SB2013
Registered User
- May 12, 2013
- 16
- 0
What are your predictions for the upcoming season? What team will be atop the standing and what players should be watched to be big preformers?
I think this could be the start of Portland's decline, but they still make the playoffs.
1. Edmonton Oil Kings - The Oil Kings only have 3 overage spots to keep any of Brossoit, St. Croix, Ewaynk, Lowe, Gernat, Keiser, Legault. Start of the Oil Kings decline, Lazar lights the lamp.
2. Calgary Hitmen - Still have a chance to compete to #1, but the Oil Kings still have that exceptional firepower in each position.
3. Kootneay Ice - Sam Reinhart carries this team to the promise land and into a decent playoff spot for a spot at #1 overall.
4. Prince Albert Raiders - Morrissey develops, German Gretzky, Winther and possible Marc McNeil carry the offensive load for PA.
5. Red Deer Rebels - Bartosak has another spectacular year. If Dumba comes back they are higher, but Fleury, Bleackley will make an impact.
6. Medicine Hat Tigers - Shinkaruk leads the WHL in scoring, Valk and Koules help this team to a higher playoff spot.
7. Swift Current Broncos - This team's success is based on Lowry's return to the lineup, if not they barely squeak into the playoffs.
8. Lethbridge Hurricanes - Not much improvement, but they do get some improvement scoring wise which squeaks them in the playoffs.
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9. Brandon Wheat Kings - This team gets a bit better, adding Bukarts makes this team a bit better, Hawryluk, Pulock and Roy are back and just getting better, but not a playoff team just quite yet.
10. Moose Jaw Warriors - The loss of Rielly, Point, Brown, Fioretti and Paulic are the only bright spots on this team.
11. Regina Pats - Klimchuk gets better antoher year of Stephenson other then that this is a below average team at best.
12. Saskatoon Blades - Obvious reasons, this team is going into a complete rebuild.
Corbett is another 20yr old that will likely be back. No way Gernat is as he would take a 20yr old and an import spot and that's not going to happen.For the Oil Kings I can only see Kaiser, Legault, and MAYBE Ewanyk or Gernat coming back. Most likely Gernat I'd say. Though I'd doubt they finish first, only if Reinhart and Samuelson come back. The rookies from last year would really have to step up.
I think this could be the start of Portland's decline, but they still make the playoffs.
1. Edmonton Oil Kings - The Oil Kings only have 3 overage spots to keep any of Brossoit, St. Croix, Ewaynk, Lowe, Gernat, Keiser, Legault. Start of the Oil Kings decline, Lazar lights the lamp.
2. Calgary Hitmen - Still have a chance to compete to #1, but the Oil Kings still have that exceptional firepower in each position.
3. Kootneay Ice - Sam Reinhart carries this team to the promise land and into a decent playoff spot for a spot at #1 overall.
4. Prince Albert Raiders - Morrissey develops, German Gretzky, Winther and possible Marc McNeil carry the offensive load for PA.
5. Red Deer Rebels - Bartosak has another spectacular year. If Dumba comes back they are higher, but Fleury, Bleackley will make an impact.
6. Medicine Hat Tigers - Shinkaruk leads the WHL in scoring, Valk and Koules help this team to a higher playoff spot.
7. Swift Current Broncos - This team's success is based on Lowry's return to the lineup, if not they barely squeak into the playoffs.
8. Lethbridge Hurricanes - Not much improvement, but they do get some improvement scoring wise which squeaks them in the playoffs.
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9. Brandon Wheat Kings - This team gets a bit better, adding Bukarts makes this team a bit better, Hawryluk, Pulock and Roy are back and just getting better, but not a playoff team just quite yet.
10. Moose Jaw Warriors - The loss of Rielly, Point, Brown, Fioretti and Paulic are the only bright spots on this team.
11. Regina Pats - Klimchuk gets better antoher year of Stephenson other then that this is a below average team at best.
12. Saskatoon Blades - Obvious reasons, this team is going into a complete rebuild.
Always tough to speculate when it's unclear who's returning, but for $hits & giggles, I'll have a go at it.
1. Prince Albert Raiders - These guys are loaded. It's not enough that they boast a pair of elite 18 year olds in 2013 NHL first round pick Josh Morrisey and 2014 NHL first round pick Leon Draisaitl, but they are absolutely unfairly stocked with 19 year olds. No less than 11 potential 19 year olds returning plus the potential 20 year olds, that may return give the Raiders an immediate core group which is the envy of the East. The trade that brought in Cole Cheveldave? A game changer and a sure sign the Raiders are going for it this season. Never mind the fact they have 17 year old studs like Rhett Gardner and Tim Vanstone and absolute future super stars in 16 year olds Brendan Ghule and Nick McBride. Combine that with the fact that the East will once again be the weakest Division and I can't see how these guys don't finish first out East ... then again, P.A. always seems to find a way. Can Cory Clouston break the curse?
2. Red Deer Rebels - I'm going to go with a dark horse here to come out on top in Alberta. Assuming Dieno, Bartosak and Dumba all return, this could be the year for the Rebels. I like the way Sutter has re-shuffled his deck. A great balance of proven veterans, a potential 100 point man in Ryse Dieno, gritty role players and exciting young talent. Hayden Fleury and Connor Bleackley are budding super stars and both will have outstanding years. This team has the look and feel of winners.
3. Medicine Hat Tigers - This is just a really good team that returns almost intact and just gets a year older and stronger and when you have players like Hunter Shinkaruk, Curtis Valk and Tyler Lewington, to name a few, that's not good news for the rest of the league. Shinkaruk should mature into a league MVP type player on Medicine Hat this year - look for him to eclipse 120 points this season.
