- I've had a few days to sit back and reflect on the season that was for the Kelowna Rockets. What an amazing season for a team that technically finished as the 6th seed in the WHL's overall standings, yet managed wins over heavyweights Tri City, Vancouver and Calgary to win the league title. Being the 6th seed and winning a league title only makes you question the merits of pushing a team to the limit in order to capture a regular season title. Is it worth pushing your team to be declared regular season champions, or is managing a team and getting on a roll late in the season (ie: after Christmas) put you in a better position to have success when it really counts, the playoffs? In three years time you will be hard pressed when asked who won the regular season title in 2008-2009, but you will likely have an easier time of answering who the league champions were that season.
- After the Rockets successes after the trade deadline, what does that say about the trade deadline and how you can significantly upgrade a team for a long push in the playoffs? While the Rockets had a strong team prior to the deadline, four moves made by the hockey team (Backlund, Duval, Grantham, Guggenberger) put them in elite company. The last time the Rockets made a significant plunge at the trade deadline to make noise in the playoffs was in 2001-2002 when Nick Marach and Shane Bendera were picked up to bolster a lineup that also included Chuck Kobasew, who left Boston College that summer to play his 19 year-old season with the Rockets.
- I don't think the coaching staff get the credit they deserve for molding this team once those four players were acquired at the deadline. Four new individuals in your dressing room can often times upset the apple cart, yet all four only added, not subtracted from the teams overall goal of winning a league title.
- I find it interesting that all three of the Rockets league championships have been won by three different coaches. Marc Habscheid (2003), Jeff Truitt (2005) and Ryan Huska (2009) were at the helm. Two of the three moved on to the pro ranks. How much longer does coach Huska stick around before diving into the pro game?
- While the Rockets lose close to 8 players from this years team, what's to suggest that others can't pull up the slack and have career seasons? We see it every season. Players who had a secondary role on the team this season will be put into key positions and will prosper. Why can't Kyle St. Denis have a 30 goal season next year? Lucas Bloodoff has to be captain material in his 20 year-old season unless he signs with a pro team. How can Tyson Barrie not have a productive offensive season on the blue line. How about Mitchell Callahan? Twenty fight majors and 14 goals as a 17 year-old is awfully impressive. Can that same number of fighting major be pulled back with the offensive totals taking a jump forward? Absolutely. He may be just 16, but does Shane McColgan not make a significant impact in his rookie season? Could he score 25 goals, much like Justin Keller did as a 17 year-old? Tell him he can't, and then watch this kid prosper.
- What can't be lost in the appearance at the Memorial Cup is the benefit it was for the Rockets younger players. Those 18 and younger can only use it as a positive experience looking forward. Adam Brown, Kyle Verdino and Curt Gogol saw limited ice time, but just seeing and experiencing what it takes to play at that elite level should have a lasting impact.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
A Look Back And A Look Ahead
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Regan as a long time player, coach and scout I have to take issue with several of your observations. First of all any team having the number of draft picks that Kelowna had on the roster this year HAS to be expected to perform well. Rumour is that the Rocket players as a group decided to play for the team, not necessarily for the coaching staff. You give Huska way too much credit for this teams success. Any WHL team that boasts that many draft picks has to be considered a contender. I have it on good authority that the Hitmen consider the line up iced in Rimouski was inferior and beatable, with the insertion of an injury prone forward and the disection of a highly effective energy line that had a lot of scouts appraisals in a positive sense. There is no pride in finishing the Nationals that poorly and if anything it totally exposed coaching flaws. In addition if you think players like Callahan, Bloodoff, Gogol and Verdino enjoyed watchimg the CHL title slip away well I suggest you contact any of them and ask them how it felt to see two lines unable to compete as they sat there. Even better, ask any scout or media person. No way should Windsor have beat Kelowna twice. Do not insult pro scouts by inferring Huska is ready to move on. Hay and Lowry are already in line. Nice WHL title, be proud.But that is it. Bad finish.....tired guys and poorly prepped goalie...
Being in the championship final, losing one game in the round robin by a single goal and you look at that as bad ending to a good season? The Rockets did not bring their 'A' game to the Memorial Cup, but ask the Kootenay Ice in 2000 when they went 0 and 3 how hard that tournament is to win and to find enough gas in the tank to play at the emotional level you did in three previous tough playoff rounds.
Is Huska ready to move on? He appears to be happy here, but no question he is one of the best young coaches in the game. Huska turns 35 in July and has a bright future ahead of him in my opinion.
Regan, do you have any recent news on Brett Bulmer's development? Will he be ready to play in the WHL next season?
Also, if McMillan is moved back to fwd, won't that leave a big hole in their D? Have you heard if Nick Pryor will be joining the Rockets next season?
hey regan, do you see adam brown being the starter next year. you didn't say anything about the goalies
Do you use an overage spot for one of the goaltenders? Lucas Bloodoff and Guggenberger are the only two returning 20's, with Long also a possibility. Traditionally the Rockets have had older goaltenders, 19+ as starters. Derek Yeomans became a full time starter at 19, Shane Bendera was 19, Kelly Guard played as a 19 and 20 year-old, Kris Westblom was a starter at 20. But is Adam Brown ready and able..yes.
Bulmer should be ready to play. The Prince George resident was second in midget league scoring with 28+35=63. But it's one thing to score in midget and another to produce at the major junior level.
As for McMillan, I have a tough time moving him to forward after what he showed me on d. But this league is all about development, and I am sure Anaheim would prefer him at forward.
I agree with Regan that Huska is an excellent coach and is deserving of at least a look as a pro level guy. Taking a team as deep as he did is a sure sign that he can do the job. Too bad about the final it looked like Kelownas stars were out of gas. Great run, see you next year.
Regan,
I must say it has been a pleasure to follow the Rockets trek through the Memorial Cup, it is definitely a shame that the boys could not bring the Cup home. I am a Tri-City Americans fan, they moved here from New Westminster when I was 3, but I will say that after finding and following your blog for the past few months, I will always have a soft spot for the Rockets. Thank you for filling my hockey fix and good luck this summer!
~Matt
P.S. I agree so much as to how much I dislike the Toyota Center. It's one of the reason I only watch the Ams and Chiefs play in Spokane.
Hey Matt, thanks for visiting. I hope this blog added to your experience of following the Rockets this season. This is a 'Rockets friendly' blog, so you won't find much dirt on here. I'll leave that to other bloggers. Have a great summer and come back and visit the blog in the fall.
Thank you for taking the time and effort into making this blog possible. It is always nice to hear the perspective from the booth. I enjoy watching the videos especially, I feel like I just enjoyed a week in Rimouski myself.
Keep up the good work, and you will see me around here a lot.
~Matt
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