Western Hockey League Preview — B.C. Division

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This article was published 23/09/2016 (3511 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

Last season: 36-31-3-2, fourth in B.C. Division, swept in first-round series by Seattle.

General manager: Todd Harkins (third season as GM, hired as director of player personnel in spring 2013).

Head coach: Richard Matvichuk (first season).

Assistant coaches: Steve O’Rourke (assistant in Red Deer the past three seasons), Shawn Chambers (first year) and Sean Murray (goalies, first season).

Key losses: F Chase Witala (40g, 39a, led team in scoring, all-time goals and points leader), D Joseph Carvalho (2g, 29a, second-leading scoring D-man) and F Luke Harrison. All three were overagers.

The 20-year-olds: G Ty Edmonds (45 gp, 2.75 gaa, .913 save pct.), D Sam Ruopp (if he returns from Columbus, NHL) and F Colby McAuley (13g, 17a), F Jordan Ross, D Shaun Dosanjh.

The imports: Returning Dutch F Bartek Bison (6g, 9a) and Russian F Yan Khomenko (5g, 3a in 46 games with Everett).

Key returnees: Edmonds is a workhorse capable of taking this team far. On defence, Ruopp is as solid as they come, Tate Olson can light it up and bruiser Josh Anderson is bad to the bone and recovered from a broken back. Former Wheat King Jesse Gabrielle (40g, 35a) could score 50 this year, Brad Morrison (28g, 34a) has magic hands and feet, and Jansen Harkins (24g, 33a) is looking to bounce back after a tough season.

New faces: Shoulder surgery limited D Max Martin to just 10 games. He’s captain material down the road. Ryan Schoettler and Peter Kope could crack the defence. Jackson Leppard is the most likely forward to make it as a rookie.

Watch for: Forwards Brogan O’Brien (18g, 38a) and Jared Bethune (16g, 21a) to continue to impress NHL scouts. Both are strong skaters who can ignite the offence.

Noteworthy: The Cougars have never won a banner (regular season or playoffs) in all their years in the WHL since the franchise moved north from Victoria in 1994.

Did you know: As head coach and director of hockey ops, Matvichuk led the Missouri Mavericks to the regular-season title and was named top coach and top executive in the ECHL. The former Saskatoon Blades defenceman won the Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999. Chambers won two Cups as a D-man with New Jersey in 1995 and the Stars in 1999.

Prognosis: The Cougars are loaded with nine 19-year-olds and have the talent and experience to go beyond the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997. The new coaches have raised the fun factor considerably, an element former coach Mark Holick had difficulty maintaining. If they get the goaltending from Edmonds and Nick McBride and can stay out of the penalty box (they led the league in penalty minutes the past two years), they will challenge Victoria and Kamloops for top spot in the division.

» Ted Clarke/Prince George Citizen

 

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

Last season: 38-25-9, third in B.C. Division. Lost to Kelowna in seven games in the first round.

GM: Stu MacGregor (first full season).

Head coach: Don Hay (third season with Blazers).

Assistant coaches: Mike Needham (third season), Terry Bangen (third season), Chris Murray (third season) and Dan De Palma (goaltenders, eighth season).

Key losses: F Matt Needham, F Gage Quinney, D Ryan Rehill used up eligibility. F Jake Kryski was dealt to Kelowna for the Gatenby brothers, Joe and Danny, both defencemen.

The 20-year-olds: Matt Revel, an under-rated forward; F Collin Shirley led in goals (37), assists (42) and points; D Dallas Valentine, a thumper.

The imports: Czech D Ondrej Vala starts his second season. Latvian F Rudolfs Balcers is a freshman with good hands. The San Jose Sharks selected Balcers in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL draft.

Key returnees: G Connor Ingram played his way on to Hockey Canada’s radar. F Deven Sideroff had 59 points in 63 games but was slowed early by mono. F Garrett Pilon rookie. D Dawson Davidson drew 33 assists in 59 games.

New faces: The Gatenbys. The Blazers are hoping Joe, 19, eats up some of the minutes created by Rehill’s departure. D Luke Zazula, 16, has an offensive flair.

Watch for: Ingram to continue to grow as a goaltender. He wants it … Fan-favourite F Jermaine Loewen’s game to continue to grow … Sophomore D Nolan Kneen to draw attention from NHL scouts.

