It's been a summer of change for Tim Kehler. The WHL's Swift Current Broncos didn't renew his contract as assistant coach after three seasons in Saskatchewan. However, it didn't take long for the former Smokies Coach to find a new home. Kehler is back in the BCHL with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. I had the chance recently to chat with him about returning to the Junior A ranks, his time in Trail, how he changed as a coach in the WHL and how much control he'll have over hockey ops in Salmon Arm. I also caught up with Silverbacks owner Randy Williams to discuss why Kehler is the right guy and general operations in Salmon Arm.
I told you a couple of months back on this blog about the new fight rules in the BCHL. The league has now released details of their agreement with other Junior A leagues and Hockey Canada. I continue to have a problem with the term "bullying" as I frankly don't think that suits much of what we ever see in the BCHL. I applaud the leauges in doing what they can to limit dangerous hits. However, I am not sure the six fight limit is in the best interests of the game. It's better than Hockey Canada imposing much stricter rules, but I don't see the change as an overall positive.
We'll have an interview with Rajan Sidhu and a training camp preview coming up on the blog before the end of the weekend. You can check out the training camp schedule by clicking here.
Word today out of Salmon Arm that Coach/GM RylanFersterhas stepped down. The former Smokies assistant was in his second term with the Silverbacks. He's had a lot of success there and will be difficult to replace. One can only assume from the press release that Ferster has found some kind of work at a higher level. What about a couple of the vacant WHL coaching jobs? The Kootenay Ice have had success with BCHL coaches before. We'll see where he lands. Good luck to Rylan who was always a class act and easy to deal with. Even when he was giving me a quick shove during my broadcast lats year!
Big turn over with Salmon Arm this year as they fired Coach Matt Hughes after the season and now need to replace their GM as well. It'll be interesting to see what names become available. There was speculation a few months ago that former Vipers Coach Troy Mick might be the name to slide in there. However, Mick has since moved from Revelstoke to a position with Pursuit of Excellence. I would think that takes him out of the running.
A couple of names that pop into my head as possibilities include Vipers assistant Jason Williamson. Hard not to be interested in a guy who was a big part of back to back national champions. What about a top KIJHL coach like Will Verner in in Fernie who has BCHL experience as well? I wonder if former Smoke Eaters Coach Tim Kehler is interested in getting back into the BCHL after being let go in Swift Current. I'm sure there will be applications coming in from all over the hockey world.
Most fans seem to want to talk about Salmon Arm's goaltending situation. I wonder if that will be an issue for any new coach lining up to take over the job. No matter what they won't be short in applicants as they've been a very successful team in a strong market. Good luck to them in their search.
Stay tuned to the blog as today or tomorrow I want to get in to the details of some pretty significant rule changes in the BCHL.
Just read on the Salmon Arm website that they've let go of Coach Matt Hughes. He took over as Head Coach this season after spending some time there as an assistant. Clearly the Silverbacks were disappointed by their lackluster finish to the regular season and first round exit against Quesnel. I think it's too early to give up on Matt Hughes... but I'm not in the room there. It's easy to have an opinion when you have no stake in it. I do know that with RylanFerster taking over the coaching duties again they'll still have an excellent coach behind the bench either way. I hope he'll be given full authority over hockey decisions. That being said, with Hughes getting let go today and Brian Youngson in Trail yesterday the league has lost a couple of real class acts (or "beauties" as the players would say) in the last 48 hours. Tough part of this business for sure.
What do you think?
I'm in Fernie right now broadcasting game 5 of the KIJHL semi-finals between Nelson and Fernie. They remember their alumni here for sure as I've had a ton of questions about Youngson no longer being with Trail. For the record I really don't have any definitive answers at this stage. The Leafs lead this series 3-1 with a chance to wrap it up tonight. Tune us in on your radio or if you're not in the Kootenays join us at http://www.mountainfm.net/
Wade Bennett is pictured here scoring his first BCHL goal. I had the chance to catch up with the first year Trail rover and Coach Ingram as the Smokies get set for Tuesday night's home game against Penticton.
Smokies forward Wade Bennett on his first BCHL goals
Don't forget the Smokies host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs later today (tonight) at the Cominco Arnea. After last night's terrific effort I think we can expect another battle against the Dogs.
Trail, BC - Smoke Eaters goaltender Kiefer Smiley celebrated his 100th BCHL game with a 3-2 win over Salmon Arm on Friday night.
Smiley made 23 saves and matched Tony Ierfino save for save in a dramatic third period. The Silverbacks netminder stopped 41 shots in a losing cause.
Ierfino kept Salmon Arm in the game as the Smoke Eaters carried the play through the first two periods. Despite doubling the Silverbacks in shots through two frames Trail only had a one goal lead.
Salmon Arm came on strong in the third period, but the Smokies shut the door and held on for a much needed victory.
Mike Betz, Paul Mailey and Steve Oursov scored for Trail.
The Smokies are still 2 points ahead of Prince George for the final playoff spot in the Interior Conference.
