Chiefs out to erase memories
CRANBROOK, British Columbia – The Spokane Chiefs will take the first step in attempting to bury their recent past: two seasons of missing the playoffs, a coach gone, a general manager under fire.
Spokane opens its 72-game Western Hockey League season tonight against the Kootenay Ice. It’s just one game in a long season, but every game is potentially critical in an ever-competitive U.S. Division. The Ice will provide a good test.
“No doubt about it, they’ve got some key guys back,” said coach Bill Peters. “You know they’re going to be prepared and work hard.”
The Chiefs will be without two veterans who are still at National Hockey League camps (Sean Zimmerman and Michael Grabner), so some younger players will see extra ice time. But star center Adam Hobson is back from Chicago and will be ready.
Peters is behind the bench for the second straight season and will be joined by new assistant Steve Pleau. Peters believes he has a team in place that reflects his values of discipline and smart play based on situational awareness.
“I thought we made some real good strides while we had all the guys here,” Peters said of the preseason and training camp.
General manager Tim Speltz will watch to see if all the pieces fit together. This is a team that has been drastically reshaped the past 12 months through a series of trades and two years of Bantam drafts.
“Junior hockey, and the Western Hockey League specifically, is about new players getting new opportunities and how do they handle them,” said Speltz. “… That’s going to be the challenge for our team and most other teams.”
Two of the key players in last season’s blockbuster deal at the trade deadline, defenseman Evan Haw and goalie Kevin Armstrong, will be counted on heavily to carry this team in its own zone (with Zimmerman when he returns).
Up front, Spokane product Derek Ryan and Hobson will lead an offense that needs to prove it can be consistent. Grabner will help share that load on his return. Second-year player Drayson Bowman and rookie Mitch Wahl are also counted on as impact players.
There are two big areas on which Spokane’s success hinges:
Goaltending: Armstrong came highly rated and was expected to be drafted by the NHL. He struggled initially with a depleted defense and wasn’t taken in the draft, so he may have something to prove. Rookie backup Dustin Tokarski has shown he’s ready to compete for the starting job.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt – it’s the most important (factor),” said Speltz. “When it comes right down to it, typically the teams that have done well have had good goaltending. And I think when you go back to the teams that have struggled, it goes down to that one spot.”
Leadership: Spokane’s roster includes 14 players 18 years or older. Several have been role players in their WHL careers. They will need to visibly lead the way to help the seven rookies succeed. Off the ice, rifts cannot be allowed to form as has happened in the past.
“The guys who have to step up and perform are our veteran guys,” said Peters. “… Those are the guys who have four or five years Western Hockey League experience. That’s the group that has to lead you when you get a little adversity. They’ve seen that before. They’ve got to calm the waters and make sure everybody’s going in the right direction.”