Just notes: Head coach Don Hay has 675 regular-season victories, 67 behind the all-time record held by Ken Hodge (Edmonton/Portland), which once was believed to be unassailable.

Did you know: Davidson’s family owns The Red Barn, a popular restaurant just off the Trans-Canada Highway at Moosomin, Sask.

Prognosis: Ingram’s presence gives the Blazers all kinds of confidence. A young defence could cause issues early but won’t be a problem come March. The Blazers should be a top three team in a tough B.C. Division.

» Gregg Drinnan/Taking Note (gdrinnan.blogspot.ca)

 

KELOWNA ROCKETS

Last season: 48-20-4-0, 2nd in B.C. Division, 2nd in Western Conference. Fourth straight 100-point season and reached the third round of playoffs, eliminating Kamloops and Victoria in seven games before getting swept by Seattle.

Head coach: Jason Smith (first season, new to Kelowna).

Assistant coaches: Kris Mallette (third season), Travis Crickard (third season) and Adam Brown (first season).

Key losses: Leading scorer Tyson Baillie (43 g, 95 points) graduated, while top-six centres Rourke Chartier (San Jose Sharks) and Justin Kirkland (Nashville Predators) are projected to turn pro this fall. G Jackson Whistle and C Cole Linaker also graduated.

The 20-year-olds: G Michael Herringer, F Rodney Southam, who captained last season’s team, and F Riley Stadel. Kirkland could potentially come back as well.

The imports: F Tomas Soustal, of Unicov, Czech Republic, returns for a third season. LW Calvin Thurkauf, of Zug, Switzerland, will be a sophomore.

Key returnees: RW Nick Merkley, 19, and C Dillon Dube, 18, will be expected to pick up the offensive slack, along with the imports. The Rockets return as many as 19 players from their playoff roster, including six defencemen and both goaltenders. D Lucas Johansen is now the highest-drafted player on Kelowna’s roster, selected 28th by Washington in June. Merkley was also a first-round pick in 2015, 30th by Arizona.

New faces: C Jake Kryski, 18, acquired from Kamloops, went undrafted but has been Kelowna’s leading scorer in the pre-season; F Nolan Foote, who doesn’t turn 16 until the end of November, is recovering from mono but was Kelowna’s top pick in the 2015 bantam draft, a second-rounder with first-round talent; F Jack Cowell, 17, came to camp as a listed player but made the cut as a surprising late-bloomer.

Watch for: D Cal Foote’s draft year, a likely first-rounder and potential top-10 pick. The elder son of former NHL defenceman Adam Foote is on Canada’s radar for the world juniors as an under-ager.

D Jonathan Smart, who represented Canada at the U18 Ivan Hlinka tournament this summer, and F Kole Lind are also draft-eligibles sure to get plenty of scouting attention. Kryski, as a re-entry, could be in for a breakout season, and Cowell could work his way into the rankings too.

Noteworthy: Merkley will be a late addition to Kelowna’s lineup, still rehabbing in Arizona from knee (ACL) surgery in February. Herringer will be the starting goalie after taking over midseason for Whistle, who underwent hip surgery and never played in 2016. Whistle is now playing pro in Ireland with the Belfast Giants, while Baillie and Linaker have committed to the University of Alberta Golden Bears (CIS).

Did you know: Smith captained the Edmonton Oilers to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final and played more than 1,000 career NHL games as a shutdown defenceman. He spent the past four seasons transitioning into coaching in the Ottawa Senators’ organization, two in player development and then two as an assistant on the NHL staff. Johansen is the brother of Nashville centre Ryan Johansen, while backup

G Brodan Salmond is the son of Hockey Canada executive Scott Salmond.

Prognosis: Scoring might be more of a challenge this season, but defence should be a strength. If the goaltending is good, the Rockets could top the B.C. Division and go on another lengthy playoff run. That division will likely be the league’s best, with Victoria, Kamloops and Prince George considered contenders and Vancouver expected to improve as well.

» Larry Fisher/The Daily Courier

 

VANCOUVER GIANTS

Last season: 23-40-5-4, last in B.C. Division, last in Western Conference. Missed playoffs for third time in four years.

