The miracle man
Hulton and his staff have done another tremendous job with Charlottetown Islanders
Charlottetown Islanders head coach Jim Hulton has been considered in many local hockey circles a miracle worker and the numbers he has posted since replacing previous head coach Gordie Dwyer in the summer of 2015 suggest he is that and more.
Off to a terrible start to begin the 2015-16 season, the Islanders, nevertheless, finished fourth in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Maritimes Division and made it to the second round of the playoffs with a club that many felt, at the start of the season, would be among the league’s weakest. Despite losing key players via trades and graduation, the Islanders made it to the third round of the playoffs the last two seasons, marking the deepest playoff runs ever by the Charlottetown team in the Q – coming within a win of heading to the league final.
Hulton has a talent for finding players that were little more than excess baggage elsewhere and turning them into valuable assets, most notably last year’s playoff stars Pascal Aquin and defenceman Hunter Drew, who is again a standout this season.
In December, Hulton parted with fan favourites Pierre-Olivier (P.O.) Joseph, Keith Getson and Derek Gentile but the Islanders didn’t flounder; their record after the deadline was almost the same as before. The team may even be better as was evident last Saturday when the Islanders knocked off the first-place Mooseheads in Halifax with key playoff seedings on the line.
The Islanders opened their best-of-seven playoffs series Friday night here at Eastlink Centre against a dangerous foe in the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, who have a couple of starry exIslanders and first-round draft picks in Mitchell Balmas (43-39, 82 points) and Shawn Boudrias (19-27, 46). Cape Breton also has talented ex-Islander Gentile (1540, 55) plus standouts Mathias Laferriere (28-46, 74), Egor Sokolov (30-27, 57) and high-scoring defenceman Leon Gawanke (1740, 57) making them a formidable opponent indeed.
The Islanders appear to be getting stronger heading into the playoffs and two key players are Hulton projects in Daniel Hardie and recently acquired Jordon Maher, who have developed into pro prospects much like Aquin last year.
The Islanders are counting on great play from youngsters Nikita Alexandrov (27-34, 61) and Brett Budgell (18-15, 33), who were outstanding in last year’s playoffs. Charlottetown also has outstanding rookie defenceman Lukas Cormier (15-21, 36), who has also blossomed under Hulton, as has Drew, who has 16 tallies this season. Blue-liner Xavier Bernard acquired in the Joseph trade been another Hulton find which makes this series with Cape Breton such an interesting one.
This opening playoff round has the look and feel like a long, close and tough series, one where the Hulton factor may tip the scales slightly in favour of the Islanders. We shall see.
BANTAM
In other local hockey news, the Jeff Squires and K.J. Whitecoached Central Attack captured the provincial bantam AAA crown and is now headed to the Atlantics where they will be one of the strong contenders, based on their play throughout the region and winning the Spud.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Stu MacLure, who was a standout defenceman for the Sandy’s Royals in the 1960s and 1970s, turns the big 85 today and there’s a gathering Sunday at 2 p.m. at The Hotel on Pownal. Stu confided in me yesterday that he feels so good he may be able to help grandson Luke Beck’s Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride with their defensive play next season. Stu is also a sharp race handicapper, so I’d suggest sticking with the ponies.
HARNESS RACING
The news released by Finance Minister Heath MacDonald that significant help is on the way for the harness racing industry is great news. Harness racing is a big industry here in this province, much like Ontario, and is a major player in P.E.I. tourism, which attracts harness racing fans from Canada, the USA and Europe to our shores for Old Home Week and The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer.
There is a harness racing seminar set for today at 10:30 a.m. at Rodd Charlottetown with numerous topics, including the release of a study conducted during the past year. The seminar continues morning and afternoon with a break for lunch.
Sock It Away was fifth at Meadowlands in 1:51 a week ago in a $13,500 event and is back in again tonight at same track with the outside nine-hole, ouch. Trotter Pappy Go was second in 1:55 at The Meadowlands and is back in to go tonight at Pocono out of the nine-spot.
Trotter Wick Nick has won four times already at Saratoga, including a new record of 1:57:2h, two weeks ago. He also has the nine-hole Sunday at Saratoga for a $10,700 purse.
At Mohawk tonight, James MacDonald has Fancourt from Post 2 in the $30,000 top class while at Yonkers, Mark MacDonald handles four in the five legs of the Levy series.