ON THE TRAIL: Graeme Strukoff and Curtis Tonello returned to Trail's line-up. Travis St. Denis, Justin Brown, Mitch Kaufmann and Thomas Abenante were still out of the line-up with injuries ... 16 year old Keanan Patershuk made his debut as an AP for Trail. The Kelowna native has 12 points in 43 games with Fernie in the KIJHL ... Strukoff, Tonello, Matt Wilkins, Wade Bennett and Sean Nugent had assists for Trail ... The Smoke Eaters earned went 2-3-1-1 against Salmon Arm this season ... The Alberni Valley Bulldogs make their only visit to the Cominco Arena on Saturday night ... The Smoke Eaters are 2 points ahead of Prince George for 7th but 3 back of Merritt for 6th and 4 back of Quesnel for 5th. The race is still tight between all four teams.
1. F Travis St. Denis (5-3-8) 2.F Nick Sandor (4-3-7) 2. F Scott Jacklin (1-6-7) 4. D Steve Koshey (0-5-5) 4. F Sam Mellor (2-3-5) 4. F Darnell Dyck (4-1-5) 4. F Matt Wilkins (1-4-5)
SALMON ARM TOP SCORERS
1. F Mark Zengerle (3-10-13) 2. D Greg Noyes (3-6-9) 3. F Tyler Gubb (8-2-10) 4. F David Killip (2-6-8) 4. F Corey Chakeen (4-4-8) 6. F Travis Statchuk (1-4-5) 6. F Devin Gannon (2-3-5)
GOALTENDERS
1. Tony Ierfino (SA) 2-1, 4.00GAA, 0. 883% 2. Kurt Williams (SA) 2-0-1, 4.30 GAA, 0.876% 3. Garrett Beckwith (TRA) 1-2, 4.85GAA, 0.860% 4. Kiefer Smiley (TRA) 0-2-1, 4.76GAA, 0.854%
This is a home game so it's not on the radio. It is available via BCHL PPV and there's a live stream on the BCHL website of both my broadcast and that of Salmon Arm's play by play man Patrick Haas.
Salmon Arm, BC - Trail couldn't hang on to five different leads in an 8-7 overtime loss to the Silverbacks on Sunday. It was a wild and sloppy effort by both teams that Greg Noyes ended early in the second extra frame.
The Smoke Eaters took an early 3-2 lead after the first period on goals by Travis St. Denis, Darnell Dyck and Nick Sandor.
Trail extended their lead in the second period as Steve Oursov scored his first goal since returning to the Smoke Eaters and Matt Wilkins made it 5-2 on the power play. However, the Silverbacks responded with the hard work of their third and fourth lines. Devin Gannon, Josh Manson and Matt Cassidy scored in the second half of the period to tie the game up.
The Smokies again took the lead twice in the third period. Sean Nugent scored to make it 6-5 and Oursov's second of the game gave Trail a 7-6 lead. Again they wouldn't hold up as goals by Noyes and Travis Statchuk sent the game to overtime.
St. Denis has 3 points for Trail while Oursov, Dyck, Wilkins and Paul Mailey had 2 each.
It was the second consecutive overtime loss for Trail as they've now earned 2 of a possible 6 points since returning from holiday break. The next action for the Smokies is Tuesday night at home against Peneticton. They'll welcome Merritt to the Cominco Arena again on Saturday.
ON THE TRAIL: Thomas Abenante was out of the line-up for Trail and is likely done for the remainder of the season after suffering a serious ankle injury against Merritt. Graeme Strukoff also missed the game with a lower body injury while Mike Betz was scratched ... The Smokies held BCHL points leader Mark Zengerle to a single assist but were burned by Salmon Arm's improving depth. The Silverbacks are starting to get some more production from their third and fourth lines as they make a push to challenge the three Okanagan clubs ahead of them in the Interior ... Garrett Beckwith made 25 saves in a losing cause for Trail. Kurt Williams stopped 32 of 39 Trail shots to get his second win against the Smokies this season ... Trail hadn't given up 8 goals in a game since November 13th in Vernon ... The Smokies now have a win, an overtime loss and a tie in six games against Salmon Arm this season. It's their best showing against any of the Interior's top teams. The two clubs face off again in February.
(I'll have highlights and post-game reaction tomorrow night on Mountain FM's Overtime. I also wanted to quickly congratulate Eric Walker's cousin Luke and Team USA for making the gold medal game at the World Junior Championship. They'll have a very tough time stopping Canada's quest for six straight wins, but it should be a heck of a game on Tuesday. You can watch that one at 4:30pm right before heading to the rink for the Trail game against Penticton.)
