Western Hockey League Preview — Central Division

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This article was published 23/09/2016 (3479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES

Last season: 46-24-1-1, first in Central Division, lost in first round to the Regina Pats in five games.

GM: Peter Anholt (second full season). Hurricanes fans are waiting for Anholt to be assumed body and soul into hockey heaven after he extinguished the dumpster fire that was the Hurricanes.

Head coach: Brent Kisio (second season).

Assistant coaches: Darcy Wakaluk (first season), Mike Craig (third season) and Josh McNevin (second season).

Key losses: Overagers C Justin Gutierrez, D Arvin Atwal, F Cory Millette and D Andrew Nielsen, who is headed to the AHL.

The 20-year-olds: Captain Tyler Wong, and former Brandon Wheat Kings F Ryley Lindgren and D Kord Pankewicz. Pankewicz was a workhorse, Wong is the team’s heart and Lindgren does everything pretty well.

The imports: F Egor Babenko and D Igor Merezhko. Babenko hit the wall last season, compounded by the loss of Gutierrez to injury. Merezhko looked like a project last year and looks like a player so far this year.

Key returnees: Wong, C Giorgio Estephan, and F Brayden Burke. Oh and some kid named Stuart Skinner, who’ll carry the load in goal after a breakout season in 2015-16.

New faces: Rookie and second overall pick D Calen Addison of Brandon has a mentor in newly acquired 53-point man Brennan Menell, who demanded out of Vancouver. Menell will replace Nielsen’s power-play magic, with fewer penalty minutes.

Watch for: C Jordy Bellerive. Former second overall pick caught up to the league late last season and showed up to training camp shredded and ready to play. You could also watch Skinner, who went 27-10-1 with a .920 save percentage last season.

Just notes: Kisio isn’t kidding around. After a pre-season loss to the Swift Current Broncos, the second-year head coach told his team to “Wake the f— up.”

Did you know: On Jan. 20, Lethbridge had a 34-12-0-0 record. That’s when Gutierrez was hurt. Estephan was hurt four games later and the team finished 12-12-1-1 from Jan 20 on.

Prognosis: The truth is, the team was probably better than its .500 record over the last two months of the season but not as good as its 75 per cent winning clip before that. They’ll be a tough out with Skinner a year older and Bellerive established, but they can’t expect Wong and Lindgren to repeat their career years.

» Dylan Purcell/Lethbridge Herald

 

CALGARY HITMEN

Last season: 42-26-2-2, third in Central Division, lost in first round to the Red Deer Rebels in five games.

GM: Mike Moore (4th season).

Head coach: Mark French (third season).

Assistant coaches: Joel Otto (10th season), Medora’s Trent Cassan (first season) and Jason LaBarbera (first season).

Key losses: Top two scorers C Radel Fazleev (71 points) and Elkhorn

D Travis Sanheim (68). Overager Jackson Houck was superb in the playoffs. Import C Pavel Karnaukhov decided to play in the KHL.

The 20-year-olds: D Micheal Zipp, D Scott Allan, LW Taylor Sanheim of Elkhorn and RW Tyler Mrkonjic.

The imports: D Vladislav Yeryomenko, LW Andrei Grishakov.

Key returnees: First-round NHL draft pick Jake Bean (Carolina) is coming off a franchise-record (for blue-liners) 23-goal season. Jakob Stukel led the team with 36 goals in 2015-16.

New faces: C Tristen Nielsen, RW Matt Dorsey, RW Murphy Stratton, RW Lucas Cullen, D Jaydan Gordon, LW Justyn Gurney, D Drea Esposito and C Brayden Brown.

Watch for: D Yeryomenko to pick up some of the offensive slack on the blue-line left by Travis Sanheim.

Just notes: The Hitmen unveiled new jerseys for the 2016-17 season, utilizing both of their main logos … New assistant coach Cassan won a Royal Bank Cup as bench boss of the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers.

Did you know: The Hitmen have qualified for the post-season 18 of the last 19 seasons.

Prognosis: The Hitmen, who had five players selected in June’s NHL Draft, might not have anyone competing for the scoring title but they’ll put plenty of pucks in the net by committee and should compete for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

» Scott Fisher/Postmedia

 

EDMONTON OIL KINGS

Last season: 29-36-6-1, finished fifth in Central Division, tied for eighth in Eastern Conference; won one game tie-breaker then lost in first round to Brandon in six games.

