Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Leo Looking Forward to Debut

I spoke to Brady Leavold for the first time today. The kid is well spoken, and appears to be upbeat about moving closer to home and joining a new team. Leavold admitted in an interview that he and Broncos head coach Dean Chynoweth often didn't see eye to eye, yet it was interesting that Chynoweth drove Leavold to Calgary before he boarded a plane to Kelowna. Let's best honest here. If Chynoweth really couldn't stand the kid, would he have spent 5 hours with Brady on the ride up to Cow-Town?

  • Leavold looks like Bobby Clarke - the player. No front teeth means this dude has been in his share of battles over his hockey career. Leavold knows his role, and admits he can talk trash on the ice like no other. The Rockets were looking for a Simon Ferguson proto-type. Something tells me, they've found their man.
  • Leavold has a confident swagger about him, something desperately missing from the Rockets roster. My general impression is Brady won't be intimidated by the opposition, will play in-your-face hockey, and will make his linemates play a few inches taller and a few pounds heavier.
  • Colin Joe appears to be ready for his first regular season game Friday against the T-Birds. The 19 year-old veteran now has a playing cast on his wrist, and is ready to contribute as one of the Rockets top 4 d-men.
  • Matt Brusciano returned to practice, but is still wearing a yellow jersey, which means don't touch me. Brusciano is working his way back into the lineup after suffering from a concussion.
  • Which overage player sits this weekend? Unless James McEwan can't play with a sore groin, it will be interesting to see who sits in the stands. Leavold makes his debut Friday night, so he's out of the equation.
  • And then their were four! Now that Jason MacDonald has been released, the two players remain in last December's deal with the Pats is Justin Bernhardt and Kyle St. Denis. The Pats boast Kirt Hill and Troy Ofukany, after Kaspars Sauleitis suffered a seperated shoulder and was promptly released.
  • Former Rocket Craig Cuthbert has ended up in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Bonnyville Pontiacs, and has 1+2=3 in 2 games.

No comments: