Chiefs to push Portland again
Once again Portland appears to be the class of the U.S. Division in the Western Conference of the Western Hockey League. But the Spokane Chiefs aren't conceding anything. Though the Winterhawks, who sent an unheard of 15 players to NHL camps and the Chiefs just four, appeared to have a big edge on paper last year, the Chiefs pushed them to the last weekend before losing the No. 1 seed for the playoffs and then they took the Winterhawks to six games in the Conference finals.
And Tri-City, which had won the previous four U.S. titles, wasn't far behind and should be in the mix again. However, the Americans found out Thursday that potential over-ager Brendan Shinniman was being sent to the AHL, while the word is the Chiefs are getting Dominik Uher back from Pittsburgh before Saturday's game in Tri.
The team-by-team caps are below, written last week.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
U.S. Division
EVERETT SILVERTIPS
Last season: 28-33-7-4, eighth in Western Conference. Lost in first round of playoffs.
Head coach: Mark Ferner (first season).
Assistants: Chris Hartsburg (third season), Mitch Love (first season), Taylor Dakers, goaltending coach (first season).
Key losses: Head coach Craig Hartsburg stepped down to become the associate head coach of the NHL's Calgary Flames. D Rasmus Rissanen departed for the pros, and C Landon Ferraro is expected to join him. C Clayton Cumiskey, RW Parker Stanfield and D Chad Suer graduated as overagers.
The 20-year-olds: LW Tyler Maxwell was the team's leading scorer last season and is closing in on the franchise record for career goals. C/RW Josh Birkholz and D Brennan Yadlowski also return.
The imports: 18-year-old LW Vladimir Dolnik (Slovakia) and 19-year-old D Dominik Bittner (Germany) were both selected in the first round of this year's import draft.
Key returnees: 18-year-old D Ryan Murray was named captain shortly after last season ended and is expected to be a top-10 pick in next year's NHL draft. 19-year-old G Kent Simpson gives Everett a quality netminder. 19-year-old C Ryan Harrison is expected to become a top offensive contributor.
New faces: 19-year-old LW Jesse Mychan and 18-year-old RW Zach McPhee arrive from the junior A ranks to add size and grit.
Watch for: Everett to suffer growing pains as the Silvertips undergo their first true rebuilding process since arriving in the league in 2003.
Just notes: Ferner arrives after taking the Vernon Vipers to the RBC Cup championship game the past three seasons. ... Love, Everett's captain in 2004-05, is the first former player to return as a coach.
Did you know: Murray became the youngest captain in franchise history at 17 when he took over for the injured Ferraro late last season.
The prognosis: Everett has elite talent in Murray and Simpson, but has little depth beyond that as the Silvertips embrace the youth movement. Everett has made the playoffs in all eight seasons of its existence. The Silvertips will have done well if they make it nine straight.
- Nick Patterson, Everett Herald
Last season:50-19-0-3, first in U.S. Division, first in Western Conference. Lost Ed Chynoweth Cup to Kootenay Ice in five games.
PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS
Head coach:Mike Johnston (fourth season).
Key losses: F Nino Niederreiter (New York Islanders) and C Ryan Johansen (Columbus Blue Jackets) are likely to make their NHL teams. While second leading scorer C Craig Cunningham, acquired midseason from the Vancouver Giants, has run out of WHL eligibility.
The 20-year-olds:LW Oliver Gabriel, LW Riley Boychuk, D Brett Ponich and D William Wrenn are currently on the roster.
The imports: Niederreiter, from Switzerland, if he returns from the New York Islanders, will be joined by 19-year-old countryman F Sven Bartschi — the Calgary Flames’ first round pick in June.
Key returnees: 2010 NHL draft picks F Brad Ross (Toronto), D Taylor Aronson (Nashville), D Troy Rutkowski (Colorado) and G Mac Carruth (Chicago). Bartschi and D Joe Morrow, a 2011 first-round selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins, will also be key contributors.
The prognosis:If, by some near miracle, Niederreiter and Johansen are returned to Portland, the Winterhawks will be the prohibitive favourites to represent the WHL at the Memorial Cup in Shawinigan, Que., next May. Even if they don’t, the Winterhawks have enough talented veteran depth and should be able to win the U.S. Division and compete for the WHL crown.
— Daniel Nugent-Bowman/Saskatoon StarPhoenix
SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS
Last season: 27-35-5-5, tied for 10th in Western Conference. Did not make the playoffs.
Head coach: Steve Konowalchuk (first year).
Assistants: Darren Rumble (first year), Jim McTaggart (eighth year). Dusty Imoo (goaltenders, first year).
Key losses: D Brenden Dillon, D Travis Bobbee and C Travis Toomey graduated. D Ryan Button (91) signed with Boston and isn't expected back.
The 20-year-olds: RW Burke Gallimore (91), D Kyle Verdino (91), D Cason Machacek (91).
The imports: LW Marcel Noebels (92), D Dave Sutter (92).
Key returnees: Goalie Calvin Pickard (92) played 68 games and faced a league-high 2668 shots last season with a 27-35-3-5 record and a .916 save percentage. Gallimore led the team with 34 goals and 70 points. Noebels (Germany) had 28 goals and 54 points in 66 games. C Colin Jacobs (93) had 22 goals and C Luke Lockhart (92) had 21 goals.
New faces: Verdino and Machacek were acquired in trades in the off-season to bolster the defense. Defensive rookies Jared Hauf (95), Taylor Green (95) and Shea Theodore (95) could all see significant playing time.
