Chiefs have question marks, but don’t lack confidence

Without a doubt, the Spokane Chiefs face many question marks this year. They vow to do so, however, without many doubts. Although they enter the 2014-15 Western Hockey League season in a starting-over mode with their offense, defense and goaltending, the Chiefs believe they have the ingredients to compete. “I think once we get our systems down and once the young guys feel comfortable … we’ll be a good team,” said 20-year-old center Liam Stewart, who had seven goals and 21 assists in 43 games of an injury-plagued 2013-14 season. “We’re going to be a hard-working team again. We’re going to be sandpaper out there.” “I think … with all the guys from last year, and even the new guys, everyone’s going to have to fill new roles,” said 20-year-old right wing Connor Chartier, a fourth-year Chief whose 32 points last season tied for sixth on the team. “I don’t think I’m too concerned with much. The back end is young, but I think they’ll do just fine.” Spokane begins the WHL season Saturday night against the Tri-City Americans at Kennewick’s Toyota Center. The Chiefs must soldier on without their top three scorers from last season. WHL scoring champion Mitch Holmberg (118 points) and Mike Aviani (81) graduated from the league and 2013-14 captain Reid Gow (62) chose not to return. Spokane’s defense is retooling beyond Gow’s absence. Jeremy McIntosh, who would have entered his 19-year-old season, also decided not to return, and the Chiefs traded Cole Wedman to Moose Jaw in early May. Finally, the Chiefs must replace graduated goalie Eric Williams, who posted a 33-19-2-2 record last season. As of Thursday, the Chiefs had three goalies on their 27-player roster: last year’s backup, Garret Hughson; fellow 19-year-old Alex Moodie, who was acquired from Saskatoon in early May; and 17-year-old Tyson Verhelst. Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said during training camp that he couldn’t envision carrying three goalies. “We haven’t really come up with a magic (roster) number yet, but, like I said, we’re going to be young in a lot of positions,” Chiefs fifth-year head coach Don Nachbaur said. “It’s going to take some time and some patience from the staff. The players just have to continually get better.” Based on their seven-game preseason schedule, the Chiefs must first improve their scoring. Spokane scored six goals in its final five exhibition games, three of which went into overtime. “It’s stuff we need to work on in practice, scoring goals, but it’s a learning process, and the team will have to find a way to put up a few more points,” said 20-year-old center Marcus Messier, acquired last season from Tri-City. “We have to find ways to score and a lot of times … our front-end guys are way too fancy and not having any success,” Nachbaur said. “I think there are a few of us who need to step it up,” Chartier said. “Instead of being secondary scorers, we have to step into a top role.” Chartier pointed to forwards Adam Heleweka (23 goals, 50 points), Stewart, Messier and Ryan Whittingham (32 points), and defensemen Jason Fram (fourth on the team last year with 57 points) and Colton Bobyk as potential top scorers. The Chiefs should also get a boost from forwards Dominic Zwerger, who had 26 points last year; Spokane native Keanu Yamamoto, who had 25 points in his rookie season; and Hudson Elynuik, who was acquired from Kootenay during last season. Spokane’s current roster of nine defensemen features just four – Fram, Bobyk, Jeff Rayman and Matt Sozanski – who played for the Chiefs last season, although Tyson Helgesen and Evan Fiala were late-season call-ups. “We have a young ‘D’ and there’s been a lot of turnover on our back end, so that’s going to take some time to sort that out,” Nachbaur said. “As they get experience, they’re going to get better.”