Sour Grapes Or The Gospel Truth?
- No team has been affected more by the late start of NHL training camps than the Kelowna Rockets. When all is said and done, it may be five games - at a minimum - into the season before all 9 players are back playing junior hockey. Luke Schenn and Jamie Benn will be the late stragglers, if they return at all. Being without top end players not only hurts the Rockets in the standings but it brings down the level of play across the league when it needs it most, at the start of the season. Play is sluggish and choppy as is without these marquee players. If I was a season ticket holder I'd be pissed if Seattle's Thomas Hickey or Everett's Kyle Beach weren't in the lineup when that particular team came to town. I want to see the best of the best in this age group, but with NHL training camps starting so late I'm seeing several teams icing extremely young rosters. I doubt it's the reason why opening night crowds in Prince George, Kootenay and Portland were laughable, but it would keep me away from spending my hard earned money. Maybe watching games from January on is a good idea. Then the rosters are set and the play will surely be close to it's peak.
- Cody Almond won't be in the lineup Wednesday when the Minnesota Wild meet Columbus in an NHL exhibition game. Almond will be watching the game from the press box. While Almond is obviously enjoying the experience of rubbing shoulders with the pro players in practice, why don't the Wild do the player and your partner - the CHL - a favor by sending him back to junior so he can help his team? In my opinion that junior age player should be in that early exhibition game. If not, he should be back in junior. The fact that many of these teams are dragging their feet by not playing these prospects, yet are holding onto them, is having a huge impact. Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers are two examples of players who are with their respective pro teams, yet have failed to see any pre-season action. If they are so called 'bubble players', should they not be thrown into an early exhibition game to separate the wheat from the chaff?
- If you have no idea what I meant in that last sentence, ask a farmer!
- I've never been much of a 'numbers' guy, but this caught my eye. The Rockets will be playing their 949th regular season game Friday night in Kamloops. Those numbers are courtesy of 13 seasons in Kelowna since the team moved from Tacoma for the start of the 1995-96 season. The Rockets will play their 1 thousandth regular season game February 7th against - you guessed it - the Blazers on the road.
5 comments:
It is the Gospel Truth that season ticket holders have a right to be pissed when marquee players don't show up but at least there will be other opportunities this season. What made me angry last year was that I, (as a Brandon Wheat King S.T. holder) missed my one chance to see Luke Schenn play in Brandon because his one career game here was scheduled during the WJHC.
Any word on Dowzak? I see he isn't scheduled to play again tonight for NYR. I have a hard time understanding why team these guys and not get them in any games. The longer Dowzak is gone makes me wonder if he is close to signing and sticking with their AHL squad.
I get how teams want their stud picks like Myers and Schenn to get a feel of the show but when Almond, Benn and Dowzak keep sitting in the stands instead of playing, that is tough to take.
Ryan, I have no clue where Dowzak is. I don't even see him on the Rangers training camp roster. Maybe he's been demoted to their AHL team? I am on the hunt for him.
And Gord, I feel your pain. The league is getting so big that making only a single trip into Brandon every second season is a shame. If I couldn't have seen Wade Redden in his hay day out West, I would have been upset too.
Most teams keep enough players for two full rosters during exhibition games. This gives them the opportunity to test different lines and try to find that one stand out player in the mix. It worked for the Edmonton Oilers (Sam Gagner) and Chicago Blackhawks (Patrick Kane) last year.
Jamie Benn is on Dallas' second team and did not play the opener against St. Louis. He will likely suit up against Colorado later today, and then sit out another exhibition game in the future as Dallas tests lines. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Tysen Dowzak's situation isn't as ordinary though. He is no longer listed by the Rangers for their exhibition rosters, but has not been released to the WHL, or sent to the AHL yet. This leads me to think the Hartford Wolfpack are working out their team roster right now, and depending on Bobby Sanguinetti making the leap to the NHL this year, or not, Dowzak could be in Hartford's plans. Until then, Dowzak and the Rockets will have to wait.
Then again, there could also be a typo on the Rangers site and Dowzak's name just happened to slip off the exhibiton scratches list?
On a less optimistic note, the Rangers may have already contacted the Wolfpack and told them that they intend to keep BobSan for at least 9 games. If that's the case, the Wolfpack could be talking contract with Dowzak to fill that hole.
As for Cody Almond, I wouldn't be too concerned about a return date in the near future. Minnesota currently has five centres under contract.(Koivu, Bouchard, Belanger, Sheppard, Locke) Not to mention top prospects Colton Gillies (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) and Morten Madsen (Houston Aeros, AHL) still remain on the Wild roster and have been doing well.
Jasperoni....good thoughts. Because Benn is a signed player, Dallas can keep him for as long as they want, and the Leafs are doing the right thing by playing Schenn early and giving him a truck load of ice time. Myers should get in some exhibition games, as they want to see what their 1st rounder can do.Cody Almond confuses me though. My take is he will be in Minnesota until Tuesday, which should see playing in a few exhibition games I would think?
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