The Hurricanes host the Regiona Pats tonight at the Enmax Centre.
Some very interesting story lines to this game, given the big trade between the two teams earlier this week. Carter Ashton and Craig Orfino will play their former team tonight, just a few days after being dealt to Regina for Graham Hood, prospect Taylor Balog and a couple of high end draft picks.
It'll likely feel a bit strange when Ashton and Orfino come back into the Enmax and headto the visitors dressing room. This should be a fun game to watch and to see if Hood, Ashton, and Orfino have any impact on the result. The Pats played last night in Medicine Hat and lost 7-2. Regina has given up 16 goals in it's last 2 games.
The Hurricanes have been having problems of their own lately. The team has been having trouble find the win column. Lethbridge has just a single victory in it's last 9 games. Fans are wondering with the ongoing struggles, if a few more deals might be made in the next couple of weeks. Trading in the WHL will close down during the one week Christmas break which kicks in after next Saturday's games are complete.
It'll be interesting to see with veterans like Ashton and Orfino gone, if some of the younger players like Reners, Tot, Tarnasky, and Moser will get more ice time. These players have been used sparingly by Rich Preston this season and for the most part have fallen victim to the rookie rotation. Perhaps more ice time for these younger players will help them develop in the second half of the season as the team continues it's rebuilding process.
Rich Preston has put his stamp on this team. It looks nothing like the one that started the season in September. Gone are Ashton, Orfino, Tadjdeh, Beach, Taylor, Mestery, and Castro. Most fans I've bumped into seem to like the changes made this week by management. We'' see how things play out tonight.
Regina: 7th in Eastern Conference at 16-16-3-0
Lethrbidge: 12th in the Eastern Conference 9-17-3-1
Game time tonight is 7 o'clock. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.
Thanks,
Pat
The views expressed on this blog are those of the moderator and contributors and are not endorsed by 94.1 CJOC or the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Saturday, 12 December 2009
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Some Post-Trade Thoughts
Well, the really big dealing has begun!
I'm certainly not surprised that the Hurricanes have started to deal a few commodities away, but I'll admit, I never thought the Regina Pats would be in the mix. It's clear the Pats believe they have something going in the Queen City and are going to make some noise this season. No question that club just got a lot better and when you factor in the quality of their forwards, they should have a deadly scoring now for sure.
Let's face it, the Hurricanes had to start the building process and this trade certainly does that. This is what many fans in Lethbridge expected and felt needed to happen and it's clear management viewed it the same way. The Canes' get a real good prospect in Balog and a hard working guy in Hood. The team is also stockpiling draft picks. They currently sit with 3 picks in the second round of the draft in 2010 with the acquisition of a second rounder from the Pats in this deal, not to mention an extra pick in the first round in 2011. I'd have to say the pressure now lies on the Hurricanes scouting staff to put their collective heads together at draft time this coming spring. With this many high picks in 2010, this Bantam draft may be the most important in years for the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
It's always tough to see players come and go, especially those that gave their all and wore the colours and jersey proud. Ashton and Orfino were both original Hurricanes and played a big role on this Lethbridge team the past 3 seasons. They will be missed, but in hockey to get something good back you have to give up something good. That was the case here too.
I think for many people, myself included the question now is, is this the first of more big trades to come involving this team? Perhaps it is. And is this the trade that essentially sets the price for other deals around the WHL leading up to the January 10th deadline? Perhaps it is.
Interesting to note that Orfino and Ashton won't be gone from Lethbridge long either. They'll be back on Saturday night when the Hurricanes host Regina.
Thanks,
Pat
I'm certainly not surprised that the Hurricanes have started to deal a few commodities away, but I'll admit, I never thought the Regina Pats would be in the mix. It's clear the Pats believe they have something going in the Queen City and are going to make some noise this season. No question that club just got a lot better and when you factor in the quality of their forwards, they should have a deadly scoring now for sure.