1. F Nick Sandor (3-3-6) 1. F Scott Jacklin (1-5-6) 3. F Travis St. Denis (4-1-5) 3. D Steve Koshey (0-5-5) 5. F Sam Mellor (2-2-4) 6. F Darnell Dyck (3-0-3) 6. F Matt Wilkins (0-3-3) 6. F/D Wade Bennett (0-3-3)
SALMON ARM TOP SCORERS
1. F Mark Zengerle (3-9-12) 2. F Tyler Gubb (7-2-9) 3. F David Killip (2-6-8) 4. D Greg Noyes (1-6-7) 5. F Corey Chakeen (3-3-6) 6. F Travis Statchuk (0-3-3) 6. F Charlie Vasaturo (0-3-3)
GOALTENDERS
1. Kurt Williams (SA) 1-0-1, 3.23GAA, 0.890% 2. Garrett Beckwith (TRA) 1-1, 3.50GAA, 0.905% 3. Tony Ierfino (SA) 2-1, 4.00GAA, 0. 883% 4. Kiefer Smiley (TRA) 0-2-1, 4.76GAA, 0.854%
The game is available on Mountain FM at 104.1 FM in Trial, 99.3 FM in Castlegar, 103.5 FM in Nelson and 96.7 FM in Grand Forks. It is also available on our website.
So who is Curtis Tonello? The interview will give you some sense of who he is and what he thinks he brings to the table. However, to get a clear picture of what we're dealing with I think it's also important to take a look at his background. If you look only at his BCHL stats so far you'll see a guy with 2 goals and 10 assists in 72 games. That would indicate someone who probably isn't a fixture on the power play nor a guy who is going to come in and provide a ton of scoring help. That fits with what Coach Jim Ingram said he's looking for Tonello to do. The Smokies want him to be a guy who can come in here and make smart, simple and sound defensive plays. They want someone who can make quick and calm decisions with the puck. Basically they're looking for some veteran stability on a team which has had trouble keeping their opponents off the board.
However, there may be an unexplored offensive side to Curtis as well. He mentioned to me in the interview that he feels like he could contribute that way and a couple of sources have mentioned that he has a pretty darn good shot. Bulldogs play by play man Evan Hammond even told me that he could see Tonello has having the potential to be a #1 guy for a team in the BCHL if he lives up to his potential. Does anything in his past give us that idea?
We don't necessarily see that side in the PIJHL when Tonello was a 17 year old. As a rookie with Richmond he put up 13 points in 48 games on the back end. Those are not bad numbers -- especially for a guy who we know plays a solid game in his own end -- but they don't jump out at you as someone who will be on the power play. That being said, Tonello had some big games in the playoffs. He twice put up 2 points in a game as Richmond battled and beat Delta in the first round.
There's also some interesting information about Curtis on his profile from the Richmond website:
"Curtis was fortunate enough to make Best ever two years in a row. He played U16 and U17. He went to Salmon Arm to compete for his zone area. Curtis has been part of many successes during his hockey life. In Peewee playing for the N.S.W.C. his team won everything possible. They won the league, Provincials and the International Peewee Tournament in Quebec City. In 2nd year bantam Curtis's team won the league, the Chilliwack Tournament, Provincials and western canadians. His individual successes have been mostly during his last season with the Vancouver Canadians where he won Best Defencemen on his team and played in the Major Midget All Star Game."
What about in Major Midget? There we see more signs of someone who can produce if given a bigger role offensively. Tonello was the top scoring defenceman on the Greater Vancouver Canadians in the 2006-07 season when he put up 26 points in 40 games. That season he got to play with the likes of Evander Kane, Cam Reid and Brad Read. In fact, Tonello was significantly ahead of teammate Michael Boivin in scoring among defencemen on the Canadians. Boivin went on to score over 30 points for Nanaimo last season and earn a scholarship.
Am I saying that Curtis is going to come in here and suddenly match Steve Koshey point for point? Not necessarily. The point is that he has shown in the past that he has the ability to play the game at both ends of the ice. He had 23 assists in that Major Midget season. One of the things that I've been told about Tonello is that he has a good first pass. Perhaps that's why with more ice time he was able to pile up the "apples" in midget. Playing with some of the talent that Trail has up front we could see that happening for him now.
Ultimately I know what the coaching staff and fans are hoping to see from Curtis... solid play in his own end. They want to see him help make this team stronger in their own end. However, there is some evidence that this is a guy who could be an impact player in other ways as well. This league is all about opportunity. Last season the Smokies picked up a player from the Bulldogs who only had 3 points in his rookie year in limited duty. Nobody expected much from him. He now has 20 goals and 38 points in 32 games for Trail this season. Could Tonello be another Nick Sandor? It's something to watch as the Smoke Eaters head to Salmon Arm tomorrow and host Vernon on Saturday.
