|
Post by wade on Mar 4, 2012 13:13:18 GMT -5
I liked the goaltendiing the Gens' had this year & I would feel confident with the same 2 'tenders in 2013.
It's not realistic expecting to recruit a goaltender (or two) who are better than every other goalie you can possibly face in a season. Ultimatley, you can only hope for goalies who give you a chance to win. If you get something even better than that...consider yourself fortunate...because those needles are often buried deep in the haystack.
Horse lake had better goaltending than Bentley in this series. I don't deny it. But thats the way it goes...sometimes...you have to try and win a series without having ALL the edges going your way.
As for saving $$$ for next year...I don't look at the accoutning books...I know enough to know its always tough for everyone in that regard.
I do, however, feel as though the extra early end to this season will help the team to be better prepared for next season.
The Gens' are done for the winter...and for the first time in a long time...it is ACTUALLY still "winter" when their season stops! Hopefully that translates to extra rest & recovery time for everyone...especially the key guys who were already playing hurt this week.
Its important to remember...this team DID win "something" this year. They're still Chinook League Champs and that came with a high price to pay. The regular season + league playoffs represent a big commitment.
It would have been a lot of fun to qualify for LBK2012. Its going to be as good a tournament as we've seen in a long time.
But it would also be a huge expectation for the Gens' to qualify for 6 straight Allan Cups.
And make no mistake...the drive for next year is underway already.
|
|
|
Post by Curtis on Mar 4, 2012 15:05:54 GMT -5
and that's great wade if your happy with your goaltending.
Now if horse lake doesn't come back for whatever reason next year, would the goalie you admit was better than the gens tenders be acquired? It would have to be entertained i would think.
Your comment on an end to an early season to be prepared for next is kinda where i was coming from. I guess when i threw the "cash savings' part into it it flipped hockeypops!!
Norwood suffered in the ACH without a #1 goalie and didn't make playoffs and the year before were 3 goals and a couple minutes away from winning the league and heading to the cup tourney!
|
|
|
Post by wade on Mar 4, 2012 15:57:59 GMT -5
Nothing is ever a sure thing when your talking about Horse Lake...but...I would be very surprised & disappointed if they didn't go 'AAA' for a second straight year. The Chiefs are drawing talent from around Edmonton right now. This is something of a phenomenon for Alberta 'AAA' clubs as it has been "like pulling teeth" to gain interest from top level Edmonton area players for the most part. The fact HL is able to have success with it, I would suggest, is a tell tale sign they have the funds to facilitate another strong 'AAA' team next year. Does that mean Weslosky will be with them? Not neccesarily. But another thing I always feel is important to remember when were talking about SR AAA goaltenders is...its not always about how talented they are. Its about how much they play/practice. With regards to Weslosky...the big advantadge he has going for him right now is he was playing in the ECHL this season. That translates to plenty of practicing & playing time at a very high level. If we fast forward a whole calender year....is he still the same super-sharp, well conditioned weapon? Or does he start to back-slide when he goes from 3-5 ice times each week to maybe less than once per average? It might sound like a straw grasp... but trust me....it matters & its an important consideration. Sometimes...a bird in the hand.... And after all of that....lets also not forget Jase is still very young and likely to get at least a few calls from semi-pro teams in N.A. and even Europe. At ANY POINT next winter he could be signed to a card in Horse Lake or whereever and leave someone high & dry to take a $$$ garunteed contract back in the ECHL or the CHL...et al. Sometimes...worth two in the bush. Thats all part of the fun & games 'The Army' is going to face for the next calender year. Its going to be hard to avoid a juggling act here. So many players are sure to be "interested"...but...who will bring the passion & the desire you need when next April rolls around? Ultimatley...I don't care how much talent we stack on next years roster...I want to see an Allan Cup Champion emerge from out of the HUNGRIEST squad 'The Army' has ever had.
|
|
|
Post by Curtis on Mar 4, 2012 16:35:04 GMT -5
good stuff Wade.