Let's face it, the Hurricanes had to start the building process and this trade certainly does that. This is what many fans in Lethbridge expected and felt needed to happen and it's clear management viewed it the same way. The Canes' get a real good prospect in Balog and a hard working guy in Hood. The team is also stockpiling draft picks. They currently sit with 3 picks in the second round of the draft in 2010 with the acquisition of a second rounder from the Pats in this deal, not to mention an extra pick in the first round in 2011. I'd have to say the pressure now lies on the Hurricanes scouting staff to put their collective heads together at draft time this coming spring. With this many high picks in 2010, this Bantam draft may be the most important in years for the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
It's always tough to see players come and go, especially those that gave their all and wore the colours and jersey proud. Ashton and Orfino were both original Hurricanes and played a big role on this Lethbridge team the past 3 seasons. They will be missed, but in hockey to get something good back you have to give up something good. That was the case here too.
I think for many people, myself included the question now is, is this the first of more big trades to come involving this team? Perhaps it is. And is this the trade that essentially sets the price for other deals around the WHL leading up to the January 10th deadline? Perhaps it is.
Interesting to note that Orfino and Ashton won't be gone from Lethbridge long either. They'll be back on Saturday night when the Hurricanes host Regina.
Thanks,
Pat
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Canes' & Pats Blockbuster: Ashton and Orfino Traded
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes have completed another trade today, this time acquiring a 92-born forward, a talented prospect and a pair of future draft picks. Hurricanes General Manager/Head Coach, Rich Preston, announced this afternoon that the Canes have acquired 92-born forward Graham Hood, highly touted 94-born prospect Taylor Balog along with a 2nd round pick in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft as well as a 1st round pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft from the Regina Pats in exchange for 2009 NHL 1st round draft pick Carter Ashton and veteran forward Craig Orfino.
Hood, a Saskatchewan native is in his second year in the WHL and has totaled eight points (5G, 3A) in 21 games thus far this season. In 08-09, his rookie season, he totaled 13 points (6G, 7A) in 60 games and 35 PIMs. A big body at 6’2”, 203 pounds, Hood has already nearly exceeded his point totals from all of last season and has the potential to become a WHL Top 6 forward.
Balog was considered to be a steal when selected by the Pats in the second round (28th overall) in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. Originally projected to be a Top ten WHL Bantam pick and was ranked sixth overall by International Scouting Services. In 2008-09, the 6’1” 185 pounder played in Weyburn, alongside WHL first-overall Bantam Draft Pick Derrick Pouliot with a team that won the Saskatchewan Bantam Championship.
“Graham Hood is a big strong kid who has already matched his numbers from a year ago and definitely has the upside to be a top 6 forward and step in to play right now.” said Hurricanes Assistant to the GM/Hockey Operations Rich Sutter “Balog is a very good 94 who we all liked and after seeing him play last week he is a key piece of this trade. He is a good sized kid and has a real opportunity to come in and play an important role next season as a 16 year old. All this and we also continue to add to our future with these draft picks.”
Both Ashton and Orfino are players who began their WHL careers in Lethbridge. Ashton, a Saskatoon native was drafted by the Hurricanes in the first round (6th overall) of the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft. He has had much success in the Hockey Canada Program of excellence winning a bronze medal as a member of Team Western at the 2008 U17 World Hockey Challenge and scoring the game winning goal in the gold medal game for the Team Canada U18s at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament Last season, he led all Hurricanes players with 30 goals and 10 power play goals in his second season in the league. This summer he was drafted in the first round (29th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning and attended his first NHL Training Camp with the Lightning before signing an NHL Entry Level contract with the Lightning in the fall.
Orfino is a fan favorite who in 2008-09 was Awarded the Hurricanes Most Popular Player Award as voted by the players as well as the Joan Kobal Memorial Award for Perseverance, Dedication and Sportsmanship. He was originally drafted by Lethbridge in the 10th round (185th overall) of the 2005 WHL Bantam draft. In 2007-08 he had a solid rookie season in and has since developed into a leader for the Hurricanes both on and off the ice. A career highlight came in the 2008 WHL playoffs as he notched game and series winner in Lethbridge’s game six of the first round of the 2008 WHL playoffs against the Brandon Wheat Kings; it was the first time the Canes advanced past the first round of the WHL playoffs in over a decade. In 2007-08 he was named Co-winner of the Hurricanes Scholastic Player of the Year Award and the Co-winner of the Hurricanes Most Improved Player of the Year Award.
