The Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club is proud to announce the start of the 2009-10 WHL season with the opening of Hurricanes Training Camp. Camp is set to officially open Thursday afternoon, August 27th, 2009 at Adams Ice Centre (pictured above), with registration, followed by evening on-ice sessions. 65 players have been invited to this year’s camp, with 15 returning players from last year’s roster. With the departure of 2008 1st round draft pick Zach Boychuk (14th overall - Carolina) and 2007 NHL Draft picks Dwight King (L.A.) and Colton Sceviour (Dallas), only one of the Hurricanes group of 89-born players is expected to return for the 2009-10 season. Fan favorite and repeat winner of the Hardest Working Hurricane Award - Carter Bancks will enter training camp as the Hurricanes lone overage player.
Canes goal scoring leader and the team’s most recent NHL first round draft pick; Carter Ashton (2009 – Tampa Bay), will lead a strong and talented group of 91-born players including the winner of the 2008-2009 Carl Trentini Memorial award for Hurricanes Rookie of the year; Austin Fyten and 2008-2009 Hardest Working Hurricane award winner; Cam Braes. Ashton led a star studded Canes lineup with 30 goals last season and looks ready to take his place among the WHL’s elite power forwards. Brody Sutter will begin his first full season with the Canes and looks toward a breakout year along with one of the co-winners of the 2008-2009 Most Improved Hurricane award; Garrett Taylor.
The Canes class of 90-born forwards is led by 2008 1st round NHL Draft pick Kyle Beach (Chicago) who arrived in Lethbridge at the 08-09 trade deadline as the result of a blockbuster deal with the Everett Silvertips. He finished the 08-09 season with 63 points (24G, 39A) and 106 PIMs with 33 points on 15 goals and 18 assists in just 24 games with Lethbridge. Brent Henke and Craig Orfino, the winner of the Most Popular Player award as voted by the players and the Joan Kobal Memorial Award for Perseverance, Dedication and Sportsmanship round out this veteran laden class.
On the blue line, the Canes will look to rebuild with the loss of two year Captain Ben Wright and rugged veteran Mitch Versteeg. Both local products graduated this past season with Wright signing his letter of intent with the University of New Brunswick to play in the CIS next season. Looking to fill those skates will be a defensive corps led by 2008 2nd round NHL Draft Pick and 90-born Eric Mestery (Washington) and 91-born Brennan Yadlowski. Yadlowski was highly rated in the 2009 NHL draft and last season showed tremendous growth in his second WHL campaign. He also walked away from the 2008-09 season with some hardware, winning the Hurricanes Scholastic Player of the Year award for the second year in a row as well as being named a co-winner of the Hurricanes Most Improved player award for the second year in a row. Local product and 90-born defenseman Max Ross will also be asked to fill a larger role along with fellow sophomores and 92-born d-men Cody Castro and Derek Ryckman.
Once again, the Hurricanes will enter Training Camp with heavy competition at the goaltending position. The departure of the “Finnish Phenom” Juha Metsola to a pro contract in Finland leaves a vacancy in the Hurricanes starting job. 91-born Michael Tadjdeh of Calgary should be among the frontrunners having experience with the team last season as backup to Metsola, notching a 10-10-0-0 record with a pair of shutouts. His main competition will be a pair of 92-born goaltenders; Finnish newcomer Ville Kolppanen and Hurricanes prospect Brandon Anderson. Anderson was called up earlier in the 08-09 campaign to fill in as an emergency backup during the absence of Metsola who was away at the 2009 World Juniors. He posted a 12-18-0-0 record with Columbia Valley with a 3.80 GAA and a 0.896 save percentage. Kolppanen was selected with the Hurricanes first round pick (32nd overall) in the 2009 CHL Import Draft. The 6’1” 195 pound Finn is a 92-born goaltender who hails from the same junior club – Ilves Jr. which produced Metsola as well as Finnish standouts Tuuka Rask, Riku Helenius. 93-born goaltenders Tyler O’Donnell and Hurricanes Bantam draft pick Alex Wakaluk will also compete for a position.
News and Notes:
This year’s camp will be held for invited players only, aged 15 to 20. This will be the first camp for 94-born, 2009 WHL Bantam Draft 2nd round selection; Ryley Bennefeld and all of the Canes 2009 WHL Bantam Draft selections.
Canes goal scoring leader and the team’s most recent NHL first round draft pick; Carter Ashton (2009 – Tampa Bay), will lead a strong and talented group of 91-born players including the winner of the 2008-2009 Carl Trentini Memorial award for Hurricanes Rookie of the year; Austin Fyten and 2008-2009 Hardest Working Hurricane award winner; Cam Braes. Ashton led a star studded Canes lineup with 30 goals last season and looks ready to take his place among the WHL’s elite power forwards. Brody Sutter will begin his first full season with the Canes and looks toward a breakout year along with one of the co-winners of the 2008-2009 Most Improved Hurricane award; Garrett Taylor.
