Seattle got some good news this week as Alex Delnov's visa issue has been settled. Delnov missed the two games last week in Prince George as the Canadian government had not issued his visa yet. The T-Birds were still waiting at the beginning of this week to see if the Russian could get into Canada. We contacted the Canadian Consulate in Seattle on Monday and were orginally told that Delnov 'had everything he needed from the Canadian government' to play in Canada and did not know why he could not get into the country. Later in the day they changed the story a bit saying that 'the visa was in the mail'. In the end the confusion was resolved and Delnov will be allowed into Canada and will be in the lineup against Kamloops.
IMO they lost a ton and I mean ton for Schenn. Looking back that wasn't a good move considering they didn't make the conference finals.
From the games I've seen there is talent, but absolutely no chemistry between the players and zero discipline with certain players taking untimely penalties. Factor all that in with below average goaltending and any team will look like the Columbus Blue Jackets.
No. I can't see Brodsky getting rid of him even with the awful start to the season. It's still very early with plenty of time to turn it around.
There's problems there. Duncan Siemens stripped of the C, 2pts in 9gms and -6. Dalton Thrower a healthy scratch for two games. He also only has two pts in seven games.
Hopefully the Hurricanes can take advantage of Saskatoon tonight. Currently on a six game home-stand, a hard one though so can't afford to lose the games against teams below them. The biggest key to their success is Ty Rimmer. This is from @WHLfacts:
"1 - With 254 in 8 games,Ty Rimmer (@Rimms35) is on pace to break the @WHLHurricanes franchise single season saves record by over 400."
Pretty big home-coming for the Blades with Cox, Sutter and Kambeitz all playing their minor hockey in Lethbridge, should be a fun one.
There's problems there. Duncan Siemens stripped of the C, 2pts in 9gms and -6. Dalton Thrower a healthy scratch for two games. He also only has two pts in seven games.
These are supposed to be their leaders.
Something is wrong in that room.
Without a doubt. I never claimed everything is fine in Saskatoon. I'm merely stating that I don't think Molleken's job is in jeopardy. Molleken would "step down" before he would ever be fired by Brodsky if you catch my drift. I'd definitely expect to see several more trades by the Blades until things start to turn around.
Without a doubt. I never claimed everything is fine in Saskatoon. I'm merely stating that I don't think Molleken's job is in jeopardy. Molleken would "step down" before he would ever be fired by Brodsky if you catch my drift. I'd definitely expect to see several more trades by the Blades until things start to turn around.
I dont think his job is in jeopardy either, but I think maybe it should be. I guess time will tell. If the team gets embarrassed this year and looks bad at the Memorial Cup, then he could be on the hot seat.
I dont think his job is in jeopardy either, but I think maybe it should be. I guess time will tell. If the team gets embarrassed this year and looks bad at the Memorial Cup, then he could be on the hot seat.
Maybe it should. But like any league politics come into play. And someone like Molleken has a much longer leash than your average WHL coach. He and Brodsky are close and it would take something significant for him to lose his job.
IMO they lost a ton and I mean ton for Schenn. Looking back that wasn't a good move considering they didn't make the conference finals.
From the games I've seen there is talent, but absolutely no chemistry between the players and zero discipline with certain players taking untimely penalties. Factor all that in with below average goaltending and any team will look like the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Let's face it, that trade could have turned out MUCH worse for the Blades. And as it stands now, it was a move Molleken HAD to make at the time and if you asked him now, he would've done it again.
People talk about 'problems in the room', the 2010-2011 Blades definitely had those in comparison to this year's team.
The suggestion that there are 'problems in the room' are incorrect and not true.
Stripping the C off of Siemens, giving it to a player new to the team who gets to pick his assistants and that player passes on Siemens, Dalton Thrower being a healthy scratch two games in a row, getting gassed 10-0 in your own rink................
Something is wrong there. Maybe you could tell us what that is?
Stripping the C off of Siemens, giving it to a player new to the team who gets to pick his assistants and that player passes on Siemens, Dalton Thrower being a healthy scratch two games in a row, getting gassed 10-0 in your own rink................
