I've got questions

• Can the Rockets avoiding another terrible start? Winning just four of their first 14 regular season games one year ago had many on this blog calling for the coaches head. Ridiculous, but true. Had they even played .500 hockey during that stretch they would have had a shot at a 50 win season. Instead they ended up with a solid 43 victories, which claimed a BC Division title.
• Can the Rockets be a better home team this season? The Rockets earned more points on the road (44 pts) than they did on home ice last season (43 pts). Six of the teams first eight home games last season were losses.
  
• Never mind the home record, can they be equally as good on the road? A 22 win season on opposition nice last season was awfully impressive. On more nights than not the Rockets goaltending was lights out in front of a hostile crowd. Adam Brown, in particular, was often named a game star. The Rockets tied Red Deer for the league low in goals allowed on opposition ice (93).
• Who scores? The Rockets return just one of their top four point producers from one season ago. Geordie Wudrick's 43 goals are gone. So are Tyson Barrie's 58 points. Mitchell Callahan's 23 goals and 54 points are likely dust as the 20 year-old plays pro hockey this season. Only leading scorer Shane McColgan is back (21G and 66 points) among the top four. In total, the Rockets lose 215 points from last season with the departure of Wudrick, Barrie, Callahan and Evan Bloodoff.
• Can the coaches keep Adam Brown and Jordon Cooke happy? Brown was the workhorse while Cooke awaited the occasional start. This season Cooke wants to play instead of being an innocent bystander. Cooke has his work cut out for him as he attempts to earn more starts in front of last years team MVP.
• Can rookie Tyson Baillie be an offensive threat during the regular season? The still 15 year-old (doesn't turn 16 until Nov) led the team in scoring in pre-season, but it would be asking a little much for him to be a point a game player against the league's elite. But if Baillie could register close to 40 points, the Fort Saskatchewan product would exceed expectations. You have to remember Colton Sissons had 41 points in his rookie campaign, which included 17 goals.
  
• How steep will the learning curve be for rookie defenceman Madison Bowey, Jesse Lees and Tanner Moar? Two of those three are just 16 year-old and newcomer Cole Martin is just 17. With four of seven rookie defenceman in the lineup, the forwards are going to be required to offer a helping hand in their own zone and the goaltenders will have to make a few more saves as these new faces find their footing.
  
• I have no science for this, but every year I like to project that a player will earn ten more goals than he scored the year previous. So if that theory, or lack of theory holds true, Shane McColgan should score 31 goals this season, Zach Franko should have 32 goals and Brett Bulmer should respond 28 times. Throw in Colton Sissons with 27 and Cody Chikie with 23 and the Rockets should be causing heart palpitations for opponents in the offensive zone.
  
• Cody Chikie must be large, not occasionally, but every night. As a 20 year-old, Chikie has to make an impact every time he steps on the ice. Small with good skating ability, Chikie has to draw the attention of the oppositions top defensive pairing. His 13 goals last season just isn't enough in that valued overage forward spot.
• Can import Filip Vasko make an immediate impact? It was only pre-season but Vasko (1+4=5) produced and showed he wanted to get involved. Vasko needs just 19 points - 3 goals and 16 assists - to surpass the miserable totals that European's Andreas Stene and Gal Koren put up in a combined 91 regular season games one year ago.