Lethbridge Hurricanes GM and Head Coach Rich Preston announced Wednesdaythe team acquired 18-year old Mike Simpson from the Kootenay Ice for a 5th round pick this year. GM and Head Coach Rich Preston stated “we’re pleased to acquire Mike Simpson, who’s a big strong, tough defenceman coming from a real good organization the Kootenay Ice.
Simpson is a 6’4, 207 pound defenceman from Semiahmoo, BC and he has played in 40 games with the Ice this year chipping in an assist to go along with his 47 PIM’s and a minus-7 plus/minus rating.
Last season, he finished with 4 points (1G, 3A), 52 PIM’s and a plus/minus rating of minus-3.
Simpson is expected to join the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Thursday.
(From Lethbridge Hurricanes.com)
Thanks,
Pat
Fair compensation for an 18yr old 6foot 4 dmen with close to 100 games under his belt. Glad to see we addressed two positions of need and added some much needed size. Good job Rich. HLR
ReplyDeleteI like this move as well. This as well as the Merkley trade shows me that the team is serious about making the playoffs this year as is desperately needed this cash strapped club. Simply for me, changes needed to happen and RP made some. Now the results will hold him accountable. DC.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Sutton goes back to the AJHL so who sits every night if there are no injuries...Topping, Henry??? Looks like a good addition that has played all games this year but a talented young D man is going to now sit.....Maybe another trade coming? Maybe Johnston is on the move...Scott
ReplyDeleteOMG what a waste of a 5th round pick! This kid is 18 which means if he is back next year he will help fill in the void at 19. He is a big kid, how the heck can he fit in with this team of smaller skilled players? This kid is a -7 and the 5th round pick is -0! What was Preston thinking? With the addition of Derko and Simpson,Canes just got bigger and tougher! What kind of a move is this? Simpson will likely help protect the younger talented d-men namley Pilon. I just don't get this move. What's next Sutton and Harper being moved?
ReplyDeleteT-In-C
T - in - C. Too funny. Love it!!!
ReplyDeleteGo Canes.
@ T-in-C
ReplyDeleteLOL. What this guy said.
Daryl
"The results will hold him accountable". That is a pretty Rich statement. He has never been held accountable unless getting an extension for never even coming close to making the playoffs counts. Accountable is getting results or driving back to his home in Calgary. He has guaranteed results but never provided any in wins or player development, evident by the lack of drafted players. This far into his reign would a 6-8 seed be considered a success?
ReplyDeletePretty low standards if you ask me. It's been a loooong wait to just get to the middle of the pack.
We do have a team that will fight now, something that is basically gone from the junior game.
We got 2 "big, tough kids" aka goons.
In Simpson we got a 0.05 PPG player. So 1 point every 20 games.
Preston Hockey is stone age hockey.
He is oblivious and flippant to the outrage at how he and he alone blew a pick he could not afford to mess up in the Merkley pick. He does not and has never cared for the fans of this team or the city. Look at his community involvement. Sends his players out to schools, assistants out to answer questions.
Still a Canes fan and Preston hater. It's possible to be both.
Sku
All Preston did was replace Bloomqist...same type type of player and stats so not sure why everyone is down Preston's throat about goons etc...the big question that Scott raised is that now that Henry is back who sits every night? That is a problem assuming there are no injuries. Its good to have the depth going into the playoffs but some will not be happy which may make the whole D corp sharper if they think they could get healthy scrtached. TD
ReplyDeleteWe should trade Duke. Too much skill. I think Doty on MH would be a good pick up...we would definately be bigger and toupher! LOL. Actually I do like this trade and Derko is a good pick up as well. The difference T-in-C is that this trade cost us nothing really. I don't care if you like or don't like Merkley you don't draft players for a particular reason, never give them the opportunity to develop and trade them at 17 for someone that you can get for a 5th round draft pick. This is why we never get beyond the middle of the pack. The same old cycle will repeat. We were building through the draft and needed to be patient. Its still not too late but we aquired these high picks and we need to see them at 18 or 19. In the end we are bigger and stronger both up front and back. Good enouph to make the playoffs but is that what we were looking for when we started the rebuild. None of
ReplyDeleteRP's draft pick play in the top 6 and none play pp. Check around the league and see how others do it... We have to be patient with these kids and give them the chance. This is the first winning season in 4 years and we are barely over 500. Might be a little early to sell the farm especially before the fruit is ripe.
Rich’s oldest draft class is 17 yrs old. How many 17 yr olds should be in the top 6? Is everyone going to disregard the young d-men. Last time I checked Pilon and Erkamps play in every situation. I would like someone to let me know of a better 16 yr old dman playing in the W? Shall we give any credit for that pick? He has had 5 first round picks in three drafts. Two of the three look to become stellar players. I would take Dukes play any day over what I have seen in Merkley the last season and a half. Gio looked like he belonged in his one game tryout as well. All must relax we have 8-17yr olds and most make it sound like we traded the Great One and got nothing in return with no other talent in the system. HLR
ReplyDeleteI can write slower for you HLR but it still won't sink in. I get you don't like Merkley. Thats fine but do not give RP credit for anything. This will blow up mark my words. He was building through the draft....thats what he told us...be patient....for what one round in the playoffs. Good job rich at least you have one fan or is he a caveman.HLR Duh!!
ReplyDeleteI'm suprised Preston didn't throw Yak in this trade. Honestly though this is what a trade should look like for a player like simpson. 5 round might be high but it is the bantom draft. Yes there are diamonds in the rough but you have to have a good scouting staff to find them, something I think we are lacking so anything from the 4 round on is luck. Steve
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anon 3:39.....if you don't give your high bantam picks a sniff at the PP or some 2nd line minutes, they will be SLOW in developing. It won't be any different for Duke. If he only gets 3rd line minutes, he will develop at a much slower pace than he would if he were given some time with Maxy and Yaks. It was stated in the Merkley interview that he'll be playing on the top two lines. For those of you who like the trade, I hope for the organization's sake it works out because Derko may not be around after this year. But, like I said, the trade is done and I'm not going to continue to micromanage it. (It's not just about losing a talented player, but more so, how Preston can't figure out how to develop young talent).
ReplyDeleteJohnston better not be on the move. He's the only reliable defenceman we've got right now. He's logging a lot of minutes and is the back bone of the defence. Trade him and kiss the playoffs good-bye Scott.
Can Simpson play top 4 minutes? I guess we'll find out.
Darren