My Thoughts Post Red White Game...

Sunday's Spokane Chiefs red white game.  A chance to see the players in a game and enjoy some free hockey.  It's also a good chance to see how the young ones play to see who can make the roster and how the returning players have spent the summer.  Seeing some of the fans and friends that I haven't seen since the playoff loss to Victoria gives this game something of a first day of school feel to it.  That's one of the many things there is to like about it.

First off, the returning players.  I thought Hudson Elynuik looked good at camp but was off during the red white game.  He looked like he was just going through the motions.  Both Yamanoto brothers looked good, as did Zwerger and Bechtold.  Sad that we can't keep both of them.  Miske played well.  So did Anderson-Dolan and Mcindoe.  Defensively the Chiefs are a rock.  With Helgesen, Fiala, Hamaliuk, Henderson, and Faith returning they are solid on the back end.  I think I'm going to like Sittler in net.  He really keeps his composure and doesn't get rattled easily.  That will come in handy against the higher scoring teams in the league.

Now the newbies.  Ty Smith is the real deal.  I don't mind an aggressive defensemen if they play well, and he did all the right things on Sunday.  Leduc is good but probably a year away from making the roster.  I'm sold on Jake McGrew.  He played hard every time he hit the ice.  Koby Morriseau and Eli Zummack could make the team also.  I'd give Morriseau the advantage over Zummack but both are good.  As far as the goalies go Matt Berlin did not look comfortable in net.  Hopefully that changes in the tournament in Everett as I expect him to get plenty of ice time along with Donovan Buskey, who played great on Sunday.  Buskey could play himself into the backup goalie spot if he continues that good play.  I thought the new Euro players did well.  With Zwerger still around who knows what is going to happen there.

Regardless of who makes the final roster I am going to like watching this team.  It's been a few years since anyone has really had a chance to say this but the Chiefs are on the rise once again.  This weekend's tournament in Everett is going to tell much about this team.

Thoughts During Camp

Three days of scrimmages have come and gone and now it's time for the Spokane Chiefs annual red white game on Sunday.  I always go to the scrimmages to see the upcoming players and to get excited about hockey again.  In some ways it has a Christmas time feel for me.

Let me say this right off the top:  This team is going to be fun to watch.  There is a lot of young talent on this roster that reinforces my belief that the Spokane Chiefs are on the rise again.  Before camp I thought Matt Berlin was a neat lock for the backup goalie.  After the way Donovan Buskey played I am less certain of that.  Buskey looked rock solid during the time I saw him.  He has a good eye on the puck and doesn't overplay anything.  Ty Smith is definitely legit.  I noticed a couple of times that he was out of position on the first day but by day 2 that seemed to be corrected.  Koby Morrisseau looked great.  I think he makes the final roster.  He definitely connected with McIndoe.  Also playing well with Morriseau and McIndoe was Jake McGrew.  I didn't mention him before camp and now I feel bad about that.  He's a solid player that worked hard every shift.  Wouldn't be surprised at all if he makes the team.  Eli Zummack also looked good and I think will show that the Helewka trade was a good one.

The returning vets looked about the way I thought they would.  Kailer Yamamoto and Jared Anderson-Dolan look primed for their draft year.  Hudson Elynuik looked like he was ready to be a leader.  Helgesen and Fiala looked strong (I think one of those two wears the 'C' this season).  Sittler looked comfortable in net.  If he has a good season the Chiefs will go far.

The roster will now get trimmed for the red white game on Sunday.  Definitely looking forward to that.  After all, it's free hockey!

Thoughts Before Camp...

Spokane Chiefs camp starts Thursday and I get excited for this time of year. It's been nearly five months since the Chiefs lost their last playoff game against Victoria.  Waiting is over and now I get to see 63 players compete at scrimmages for the next three days.  Naturally like many Chiefs fans I have some thoughts on what to expect for this year.

First off, the goalies.  It was already going to be interesting what they would do here.  Then they traded for 20 year old Jayden Sittler from Lethbridge and that had me feeling like this:

At the time that was an odd trade.  Spokane was possibly going into camp with two 19 year old and one 20 year old goalies.  However, with Petersen being traded to Everett and Verhelst going to college things have gotten much clearer.  Sittler is likely the starter with Matt Berlin likely as the backup unless Donovan Buskey can show he's ready.  Buskey is no slouch, but I think he'll get one more year in development before being brought up.

