Pat C’s set for promising season
The Regina Pat Canadians have a formula for success heading into the 2012-13 Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League season.
It all starts with the right mix between offence and defence.
“We should have a good team this year and we should be very competitive in the league,” offered head coach Norm Johnston, whose team opens the regular season with road games today and Sunday against the Battlefords Stars. “We look at our depth and our 12 forwards, we should be competitive and we should be able to score. We look at our back end, we should be able to defend. We have some kids that are high prospects in the Western Hockey League. We have some kids with some good skill and some good upside. When the puck drops in Battleford, we’ll see how they respond.”
Johnston believes the Pat Canadians have improved their overall skill level this season. He hopes that translates to more goals.
“Our biggest problem for a couple years is our scoring,” he noted. “Last year we were fourth in defence but we were 10th in the league in scoring. If we would have scored one more goal per game we would have been in fifth. That doesn’t seem like a lot but it actually is in AAA midget because goals are difficult to find.
“We have some depth and we think we have four lines that can play and work hard. Of course they have to mesh together and play as a team. With 15-, 16-, 17-year-olds we still struggle with egos and being team players. They were all really good top-end players as bantams and AA midgets. Now they move into AAA midget, they have to share the puck and play as a team.”
The Pat Canadians have seven returning players from the team that just missed the playoffs last season with a 1624-4 record. They have added some promising newcomers, including defenceman Troy Murray and forward Jayden Halbgewachs, both of whom were selected in the first round of the 2012 WHL bantam draft after helping the Prairie Storm reach the provincial bantam final last season.
Other WHL draft picks on the Pat Canadians roster include: Goalie Logan Flodell (Seattle Thunderbirds, third round, 2012), defenceman Michael Eskra (Vancouver Giants, fifth round, 2012), defenceman Ram Ruopp (Prince George Cougars, fourth round, 2011), forward Carter Folk (Seattle, fourth round, 2011), forward Zak Zborosky (Kootenay Ice, fifth round, 2011) and forward Mitch Lipon (Prince George, seventh round, 2011).
Murray — whose brother Ryan was the second overall pick in the 2012 NHL entry draft — was selected 10th overall by Kootenay while the Kamloops Blazers chose Halbgewachs at No. 19.
“They have great upside,” said Johnston, whose team went 4-1-1 in the pre-season. “Right now, (they just have to) get to know the league. It’s a really tough league. If they do well they’ll get to where they want to go. You just have to go through the process. As 15-year-olds they’ll come in and get icetime and after Christmas it’ll be a huge difference in playing time and also how well they play.”