General manager: Randy Hansch (fourth season).

Head coach: Steve Hamilton (third season).

Assistant coaches: Ryan Marsh, Fernando Pisani (development) and Kurtis Mucha (goaltenders).

Key losses: LW Brett Pollock (turned pro), D Dysin Mayo (turned pro), C Brandon Baddock, D Ben Carroll, RW Luke Bertolucci and G Payton Lee (traded).

The 20-year-olds: LW Tyler Robertson, C Lane Bauer, D Aaron Irving and G Alec Dillon.

The imports: D Anatolii Elizarov of St. Petersburg, Russia and RW Artyom Baltruk from Belarus.

Key returnees: Bauer, second in team scoring last season with 29 goals and 65 points; Tyler Robertson was fifth in team scoring last season with 14 goals and 27 assists; D Aaron Irving was the second-highest scoring defenceman with nine goals and 40 points. RW Colton Kehler had 17 goals and 24 points in his rookie season. G Patrick Dea played 46 games with an 18-19-3 record, a 3.01 goals-against average and .895 save percentage.

New faces: D Ethan Cap had three goals and 17 points in 32 games with the midget AAA Vancouver NW Giants. Cap was selected by the Oil Kings 11th overall in the 2015 WHL bantam draft. D Jayden Platz was selected 32nd overall in the 2015 draft. He had two goals and 16 assists in 33 games with the Northern Alberta Elite 15s last season. RW Artyom Baltruk was selected 13th overall in the 2016 import draft.

Watch for: The Oil Kings could start the season with two 16-year-old defenceman on their blue line in Cap and Platz. The Oil Kings are big on both defencemen and have room on the back end for them currently going through a rebuild after winning the Memorial Cup in 2014.

Noteworthy: Irving, who will likely be named the Oil Kings’ captain was invited to the Edmonton Oilers rookie camp and will be trying to earn a pro contract. Irving is expected to be the Oil Kings’ top defenceman this season.

Did you know: Last year’s win in the tiebreaker game against the Medicine Hat Tigers was the second time the Oil Kings have won an extra game to get into the playoffs. There have only been six tiebreaker games in WHL history.

Prognosis: The Oil Kings lost the bulk of their offence from last season and could have difficulty scoring goals this year. They are still rebuilding after winning it all in 2014. With a young defence, it could be a trying season for the Oil Kings, who will be icing a young lineup and could go through a number of growing pains.

» Derek Van Diest/Postmedia

 

MEDICINE HAT TIGERS

Last season: 30-37-3-2, fifth in Central Division, lost in Eastern Conference wild-card tiebreaker game to the Oil Kings.

GM: Shaun Clouston (fifth season).

Head coach: Shaun Clouston (seventh season).

Assistant coaches: Joe Frazer (seventh season) and Bobby Fox (first season).

Key losses: Overage captain D Ty Stanton and G Mack Shields.

The 20-year-olds: D Clayton Kirichenko, C Steven Owre and RW Chad Butcher.

The imports: D Kristians Rubins (2016 CHL import draft, first round, 16th overall) and RW John Dahlstrom (2016 CHL import draft, second round; Chicago Blackhawks seventh round, 2015).

Key returnees: Owre will look to put up career numbers after dealing with injuries in each of the past two seasons, while RW Max Gerlach will aim to improve on his 30-goal rookie season. G Nick Schneider should be a stalwart between the posts.

New faces: D Dalton Gally, D Cameron MacPhee, D Cole Clayton, D Kristians Rubins, LW Ryan Chyzowski, C Gary Haden, G Duncan McGovern and RW John Dahlstrom.

Watch for: C James Hamblin. The young forward has been on fire through the pre-season with six points in four games after posting just three points last year. Watch for him to have a breakout season with the Tigers.

Just notes: Signed Calgary Flames prospect Schneider will look to cement himself as Medicine Hat’s go-to starter and one of the conference’s top goaltenders this season.

Did you know: The Tigers had a 13-year playoff streak snapped after being ousted by the Oil Kings in Game 73 last season. It was their first year calling the new Canalta Centre home.

Prognosis: The Tigers are returning a great deal of talent from last year’s squad and have filled any gaps left behind by overagers with competent imported talent. Look for the Tabbies to climb back into the playoff picture this season, if not challenge for the top of the Central Division.

