The Lethbridge Hurricanes host the Swift Current Broncos tonight at the Enmax Centre.The Canes' have just one victory in their last 11 games. The Broncos meanwhile are fighting for their playoff lives. They're in a real battle with Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, and even Regina for the final two spots in the Eastern Conference. this will be the 4th and final meeting of the year between the two teams. Lethbridge won the last match-up in early January 2-1 in Swift Current.
Rich Preston was on Hurricanes This Week on Monday night. We asked him what he plans to talk about in his exit meetings in March with the players eligible to return next season. "Well first of all, one thing I'll address to the whole team is that there's going to be some big time competition for jobs next year. We really didn't have that this season and it won't even be close to what we're going to have this coming season. We have seven returning defencemen which we didn't have this past season. We have great competition in that position. We'll have good a battle in the forward position too with a very good '94 class of young forwards coming up quickly here. That's one thing the players will know is that, hey just because you played here this year, doesn't mean you're going to be in the line-up this fall."
Tonight's game versus Swift Current is a a 7 o'clock start. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.
Thanks,
Pat
would be nice to see the 94s and 95 not playing on the team now brought up and play them together to see how that do... Cane guy
ReplyDeletePrestons comments may be premature regarding dmen. How does he know they all intend to come back. After the gong show this year I wouldn't blame anyone for leaving.
ReplyDeleteTo say that the 94's will provide competition at the forward position is naive at best. I think Preston has been out of junior hockey too long. 16 year olds do not make an impact in the WHL unless they are exceptional such as Jared Cowan / Nugent Hopkins. Lethbridge didn't even have a 1st round bantam pick in the 94 group thanks to Stasiuk so it is extremely unlikely anyone will have an impact.
This team needs a huge injection of top end skill & team speed at the forward position & hope that Anderson becomes consistant next year. The chances of turning this around by next year are slim & none. Hopefully they won't waste a euro spot on a 3rd string goalie again although it looks like they don't intend to change euros since Preston gave up a top 10 euro pick to Portland in the Sbisa trade. Huge diiference in the Lethbridge & Portlands draft position.