Swift Current resolved their goaltending issue today, shipping overage goaltender Morgan Clark to Prince George for a 2011 7th round bantam pick.
Clark was in competition with fellow overager Mark Friesen for the goaltending job in Speedy Creek. The Broncos obviously weren't going to keep two overagers in net, so now the job is Friesen's and they can work in a rookie goalie like Austin Smith as the backup....or Joni Ortio if he does come over from Finland. Although Ortio wouldn't come over to be the backup, I'm sure.
For the Cougars, Clark now gives them competition with 19 year old Hudson Stremmel for the #1 job there. Perhaps they keep both those guys as their tandem, or perhaps the loser of the #1 battle gets shipped out in favour of a younger goalie as backup....but that's what camp is for after all...
UPDATE: the Cougars' press release about the trade clarifies their situation - Stremmel has decided not to return to the WHL next season and will instead remain home in Reno, NV, to pursue his education. So, I guess Clark is the starter in P.G. now, with a rookie backup to be decided in camp....
8 comments:
So... Does this mean he won't be backing up Luongo in Vancouver this season?
Anon, Clark was never going to be in Vancouver since they never signed him to an entry level deal. And then shortly after replaced his father Ian with a new goaltending coach.
Nick
I was using sarcasm as a literary device, pointing out that this average talent should never be drafted by the team his Dad works for.
Didn't PG burn other goalies to make room for Stremmel (like, say, Salmon)?
Stremmel didn't have anything to do with Salmon.....Salmon got into four games with the Cougars early in the season and had a GAA of almost 7. Based on those stats, he was probably in over his head there and was let go before Stremmel was brought in.
Stremmel came in when James Priestner decided to quit hockey. And Stremmel actually posted the best numbers (by a good margin) of any of the goalies who played for the Cougars last year, so he deserved his spot.
Prince George's goaltending situation is still a mess though. Is Clark the answer? If he was a reliable #1 goalie, why did the Broncos trade for Mark Friesen last year and then keep Friesen over Clark when it came to picking a goalie for next season? Too many questions still.
Clark was drafted for one reason (his Daddy's friends with the Canucks did him a favour)!! That's the way it works. The kid will be playing junior a this year.
Salmon didn't play that bad in Seattle with an equally as bad and young team in front of him. Granted behind Pickard he will get less than 10 starts (barring injury) but I wouldn't say he was in over his head, just in a really bad situation.
Salmon was screwed over in PG. The coach made it clear that Priestner (his old boss's kid) was going to be there #1. He had no interest in the two goalies battling it out. Three of the four games Salmon was in, the team absolutely collapsed in front of him. After less than two games (103 mins) he was released. kids getting screwed in PG is a common theme up here!
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