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The "Trade" Opinions · Friday November 9, 2007

Here is some of the around the league opinions of the multi-player trade with Lethbridge and Moose Jaw.

Prince George Herald:

“The long-suffering Hawks, mired in last place in the WHL standings at 3-15-0-0, will be the third WHL team for Kerr, who was taken first overall in the 2004 bantam draft by the Prince George Cougars, a selection that is all but certain to go down as the biggest mistake of Dallas Thompson’s career. Kerr, Sceviour, Bobbee and Ehrhardt are all former first-round choices.”

Moose Jaw Times:

“In Frazer McLaren, we’re getting a true leader. We’re getting a five -year veteran guy,” said Hunchak. “We’re getting a big strong power forward that’s going to create room for himself and guys like (Riley) Holzapfel, (Jason) Bast, (Tomas) Karpov, etc., and he can score. It’s not often guys get drafted at 19 years old.” McLaren has been one of the noted tough guys out in Portland for most of his lengthy WHL career. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2007 NHL entry draft by San Jose. Ariss has 30 penalty minutes in 10 games this season. With all the trades, Hunchak thinks this will get the Warriors closer to the identity they want to have — a tougher team to play against. “We want to be a physical team,” Hunchak said. “We want to be a team that competes hard every night, and if you get something against the Moose Jaw Warriors, you’re going to have to earn it.” The trigger for the deal, Hunchak said, was the Warriors’ overtime loss in Vancouver Oct. 26.

Alan Caldwell:

“For Portland, getting Bobbee and Ehrhardt is probably going to improve their ability to move the puck out of their zone – a real problem for them so far this year, which p-b-p guy Andy Kemper touched on in his blog earlier this morning, before the trades. Kerr will provide some decent defensive play and a little toughness to help replace what they lose with McLaren’s departure. Kerr is probably not more than a middleweight but it’s something anyway. So, their back end is probably better for these moves. The problem for them (IMO anyway) is that up front they have just moved out three of their top six scorers from an offence which didn’t have much punch to begin with – and haven’t really gotten back much scoring help to replace them. Voytechek will score some points but Grecica and the two Dietrichs probably aren’t going to provide much pop.

Frazer’s Phrases:

“Wow, Portland’s cleaning house (I guess) today. And Moose Jaw, on paper, looks like they are a much better team than they were yesterday.”

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Hawks Make Multi-Player Trade · Thursday November 8, 2007

Hawk management made a serious move today to right the ship and plug the back line play with a multi-player trade.

The Hawks sent Colton Sceviour, Nick Hotson, and Lucas Alexiuk to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for defensemen Ryan Kerr and Travis Bobbee; and Forwards Jacob and Nick Dietrich.

The Hawks also sent Frazer McLaren, Ty Ariss and a fifth round draft pick in 2008 to the Moose Jaw Warriors for Travis Ehrhardt and Forwards Keith Voytechek and Jason Grecica.

Totals

All total, the Hawks pick up three defensemen (Ryan Kerr, Travis Bobbee, and Travis Ehrhardt) and give up two (Lucas Alexiuk and Ty Ariss).

The Hawks pick up 4 forwards (Jacob Dietrich, Nick Dietrich, Keith Voytechek and Jason Grecica) and give up 3 forwards (Colton Sceviour, Nick Hotson, and Frazer McLaren.

More on this later.

— S. Blanchard

Chiefs vs. Hawks - Game 15 · Tuesday October 30, 2007

Its kind of like playing against your little brother. No matter what he does you know you can turn it on and beat him at will. That is what the Chiefs first four goals in the first 5 minutes of the game seemed like—an endless layup drill in basketball—smooth, effortless and in control.

I sat there watching each time and was amazed at how easy it was. I sure wish that was my team. I felt sorry for Mucha being replaced by White so early but the team had nothing to give and the night was just beginning.

The team did try to come back in the first period and with a goal from Hotson (2) with assist from Alexiuk and McLaren, the Hawks were trying to get in the game. The period ends being being out shoot by the Chiefs 15-10.

Any momentum was lost after the Chief’s Koper notched his first goal of the game at 3:29 in the second period.

The team seamed tired and by the time they got some energy, the game was over. Beyond Aaron McGill I saw little fight in the Hawks. It could be they just didn’t have anything left after the last two nights. This may be a tougher season than I thought.