Second, the defensemen.  I think this will be the strength of the Chiefs this season.  Yes, Jason Fram is gone and losing a five year player and two year captain is a hole to fill.  But the Chiefs are deep here.  Evan Fiala and Tyson Helgesen would be a solid top line and Jordan Henderson and Dalton Hamaliuk would make a solid second line.  And anyone who has seen Ty Smith play knows that kid is legit.  I expect him to get a lot of playing time as a rookie on the third line with Toporoski, Faith, or even Trent Huitema, who played very little at the end of last season but impressed me.  They also have Jake Harrison and Matt Leduc waiting in the wings.  With this depth I wouldn't be surprised if the Chiefs traded a defensemen for a front line player or prospects.

And finally, the forwards.  The most interesting part of the forwards is the fact the Dominic Zwerger is still on the roster along with two European born players that the Chiefs drafted in the import draft this past summer.  Zwerger would fill one of the 3 overage spots as well as one of the two Euro spots.  If they keep Zwerger they would have to get rid of one of the new Euro players as well as two other overage players (assuming Sittler stays on the team).  I don't think Keanu Yamamoto is going anywhere which means Bechtold and Cardiff would be odd players out.  If that pans out Spokane would still have some good scoring from Zwerger, Kyler Yamamoto, Keanu Yamamoto, Hudson Elynuik, and Jared Anderson-Dolan.  Add Miske to the mix who played better last season and Ethan McIndoe who was a nice surprise last season and you will have some good lines up front.  Ross and Ostir should also get more ice time this season which should help them improve.  I also think that Logan Foster, Koby Morrisseau, and Eli Zummack have good shots to make the team.  Regardless of what happens with the Euro situation this team will be fun to watch.

Camp starts Thursday and runs through Saturday.  Red/ White Game is Sunday.  Good luck to all of the players attending camp this season.  I'm looking forward to watching it.

Speltz

There has been a true end of an era for the Spokane Chiefs as general manager Tim Speltz is stepping down to take a job in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.  I have been going to Chiefs games for a while now and Speltz is the only general manager I have ever known.  He has been the general manager for 26 years, which is longer than the Spokane Arena has been around.

I know there have been those that wanted him to step down sooner but I for one will miss him as general manager.  Not many general managers in the WHL can say they were a part of three Memorial Cup tournaments while winning two of them.  Just winning one Memorial Cup is extremely difficult.  Just ask Tri-City or Seattle fans.  Winning two is a pretty big feat.  These will be big shoes to fill.  I wish him the best of luck in the next chapter of his hockey career.

It will be interesting to see who replaces him.

Hockey can wait a bit

I was planning on some outstanding hockey writing today but then this happened......

This might take a while.

Hockey next week.

It was never meant to be this long.....

Seven Years.  Has it really been that long?  I didn't plan on that.  It was the normal excuses:  I'll post tomorrow.  I'm too busy.  I'm too tired.  I don't know what to say.  Then it just went away. I flat gave up on it and moved on.  I was surprised to see it still up when I bumped into it by accident.  Things really do stay on the internet forever.  Anyway, time to put the excuses in the past and see what I can do with this again.

Some things have changed.  New dog.  Well, not new.  She's been around for five years now.  Her name is Wembley and she is the best dog I could possibly have right now.  Probably rescued me as much as I rescued her.  She was rescued when she was three, which now makes her eight years old (that's ok.  I hear eight is the new five now).  New car.  My old one was hit three years ago while it was parked.  It's amazing how much damage an SUV can cause to an unattended parked car when they're not paying attention.  And of course I'm older now, perhaps wiser.  Perhaps not.  Depends on what day it is.  I still love sports but have let my geek flag fly more proudly.  It's not that geek is in thing right now as much as it's a I'm-a-geek-and-if-you-don't-like-it-I-don't-care thing.  And yes, I've used geek terms to describe sports  (Hockey:  It's like Quidditch on ice).

And then there's the Spokane Chiefs.  I still love the Chiefs.  I've been going to the games for sixteen years and have been a season ticket holder for ten.  I've made some great friends and met lots of  good people.  This is much a part of me as anything is.  It's really what brought me back to this blog.  Fall camp is two weeks out.  I'll be there.  Home opener is October 1st.  I'll be there, too.  Yelling and screaming like a crazy person.  I'm really looking forward to the season.  How much?  You should see how many stuffed animals I have already for the Teddy Bear Toss game.  Lots to talk about this season.  It will be fun.

I promise my next post won't be seven years from now.