As for the departure of Tye Lewis, it's never fun to see a talented player go. The live blog chat we had featured a comment relating the Lewis deal to trades of David Arduin and Chad Gehon in the past two seasons. First of all, we shouldn't forget that the Gehon deal brought in a man who currently has 37 points and is one of the top forwards in the league. Secondly, Lewis wasn't Trail's leading scorer at the time of the deal. Scott Jacklin and Nick Sandor were both ahead of the dynamic Vancouver, Washington native. The other thing to note is that Trail didn't have the same kind of offensive depth last season or the year before when they made those moves. This year's Smokies have Sandor, Jacklin, Mike Betz, Sam Mellor, Travis. St. Denis, Darnell Dyck and Matt Wilkins all scoring at a 0.7 points per game rate or better. The top 5 in that list are all point per game players. Plus Paul Mailey (a 40 point guy last season) has 7 points in his last 9 games and seems to be finding his scoring touch again. Depth up front is not an issue for Trail.
So far this season the Smoke Eaters have 121 goals or 3.8 goals per game. That's better than every team in the Coastal Conference. That's better any of the other bottom 5 teams in the Interior. Trail can score goals. The issue is that the Smokies have allowed 160 goals so far. That's 5 goals per game or worse than every team in the BCHL but Merritt or Williams Lake. It's pretty obvious where they need to improve. Coach Ingram's move here was to work towards improving that number. They are making some strides. They cut that average goals allowed number to 4 in their last 6 games. However, if you're going to win games during a playoff race and in the playoffs themselves you need to keep the puck out of your net. That isn't just on the goaltenders or the defencemen, it's on the whole team, but this move is a step towards trying to do that.
Even if Tye Lewis is a more famous player than Tonello that doesn't mean this move doesn't make sense and doesn't help the Smokies. We'll find out. We'll also see what furue considerations the Smokies get come spring.
I think it's one of those deals that helps both teams. The Bulldogs have been terrific so far this year but have relied heavily on their top line. Lewis gives them the scoring depth they need to try and secure top spot on the coast. He's a very good addition to that team. It also might be great for Tye whose goal scoring had dried up a little bit over the last month before he scored the hat trick against Quesnel last week. I look forward to seeing him light it up over there while Tonello makes a solid contribution here. That's how trades are supposed to work.
Tonight's win over Quesnel marks the halfway point of the 2009-2010 BCHL season for Trail. PentictonVees play by play guy Ryan Pinder and I are planning to blog about that on a live blog this Tuesday night so stay tuned for more details on that.
From a Smoke Eaters perspective the end of the first half of the season means the end of a ridiculous run of road games. They played 2/3 of their road schedule before even reaching this point. 20 of the first 29 games were away from the Cominco Arena. For a team with Trail's tough travel schedule that made it difficult for them to get any momentum going. The Smokies were also breaking in a lot of rookies and new players especially on the back end. Those players traditionally take a month or two to really get comfortable and confident with the level of play in the BCHL. When you break down the first 30 games into 10 game segments you can see that is starting to happen.
First 10 games: 2-7-1-0
Second 10 games: 2-7-0-1
Third 10 games: 5-5-0-0
The Smokies had a really tough go of it in their first 20 games while breaking in all those new players. Now that they've had key minutes in all situations we're starting to see that hard work pay off. For anyone who has watched the team since September you are now seeing a totally different side of guys like Garrett Beckwith, Tommy Rizzardo, Eric Walker, Wade Bennett and Ben Matthews on the back end. They're all a lot more confident and poised. We also shouldn't forget that the 2nd year veterans on the blue line like Steve Koshey, Graeme Strukoff and Mitch Kaufmann are all 18 years old and still have a lot of developing to do as well. Another 30 games is a big difference when you've only played a year and a half at this level. Plus both Beckwith and veteran Kiefer Smiley have been playing their best hockey in the past 3 weeks. Everyone seems to have more confidence.
While all that ice time for the young guys is starting to pay off on the back end, we're also seeing a forward group with more scoring depth than I think I've ever seen in my time here. Every forward in the top 6 is scoring at at least a point per game pace. The "third line" is as good as the second line has been in previous seasons. Here's a situation where some injuries and new opportunities have thrust some guys into roles where they were able to prove they can produce points. Now Coach Ingram can be confident enough with his entire forward group to roll four lines and know there won't be a shift off for the opposition. The whole top 9 has a ton of skill while the current fourth line has skill and also the ability to work and grind you to death in the corners. Vernon has had so much of their success with the ability to send wave after wave of top end forwards at the opposition. If the Smokies are willing to work as hard as the Vipers do or harder I feel like the skill is here to play in a similar way. However, the work ethic has to be consistent or that skill won't amount to anything.
I'm not saying we can expect a 25-5 run in the second half of the season. There will continue to be growing pains. I'm sure there will be more injuries and bad games here and there. However, I have to believe the worst is behind them. The initial growing pains and endless bus trips are a thing of the past. Now is Trail's opportunity to use those lessons they learned to pull away from the other teams in the so called "second tier" of the Interior Conference and start putting a scare into the Okanagan teams. They can start doing that with 2 more home games this weekend and then 7 of 8 in December. If this team is as talented as I believe they are they'll prove it during this stretch.
Now that we're at that halfway point we can also take a look at who might be potential winners at the awards dinner 3 months from now.