Hood, a Saskatchewan native is in his second year in the WHL and has totaled eight points (5G, 3A) in 21 games thus far this season. In 08-09, his rookie season, he totaled 13 points (6G, 7A) in 60 games and 35 PIMs. A big body at 6’2”, 203 pounds, Hood has already nearly exceeded his point totals from all of last season and has the potential to become a WHL Top 6 forward.
Balog was considered to be a steal when selected by the Pats in the second round (28th overall) in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. Originally projected to be a Top ten WHL Bantam pick and was ranked sixth overall by International Scouting Services. In 2008-09, the 6’1” 185 pounder played in Weyburn, alongside WHL first-overall Bantam Draft Pick Derrick Pouliot with a team that won the Saskatchewan Bantam Championship.
“Graham Hood is a big strong kid who has already matched his numbers from a year ago and definitely has the upside to be a top 6 forward and step in to play right now.” said Hurricanes Assistant to the GM/Hockey Operations Rich Sutter “Balog is a very good 94 who we all liked and after seeing him play last week he is a key piece of this trade. He is a good sized kid and has a real opportunity to come in and play an important role next season as a 16 year old. All this and we also continue to add to our future with these draft picks.”
Both Ashton and Orfino are players who began their WHL careers in Lethbridge. Ashton, a Saskatoon native was drafted by the Hurricanes in the first round (6th overall) of the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft. He has had much success in the Hockey Canada Program of excellence winning a bronze medal as a member of Team Western at the 2008 U17 World Hockey Challenge and scoring the game winning goal in the gold medal game for the Team Canada U18s at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament Last season, he led all Hurricanes players with 30 goals and 10 power play goals in his second season in the league. This summer he was drafted in the first round (29th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning and attended his first NHL Training Camp with the Lightning before signing an NHL Entry Level contract with the Lightning in the fall.
Orfino is a fan favorite who in 2008-09 was Awarded the Hurricanes Most Popular Player Award as voted by the players as well as the Joan Kobal Memorial Award for Perseverance, Dedication and Sportsmanship. He was originally drafted by Lethbridge in the 10th round (185th overall) of the 2005 WHL Bantam draft. In 2007-08 he had a solid rookie season in and has since developed into a leader for the Hurricanes both on and off the ice. A career highlight came in the 2008 WHL playoffs as he notched game and series winner in Lethbridge’s game six of the first round of the 2008 WHL playoffs against the Brandon Wheat Kings; it was the first time the Canes advanced past the first round of the WHL playoffs in over a decade. In 2007-08 he was named Co-winner of the Hurricanes Scholastic Player of the Year Award and the Co-winner of the Hurricanes Most Improved Player of the Year Award.
Former Coach Dyck Now a Giant
Vancouver, BC—Vancouver Giants General Manager Scott Bonner today announced that the Western Hockey League club has hired Mike Dyck as a WHL scout. Dyck, a former assistant coach with the Giants, will coach Team Pacific at the Under 17 World Challenge in Timmins, Ontario, later this month.Giants GM Scott Bonner says “It’s good to welcome Mike back to the Giants family, he was a part of our building process early on, and will now help me with trades, and work to help get us to where we want to be.”
Dyck coached the Lethbridge Hurricanes for 5 seasons and 268 games, and says “I am happy to be back with a first class organization, and to be working with a good group of people that I am very familiar with.”
Dyck will coach Nathan Burns, Zach Hodder and Giants prospect Aaron Hadley at the U17. He begins his duties with the Giants immediately.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Hurricanes Drop 4-3 Decision to Tigers
Close, but no cigar for the Hurricanes last night against the rival Tigers.
It was kind of a slow start for the Hurricanes last night. The Canes' found themselves down 1-0 after 20 minutes as the Tigers out shot the hometown Canes' 12-5. Ville Kolppanen got the start in goal for the Hurricanes and played very well in the first, making some high quality stops. A couple of fights in this game, less than 6 minutes in. Dustin Donaghy dropped the gloves with Tigers rookie Tanner Sohn for their first of two scraps on the night between the two and a few minutes after that, Kale Kessy and Brent Henke went toe-to-toe. No love lost between these two teams!
