Things are getting busy for the Lethbridge Hurricanes as the team prepares for training camp, which begins September 2nd.
The organization will hold it's 2010 Annual General Meeting August 18th. That's usually the "unofficial" start to the new season for the Canes'. I don't know if this year's AGM will be as well attended as the one last year, but we will find out in a few days I suppose. There's no doubt this off-season has been less eventful than last year's was. The team did hire a new Business Manager, who took over a few weeks ago. Besides that, it's been a fairly quiet off-season for the hockey club.
The Hurricanes did have a pretty good Bantam Draft back in May, but to this point Head Coach and G.M. Rich Preston hasn't made any moves as training camp approaches. So as it sits right now, the Hurricanes will be heading into camp with largely the same roster, with the exception of last year's three overagers Bancks, Donaghy, and Rowat now gone as well as goalie Ville Kolppanen who will not return. That leaves the overwhelming majority of players who finished the season last year a chance to return. Preston told the group at the end of last season that just because players are eligible to come back doesn't mean that's going to happen. Preston said players will have to earn spots this year.
There's no doubt there will be competition this year. Preston has said that over and over again that camp in 2010 will be very competitive and that players will be fighting for jobs. There are also some young guns in the system, like Taylor Balog and Michael Sofillas for instance who will be pushing to make this roster too. Preston, at the end of last season said this team would make the playoffs in 2010-2011. We will see what happens in the months ahead. Preston now has a very clear picture, I think on what he has on his list and what he has going into camp. Let's face it, he came into camp last year not knowing any of the players, coaches, or the organization. I'd say after a whole year running the show now, the water is a lot less murky for Coach Preston.
The Hurricanes will also have a new Captain this season. Some of the names one might think would be candidates to wear the "C" would be players like Mike Reddington, Cam Braes, Austin Fyten, and Brennan Yadlowski. Preston told me a few weeks ago that will all get sorted out in the weeks ahead.
All in all, it's kind of exciting again that hockey season is just around the corner. The Canes' and their fans have been without it since mid-March so I know the whole organization is getting pretty excited to see the new season almost here. I know Fred and I are getting ready too as we've been having meetings at CJOC in anticipation of the season and what we will be doing in terms of our broadcast. There's not a lot changing, but there will be a few tweaks. One of those being Fred doing colour commentary for a few games from between the benches. We've decided to give it a try for a few games this season and see how it goes. TSN has been doing it for a few seasons now in the NHL, so we'll give it a try with the Hurricanes! Just something a little different and maybe a new perspective on the game from ice level. I'm also busy putting together the line-up for our Hurricanes This Week talk shows for the fall. The first show is set for Monday, September 20th at 6pm (MDT).
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.
Pat, you must be a Balog fan as you tend to talk about him a lot they have other prospects that are as good as him, hes big but hes slow..
ReplyDeletecane supporter
I certainly understand that. I was just simply listing off a couple of names. The Canes' do have a number of prospects coming up in the ranks that will be pushing to make the team, no question. Russ Maxwell, Ryley Bennefield, Sam McKechnie, Adam Henry, Mason Blacklock are just some of the others. I will post a training camp roster from the team once it becomes available. It should be a very fun camp to watch.
ReplyDeleteI agree with anonmymous number 1...We have too much big and slow, not enough small, quick talented goal scorers like Sylvester in CGY, all those Americans forwards, Sylvester in Kootenay, Nunn in Edmonton etc..
ReplyDeleteGO CANES !!
I agree, most of the teams now are building with speed and finesse, big slow guys up front do not win games, the Canes after last year should be looking at forwards that can skate and score, Where are we going to get our goals from ?
ReplyDeleteWe will trade them away and not replace the goals. Beach, yellowhorn, versteeg come to mind?
ReplyDeleteps worked good for the flames and cammelerri. lose 40 goals and don't do anything to replace it. Also I want the canes to guarantee something for making the playoffs. Nice to say Rich when you put nothing on the line. Pat please ask Rich what season ticket buyers will get if we don't make it to the playoffs.
When Rich makes a comment like that, he should say if they don't make the playoffs he will resign..I am not really sold on him yet as a coach, I am not sure he can handle or train the young guns , but will wait and see.. if they don't ..whos the number 1 selection for 2011..
ReplyDeletecane supporter
pat maybe you should get to know the players especially the signed ones that do have a real shot at making the team, there is some prospects that are signed that you dont even mention to bad you dont get your facts straight before you blog!!
ReplyDeleteI certainly understand that. As I said before, I simply rattled off a few names. That's it. There are a number of players, yes that have a shot at making the club. There will be an official camp roster available in the next couple of weeks.
ReplyDeletePat , gyour blog at least brings up discussion..keep it up
ReplyDeleteWell, at least it's good for something, eh! Lol!
ReplyDeletePat I wrote a previous entry (August 11, 2010 4:06 PM) and I am serious about asking Mr. Preston what he is guaranteeing? Can you please ask him what happens if we do not make the playoffs and report his response back to us? Don't wannt to seem like an a hole, but I want him to back up comments/bravado/marketing like that when we are shelling out a lot of cash to buy season tickets. Thanks for all you do for the Canes and fans. Sometimes you take more crap for trying to report news than the team does for losing games. Keep it up. I realize it's hard to get reports on 16 year olds from all over western Canada and the US. Those will come when camp starts people.
