Well, the October schedule for the Lethbridge Hurricanes has come and gone and it will more than certainly be a month this team would rather forget.The Canes went 0-13 during October and are trying to find a solution to getting out of this current rut. Lethbridge has played 16 games so far and are 2-13-0-1 on the season for only 5 points. Compare that to last season through the same amount of games and the Hurricanes were 7-6-0-3 for 17 points. That's a big difference. There are certainly more questions than answers with this team right now.
The Hurricanes will close out this 7 game home stand Wednesday (Nov. 2) when they host the Everett Silvertips. After that, it's on the road this weekend for games in Prince Albert Friday and Saskatoon Saturday. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, the Canes have 13 games in November, 7 at home and 6 on the road. The team is hoping to get a few injured played back in the line-up this week.
HURRICANES THIS WEEK
Our weekly Hurricanes radio show is back on the air tonight at 6:00 pm (MDT) on CJOC. We've brought back the Media Rountable to discuss this current losing skid and more. Paul Kingsmith from Global TV and Dylan Purcell from the Lethbridge Herald will join Fred and I at Average Joe's Sports Bar on 6th Street South for our Halloween edition of the program. Lots to talk about. Should be an interesting show.
Thanks,
Pat
It SHOULD be. I sure hope it isn't just two guys yelling at each other.
ReplyDeleteAs a continuation to the 12:53 posting----
ReplyDeleteIt is NOT just the 13 game winless streak (horrible in itself),it's the way the team is playing. ......This coach has had nearly 2 and a half years and the team is not playing any better, there are no changes to way the game is played, the players are not improving or developing.....doesn't matter how many top drafts this team gets, there will be no change in the outcome.....Read WHLfans.ca for some good comments.....FEEL SO SORRY FOR THE PLAYERS (and their families).....how can the BOARD sit back and not make a change with the coaching situation....what we have here is more than a financial problem.
Having this radio show is a complete waste of time seeing as all it is is you talking why not take calls from the fans and let it sink in that this coaching staff is terrible , and this board wouldnt be capable of running a midget AAA team , this complete organization is a joke !!! time to sell to private interests !!
ReplyDeleteWhat's up with Balog? Is he playing anywhere? Wouldn't he fetch something as far a trade bait? Perplexing!
ReplyDeleteHey 4:56, mind your business.
ReplyDeleteWhat's up with Balog isn't for you to know. Got it?!?!
*sarcasm*
Hey what happened to the 12:53 posting. Hard to follow a Blog when postings disappear!
ReplyDeleteNothing disappeared. The poster was referring to the last post from the Red Deer game blog below.
ReplyDeleteThanks it makes sense now.
ReplyDeleteStay the course, Portland went thru 3 real tough years to get to were they are at today. 17, 11 and 19 win seasons.
ReplyDeletePortland also received new owners and coaching staff before turning around their fortunes.
ReplyDeleteGDC
preston and the coaching staff have to go...but i know pat you wont post this as it seems you do not post or even take a stand and say your true feelings on the coaching, this team is going nowhere and they can not keep saying we have so many picks in next years draft..no kids want to get picked by Lethbridge.. come on pat lets see you be a real journalist and challenge the board to make changes. cb
ReplyDeleteNo, Pat, don't challenge the board to make changes. (Obviously) NOT your role, and to be sure, sounds like a resume generating move to me. I want you to keep your job; I think you do it well, and more importantly, you seem like a nice enough guy, and a loyal fan.
ReplyDeleteA competent GM MUST fire a coach as ineffective as ours has been after SOME period of time. The Canes have been one of the 3 worst teams in the league only AFTER he took over, and it looks like we will be at the very bottom by the end of this, his third year, if all continues status quo.
I don't know the details of Preston's contract with the Canes, but usually there is some sort of non-performance clause in an employment contract, so by definition, the board can fire the GM if he isn't living up to minimal job expectations. He is sure not living up to MY minimal expectations as coach. He has been like the "Anti-coach."
The new kids have gotten worse under Preston's guidance every year. This year, they went from goals and success in the Hat and at home against Calgary, to 13 straight losses. It is like he coached the creativity OUT of them.
