauf and Evan Wardley are both 6-foot-4).

Did you know: Theodore won a gold medal for Team Canada at the U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August.

The prognosis: A young corps of defencemen will have to be solid for the T-birds to break their three-year playoff drought.

— Jim Riley/Seattle Times

SPOKANE CHIEFS:

Last season: 38-25-5-4, 85 points, third in U.S. Division, fifth in Western Conference. Lost in the conference semifinals to Tri-City.

General manager: Tim Speltz (22nd season).

Head coach: Don Nachbaur (third season).

Assistants: Jon Klemm (fourth season), Ryan Cyr (goaltending coach, second season).

Key losses: Forwards Dominik Uher (signed with Pittsburgh and is playing in the AHL), Steve Kuhn and captain Darren Kramer (both overagers) and overage defenceman Corbin Baldwin, who signed with Houston (AHL) in the off-season.

The 20-year-olds: There are four — reigning Western Conference Defenceman of the Year Brenden Kichton, forward Dylan Walchuk (left NCAA to play for Spokane at the trade deadline last season), five-year veteran forward Blake Gal and defenceman Davis Vandane. Vandane is probably the odd-man out since Kichton hasn’t signed with the N.Y. Islanders and will likely spend the season with the Chiefs.

Key returnees: The Chiefs have 19 veterans on the current roster. Among them are Kichton (17G, 57A), Gal (15G, 23A), 19-year-old forwards Mitch Holmberg (27G, 28A) and Mike Aviani (13G, 32A), import forward Marek Kalus (20G, 22A) and 19-year-old goalies Eric Williams and Mac Engel, who will probably split time in net throughout the regular season again. Williams replaced Engel in the first round of the playoffs last season after two bad losses to Vancouver, and went 7-4 with a .926 save percentage, almost taking Spokane into the Western Conference final.

New faces: Import forward Mikulas Rimmel and forwards Adam Helewka and Riley Whittingham.

Just notes: Spokane (5-1 in pre-season play) still has 27 on its roster, including defenceman Reid Gow of Killarney and former Brandon Wheat Kings forward Carter Proft. With at least three cuts to make, one obvious reassignment is rookie goaltender Garret Hughson. One 20-year-old still has to go, probably Vandane.

The prognosis: With Nachbaur in charge, the Chiefs will always be in the mix, even if they’re not blessed with super skilled players. The Chiefs were young and relatively inexperienced last season, but they are more than capable of taking the next step and making an even deeper playoff run this season. Goaltending will be a major factor in their success.

— Jess Brown/The Spokesman-Review

TRI-CITY AMERICANS:

Last season: 50-18-2-2, 104 points, first in the Western Conference. Lost in the Western Conference final.

General manager: Bob Tory (12th season).

Head coach: Jim Hiller (fourth season).

Assistants: Dan Price (first season), Lyle Mast (goaltending coach, second season).

Key losses: Forwards Brendan Shinnimin (58G, 76A) and Adam Hughesman (50G, 66A), and starting goalie Ty Rimmer (traded to Lethbridge).

The 20-year-olds: For now there are five: Forwards Patrick Holland, Jordan Messier, Jesse Mychan and Justin Feser and defenceman Drydn Dow.

The imports: Forward Malte Strömwall (Sweden) and defenceman Michal Plutnar (Czech Republic).

Key returnees: Leading scorers Holland (26G, 84A) and Feser (37G, 46A), J.Messier (18G, 26A), Connor Rankin (18G, 21A), defenceman Zach Yuen (league best plus-45), and goalie Eric Comrie (19-6-1-1, 2.67 GAA, .900 SV%).

New faces: Forward Phil Tot (trade with Lethbridge), who still is adjusting to the speed of the Americans’ game. Rookie forwards Justin Gutierrez, Parker Bowles and Beau McCue were impressive in the pre-season, while goalie Brenden Fiebelkorn won the battle for the backup job.

Watch for: Mychan, who had his left Achilles tendon severed in the playoffs, to be a big contributor on offence. He’s strong, with a good touch around the net … Feser and Rankin to expand their offensive roles with the team.

Just notes: Strömwall, Marcus Messier and Brian Williams are working well together on the energy line … With early injuries, the Americans still had 27 players in camp (2 G, 9 D and 16 F) this week.

Did you know: The Americans return 18 players from last season, but the bulk of the scoring is gone … Tri-City has won more regular-season and playoff games in the last five years than any other team in the league.

The prognosis: With Holland likely gone to the AHL after opening weekend, the offence is in limbo. Led by Yuen, the defence should be strong again. Comrie needs to be able to carry the team until someone steps up offensively. If the pre-season is any indication, goals may be hard to come by for the Americans this season.

— Annie Fowler/Tri-City Herald