MVP: Last year's winner Ryan Bulach did it all for Trail. He was the leading scorer and one of the top defensive forwards. Scott Jacklin is a guy who is making that kind of an impact for Trail right now at both ends of the ice. The entire top 6 forward group is producing at a similar rate and all could get consideration depending who has a stronger finish. Lewis, Mellor, Sandor, and St. Denis have all been go to guys depending on the game. Dyck has been producing at the same rate as them since a slower September. Wilkins was there too before his injury and Mailey's scoring is coming back. Right now I think my choice would have to be Jacklin. However if we see Mike Betz continue at anywhere near a 2.2 point per game pace that will likely change. You also have to consider a very impressive 21 points in 29 games on the back end from Steve Koshey. Of course this could all change come March.
Leading Scorer: Right now it seems like it'll be between Jacklin, Sandor and Lewis. St. Denis and Mellor could still catch up though. The team has up to 7 guys who realistically could score 20 goals this season. Only 2 scored that many last season. Scoring has not been the issue in the first half. Top Defenseman: Danny DeKeyser won this award for Trail last year after a superb second half of his rookie season. I could easily see one of the first year Smokies like Matthews, Walker, Kaufmann and Rizzardo play a huge second half to take the award. Right now you'd have to go with Koshey based on his very significant offensive production and much improved play in his own end. He had a tough September but has been making big strides at both ends of the ice. Also don't count out Graeme Strukoff for this one once he gets healthy. Unfortunately injuries have limited him to 17 games so far.
Rookie of the Year: Travis St. Denis took this last year after he emerged as an offensive force in the last 2/3 of the season. It didn't take Sam Mellor that long. The Cranbrook product has been one of Trail's best forwards from the moment the puck dropped in September. He's been scoring goals, winning puck battles and playing smart hockey all season. Wilkins could give him a run for his money, but he's hampered by those missing 18 games. Any of the four rookie defenceman could also challenge for the award with a big second half. Look at how much of an impact Eric Walker has already had, and as a 16 year old he's got so much room to grow.
Fan Favourite:JadonPorterfield won this last year and if that's the style of play the fans love I'd have to think Josh McEwan and Sean Nugent would have a really good chance this season. McEwan is a mad dog out there who doesn't seem to fight unless he's giving up 2 or 3 inches and 10 to 30 pounds. He's got the never say die kind of attitude that fans in Trail love. Nugent is another guy who will fight hard for every puck and pound his opponent into sand. However, if the fans go another way I could also see this one going to one of the many local players on the team.
Most Improved: It depends if you define this as most improved from the start of the season or most improved from last year. Porterfield won this last season so I assume it was most improved since the start of the year. In that case right now I'd have to go with Tommy Rizzardo or Darnell Dyck. Both had slow starts and have come on to be two of the team's most reliable players. I'd also like to think that by the time the season comes to an end we could be saying the same thing about the goaltenders. It seems like we're headed that way. If it's most improved from last season Dyck again qualifies as he's already almost doubled his point total. Scott Jacklin had a very slow start to his Trail career and is now one of the team's best players. Steve Koshey has already almost equalled his point total from his rookie year, is playing with a lot more confidence and is in better shape.
As for the awards like inspirational, most dedicated and the sportsmanship/hard work award... it's hard for me to really speculate on that stuff. As well as I know the players I'm not in the dressing room or at practice. That's why these awards are in the hands of the coaches. I do know there are a ton of very good candidates for those awards starting with the team's leadership core.
The first half has obviously been a frustrating one for the Smoke Eaters. I think I probably expected a record closer to .500 than where they are now. 13-16 wins was more in the range I thought we would see. However, they are well positioned to make a run at getting close to .500 in the second half. Hopefully we'll see some big crowds at the Cominco Arena as the guys finally get an extended run at home.
NOTES
...As you've heard and read elsewhere the Merritt Centennials are starting life without the Forsythe brothers. Coach and GM team Dylan and Tyler have either quit or been fired depending on who you talk to. Is it that hard to put out a press release? Luke Pierce takes over as the fourth coach in Merritt in 2009. Al Glendinning, Joey Bouchard and the Forsythes have all left or been shown the door in a turbulent year for the Cents. Pierce is for now just the interim Coach and GM. Can he last? A 7-3 win over Williams Lake is a good start for the young man only a year removed from his playing career. That being said, his long term future will likely depend on how consistent the team can be and what other candidates are available. I do know that I've heard from several sources how well liked Pierce is among the players and staff of the club. If that translates into them working and playing hard for him it's a good start. He has to go up against a league full of very experienced coaches so he'll need all that good will and more.
As for the departure of Dylan and Tyler Forsythe, it's hard to comment on their ability without really knowing what was going on behind closed doors. I will say that generally it's unfair to judge a Coach/GM without at least giving them a full off season to recruit their own players. The Forsythe's came into this situation very late in the game with almost no time to properly recruit. Even when Bouchard was hired I felt like it was too late in the game. Is this the team they would have had in Merritt if they had taken over in March or April? I highly doubt it. That doesn't mean the team they'd have recruited would be better or worse. I'm just saying they really didn't get a chance to prove it one way or another.