ReplyDeleteI will definately ask him that in one of my interviews with him during training camp. Rich is also scheduled to come on our second talk show of the season, September 27th for the entire hour. He'll be taking calls from listeners during that hour. It'll be a good chance for anyone at that time to throw a question or concern his way too. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWell personally I think as a media personnel it is their job and duty to report the facts,not opinions. Too often those 2 get mixed up. There are many young and veteran players on the team and each and all of them are a value to be made mention of. As for asking Preston to back up his statment, maybe you should ask yourself to back up your statement. You say a 'cane supporter'?? Support doesnt just come from the depositing of your funds on the counter, it comes from being vocal and supportive of the team when they are the ice. Are you one that comes and sits and only sees what they want to see, or are you one of the few fans that truly comes and cheers on their team whatever the circumstances are. Unless you have played or coached, it is hard to get over being a few goals down and even harder when you hear fans yelling, 'if you cant skate - get off the ice', 'SO n SO you suck', 'if you cant stop the puck get out of the net'. Those kinds of comments only help to shake an already shaky confidence. And maybe you are not one of those fans, but there are enough of them there - and if you sit, listen, and allow people like that to continue to yell discouraging comments then you are not much better. Support comes in good times and bad. All teams goes through slumps and bad times, but it is through those times that the positive support is needed even more.
ReplyDeleteToo often fans comes to the rink and hope to see something to cheer about. How about coming to the rink CHEERING and hopefully you will rewarded by seeing a really good game. If you raised your children with a backseat attitude, then I suspect they would not have been successful or productive individuals. However, if you show them encouragement and positive reinforcement, they usually respond and you have respected and successful individuals who contribute to their community and family.
As for the readiness of the players and team, I believe that the training camp is open for all, and you can make your selections and see how they stackup against those of the Management staff, and continue to watch that development throughout the year. They probably wont be exactly the same, but then I am not a professional hockey person, so I dont profess that my pics will be the same as the management.
As for the media, I personally would like to see less 'I think and I feel' and more energy put into being the neutral supporter that media should be. Being neutral to not only all the Lethbridge players, but to the entire league. Being knowledgeable about players and bringing out their positive aspects, goes a long distance to becoming a classy and respected organization. There are many announcers and media who can grumble, be negative and agree to disagree with lots of team matters, but it is a classy, knoweledgeable and well respected individual who deals with the matter at hand -- to report to the fans the fact of matters. Go around the league and listen to some of the other media reporters and you will see the classy ones and the crude ones.
Anyways, I'm sure I have said enough to raise the ire of many. I look forward to an exciting and challenging season with the Hurricanes and good or bad, I will be there cheering them on. And if we should be so lucky as to get the Memorial Cup here in 3 years, I think it would be wonderful for the world to see a city who suppports through thick and thin.
A city who supports through thick and thin? Do you know the reputation of Lethbridge sports fans? Wow are you informed. We are the capital of the walk up box office. It's nice you assume a persons entire personality like you are a cast member on criminal minds based on one post. Anyways thanks for one of the more rambling, long winded posts in recent memory. By the way, I pay money for a good on ice product, not to support the players like they are my grandkids. If you buy something and get crap you have a right to be upset. This is a business, not beer league hockey. Also, I don't like the negative comments, but those people pay money to come to the game and have the right to express themselves. You may not agree but confronting those people makes you look like a bigger idiot than the idiot in question. These kids get preferential treatment their entire lives and sometimes need a kick in the butt. If I pay money and players are not trying it is fair for somebody to let them know. Sometimes getting boo'd off the ice after giving no effort is justified.
ReplyDeleteps I don't need to back up being a supporter. Rich made a bold statement that needs explanation. It is a fair question that somebody who is not a season ticket holder should be able to ask. What is his guarantee worth. If there is nothing to back it up it is nothing more than a prediction. Guarantees come with consequences if terms are not met. Go buy a car with a warranty that is not in writing if you are so confident in taking peoples word. That question was more valid than your 8th grade position paper of a post was. It was logical and based on facts. I would recommend you find these two things before posting next time.
WHOA! everyone needs to let out a big "GO CANES GO" and then relax and sing Kumbaya around the fire.
ReplyDeleteI am a season ticket holder because I love hockey and since we don't have a NHL team or AHL team in Lethbridge, we've got the Canes and the Horns to watch. Some seasons are great and exciting and some are just mediocre. That is junior hockey people, deal with it.
CanesFan
I wish that Rich Preston had used another word other than guarentee! He may have regretted using that word rather than "our goal/target" is to make the playoffs. Knowing how quick people in this city are ready to jump on any word that they can turn into a negative, I am not surprised at the comments calling something in return if the guarentee is not met! I could be wrong but I do believe that Mark Messier guarenteed the Rangers would win the cup. They did win. But if they had lost, what did he guarentee? Bags of potato chips to all the Ranger fans. All it means that a person believes in their team enough so to make a non binding guarentee.
ReplyDeleteFor the person spouting off about the Hurricane bid for the Memorial Cup, I do believe this is their 24th season and this is the third attempt which means it is not every 3years but on average 1 every 8.
I am looking forward to the competition at camp this fall and we should see a few of the shifty speedy forwards making the team. One player I think could be in big trouble unless he has done a lot over the summer is Brody Sutter. Size, speed, reach, but he is missing on key ingredient...he does not play on the edge like a typical Sutter does.
RJ
This has been the most comments on this blog regarding a item for awhile, I agree RJ that Brody needs to get some speed. I am looking forward to camp and hopefully a great season..
ReplyDelete