Attendance: 2756
Memorial Coliseum

Game Description

Game Summary

Kemper’s Three Stars

Blackwater (SPO), Roman (SPO), Koper (SPO)

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Wheaties vs. Hawks - Game 14 · Monday October 29, 2007

A competitive game for the young Hawks all the way until then end when Panychson fumbled the puck in the offensive end to give Ty Dittmer an open net goal and a 4-2 lead.

Strange game played with virtually no special teams play, both Portland and Brandon finished the night 0 for 1 on the power play. I think Matt Kirk and the other officials just weren’t interested in calling tickie-tag fouls. Personally I am not a fan of watching special team play (PP,PK) and like the up and down style of 5-on-5 and 4-on-4. I just have never seen a game like that.

This style of hockey seems to suit the young Hawks with their speed and ethusiasiam. Most nights the Hawks look painfully inept when it comes to the PP and cannot seem to handle the puck when pressure is applied.

Overall a good performance by the Hawks with out a good result.

Attendance: 2736
Memorial Coliseum

Game Description

Game Summary

Kemper’s Three Stars

Hayes (TRI), Lowry (TRI), Mucha (POR)

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Hawks vs. Chiefs - Game 7 · Saturday October 13, 2007

Defensive mistakes and poor power play results set the Hawks up for another road loss giving the team a record of (1-6-0-0); the one win coming at Everett. The Hawks were out shot (43-24) and were (0-5) on the power play.

Attendance: 4804
Spokane Veteran Memorial Arena

Game Summary

Game Notes:

Here are some of the highlights.

Period 1

5:13 – After a questionable hooking call on Schmermund, the Chiefs go on a power play with Bruton (3) scoring off a rebound save by Guggenberger on a shot by Bowman.

10:44 – A back breaker short hand goal by Johnson (2) after stealing a pass by Colton Sceviour in the neutral zone and skating in one-on-one against Hawk’s goalie Guggenberger to give the Chiefs a 2 goal lead.

17:44 – The Hawks come back with a nice wrist shot by Francis (1) after a face off win by Sceviour in the Chief’s zone. The shot zoomed by Armstrong off his blocker side giving the Hawks some renewed hope near the end of the period.

Period 2

Hawks come out of the period with just what the doctor order a quick tying goal:

2:19 – Hawk’s Undershute off a face off in the Chief’s zone, played the puck forward to Valchar (1) for a nice wrist shot passed Chief’s goalie Armstrong.

The Hawks momentum and chance for a win ends 62 seconds later

3:22 – The Hawks coughed up the puck off the boards in there own zone giving the puck to Bruton who centers it to Bowman (6) for the open net score.

Hawks couldn’t recover and 17 seconds later the Chief’s score again.

3:39 – Wahl (2) scores off a rebound shot by Reddington.

The Hawks finished the period being out shot 16-6 spending much of the rest of the period killing 2 Chief power plays from Alexiuk (tripping) and Panchyson (High Sticking).

Period 3

The Hawks ineptness on the power play showed up in the third period with 4 power play opportunities and no scores. With the dominance of puck control on the power play, the Hawks were still only able to out shoot the Chiefs by 1 (12-11).

The Kneeing of Ponich by Kelner and then Bruton’s tackle on Walker set off some bad blood at the end of the game.

Swystun and Reddington started the fight which sounded from Andy’s broadcast like a slight advantage to Reddington.

Then both goalies (Armstrong, Guggenberger) met at center ice where Guggenberger put many good shots on Armstrong as a decided winner. Guggenberger was impressive in his first WHL fight in regular season.

Chiefs Three Stars:

Wahl (SPO), Bruton (SPO), Spurgeon (SPO)

Guggenberger Shilo Inn’s most physical.

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Hawks vs. Silvertips - Game 5 · Saturday October 6, 2007

Overall a great performance by the Hawks. The Hawks badly in need of a win found it with a 3-0 victory at the Everett Event Center. This was the first meeting between the two teams both struggling in the win category. The Silvertips have not played good hockey this year and fan expectations are high. The Saturday night rematch should be fun.

Attendance: 5633

Game Summary

Game Notes:

Here are some of the highlights From Andy’s Radio Broadcast:

Period 1

Hawks own the first period with the first 8 shots on goal and the first score.