Something is wrong there. Maybe you could tell us what that is?
Many things have gone wrong. Lot's of 'excuses' can be thrown out there, but I see the players daily and spend time with them and in the room 6 days a week. It's incorrect to say that this year's team has any sort of 'problem in the room'.
Things that HAVE gone wrong this year:
- Tough first periods. Outshooting the opposition 138-101 in the 1st this year, being outscored 11-8.
- Questionable goaltending. The team's 2011-12 MVP in Makarov has been flat out average this year. Maybe below average with an .890 sv%. Back up goalie has been started twice and pulled twice. That hasn't helped.
- Terrible discipline. Had some horrific games to start the year in regards to being able to stay out of the box.
- Bad special teams. Were 22nd on the PP and 21st on the PK before this past weekend, where they had some success in this area.
- A lack of goals. Prior to this weekend they had been outscored 39-17, average just over 2 goals per game. Take away a 9-6 loss to Brandon and that falls to 11 goals in the team's first 7 games. Simply not good enough.
Prior to this weekend, they would come out hard, get scored on and not have that pushback that they needed. A typical sign of a lack of confidence. This past weekend they finally got some bounces and didn't get discouraged. I think they've turned a corner.
Like I said, many things to point your finger at, but I don't think a problem in the room is one of them. These players haven't 'quit' on each other like they have at various times the last two seasons.
EDIT
Three more things to point out:
- I think the word 'stripped' is pretty harsh. Siemens knew he didn't lead the team last year like he needed to. He's the first to admit that. He's taken the high road with the situation and is good buddies with Brenden Walker, the new captain...who also happens to be the nicest guy in the world. I think Lorne Molleken's words of "going in a different leadership direction" is much more suited to the situation.
- Thrower was scratched because of some stupid actions away from the rink. It's happened to other teams and will continue to happen to other teams. It definitely wasn't a distraction to the other players. They know the rules and know that Dalton was 'playing by his own rules', as Lorne put it.
I thought part of the reason for losing the C had to do with discipline or off ice stuff?
You are saying it is because he didnt lead the team.
Not only did he lose the C, but last I checked he had 2pts in 9games and was -7 or something like that.
This from a mid first round pick two years ago.
Then a second round pick and top player is having discipline problems and gets scratched/suspended for two games? A player who was also struggling?
You seem to just brush this off like its nothing.
It doesnt appear to be nothing, and granted I have no inside info and I dont claim to, but it doesnt look very good.
Also a 10-1 loss at home, from a team that is hosting the Memorial Cup, is a huge red flag.
You can go ahead and point to his stats, or lack thereof, and the things that are happening in the public eye, like him losing his C and say he's not developing like he should be. I'm free to disagree with that.
Him losing the C had to do with lots of things. The 'off ice' stuff was the fact that he was late for two team meetings last season. There was nothing more than that. No 'incidents'.
The problem with that stuff was that it hurt his reputation inside the room. As a young team last year, other guys maybe found it a bit hard to swallow that they had to follow his lead when he couldn't even always be on time for things. For those reasons he butted heads with a few guys, other guys butted heads with other guys and in the end Duncan ended up taking the fall for it. He's ok with it, like I've said. He's manned up and said that he screwed up and is ok with the decision that the team made. He's not mad at anyone besides himself and is embarrassed about it all. It's a tough thing to swallow when now EVERY game this season he steps on the ice and the opposing players ask him about his missing C. With all that being said, he's really matured as a player and person with it all.
As for his stats. He's not a scorer. Was never expected to be and likely won't ever be. He may not have a few points, but the Blades have been outscored by a ton this year, so of course he's not going to have a great stat line. His job is to stop the other team's best players. He's had some tough nights in the +/- category this year, but so has the whole team. You're bound to be a minus player when you lose some tough games like they have. I've seen all of his games this season. He had a tough start but has been much improved since Walker was named captain, so the last few games.
Like I said, to an outsider it might look like he's been a total headache as a player, teammate, captain and draft pick. But, I would disagree wholeheartedly and I feel that I've more than backed up that opinion with facts the last two posts in this thread.