I know there was talk of them being involved with some potential investors for the Cents. I assume their departure likely signals the end of that interest. Hopefully whatever hiring the club makes in the future will be entirely hockey related rather than connected somehow to one potential ownership group or another. In the end the society is still running the club and hiring Bouchard for one ownership group and the Forsythes for another (if that is what happened) doesn't seem to have done anything for Merritt. Hire a good hockey guy and that'll work for any reasonable new owner.
I certainly wish Luke good luck in his new role.
...The Okanagan clubs have started making their moves as we start the flurry of activity heading to the December 1rst carding deadline and the January 10th trading deadline. Salmon Arm struck first in dealing local product Mike Puddifant to Burnaby for Matt Ridley. Ridley has moved around from Cowichan Valley to Penticton to Burnaby and now to Salmon Arm in the past couple of seasons. His talent and pedigree is undeniable. However, the son of former NHLer Mike Ridley has yet to find the consistency and mental game to go with his undeniable talent. Playing with the high end talent in Salmon Arm will certainly give him that opportunity. As for Puddifant, he's a hard working young player who will give his all for an Express team that needs a spark.
It's also a very important move for Salmon Arm because 16 year old super rookie Jagger Dirk has left the team for Chicago of the USHL. That's the same team that sniped Patrick Raley from the Smoke Eaters and Sahir Gill from the Vipers. It's bad enough to have them take players from this league in the off season, but when it starts happening during the season? Yikes. Dirk has been a major player on Salmon Arm's young blue line. Ridley is going to have to replace Dirk's offensive production while making up for the loss of Puddifant's solid play in his own end.
...The Vernon Vipers have made a blockbuster deal sending a couple of very promising young players in Nick Amies and Drew George (plus futures) to Cowichan Valley for stud defenceman Curtis Gedig (plus futures). There are a couple of ways we could go with this one. One thought is why would the Vipers want to mess with their chemistry by making a move like this when they're already 28-1 to start the season. Let me again note that they've only lost one game!
Of course anyone saying that probably hasn't talked to Vipers Coach and GM Mark Ferner. Every time I've interviewed him this season he's made it clear he is not yet satisfied with how they've played. He judges the team on their performance not on their opponents and it seems like he still wants to see them play better. That's a scary thought for the rest of the BCHL. Plus while it's always tough to trade good young players like George and Amies, they aren't trading guys who were key cogs on either of their special teams units. We're not talking about core players or members of their leadership group. These are young players whose best seasons in the BCHL are ahead of them.
In return the Vipers get an NHL draft pick who is among the better all around defencemen in the league. Gedig may only have 9 points so far this season, but he's a guy who can play in every situation. I saw him dominate a game here in Trail. He was basically the only reason the Capitals were in that game and pushed them to a 3-2 win. That's just one example, but in talking to coaches, players, broadcasters and scouts around the league there's no question he's considered one of the better completely players out there. He'll also get a great opportunity to pad that point total playing with the deepest roster in the league.
As good as the Vipers are I'm not sure they had a defenceman with as much pure ability as Gedig. I think he can walk into that dressing room and take a spot on both of their top special teams units. I also know that he's a player who would have been a target for any other top team looking to improve their depth on the back end. Can you tell me that he wouldn't have been a welcome addition to Penticton, Westside and especially Salmon Arm? The Vipers in making this move both add Gedig to their line-up and make sure he doesn't end up with one of their closest rivals.
It's a good move. It's also a good move for the Capitals as they add top end young talent in Amies and George. There are also futures involved in the deal that could make it even more valuable depending on what they are. Will next year's Vipers miss those two young talents? Sure they will, but they're also a team that doesn't even have a slight problem recruiting good young talent. Do you think they'll have any issue filling those spots next year? It's all about winning a Royal Bank Cup again this season -- and this move makes that more likely.
Let us not forget that it also clears a roster spot heading towards the December 1rst deadline. The Vipers had 23 guys on their roster and now will be down to 22. I wouldn't be surprised to see them move one of their 8 d-men to move down to 21 before then. At that point their roster players and cards can only total 25. If Vernon had held on to all 23 players they'd have limited the amount of movement they could make at the trade deadline if any injuries or opportunities came up before then.
What do you think?
...The QuesnelMillionaires also got in on the act by picking up forward Jesse Verheyden from Winnipeg in the MJHL and Clayton Chessa from Surrey. Verheyden played last year for Burnaby and has also played for Merritt and Alberni Valley. Both forwards immediately jumped on to their top line with Trevor Hertz. I thought they were the only good line for Quesnel in their 8-2 loss in Trail. Perhaps Chessa is another player like Darnell Dyck was in Surrey -- just didn't get the opportunity to show what they're capeable of. The Millionaires certainly needed to add some forward depth. However, in doing that they appear to have let go of Eric Hansen. Are they much better off with Verheyden over Hansen? It's an improvement, but I don't know if it's a huge one.