In the second, the Tigers kept it coming. They scored twice more including another one on the power play to take a 3-0 lead. The Hurricanes were out shot after two periods 23-9. Lethbridge just couldn't generate any offence through the first two frames last night. The Tigers played a solid road game through two and really didn't allow the Hurricanes to get anything going. Things changed though after that.
The Hurricanes came out gunning in the third and played their best period of hockey by far and put a pretty good scare into the Tigers I would say. The Canes' scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the period to close the gap to 3-2. Medicine Hat though would get that one back soon after. That goal proved to be big in this game. The Hurricanes, with 3 minutes left scored to make it 4-3, but that would be as close as the comeback would get. The Hurricanes out shot the Tigers 14-3 in the 3rd. Overall, the Tigers out shot Lethbridge 26-23. Carter Bancks, Craig Orfino, and Brennan Yadlowski scored for Lethbridge, while Tristan King did most of the damage for Medicine Hat scoring twice and adding one assist. In the 3rd, Donaghy and Sohn dropped the gloves for round two in another short fight. I'll give Sohn a lot of credit for scrapping twice against one of the toughest guys in the WHL. The Canes' were stymied through the first two periods and never generated any offence. Things changed in the 3rd though, when Lethbridge came out like a house on fire. It was too little too late though. The Hurricanes only showed up for one period last night and it cost them.
Associate Coach Matt Kabayama was blunt about things on our post-game show last night. He says the effort in the first two periods were "unacceptable" and as coaches, they're not frustrated, but instead disappointed with the effort.
I had a chance to have a long talk with Bob Ridley, the longtime voice of the Tigers before last night's game. This guy has seen it all in his 40 years calling games and driving the bus for Medicine Hat. He thought it was clearly the right call made on Saturday to postpone the game because of the blizzard. I agree . Ridley told me he always thinks back 21 years ago when four members of the Swift Current Broncos were killed in a bus crash during a horrible winter storm. Ridley says sometimes GM's and Coaches around the league just don't think about those kinds of things when it comes to playing games. He notes it's better to err on the side of caution when it comes to bad weather and he feels Rich Preston and Willie Desjardins did the right thing pulling the plug on the game and hopes other GM's around the league follow suit in similar situations. Well said, Rids, well said!
A Chat with Rich Preston
I asked the Head Coach and G.M. before last night's game about the upcoming January trade deadline and if he's getting any calls from other General Managers around the WHL. He says, "obviously teams look at your record and wonder what you are doing. There's no secret that Luca Sbisa is gone next year. Everyone wants him, so there's always talk going on. It's funny, people think that a deal happens in a day. We have talking about Cason Machacek since training camp."
So I guess time will tell as to what Preston plans on doing with the deadline pretty much a month away and the Christmas break just a week away. It should be interesting to see exactly what takes place.
Thanks,
Pat
It was kind of a slow start for the Hurricanes last night. The Canes' found themselves down 1-0 after 20 minutes as the Tigers out shot the hometown Canes' 12-5. Ville Kolppanen got the start in goal for the Hurricanes and played very well in the first, making some high quality stops. A couple of fights in this game, less than 6 minutes in. Dustin Donaghy dropped the gloves with Tigers rookie Tanner Sohn for their first of two scraps on the night between the two and a few minutes after that, Kale Kessy and Brent Henke went toe-to-toe. No love lost between these two teams!
In the second, the Tigers kept it coming. They scored twice more including another one on the power play to take a 3-0 lead. The Hurricanes were out shot after two periods 23-9. Lethbridge just couldn't generate any offence through the first two frames last night. The Tigers played a solid road game through two and really didn't allow the Hurricanes to get anything going. Things changed though after that.