The Canes class of 90-born forwards is led by 2008 1st round NHL Draft pick Kyle Beach (Chicago) who arrived in Lethbridge at the 08-09 trade deadline as the result of a blockbuster deal with the Everett Silvertips. He finished the 08-09 season with 63 points (24G, 39A) and 106 PIMs with 33 points on 15 goals and 18 assists in just 24 games with Lethbridge. Brent Henke and Craig Orfino, the winner of the Most Popular Player award as voted by the players and the Joan Kobal Memorial Award for Perseverance, Dedication and Sportsmanship round out this veteran laden class.
On the blue line, the Canes will look to rebuild with the loss of two year Captain Ben Wright and rugged veteran Mitch Versteeg. Both local products graduated this past season with Wright signing his letter of intent with the University of New Brunswick to play in the CIS next season. Looking to fill those skates will be a defensive corps led by 2008 2nd round NHL Draft Pick and 90-born Eric Mestery (Washington) and 91-born Brennan Yadlowski. Yadlowski was highly rated in the 2009 NHL draft and last season showed tremendous growth in his second WHL campaign. He also walked away from the 2008-09 season with some hardware, winning the Hurricanes Scholastic Player of the Year award for the second year in a row as well as being named a co-winner of the Hurricanes Most Improved player award for the second year in a row. Local product and 90-born defenseman Max Ross will also be asked to fill a larger role along with fellow sophomores and 92-born d-men Cody Castro and Derek Ryckman.
Once again, the Hurricanes will enter Training Camp with heavy competition at the goaltending position. The departure of the “Finnish Phenom” Juha Metsola to a pro contract in Finland leaves a vacancy in the Hurricanes starting job. 91-born Michael Tadjdeh of Calgary should be among the frontrunners having experience with the team last season as backup to Metsola, notching a 10-10-0-0 record with a pair of shutouts. His main competition will be a pair of 92-born goaltenders; Finnish newcomer Ville Kolppanen and Hurricanes prospect Brandon Anderson. Anderson was called up earlier in the 08-09 campaign to fill in as an emergency backup during the absence of Metsola who was away at the 2009 World Juniors. He posted a 12-18-0-0 record with Columbia Valley with a 3.80 GAA and a 0.896 save percentage. Kolppanen was selected with the Hurricanes first round pick (32nd overall) in the 2009 CHL Import Draft. The 6’1” 195 pound Finn is a 92-born goaltender who hails from the same junior club – Ilves Jr. which produced Metsola as well as Finnish standouts Tuuka Rask, Riku Helenius. 93-born goaltenders Tyler O’Donnell and Hurricanes Bantam draft pick Alex Wakaluk will also compete for a position.
News and Notes:
This year’s camp will be held for invited players only, aged 15 to 20. This will be the first camp for 94-born, 2009 WHL Bantam Draft 2nd round selection; Ryley Bennefeld and all of the Canes 2009 WHL Bantam Draft selections.
Run for the border: This year’s training camp will play host to a total of six US born players – returning players D – Cody Castro and F – Garrett Taylor as well as G – Tyler O’Donnell, F – Kameron McCorry, F – Brandon Brossoit and F – TJ Sneath.
Names to watch: F - Mark Reners, F - Ryon Moser, F - Brandon Brossoit, F - Sam Lawson, F - Philip Tot, F - Neil Tarnasky and D - Reid Jackson will be just a few of the names to watch under serious consideration for roster positions after strong seasons for their various clubs.
The Hurricanes will see some familiar names on the ice, with Neil Tarnasky (the younger brother of former Hurricane Nick Tarnasky), Austin Yadlowski (the younger brother of current Hurricane Brennan Yadlowski) and Brody Sutter (the son of former Lethbridge Bronco Duane Sutter) all attending camp.
Camp will wrap on Sunday, August 30th with the Annual Blue and White game 11:00 AM at Adams Ice Centre. All fans are invited to come out and get their first peek at the Hurricanes of the future. The Lethbridge United Way will be on hand taking donations for this special event.
Here is the official Hurricanes Camp Schedule at Adams Ice Centre for those interested:
Thursday, August 27th
3:00-5:00 PM Registration for all camp athletes at Adams Ice Centre
Dressing Room Assignments
Team Designation/Jersey Assignments
Distribution of Camp Packages
Photo Headshots and Weigh Ins
5:00-5:30 PM Player/Parent/Billet Orientation at Adams Ice Centre
6:15-7:15 PM Team A Practice
7:30-8:30 PM Team B Practice
Friday, August 28th
9:30-11:15 AM Team A vs. Team B Scrimmage
1:00-2:30 PM Veterans Practice
3:00-4:45 PM Team A vs. Team B Scrimmage
Saturday, August 29th
8:30-10:15 AM Team Red vs. Team Blue
1:15-3:00 PM Team Blue vs. Team White
6:00-7:45 PM Team White vs. Team Red
Sunday, August 31st
9:00–10:30 AM Veterans Practice
11:00-1:00 PM ANNUAL BLUE WHITE INTRASQUAD FOR CHARITY GAME
Information from Ryan Ohashi, Hurricanes Director of Communications
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