...The KIJHL announced that they will welcome the expansion Osoyoos Coyotes into the league for next season. That will bring the league up to 8 Thompson/Okanagan teams and 10 Kootenay teams. Are we headed towards a split and the eventual formation of the Okanagan Junior Hockey League? All parties deny that at this point, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen. They're already cutting back the travel between the two conferences. With each up to at least 8 teams it will soon be easy for owners to say "well why not cut our travel bills and just stick to our own region?" I also think that the number of teams continues to dilute the talent pool in the league. They have the lowest number of 20 year olds of any Junior B league and that has allowed them to focus on being the best developmental Junior B league out there. However, with a limit of only 2 16 year olds and their limit of 20 year olds... it's going to be hard to fill 18 rosters with enough strong 17, 18 and 19 year olds. Especially with Major Midget, BCHL, WHL and now USHL teams all after the best young players.
...I'm still planning to do a full alumni update on the blog soon. If you want links to the graduated alumni you can find it on the official site by clicking here. I did want to note that Grant Rollheiser is back healthy and playing for Boston University. He'll be getting the start at the historic Madison Square Garden this weekend. That'll be an experience for the big guy! You should read the Terrior Hockey Fan Blog for the latest on BU. I also wanted to congratulate former Smoke Eater Travis Gawryletz who got the call up from the ECHL Elmira Jackels to the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters. Good luck to Travis as he tries to make an impression at the next level.
...Trail hosts Prince George Friday at 7:30pm and Penticton on Sunday at 3pm. Hope to see you there!
Trail, BC – Corey Shakeen scored back to back goals in the third period to break a tie and lead Salmon Arm (14-8-1-1) to a 6-3 victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters (6-16-1-1). The Silverbacks swept their two weekend games in Trail and retained third spot in the Interior.
David Killip and Tyler Gubb also scored twice for Salmon Arm. Gubb had 4 goals over the weekend. Charlie Vasaturo and Mark Zengerle chipped in 2 assists each.
The Smoke Eaters battled back from down 2-0 and 3-1 to tie the game. Nick Sandor scored in his fourth straight game to make it 2-1 at the end of the first. Late in the second period, Thomas Abenante knocked in a shorthanded goal after a great rush by Sean Nugent to set it up. Then early in the third period Travis St. Denis tied the game after some good work in the trenches.
The Silverbacks took an early lead on Killip's goals. He scored shorthanded after a nice pass from Josh Manson on a 2 on 1. Killip also tipped in a point shot from Josh Monk. Gubb scored his first of the game early in the second period to restore the 3-1 Salmon Arm lead. He finished the game off with an empty netter after Killip narrowly missed getting his hat trick.
Kiefer Smiley stopped 35 of 40 shots he faced for Trail including some spectacular saves when the game was close. Tony Ierfino got his second win of the weekend in the Salmon Arm net with 28 saves on 31 shots against.
Trail's penalty kill was the largest bright spot for the Smoke Eaters on the weekend. They killed off 10 of the 11 Salmon Arm power play opportunities. It was a big step forward for a penalty kill that had been ranked last in the league coming into Friday's game. Their shorthanded performance this week vaulted the PK over 70% for the first time this season.
ON THE TRAIL: Steve Koshey returned to the Trai line-up after missing Friday's game with the flu. Several Smoke Eaters were still fighting the bug but played ... The Smoke Eaters won't have injured forward Matt Wilkins back until at least their northern trip in two weeks ... Mark Zengerle's 2 assists in the game gave him 8 so far on the season against Trail, but the BCHL's points leader has yet to score a goal against the Smokies this season ... Next weekend the Smoke Eaters visit the Vernon Vipers for back to back games on Friday and Satuday ... Tune in to Shaw TV in the Kootenays over the weekend to catch a profile of Smokies Captain Paul Mailey.
Trail, BC – Tyler Gubb scored twice while Mark Zengerle and Greg Noyes had 3 points each in a 6-2 Salmon Arm (13-8-1-1) victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters (6-15-1-1). The game was a mirror image of the Smokies 7-1 victory over the Silverbacks on October 23rd. Just as in that game the shots were relatively even while the score wasn't. This time Trail actually out shot Salmon Arm 36-35, but couldn't get out of the 5-0 hole they dug for themselves.
The Smoke Eaters got off to a decent start with a couple of strong penalty kills and a great shorthanded chance by Captain Paul Mailey. However, the Silverbacks answered with 3 goals on 12 first period shots.
Trail again came out strong to start the second period with several good chances. The momentum turned when Salmon Arm drew back to back penalties and burned Trail while on a 5 on 3 power play. The goal from Noyes was seemingly the dagger that put the game out of reach.
The Smokies were able to find the twine twice on the man advantage. Nick Sandor broke Tony Ierfino's shut out by knocking in a Ben Matthews shot that bounced off the back boards to the front of the net. Scott Jacklin scored Trail's other goal with a beautiful tip off of a Tommy Rizzardo one timer.