2:39 – Deflection goal at the net by Undershute (1) assists Alexiuk and Valchar

14:23 – Goal number 2, a shorthanded break away pass from Swystun to Sjodin (1)

Period 2

Early in the period Sceviour was hit by Beech into the door jam as someone was coming off the bench . Sceviour went to locker
and did not return. Post game comments state a thigh contusion and probably would not play Saturday.

Period 3

Hawks kill two Silvertip power plays making it difficult for shots to reach Mucha.

14:48 – Tyler Swystun (2) made great one-on-one move with a pretty backhand over the glove hand of Leland Irving.

18:41 – Mucha makes a great glove hand save on penalty shot taken by Zack Hamil. The original penalty shot call was on Undershute but neither broadcasts were aware that there was a foul.

Silvertips Three Stars:

Mucha (Por), Swystun (Port), Hamill (Evert)

Honorable mention: Valchar (Port)

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Hawk's Problems Point to 2003 Bantam Draft · Wednesday June 20, 2007

After reviewing the 2002, 2003, and 2004 Bantam draft it is clear why the Portland Winter Hawks are having trouble putting together a competitive team. 2003 was a disastrous year for Hawk draft picks starting with their number 1 pick 10th overall forward Sasha Golin.

Golin as a right winger/centerman showed promise in 05-06 with 10 goals, 18 assists, in 68 games, but dropped off the map in 06-07 with only 1 goal, 6 assists in 39 games. The Hawks lost faith in Golin’s upside and moved to 5th round pick Matt Schmermund acquired in a straight up trade with Kamloops.

After round one it got worse for the Hawks proceeding to get nothing from their 2nd round highly rated D-man Eric Gryba who recently signed with Boston U and their 3rd round pick Rhett Rakhshani, a top forward making an impact at the U of Denver. Both chose collegiate hockey over Major Juniors and both are highly regarded by NHL scouts.

Without Michael Sauer a 4th round bantam pick, they would be left with no impact players in the draft. But the 06-07 season was so bad that they quickly dumped their older players with any value leaving the franchise to flounder with a truly developmental team of mostly untested 16, 17, and 18 year olds.

As part of the “ look to future/get younger movement” Sauer was traded to Medicine Hat at the end of 2007 season for two 16-year-old D-man prospects in Patrick Weircoich (a 2005 2nd round draft pick) and Lee Morrow (a 2005 9th round draft pick).

To date Patrick Weircoich is keeping his options open playing for the Junior A Burnaby Express in the BCHL, but this seems more and more like a kid that that is not sure whether the WHL is for him. He also may go the way of Gryba, Rakhshani, and Knelson to the US college route.

You only have to look at the success of the 2003 bantam draft to find out who is at the top and bottom of the US division in 06-07. Everett drafts and signs: Zack Hamill, Peter Mueller, Brady Calla and Leland Irving. Portland drafts Sasha Golin, Erick Gryba, Justin Mazurek and Rhett Rakhshani and signs only Golin and Mazurek.

2003 (Today’s 19 year olds)

Red indicates players on the current roster.

All in all 2002 was a much better draft for the Hawks with Brandan Dubinsky, Fraser McLaren, and Dustin Butler all proven WHL players and if Dubinsky would have stayed in the league as a 20 year old he would have been considered one of the top 5 forwards in the league.

2002 Draft (Today’s 20 year olds)

The book is not yet written on the class of 2004 crop of 18 year olds but there does seem to be some hopeful early signs with Colton Sceviour who could be the most talented player in the group that shown in 2006 that he could make a difference if he can stay healthy. Kurtis Mucha with a fantastic season as a 16 year old, playing on the worst defensive team in the league as a 17 year old, hopefully will contributed positively to his development as an 18 year old.

2004 Draft (Today’s 18 year olds)

Dion Knelson is the little fish that has turned into a big fish that got away to the U of Alaska along with his older brother Brandon. He is just what the Winter Hawks need today a smart, quick, young, gifted scorer. He was the second leading scorer with the Drumheller Dragons with 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 28 games. At the U of Alaska was voted top rookie and earned “honorable mention” honors for the CCHA All Rookie Team.

According to NHL Prospects, on the NHL Central Scouting’s “Players to Watch” listing, Dion Knelsen is one of four collegians listed as an “A” player, meaning that he is one of the top players eligible for the 2007 NHL draft.

— S. Blanchard

US Divisional News · Friday January 18, 2008

— S. Blanchard

Comment