4. Brandon Wheat Kings - This might be a little low, as this could be a worst-to-first story. An oustanding defense corp led by Pulock, Roy and Walters to feed an exciting forward crop, which includes as many as 6 ppg forwards - a healthy Richard Nejeschleb, last years leading scorer Tim McGauley a year older and stronger, two potential NHL 2014 first rounders in Jayce Hawryluk and Latvian phenom Rihards Bukarts (youngest player to ever score in MHL), and perhaps the biggest impact 16 year old who's name isn't Matthew Barzal, Minnesota scoring sensation Jesse Gabrielle. Add in a couple overage forwards, the possible return of Tyrel Seaman and up and comers like Taylor Cooper and John Quenneville and this may be the deepest group of forwards in the Eastern Conference. This group reminds me of Portland 3 years ago. It's no wonder McCrimmon wants back behind the bench. These guys will fun to watch and even more fun to coach.
5. Calgary Hitmen - Another team in decline but return enough firepower to fill the net and depending on who all returns, could feature one of the leagues top defensive units. This team won't fall far however, as Jake Virtanen is ready this year to play big minutes and begin to make this his team. Should finish in top 3 in Alberta.
6. Edmonton Oil Kings - These guys aren't ready to go away just yet, but you can only lose so much top tier talent and stay at the top. They still have potentially the defense of a championship team, depending on who returns, they simply reload in goal and Curtis Lazar will easily step into the lead roll upfront and be a regular atop the WHL leaderboard. I just don't see the same depth and firepower they have had these past two years. Still a good team and threat to win any game they play, but they are definitely starting the downhill portion after being to the mountaintop.
7. Kootneay Ice - Mackenzie Skapski and the solid veteran defence in front of him is going to give this team a chance in every game they play. Upfront, 18 year old super stars Sam Reinhart and Jaedon Descheneau are surrounded by a ton of veteran grinders. Collin Shirley and Luke Philps are poised for breakout years
8. Swift Current Broncos - This is going to be a fun team to watch and a hard team to play against. Zac Mackay, Tanner LeSann & Dakota Odgers give this team heart and soul. They are surrounded by veteran talent like Brent Benson and Coda Gordon, two quality imports who are coming and exciting incoming youngsters like Glen Gawdin, who will be an impact 16 year old in the WHL this season. Goaltending is a question mark, but if they get that figured out they could finish a lot better than 8th. I really like this team.
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9. Lethbridge Hurricanes - Exciting 16 year old crop with Georgio Estephan, Colt Conrad and Thomas Lenchyshyn. Give them a year to get their feet wet.
10. Regina Pats - The turnaround has begun and with Cameron at the helm will be a contender in the not to distant future.
11. Moose Jaw Warriors - I like the aquistion of Fiddler and Brayden Point is already a star in this league, but without Reilly & Fioretti it looks grim this season.
12. Saskatoon Blades - FULL rebuild.
WESTERN
1. Portland Winterhawks [Key Player: Petan | Wildcard: Jones]
2. Kelowna Rockets [Key Player: Sissons | Wildcard: Bell]
3. Kamloops Blazers [Key Player: Bozon | Wildcard: Smith]
4. Seattle Thunderbirds [Key Player: Barzal | Wildcard: Delnov]
5. Victoria Royals [Key Player: Polivka | Wildcard: Nelson]
6. Tri-City Americans [Key Player: Yuen/Topping | Wildcard: None]
7. Vancouver Giants [Key Player: Tvrdon | Wildcard: Tvrdon]
8. Everett Silvertips [Key Player: Mueller | Wildcard: None]
9. Prince George Cougars [Key Player: Bourke | Wildcard: Jacobs]
10. Spokane Chiefs [Key Player: Holmberg | Wildcard: None]
This is the year that Seattle makes major steps forward in a conference which teams got considerable weaker; Spokane and Tri-City while other youngsters like Royals and Giants take advantage of that.
While I'd be happy for him, I honestly think the chances of Nelson making the Sabres out of camp is slim to none.
Personally, I think Hodges has a better shot at making the Panthers' line-up.
Either way, I think we'll be seeing both of them in Royals jerseys this season.I couldn't disagree more. Nelson had an amazing camp in Buffalo while Hodges was barely talked about in Florida.
Nelson has much more potential to be an NHLer due to him being more physical and his improvement on both ends of the ice.
Who the **** is Kaiser?
I like Kootenay to finish first (in the EC). Red Deer, Calgary, PA, Brandon will all be strong. Edmonton will finish 5-8th imo. The rest are a crap shoot. I cant get behind the Hurricanes. But firing their donkey of a coach was a good start. Saskatoon will have trouble winning 15 games.
As far as the WC goes, I think Vancouver will be vastly improved (duh right?). Portlandia will have the usual number of guys vacating NCAA programs at the last minute to go there (no cheating- honest!).
SEPH, Liquor or anyone else that knows more about these things than I do: % chance that McNeill is back for PA? Winther?
As Liquor touched on Winther should probably be back. Only chance I see McNeill coming back is he absolutely completely sucks in the AHL that Hawks have no other choice, but to send him back.
I do not know the situation with the Hawks AHL farm team and how many spots there are open between all lines and the team, but speaking as a Avs fan we sent Heard (overager in OHL) back to Plymouth last year due to him only getting bottom 4th line minutes with Lake Erie. If McNeill is in the same situation I can also see the Hawks sending him back.