It’s the opening weekend in the WHL and all 22 teams, including the Prince George Cougars, will give hockey fans the proverbial line about how “excited” they are to get the season started. Will this “spin” create sufficient excitement in Cougarville to increase a well-documented declining fan base?

The Cats will improve their previous season’s record (20-48-1-3). However, how much of an improvement? While elite WHL teams set their goals at winning a championship each season, the expectations in PG are much lower, where a playoff spot (eight out of 10 make it in the Western Conference) will suffice. “Obviously our goal is to make the playoffs. I think the conference as a whole is a little bit weaker so I think we can compete each and every night. We can finish anywhere from 4th to 10th” stated a realistic Head Coach Drew Schoneck, who understands his job is linked to the team qualifying for the post season.

 

Each year hockey fans witness several surprises. Teams emerge from nowhere with unanticipated charges and become real contenders. Remember last season when the Spokane Chiefs won the Memorial Cup just a year after they were second last in their division and eliminated in the first round of the playoffs?

 

Speaking of the Chiefs…. The Cougars will depend on ex-Spokane goalie Kevin Armstrong for leadership. Armstrong will be a key guy if the Cats are to have any chance at success. The best off-season move made by Cougars GM Dallas Thompson was the acquisition of Armstrong for a conditional bantam draft pick. Although Armstrong was a door opener in the Chiefs playoff drive, the 20-year-old, Winnipeg native, has produced good numbers including a 20-5-1-3 record with a 2.17 GAA and .915 save percentage in 33 games for the Chiefs in 2007-08. 

 

However, the Cougars suspect defence will make it difficult for Armstrong to maintain these respectable stats. “We have a good group of guys. I think playoffs or middle of the pack is a good goal,” said Armstrong. The Cougars will put the same faith in Armstrong as they did in Real Cyr last season. Unfortunately Cyr failed to carry the team on his shoulders and was mediocre, at best.

 

The big concern for the Cats will be on the blue line. The Cougars return only four rearguards from last season's team (assistant captain Cody Hobbs, Art Bidlevskii, Matt Cumming and Trevor Bauer), none of whom have 100 games of WHL experience. The Cougars acquired Cameron Cepek from Edmonton to anchor the defence and power-play. They also just added Dallas Jackson from Regina. With all due respect to Cepek, the Oil Kings, hardly a league power, didn’t want him as an overage player and were happy to get a 3rd round bantam pick for his services. Cepek has 4 years of league experience, with less than impressive stats (12 goals, 36 assists, 381 penalty minutes in 194 games).

 

Up front, other than Captain Dana Tyrell, (65 points in 68 games) I’m not sure who will produce offence. Aside from Tyrell, Alex Poulter and Parker Stanfield, no returning PG forward reached the 10-goal mark last year. I do think that 16-year-old local boy Brett Connolly will be a fan favorite and may score more than expected. In addition, Justin Maylan (7 goals in 51 games) and Dale Hunt (9 goals in 48 games) should easily surpass the paltry totals of last season. 

 

Also, there still is no sign of German import Jerome Flaake, selected by the Cats 9th overall in the 2008 CHL Import Draft. Yes, the European hex continues.

Intangibles are also difficult to forecast, but I wouldn’t expect the Cougars power-play or penalty kill to rank among the league leaders.

 

The schedule won’t be kind; specifically, a 9-game October road trip, which may create a hole which the team may not be able to recover.

 

The coaching staff (Schoneck and assistant Wade Klippenstein) has not changed and will provide some continuity.

 

I don’t want to dampen anyone's “excitement” but the prospects for a terrific Cougars season appear
bleak. Optimistically, I suggest seventh, at best, in the Conference. The Spin-masters can promote that as an improvement but this is hardly “exciting”.

Yes, one step at a time…. It’s just too bad the stairs seem to be endless.

 

 

“Ned Yost, the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, was fired while his team was actually tied for a playoff spot. Well, at least that's one bad thing that's not likely to happen to new Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson.”Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California (www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com)

Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader Post 

“Toronto Maple Leafs are upset with Liberal leader Stephane Dion when he kicked off his campaign by saying he will exceed the public’s low expectations. Officials are accusing Dion of stealing from their new marketing strategy.” 

Contributor Derek Wilken of Calgary (http://smacksport.blogspot.com/)

 “They're still buzzing about a spot-on impersonation that was done over the weekend. No, not Tina Fey as Sarah Palin--it was Jay Cutler as Garo Yepremium.” Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

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