Two days after being a healthy scratch for the second time in three games (and telling a reporter he didn't know why he wasn't playing), the Rockets have washed their hands of the enigma that is Justin Bernhardt and traded him to Prince Albert for a 2009 4th round bantam pick. The pick will be upgraded to a 3rd rounder if Bernhardt plays as an overager in the WHL next year. Bernhardt has the talent to be a point-a-game player in the league but has never had the fire. This is his third team in a year now.
Dean Clark has identified the problem in Kamloops, and it's him. Or partly him and his negative attitude, anyway. Check out Gregg's blog for his whole article on Clark and his resolve to be a more positive person and to start clearing up the air of negativity around the Blazers. First order of business? The team's theme song ("Takin' Care of Business") will be replaced with "Don't Worry, Be Happy".
There are 351 current and former WHL players using their WHL scholarship monies this year, at a variety of schools across North America. If you're wondering where some of your past favourites now ply their trade (or learn a trade), the WHL site has the complete list. Amongst the discoveries: former Winter Hawk Kelly Friesen is apparently training to be a pilot, while former Hawk/Cane/Blade tough guy Matt Fetzner has apparently joined the Canadian Forces and is training for a career as an officer there.
The Moose Jaw-Regina rivalry - usually one of the WHL's nastiest - has been in a bit of a rut lately. That may come to an end tonight, when the two teams meet for the first time since Pats defenceman Colten Teubert knocked Warriors sniper Riley Holzapfel out with what the Warriors felt was a cheap shot. Teubert and the Pats say they're ready to play the game however Moose Jaw wants to play it.
Day Two of Jon Rosen's "Road Tips" diary of Everett's Central swing is up. This one covers the day-of-game events leading up to last night's loss to the Rodeo Kings.
To the NHL......and not for the squeamish: Edmonton Oilers defenceman Matt Greene breaks his ankle on Tuesday. This isn't something I would normally post (gruesome injuries?) but I post it because you have to admire this guy's toughness. He's up on his knees immediately and appears to be trying to get back to his feet even. He has to be persuaded by teammates and the refs to wait for the trainer. This despite the fact that he had to have known the ankle was bad....seems to me when your foot gets twisted 180 degrees from where it should be, you might feel a little something.
2 comments:
On Keen's blog, Kelly McCrimmon says:
We haven't had a rebuilding year in Brandon since 1991.
I don't know what he's counting 05-06, and 99-2000 as . . . Next thing you know, Molleken's gong to say this isn't a 'rebuilding year' for the Blades.
CA/MJ
I would hardly classify 05-06 as rebuilding finishing with 70 points in 72 games and if I remember correctly, taking a very high powered Moose Jaw team to 6 games in the first round of the playoffs.
Although, 99-00 was only a 59 point season, and ended up missing the playoffs, they may have made the playoffs without a 4 game winless streak to end the season. Also they were only 6 points out of 7th place in the conference that year. I agree not the greatest year and I probably would classify that as a rebuilding year, but it all depends on what your definition of rebuilding is.
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