Watch for: Hauf, the T-birds first round pick in 2010 who is 6-foot-5 and skates well, to make an impact. Sutter (Switzerland), who is also 6-5, to play a bigger role after only one goal in 71 games last
season. ...Forwards Chance Lund (92), Tyler Alos (93) and Mitch Elliot (93) to step up and add to the offense.
Just notes: Six T-Birds — Pickard (Colorado), Jacobs (Buffalo), Noebels (Philadelphia), Lockhart (Washington), Elliot (Washington) and Jacob Doty (Florida) — attended NHL training camps. Pickard made a single-season team record of 2443 saves last season and has 5,698 in his career saves, only 1,260 saves behind Danny Lorenz for the team record.
Did you know?: Jacobs, from Coppell, Texas, and Noebels, from Tonisvorst, Germany, were both selected in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL draft by the Sabres and Flyers, respectively.
The prognosis: To avoid missing the playoffs for the third straight year, the T-Birds have to find a way to give Pickard some respite from the constant barrage of shots he's faced in his stellar Seattle
career... New coach Steve Konawalchuk's patience to be tested with a very young defense... Noebels and Jacobs to emerge into consistent scoring threats.
— Jim Riley, Seattle Times
SPOKANE CHIEFS
Last season: 48-18-4-2, 102 points, second in Western Conference, second in U.S.; lost in conference final.
Head coach: Don Nachbaur (2nd season with Spokane, 14thoverall).
Assistant coaches: Jon Klemm (3rd), Ryan Cyr (goaltending, 1st).
Key losses: D Jared Cowen, 2-year captain, 2009 first-round pick of Ottawa; C Tyler Johnson (53-62-115), LW Levko Koper (30-50-82), G James Reid (franchise record 85 career wins).
The 20-year-olds: C Steve Kuhn (20-30-50), LW Darren Kramer (7-7-14, 306 PIM), RW Matt Marantz (20-22-42), D Corbin Baldwin(2-18-20)..
The imports: C Dominik Uher (21-39-60) and LW Marek Kalus (4-4-8), both from the Czech Republic, return.
Key returnees: C Anthony Bararo (24-24-46), 19; RW Blake Gal (23-17-40), 19; Mitch Holmberg (15-18-33), 18. No one is more important than D Brenden Kichton (23-58-81) at the point.
New faces: Mac Engel is the likely starting goalie after going 13-8-2, most of it in a Goalie of the Month performance with the starter injured. Young D pressing to make team are Cole Wedman, 17, Tyler King 16 and Jason Fram 16. Up front probably Liam Stewart, 18, and Conner Chartier 17.
Watch for: Nachbaur’s emphasis team turned a rebuilding year into a 100-point season because eight players had 20 goals, but Johnson (free agent contract with Tampa Bay) had an MVP-type season. Balance is key again, but who is going to lead the way?
Just notes: Kuhn is the only player in franchise history to play in all 72 games three straight seasons. … Nachbaur is 21 wins shy of 500 entering his 14thseason, the same as Don Hay and Lorne Molleken when they reached 500 last season. … The Chiefs have a franchise record five straight seasons with a winning record, four straight with at least 45 wins.
Did you know?: Liam Stewart is the son of rock icon Rod Stewart and super model Rachel Hunter.
The prognosis: The Chiefs are going to be a tough every night out, which is typical of a Nachbaur team. If the players take the expected maturity step, they’ll battle Portland for the top playoff seed.
- Dave Trimmer/The Spokesman-Review
TRI-CITY AMERICANS
Last season: 44-24-2-2, 92 points; fourth in the Western Conference. Lost in the second round of the playoffs.
Head coach: Jim Hiller (third season).
Assistants: Scott Beattie (second season), Brent Bilodeau (second season), Lyle Mast (goaltending coach, first season).
Key losses: Forward Kruise Reddick and defenseman Tyler Schmidt graduated, two-year starting goalie Drew Owsley was traded to Prince George, and talented forward Carter Ashton.
The 20-year-olds: There are five - forwards Adam Hughesman, Brendan Shinnimin and Mason Wilgosh, and defensemen Matt MacKenzie and Brock Sutherland.
The imports: Forward Malte Strömwall (Sweden) and defenseman Michal Plutnar (Czech Republic). Both were selected in the 2011 CHL Import Draft.
Key returnees: Leading scorers Shinnimin (34G, 62A) and Hughesman (39G, 42A), Justin Feser (26G, 37A), defenseman Zach Yuen (plus-41), and Wilgosh, the hard-working forward who plays with endless engery and passion.
New faces: Rookie goaltender Eric Comrie will battle Ty Rimmer (came from PG in Owsley trade) for the starting spot. Picked up free agent forwards Mackenzie Royer and Lukas Walter. Also, rookie forward Brian Williams and Strömwall have been impressive in the preseason.
Watch for: Strömwall to be a big contributor on offense ... Feser and Patrick Holland to expand their offensive roles with the team ... Connor Rankin to improve on his impressive rookie (19G, 25A, plus-13).
Just notes: Plutnar played in all five games for the Czech Republic at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge ... Yuen was drafted in the fourth round of the NHL draft by the Winnipeg Jets.
Did you know: The Americans have just 13 returning players who played a regular role last season ... Tri-City has scored at least 92 points the last five seasons.
The prognosis: The offense is there, but the defense and goaltending still are works in progress. Success will depend on how fast the two come together.
Annie Fowler, Tri-City Herald