Missing Chiefs Return Team Canada Trio Will Be Honored Before Tonight’s Faceoff With Rockets
It’s homecoming tonight in the Arena.
Spokane Chiefs coach Mike Babcock, captain Hugh Hamilton and center Trent Whitfield, who helped Team Canada win the World Junior Tournament championship over the holiday break, return to a club that has performed surprisingly well in their absence.
The three will be honored before tonight’s 7:05 faceoff with the Kelowna Rockets.
While the three were abroad, Spokane went 5-3 under interim coach Brett Cox.
“He’s been a real positive influence,” Babcock said Friday. “I just talked to him on the phone. He said we haven’t played the way you want to be playing in the playoffs, but they’re finding a way to win. The boys have done a good job, not giving up any ground (in the WHL West).”
Babcock said when he left that the struggling Chiefs would lighten up and play better in his absence.
The brightest development in his time away, he said, was the emergence of goaltender Marc Magliarditi.
“In the first half, the guys (Magliarditi and Aren Miller) in front of the net struggled at times,” Babcock said. “If we can get solid goaltending to go with a healthy lineup, by next week we should be a team that looks like a team.”
The Chiefs played extremely well through October - they were 12-5-1 after beating Brandon here on Nov. 2 - but struggled after that.
“A lot of things didn’t go right in the first half but we still like our hockey club,” Babcock said. “We’ve had an average year so far, Seattle (in second place) is having a great year and we’re still only eight points behind them.”
As for reeling in the division-leading Portland Winter Hawks, Babcock said, “It’s a huge gap, but you never concede anything. The important thing is to be playing our best in February, March and beyond.
If they don’t fire - they’ve got 28 regular-season games left - will the Chiefs look ahead to next season? They’re assured of one of four spots in the ‘98 Memorial Cup championship tournament as the host team. Would they trade their most marketable veteran - Whitfield - in an effort to build for next year, given that this is probably Whitfield’s last year in juniors? “No chance,” Babcock said. “He’ll finish his (junior) career in Spokane.”
General manager Tim Speltz expanded on the club’s reluctance to build with trades.
“We’ve never had a sell-the-farm, let’s-go-after-it-next-year approach and we aren’t going to start,” he said. “Funny thing about next year. Like tomorrow, it never comes. Success is something that carries over year to year.
“It’s important that the organization have success (this year). You don’t get that by trading Trent Whitfield.”
Notes
Brandin Cote, the 15-year-old Chiefs forward from Yorktown, Saskatchewan, who filled in just before and after the Christmas break, is headed back to midget hockey after impressing coaches with his attitude and recognition. … Owner Bobby Brett arranged for the Chiefs to bus to Vancouver and fly from there to Prince George for their two games with the Cougars this week. Flying cut 10 hours off the trip. “We were able to get into town and get used to the building,” Cox said. “It cost but it paid off with two wins.” … With captain Hugh Hamilton enjoying the week off and interim captain Joel Boschman injured, the Chiefs went to three alternate captains - Adam Magarrell, John Cirjak and Greg Leeb… . Cox said the line of Yegor Mikhailov, Marian Cisar and rookie center Marc Brown generated scores of opportunity in Spokane’s wins at Prince George… . Derek Schutz (shoulder) and Boschman (groin) are listed as doubtful tonight, but Babcock anticipates a return to full strength by Thursday, when the Chiefs are in Edmonton to start a three-game road swing. By then, Boschman, Schutz and Kris Graf (broken hand) may be available with a healthy Whitfield and a recharged Hamilton.
Around the WHL
The Tri-City Americans went 3-2 on their recent road trip and could easily have gone 5-0, another sign that the slow-starting Ams will eventually abandon the West Division cellar… . Goaltender Jason LaBarbera is back in Portland after being loaned to Tri-City while T-C’s Brian Boucher played in the World Junior Tournament. LaBarbera was in goal when the Ams beat the Edmonton Ice this week, then headed back to Portland after Boucher rejoined the Americans… . Portland’s Marty Standish took a leave of absence to be with his family in Kelvington, Sask., following the unexpected death of his brother, Jamie, 21… Unhappy over being used as a 10th defenseman and fourth-line right winger, Jake Deadmarsh left the Kamloops Blazers this week. Sentiment around the league is that another team will eventually deal for the 19-year-old, who is said to have recovered from the arm injury that has limited him to 12 games this season.
, DataTimes