The host with the most?
RYAN PYETTE
Nearly all of the Memorial Cup host teams in the last decade have been disappointing.
They either weren’t good enough or had a fatal flaw exposed at the worst possible time.
Warren Rychel has a golden opportunity to reverse that trend. The phone is already glued to his ear.
“We’re trying to do a few things right now,” the Windsor Spitfires GM said. “We have five seconds (round draft picks) to deal with and some assets, but I’m glad we have a good returning core. That’s our strength.
“We’ll be able to add two forwards and a defenceman before the end of it, all of high quality. We’ve got five good teams in our (Western) conference that can win.”
And he refuses to close the door on slick Clayton Keller, Arizona’s seventh overall pick in the most recent NHL draft and set to begin his NCAA career at Boston University.
“I’m working diligently with the Coyotes on all possibilities with him,” Rychel said.
The good news is the Spits won’t be reeling if he stays put. They already have three NHL first-rounders on board — Logan Brown (Senators), Mikhail Sergachev (Canadiens), Logan Stanley (Jets) — and a cast that at least boasts shades of the top-end talent involved in their back-toback Cup runs in 2009 and ‘10.
“It felt like the old days (at the draft in Buffalo),” Rychel said. “The last few years have been with some ups and downs on different issues, and it hurt. I want to win all the time and have the best environment for my kids. It wasn’t fun and it basically came down to a lack of playoff success.”
They have one post-season victory in the past four years. You can blame untimely injuries or the precious draft picks the club surrendered after being nailed for illegal recruiting.
But this Cup chance is a lot about pulling out of a franchise tail-spin, restoring the club to a powerhouse level and providing some much-needed electricity in the home building.
“It’s great to get it,” Rychel said. “It took three bids but there are no hard feelings. There were a lot of worthy teams. We’re going to do our best to make it the most memorable Cup. It’s our responsibility to the other 19 teams in the league and it was one of our goals when we bought (the Spits).”
At Cup time, the club plans to bridge the six-kilometre gap between rink and downtown with events at both ends. In Red Deer this year, almost every aspect of the tournament was held at the arena site.
“I’ve been everywhere and have seen the good and not-so good,” Rychel said. “Red Deer did a great job. With our facility and the amount of land we have here, it will be excellent. And with the casino and downtown, the Cup will be spread all over.
“This city has done big things before and my focus right now is to get the best team I can.” That starts, as always, in net. The Spits finished last season with rookie Michael DiPietro and OHL first-timer Mario Culina between the pipes and the club has faith in them again. Both have recorded victories in their opening outings.
“I’ve got two really good goalies, but until he proves he can’t, I think Mikey’s the guy,” Rychel said. “We’ll take a final good look in mid-December, but I’ve know Mike since he was 10-years-old. He played AAA (in Windsor) with my son Maddux and I know what he’s about.”
Most Cup-winning netminders are grizzled veterans, but Rychel noticed that isn’t cast in cement. Rychel counted London’s Tyler Parsons last season, Zach Fucale with Halifax in 2013 and Dustin Tokarski with Spokane (2008) as champs before they were NHL draft picks.
“It’s hard, but everyone thinks Parsons is the guy to look at,” he said. “He’s probably the best goalie in the OHL.”
And he should be well-protected with Sergachev, Stanley, captain Patrick Sanvido and under-rated overager Jalen Chatfield, who just returned from Sharks camp.
“We’re big and everyone returns,” Rychel said. “Chatfield is such a good skater, he can play against guys like (Max) Jones and (Mitch) Marner in London.”
By trade deadline time, the Spits aim be regarded as favourites, ahead of teams like the Knights.
“I want to win and I’ll do my best to bring another title,” Rychel said. “Leading up to the Cup, you don’t want to take two months off. The Shawinigan (host) win (in 2012), they were very fortunate. I’ll keep pursuing players in our system or players I covet with other teams privately.
“It’s going to take some time, but December and January could be furious.”
And when he’s done, the plan is to have a host team worthy of the final game. ryan.pyette@sunmedia.ca