» Ryan McCracken/Medicine Hat News

 

RED DEER REBELS

Last season: 45-24-1-2, second in Central Division, lost in Eastern Conference Final to Brandon in five games. Finished third at the Memorial Cup, which Red Deer hosted.

GM: Brent Sutter (14th season).

Head Coach: Brent Sutter (14th season).

Assistant coaches: Jeff Truitt (fourth season) and Pierre-Paul Lamoureux (first season).

Key losses: Overagers D Kale Doetzel, C Luke Philp and LW Adam Helewka as well as D Haydn Fleury, D Nelson Nogier, RW Jake DeBrusk and C Conner Bleackley will likely play in the AHL and LW Ivan Nikolishin has gone back to Europe.

The 20-year-olds: LW Evan Polei, D Colton Bobyk and G Trevor Martin. Red Deer traded Rylan Toth to Seattle, earlier in the pre-season, ending the competitions for starting goalie and last remaining overage spot.

The imports: LW Michael Spacek (2015 CHL import draft, first round; Winnipeg Jets, fourth round) and D Alexander Alexeyev (2016 CHL import draft, first round).

Key returnees: D Josh Mahura (3rd round selection by the Anaheim Ducks) will be the top defenceman on a unit, which lost half of its starters from a year ago. LW Grayson Pawlenchuk and C Adam Musil will have to step into offensive leadership roles.

New faces: D Carson Sass, D Ethan Sakowich, D Jacob Herauf, RW Brandon Cutler, LW Quinn Martin, LW Akash Bains, C Austin Schellenberg, C D-Jay Jerome, C Ben Hiltz, RW Brayden Labant, G Dawson Weatherill and G Riley Lamb of Rivers.

Watch for: C Brandon Hagel, relegated to mostly checking duties a year ago, managed 47 points (13 g, 34 a). He’ll be expected to make more of an impact.

Just notes: LW Quinn Martin chose the Rebels after seeing his USHL team, the Youngstown Phantoms, go through three coaches in three seasons.

Did you know: In interviews last season, Musil (fluent in Czech) would translate for LW Michael Spacek as the Czech learned English.

Prognosis: Despite a lot of turnover and a lot to be settled, the Rebels should field a competitive team. A playoff berth wouldn’t be unreasonable.

» Murray Crawford/Red Deer Advocate

 

KOOTENAY ICE

Last season: 12-53-6-1, sixth in Central Division, last in the league.

GM: Jeff Chynoweth (16th season).

Head coach: Luke Pierce (second season).

Assistant coaches: Gordon Burnett (second season) and Roman Vopat (first season).

Key losses: Overagers G Wyatt Hoflin, RW Jaedon Descheneau and D Tanner Lischynsky graduated. Jesse Zaharichuk was traded to Lethbridge. F River Beattie, 19, chose to retire and go to school.

The 20-year-olds: F Matt Alfaro (22g, 26a), Zak Zborosky (32g, 36a) and G Payton Lee, who came over in a trade from Edmonton, fill the three spots.

The imports: Smooth-skating rookie D Nikita Radzivilyuk, 17, has been good early.

Key returnees: D Cale Fleury, (8g, 17a) younger brother of former Red Deer D Haydn Fleury, finally enters his draft year in his third season in the league and is being watched closely by NHL scouts … Big F Max Patterson (7g, 3a) was good despite being the WHL’s youngest player last season … Vince Loschiavo (4g, 6a) could be poised to break out offensively.

New faces: Kootenay’s class of 2000 has arrived, with Michael King, Keenan and Kaeden Taphorn, Bobby Russell and Loeden Schaufler battling for jobs. The team added size up front with Barrett Sheen, 18, (4g, 8a), who came over from Lethbridge in the Zaharichuk deal, and Sam Huston, 17, on defence.

Watch for: Both 20-year-olds are playing for pro contracts and looking for the sort of season that former Ice forward Jon Martin had in Swift Current last year. Also, Alfaro, Zborosky and Cale Fleury are the only returning players who had more than 25 points last season … Jakob Walter, 17, and Declan Hobbs, 18, are battling for the backup goaltender’s spot.

Did you know: Last year was the first year that the Ice have missed the playoffs in Cranbrook, B.C., after a 17-year run. They have been .500 or better in all but two years, winning league titles in 1999-00, 2001-02 and 2010-11.

Prognosis: The Ice honestly have nowhere to go but up as they continue to rebuild. The playoffs may be a big ask but expect improvement.

» Perry Bergson/The Brandon Sun