Devin Gannon and Travis Statchuck also had multiple point nights for the Silverbacks.
The two teams will do it all over again Saturday night at the Cominco Arena.
ON THE TRAIL: Steve Koshey and Marc-Antoine Chaput missed the game with bouts of the flu. Matt Wilkins is still out for another week or two with an injury ... Graeme Strukoff and Justin Brown returned to the line-up for Trail after a couple of weeks on the shelf. Strukoff received a minor penalty for interference only 40 seconds into the game after a big hit behind the Trail net. Brown played effectively on a line with Paul Mailey and Wade Bennett ... Bennett's 4 game point scoring streak came to an end during tonight's loss ... Garrett Beckwith made 29 saves on 35 shots against in the Trail net ... The season series is now even at 1-1-1-0 as they played to a 5-5 tie in Salmon Arm back in September ... Tune in to Shaw TV in the Kootenays over the weekend to catch a profile of Smokies Captain Paul Mailey.
(Smokies celebrate a goal against SA - Photo Randy Emery)
Tonight is a big game for the Smokies. A chance to come back home after what seems like an eternity on the road. Also a chance to play a team that they've had two strong efforts against. The 5-5 tie in Salmon Arm was one of the most entertaining games of the year, while the 7-1 win over the Silverbacks at the Cominco Arena was a huge reminder to the club of what they're capable of against a very strong team. That being said, Salmon Arm is very talented. They are not going to just sit back and take another pounding. This is going to be a battle and either team could easily end up empty handed this weekend if they don't bring everything they have.
The Smokies should have Justin Brown and Graeme Strukoff back in the line-up. That's a big boost. The negative is that several players are fighting a flu bug and we won't know who will be in or out until later tonight. On the other side it appears Salmon Arm is relatively healthy. That to me means the Smokies have to hit them hard and fast to get some momentum going their way. Salmon Arm Coach Matt Hughes told me on Mountain FM's Overtime that he expects Trail to attack hard early and often. The Silverbacks will be more prepared for it than they were last time. Should be a good test for both clubs.
I apologize for the audio level of the clips as my mic was on too loud so it sounds very distorted during the exciting moments of the game. Also sorry for no update after last night's 8-5 loss in Merritt as today was busy. Brian has something up on his blog. I will say that I thought it was a weird game in which I felt the Smokies deserved a better fate... at least overtime. One goal bounces in off a couple of bodies, another comes on a pass headed for behind that Trail net that takes a freakish bounce in front of the the goal, another on a shot from a ridiculous angle, another after a check on the puck carrier sends the puck right to a Merritt stick, and yet another (the 7th goal) that from my vantage point never even crossed the line. That's a lot of bad luck in one game. It was also obviously a very strong performance from Dustin Johnson and the Cents offence. It's not often you see anyone score four goals in a game.
There are moments in that game that will upset the Smokies coaching staff. Again they had some problems with coverage in their own zone. Again they had some big mental blunders at the worst possible times. The power play also really let them down in Merritt. However, unlike previous games where Trail would get down by a couple of goals and fold the tent... last night they battled back. We're seeing a club that is playing with a lot more mental toughness. The Smokies came back from down 5-3 to tie the game and had the momentum going their way. Unfortunately the Cents got a bit of an ugly one to suck the wind out of Trail's sails. That's how it goes sometimes. Still it was an entertaining if strange game against a Merritt team that has been very tough to beat in their own building. They've got wins over Penticton, Westside and Quesnel at home as well. No one should be expecting two points when they visit the Cents anymore.
The Smoke Eaters do have to limit the number of chances they give up. That was two consecutive games where the opposition fired 39 shots on the Trail goal. You can't expect your goalie to stop that many every night. The Smokies have two solid tenders who can win them games here and there. It'd be nice to see them get an easier night once and a while though. I do find the club is doing a much better job of getting in the shooting lanes and protecting the front of their net. The communication on the back end seems to be improving. Things are headed in a positive direction.
It's also nice to see the scoring starting to come. Normally if you score 12 goals in 2 games you're going to get a couple of wins. It's obvious the Jacklin/Sandor/Mellor line is humming, but they're not the only ones getting it done. The St.Denis/Lewis/Mailey line is always dangerous and now Darnell Dyck and Wade Bennett are putting some big numbers up. We also saw the Abenante/Nugent/McEwan line chip in during the recent road trip The scoring is starting to come from the whole line-up and that's what Trail needs to do to get wins against some of these teams that are really relying on their top two lines or even just top line to get their points.
The next challenge for Trail is the first northern road trip of the season. You can hear all three games on Mountain FM as we bring you Nelson Ford Trail Smoke Eaters play by play. Also tune in to Mountain FM's Overtime from 6pm to 10pm every weeknight as we bring you reaction from this past weekend and tell you what to expect on that northern swing.
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