Time to step back and focus on GM role, Preston... Or do you WANT to go down in history for the WORST coaching record in the history of the WHL?? - Richie.
i dont think that pats job, he stays in the middle of the road where he belongs.he post opinions from both sides and that where it ends...the fact alone the he doesn;t tell any of us were wrong is proof positive...as for balog your right on the money it make me sick this kid is sitting at home playing video games....as for all of our pick , balog is one of them and look how he is treated.....
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding me? A bunch of school kids taking shots at Pat. Get a clue people. This is why this City doesn't deserve a team, a bunch of fickle fans that don't have a clue. Let me guess Portland had all three years of drafts that didn't produce any talent. It was the change of ownership and coaching that produced the talent. Wow! Calm down have a drink. I am sure the board had a memorial cup for 2013 and beyond in mind when they hired Preston (which means a complete rebuild). These kids don't just somehow appear it takes time and drafts to get the talent in place. If we didn't have young talent on the way I could understand the overreaction. By the way, Great job Pat. I know you care a lot about the team and want to see them win like the rest of us.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous (3:57pm).....I could give a rat's patoot what it says on "WHLfans.com". I've read comments on there earlier in the year and it was nothing more than rumours and fear mongering by fans who are zero influence on the team, board or shareholders. One blogger even threatened another. So I'll stick to this blog run by Pat. It's far more credible.
ReplyDeleteI find it laughable that the same Anonymous blogger states that "the players are not improving". NO! Really?!! Preston inherited a bunch of former GM Roy Stasiuk's players and they are obviously not very skilled players. Our point is....let the injured players get back into the lineup, let Preston and his staff do their job and then evaluate them at the end of the year.
Any coaching/GM changes at this point will only cost the franchise more money as Preston has this year and another one on his contract and it will have to be honoured.
This is how rebuilding works, so get used to it. You certainly don't do it by hiring and firing coaches and GM's every two years. If you don't like it, build a puzzle on Friday nights.
@ GDC....Portland got a new GM and coach a few years back before they got on track. Just as we hired a new coach and GM two years ago. The last thing we need in mid-season is another coaching/GM change. Most people who are blogging about a change don't have a clue about what they type. Preston is coaching players that Roy Stasiuk brought into this league. He is trying to get the most out of them, but until a couple of key injuries return, we'll never know if he can do that.
ReplyDeleteI repeat, the last thing we need is another coaching/GM change. This is the face of rebuilding. Love it or leave it. Nobody's holding a gun to your head. I'm staying on board.
@cb.......You want Pat, a media journalist and play-by-play man for the Hurricanes to challenge his employer, the Lethbridge Hurricanes, to make changes????? Are you high??? Give your head a shake before getting on the computer.
ReplyDeletere: Balog - did you ever see him do anything great during the two training camps and exhibition games he was with the Canes?? I never did, and I saw him many times.
ReplyDelete@Darren
ReplyDeleteThe facts are this.
Portland got new ownership, GM and coach in the fall of '08. They finished '08 with 19 wins with the inherited roster. The following two years seen a 40+ win season and then followed up with a 50 win season. The turn around didn't begin to happen under the previous ownership and coach Richard Kromm. FACT!
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122524344017069500
I know exactly what I talk about. Just like when I stated at the beginning of this year that this Hurricanes team was about to go on a long loosing streak and I was vilified for it.
Instead Preston waited to make trades after a loosing streak and being in a position of weakness. Again, like I called it. Sadly I was right. Wish I wasn't.
GDC
@Darren
ReplyDeletePreston now has a roster of 26. Of those 26 there are 21 that were not part of the Stasiuk roster. That means Preston's 13 game streak is owned by him. Preston had a far better record with Stasiuk's roster.
FACT!
GDC
Also, Pat is the blogger. We are not bloggers. We are just making comments that Pat filters. Blog's are not filtered but our comments are.
@GDC Explain to me of those 21 players, how many are rookies and how old are they? How many bantam drafts has Preston conducted and how old is his first group of kids? How many NHL draft picks do we currently have on the team? When was he taken in the draft and how old is he? Who on our team is likely to be drafted and how was he acquired? I think it is safe to say that it seems game in and out we play teams with multiple NHL draft picks (my barometer of talent) who are 18 or older. 17 of our 26 are 18 years old or younger. Our best player went out at the beginning of the season. It doesn’t take a hockey guru to figure out we may struggle. What coach is going to take this young team where our 16 year olds are arguably our best players and win night in and out? What were your expectations?
