In this edition we continue to update the lists prior to the start of the season.
We start to preview the various leagues across western Canada and start with a 6 page preview on the AMBHL North and how things are likely to shape up. We look at who will make the playoffs, the key players for each team, top rookie and much more.
I had a chance to speak with a couple team-mates from Alberta who are ready to lead their team to a league title after a subpar 2010-2011 season. I also speak with a player who played AA hockey last year but could do some major damage in AAA this year in the goal scoring department. Finally, I speak with a player coming off a very strong Regina prospects camp a couple weeks ago.
13 comments:
Each one of the players listed above are highly over rated. I will give you Bear, he is the only one with potential but still over rated. Melville will not win many games this upcoming season, never mind the provincial title!
Then who else in the south and why?
Prairie Storm and Weyburn should be strong this year
These comments were meant for the Bear story. Mod, if you could move these, thanks.
Too early to tell who is going to win the south, but all I can say is that it won't be Melville. Regina could be strong, Swift too and possibly Yorkton better than last year even though they lost a few players to ND as well.
Yorkton are you joking
The province will be won by a north team as they combined teams this year leaving the south not being able to compete.
The North (formerly the Centre Four Hockey League for Bantam)used to have 9 teams and now has 6. So the 3 teams that are gone players will be dispersed amongest a few teams, but no one be a power house. Battleford will gain some strong players, Warman and Martensville (Sask Valley) will be one as will Tisdale and Melfort (North East). Sask Valley will be a one man show so shut him down and you have them beat. North East has good tenders and a large quantity of forwards, but weak defense and no forwards that will be standouts. The teams to benefit the most will be Battleford as they will get a couple of top level players to go with the quantity of quality forwards. West Central, Humboldt and PA will surprise these teams on a regular basis.
it is way to early to make any accurate predictions until you know which players are playing where and what the teams are going to look like.
Agree that there probably won't be a dominant team in the North this year. PA will be good because they have an excellent feeder system and strong coaching. Sask Valley will probably be middle-of-the-pack. They aren't a one man show but in all likelihood will be coached liked they are (just like the 2010 season). A core of Draude and Schatz up front and a defense led by Fiala (over from Martensville) should be enough to overcome most of the coaching follies they will have to endure. A strong cast of returning players led by Seaman, Paziuk, and Grambo should ensure that any championship will have to go through Melfort/Tisdale. West Central will have a strong group of rookies, but look for them to make noise next year. Humboldt will take a step back, but solid tending and the addition of Sherban will make them competitive. Battleford should make strides with Hinz and overall greater depth. Look for them to be in the mix with Sask Valley and PA to see who challenges Melfort/Tisdale.
just because kids played last year doesn't make them sure fire dominant players this year. Hinz, Draude and Campese will be the top 3 players in the North.
Quite frankly the Melfort/Tisdale team is hugely overrated. The North will be a very competitive division.
No argument that those 3 mentioned are the top first year players from last season (Draude will have to learn to play with his head up). But so what? With rare exceptions, TEAMS win championships, not individual players. I hi-lighted the Melfort players not because i expect them to be dominant a la Campese, Draude, and Hinz but because they are the leading faces of a strong group of first years who are now a year older with a year's worth of bantam experience. [If you don't think playing a year at that level isn't important to success then, well, we'll have to agree to disagree.]
All that said, the C4 should be competitive like it hasn't been for years. I think for the most part the days of double-digit blowouts are gone, and while i have Melfort as a slight favourite, nothing is preordained.
Paziuk will challenge Hinz, Campesse, and Draude for your top 3players in the North.
North will be a very strong division with all teams being competitive. While maybe Humboldt not gaining much in the new structure in terms of player relocation; the others have. West Central, Battlefords, Sask Valley, and Melfort-Tisdale gaining the most.
Prince Albert will get stronger as the year goes with Campesse, Gunville, and a pair of 98s in Warkentine and Hanson leading the offense. Morrison will be relied heavily back on D.
Battlefords could be the team with Hinz and Bast moving over from Unity. Add Iron, Normand, and Vidal from Meadow Lake, this gives this team five good players through player relocation.
I don't really see Melfort-Tisdale being overrated. Goaltending will be solid with either Dzurka, Amundrud, and Cresswell earning that roll. Fiske is a very solid D and provides offense and grit, add Long and Gerwing gives you an experienced blueline.
Paziuk, Grambo, Zary, Seaman, and little sparkblug Shumlanski give you a decent group to possibly to form the teams top 6. Add the possibility of 3 of the top 5 1998 CFHL scorers such as Stobbs, Chasse, and Borstmayer - Melfort/Tisdale will be okay.
Yes, the North Division will be interesting this year.
Saskatchewan bantam AAA be weak?
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