The Hurricanes came out gunning in the third and played their best period of hockey by far and put a pretty good scare into the Tigers I would say. The Canes' scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the period to close the gap to 3-2. Medicine Hat though would get that one back soon after. That goal proved to be big in this game. The Hurricanes, with 3 minutes left scored to make it 4-3, but that would be as close as the comeback would get. The Hurricanes out shot the Tigers 14-3 in the 3rd. Overall, the Tigers out shot Lethbridge 26-23. Carter Bancks, Craig Orfino, and Brennan Yadlowski scored for Lethbridge, while Tristan King did most of the damage for Medicine Hat scoring twice and adding one assist. In the 3rd, Donaghy and Sohn dropped the gloves for round two in another short fight. I'll give Sohn a lot of credit for scrapping twice against one of the toughest guys in the WHL. The Canes' were stymied through the first two periods and never generated any offence. Things changed in the 3rd though, when Lethbridge came out like a house on fire. It was too little too late though. The Hurricanes only showed up for one period last night and it cost them.
Associate Coach Matt Kabayama was blunt about things on our post-game show last night. He says the effort in the first two periods were "unacceptable" and as coaches, they're not frustrated, but instead disappointed with the effort.
I had a chance to have a long talk with Bob Ridley, the longtime voice of the Tigers before last night's game. This guy has seen it all in his 40 years calling games and driving the bus for Medicine Hat. He thought it was clearly the right call made on Saturday to postpone the game because of the blizzard. I agree . Ridley told me he always thinks back 21 years ago when four members of the Swift Current Broncos were killed in a bus crash during a horrible winter storm. Ridley says sometimes GM's and Coaches around the league just don't think about those kinds of things when it comes to playing games. He notes it's better to err on the side of caution when it comes to bad weather and he feels Rich Preston and Willie Desjardins did the right thing pulling the plug on the game and hopes other GM's around the league follow suit in similar situations. Well said, Rids, well said!
A Chat with Rich Preston
I asked the Head Coach and G.M. before last night's game about the upcoming January trade deadline and if he's getting any calls from other General Managers around the WHL. He says, "obviously teams look at your record and wonder what you are doing. There's no secret that Luca Sbisa is gone next year. Everyone wants him, so there's always talk going on. It's funny, people think that a deal happens in a day. We have talking about Cason Machacek since training camp."
So I guess time will tell as to what Preston plans on doing with the deadline pretty much a month away and the Christmas break just a week away. It should be interesting to see exactly what takes place.
Thanks,
Pat
Monday, 7 December 2009
Canes' Acquire Local Product Machacek from Ice
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes have completed another trade today, this time acquiring a 91-born defenceman with local roots. Hurricanes General Manager/Head Coach, Rich Preston, announced the Canes have acquired 91-born forward Cason Machacek from the Kootenay Ice in exchange for a fourth round pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft.Machacek is in his second season in the WHL and has a total of 88 WHL games under his belt, 15 points (3 goals, 12 assists) and 125 PIMs. Machacek, a Lethbridge local, already has roots in hockey as his brother Spencer Machacek is a WHL alum with the Vancouver Giants and was a part of their 2007 WHL Championship and Memorial Cup Championship teams. Spencer would then become a 2007 draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers and is currently in their farm system. With the addition of Cason, the Hurricanes lineup now boasts a lot of depth in 91-born players – with defenseman Brennan Yadlowski and forwards Cam Braes, Austin Fyten, Carter Ashton and Brody Sutter rounding out the group. Machacek is currently serving the final game of a three game suspension by the WHL and will make his Hurricanes debut on Saturday as the Canes play host to the visiting Regina Pats.
Hurricanes vs. Tigers Tonight
The Lethbridge Hurricanes with play a rescheduled game tonight at the Enmax Centre against the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The game was postponed Saturday because of the blizzard that roared through southern Alberta. The Hurricanes are looking to get back on track with only one win in their past 8 games. The Canes' are 12 points out of a playoff spot right now, but have a few games in hand on some of the teams they're chasing down. This is a critical time for the Hurricanes, given their position in the standings right now. They need to start putting together some wins.
Game time is 7 o'clock. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.
Thanks,
Pat
The game was postponed Saturday because of the blizzard that roared through southern Alberta. The Hurricanes are looking to get back on track with only one win in their past 8 games. The Canes' are 12 points out of a playoff spot right now, but have a few games in hand on some of the teams they're chasing down. This is a critical time for the Hurricanes, given their position in the standings right now. They need to start putting together some wins.
Game time is 7 o'clock. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.
Thanks,
Pat
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