ReplyDelete@Gdc I will tell you my expectations. I want a team to compete for the 2013 memorial cup and beyond. I expect our team to stock pile talent where I can watch the World Juniors and be proud of my Lethbridge Hurricanes on the team. I can watch the first round of the NHL draft and cheer when our Lethbridge Hurricanes get drafted in the first round. I expect us to retain our first round picks and hit on them unlike Mr. S and keep the youth coming in the system. I don't expect change simply due to the struggles of our youth. It takes time. FACT.
ReplyDelete@ all the people who want to pin this year on Preston. WAKE UP! He he didn't put us in this pickle. If you want to point finger AND shell out all your FACTS, understand this FACT......Stasiuk traded away all our draft picks. Ya, a lot of these guys weren't here when Stasiuk was here, but they ARE DEFINITELY HERE BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION HE CREATED! PRESTON'S HAD TO TRY TO RE-TOOL THIS TEAM BY SHIPPING OUT PLAYERS THAT STASIUK DRAFTED. RYCKMAN, JACKSON AND ANSDERSON ARE JUST THE MOST RECENT. HOW DID THEY LOOK???? IF YOU CAN'T FIGURE THAT OUT, NO AMOUNT OF FACTS CAN HELP YOU!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious you don't understand junior hockey and that this is hard on you. My expectations for this year didn't include a playoff appearance, so none of this comes as a surprise. I knew this team would struggle, so this isn't hard for me to take. Sit back and relax, you're going to give yourself a coronary.
@Anonymouses
ReplyDeleteYou want a team to compete for the 2013 Mem Cup? Dream on.
My expectations were clear at the beginning of the season. Struggle and have a long loosing streak which will harm the development of the good youth on the roster. All due to Preston's poor roster management and player development.
My future expectations are for some of the good youth to request a ticket out of town and blue chippers to not develop under current hockey management. I also see Preston to continue to fail at the Import Draft. This is all if Preston and company stay long term.
GDC
@Anonymous (8:27am).......thanks for using an ID......and for the lesson in blogging. Unfortunately, you don't create our Internet. WE ARE ALL BLOGGERS!!!!! Ya, Pat created this blog, but we are blogging on it. Now let's stick to the topic of giving this team a chance to rebuild and stop rushing into dumb ass/knee-jerk reactions.
ReplyDelete@GDC.........those are the expectations of a Hurricane fan?? You're allegiance reminds me of a coward. The first sign of trouble, you tuck your tale and run. When you're caught, you lie and claim you were never a Hurricane fan. It's not my problem you can't figure out how junior hockey works, but it is what it is. It's not the NHL where you fire the coach every 2 years until you find the right one.
ReplyDeleteI can tell this is a lost cause, so I'll leave it at that.
@GDC Again what coach is going to take this young team and have it win game in and out this year? With one 7th round NHL draft pick on our team. Simple question. What have you heard that suggests Merkley, Erkamps, Pilon and Duke are going to want out? Someone’s also got a take a shot at Fyten, he as well thought this team was going to contend for the memorial cup soon with the upcoming talent. What a clown. *sarcasm*
ReplyDeleteThis is directed to the person who didn't think Balog did anything? If you check Stats. He was tied for second on the team in pre-season behind Braes with 3 goals and an assist. What was Rich thinking sending him home. When decisions like that are made is it any wonder they are where they are.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what Rich was thinking. If this kid is at home playing video games wouldn't you question his desire to play hockey? What trade value would someone with that amount of desire bring? What Whl team would want him? I would think all other WHL teams have his preseason stats? Just a guess.
ReplyDeleteWhat WHL team would want him you ask? My sources tell me that he has been listed with the Calgary Hitmen and is currently playing in the SJHL with the Weyburn Red Wings. Maybe they'll call him up when we play against Calgary. In any case we wish these young players all the best in the future!
ReplyDeleteStrange. Balog is not on the Red Wings or Hitman site. Guess they haven't updated their site.
ReplyDelete