NEUGSIE’S AROUND THE SJHL
By: Jamie Neugebauer
Voice of the ND Hounds
August is almost over, how about that! Instead of doing another 10 things for the next bit, I have decided to instead go through the teams in the league and give my thoughts on their off-season (as far as I’m able to know), some interesting adds and losses, and my key questions ahead of training camps. The order will reflect how the regular season shaped up a year ago. Here’s the second instalment.
1. Yorkton Terriers – Key Additions: F-Jordan Guiney (1999), D-Tanner Sklaruk (2001), G-Cooper Kennedy (2001); Key Losses: F-Jared Legien, F-Branden Klatt, F-Colby Brandt, D-Brendan Mark, F-Cody Bruchkowski, F-Cole Keenleyside, F-Dino Antoniadis Key Questions: With all that experienced talent gone, is there enough around Chantz Petruic and Aiden Bulych to keep the Terriers competitive? What will goaltender Ryan Ouellette do as an encore to his brilliant playoffs from a year ago? Can the likes of Cody Dubas, Kurri Woodford, and Tyson Janzen turn the D-corps into a strength, with Brendan Mark gone? By how much will Petruic win the scoring title? Who is going to be the leader of this very young group?
2. Flin Flon Bombers – Key Additions: F-Easton Haygarth (2000), F-Chase Haygarth (2000), D-Jack Craycroft (2000), F-Tristan Lemyre (2001), F-Mason Kaspick (2001); Key Losses: F-Nate Hooper, F-Brandson Hein, F-Cade Kowalski, D-Calvon Boots, F-Daylan Marchi, F-Caleb Moretz, D-Tyler Higgins, F-Vincent Nardone, F-Chrystopher Collin; Key Questions: Mike Reagan lost a barrelful of graduates and guys moving on from his loaded team a year ago, but those in the know around the league know he doesn’t take long to retool; how will all those new faces gel? Is Jacob Delorme going to get a full chance to own the Bombers’ crease with Gabriel Waked gone and, if so, is he the answer? Who is going to fill Calvon’s boots (pun intended), with the mega-minutes he played? How far will Donovan Houle-Villeneuve keep progressing?
3. Humboldt Broncos – Key Additions: D-Timber Lewis (2001), G-Michael Harroch (2001), F-Braiden Koran (2001), F-Tristan Shewchuk (2001); Key Losses: F-Michael Clarke, F-Brayden Camrud, F-Owen Guenter, D-Josh Patrician, G-Dane Dow, G-Rayce Ramsey, F-Drew Warkentine; Key Questions: Just like with Flin Flon, Scott Barney and the Broncos lost a huge number of veterans, but also both goaltenders, so who is going to fill that huge void? Barney got his feet wet coaching at this level with a loaded team, how will he do with a rebuilding group? (note: he tells me he’s extremely excited to work with a young squad). How much of a breath of fresh air will it be for the town without nearly as much attention as they had a season ago? Can Chase Felgueiras lead the D-Corps, and continue the form that had him on NHL radars last mid-season? Can Shewchuk recapture the promise that him go first overall in the SJHL draft back in 2016?
4. Kindersley Klippers – Key Additions: D-Zach Ziegler (1999), F-Scott McKenzie (2000), D-Mkyllan Couture (2001), F-Jacob Schnapp (2000); Key Losses: G-Justen Close, F-Cameron Shorrock, F-Ty Enns, D-Blake Kleiner, F-Devon Cyr, F-Josh Fletcher, F-Nate & D-Clay Keeley; Key Questions: Gary Childerhose gets his first head coach/GM job after years in Flin Flon as one of the top assistants in Junior A hockey; how will he do? This is a veteran-laden, well-oiled machine of a group; how will they handle the very high expectations? Can goaltender Zach Johnson carry the load after a year and a half as a very capable understudy to U Minnesota-bound Justen Close? Kleiner leaves a big-leadership-and-creativity-from-D hole; who will fill that? Is Ziegler the answer perhaps?
(Follow Jamie on Twitter at @Neugsie)