GM: Glen Hanlon (first season).

Head coach: Jason McKee (first season).

Assistant coach: Tyler Kuntz (second season).

Key losses: Overagers C Carter Popoff, LW Taylor Crunk and RW Trevor Cox. D Brennan Menell was traded to Lethbridge. LW Dakota Odgers was traded to Moose Jaw.

The 20-year-olds: D Dmitry Osipov and C Thomas Foster. Hanlon says he won’t make a move for a third overager until he’s certain C Chase Lang isn’t coming back. Lang, Vancouver’s leading scorer last season, is a signed Minnesota Wild draft pick who played 11 games with their AHL Iowa affiliate last spring. He has been skating with the Giants this pre-season, though.

The imports: Osipov and RW Radovan Bondra. Since Osipov is in his overage year, Vancouver was permitted to use its pick in the CHL import draft and nabbed LW Filip Zadina. He’s projected as an early choice in the 2018 NHL draft and is currently playing in the Czech Elite League. The Giants remain intrigued and may opt to trade either Osipov or Bondra to keep his rights, even if Zadina doesn’t come over this season.

Key returnees: LW Tyler Benson, RW Ty Ronning, D Matt Barberis, D Ryely McKinstry and G Ryan Kubic.

New faces: D Darian Skeoch. The Giants landed the rugged, stay-at-home type from Lethbridge in a trade that sent disgruntled power-play quarterback Menell east.

Watch for: Benson to be an elite player again after last year’s injury-filled campaign.

Did you know: Benson (No. 1), Barberis (No. 20) and McKinstry (No. 23) were all early picks in the 2013 bantam draft. They played just 90 games combined last season due to injuries. That certainly didn’t help Vancouver’s cause.

Just notes: Kubic, who wore No. 31 last season, has switched to No. 20, his longtime favoured number. Vancouver didn’t have that jersey in a goalie size last season.

Prognosis: It’s another building year with a new GM, coach and rink in the Langley Events Centre. Making the playoffs would be an achievement.

» Steve Ewen/­Vancouver Province/Sun

 

VICTORIA ROYALS

Last season: 50-16-6, first in B.C. Division and overall in the WHL, lost in Western Conference semifinal to Kelowna in seven games.

GM: Cam Hope (fifth season).

Head coach: Dave Lowry (fifth season).

Assistant coaches: Dan Price (first season); Doug Bodger (first season).

Key losses: Overagers F Logan Fisher, F Alex Forsberg and G Coleman Vollrath, all gone to the CIS. Also, 19-year-old Maple Leafs draft-pick F Vladimir Bobylev, who broke out last season, signed with Moscow Spartak of the KHL in his native Russia; and two-time Canadian world junior player D Joe Hicketts, 20, is expected to stick in the Detroit Red Wings system.

The 20-year-olds: D Ryan Gagnon, F Jack Walker and recently-acquired F Carter Folk from Lethbridge.

The import: D Marsel Ibragimov from Russia.

Key returnees: Five are in NHL camps: F Jack Walker with Toronto, F Tyler Soy with Anaheim, last year’s WHL rookie of the year F Matthew Phillips with Calgary, D Chaz Reddekopp with Los Angeles and D Ralph Jarratt with New Jersey. Undersized but darting third-year F Dante Hannoun will again make an impact on offence and fifth-year Gagnon’s presence will again be understated but vital.

New faces: The 2015 first-round bantam pick, F Eric Florchuk, fits directly into Victoria’s fast-paced pressure game and will stick as a 16-year-old.

Watch for: Sophomores, D Scott Walford and G Griffen Outhouse, should continue to make major strides.

Did you know: Last year’s Royals became the third Victoria team to win the Scotty Munro Trophy as WHL regular-season champions, joining the 1980-81 Grant Fuhr Cougars and 1974-75 Mel Bridgman Cougars.

Prognosis: Nobody gets the most out of mid-level and lower-end roster players like coach Dave Lowry, making the Royals deep and tough to play against. With much of the roster returning from last season’s surprise run to the Scotty Munro Trophy, the Royals are strong contenders to repeat as WHL regular-season champions.

» Cleve Dheensaw/Victoria Times Colonist