My brother is a goalie coach for Portage College in Lac La Biche and he is constantly talking about where to find players. I hand packages around Ontario to entice players...but its a real tough go. To boot, they have a budget they get to spend without having to do all the sponsorship hunting to ease the pain.
But of course like anything, if your not successful the organization starts asking questions:( They have an absolutely amazing facility to play out of as does Athabasca. I was on a deer hunt last September and toured with the Portage team to play the Athabasca AA senior team. There was really only 2 players that stood out for Athabasca that could play AAA and the rest were just men's league. But it was entertaining. ( sorry to get off track).
|
|
|
Post by jimc on Mar 4, 2012 19:27:18 GMT -5
hmmm, Curtis, what are you referring to 5 years ago, I wonder?
|
|
|
Post by Curtis on Mar 5, 2012 9:02:20 GMT -5
2006 actually, i fell and hit my head...when i woke up i was told that i had purchased the Belleville Macfarlands senior hockey team. It was around July (if i remember correctly) and had 2 months to beg, pleed, offer players to come play, hustle for sponsorship and put together an executive and coaching staff for the newly named Marmora Lakers who would play in the EOSHL and outof the Marmora and Lake Community Centre.
Shawn antoski agreed to coach and ended up playing a few games in the end. I thought i was doing good things signing Brent Gretzky and Oliver Maron.
Because it was last minute putting it together, there were only 4 teams including us Whitby, Norwood and Frankford, i decided to just stay AA as did Frankford. The end of that season, Whitby Norwood played off for AAA and Frankford Marmora for AA which Frankford won in 6 games. ( The OHA changed their ruling the following season which "every" team that wished to play senior hockey had to declare AAA!) A little dictative..so im out!
We started out well and had a good team until a faithful night in Marmora playing whitby and Kearns tried to take the head of Rick Carrier off at the blueline which resulted in Carrier tapping the back of Kearns leg to which he fell like a ton of bricks. We had to go through the OHA kangaroo court where as they stood by there faithfull(horrible) referree Nick Myers and Carrier received a 10 game suspension....it all seemed to go down hill from there.
Why i came back for a second season of abuse, i have no idea because im sure we were the goat for the OHA to train there new refs( which you dont see any of in todays senior game) and i was told from a source out of Cambridge (even those guys like to tell on each other)that we were "tagged" and to be used as examples.
The players just dissappeared, Greztky didnt amount to what i expected(until he went to Brantford) and i was pouring my own savings into a sinking ship!
The second year was worse. Out of playoffs contention early, paying for 2 bus trips to coldwater for games that meant shit. One bus trip home in a blizzard getting to the drop off @ 4 am...nice!
Then the eoshl and mlh merged because the mlh only had 2 teams and didnt think they would survive. The Norwood Vipers called to ask if i would be interested in assisting the club and i did and have at all levels because 'I love hockey"!!
Not saying i made the best choices, nor did i have the "cash" that some hockey clubs have to throw around...but i put my best foot forward and stayed till the end , all bills paid and closing the books for the Marmora lakers.
|
|
|
Post by munzie on Mar 5, 2012 15:47:39 GMT -5
Curtis....nothing wrong with repeating your story for jimc (and any other folks who may not have been aware). I know the part about your experience with the OHA is a legitimate part of the story, but could you not have left that out somehow. It's been over two full weeks since we've heard about Brent Ladds & company, and now I fear we are going to be faced with another multi-year never ending midnight rant on jimc's favorite subject. Do you realize what you have done? ;D or did you do it on purpose!!! Also Curtis, You've got to cancel that dial up service, get off the farm, and get out two a few of these playoff games. With the time your spending on pointstreak and this form, you could have driven to all off Whitby, Orillia, Dundas and Brantford, and still had time to spare. Can I save a seat and keep an eye open for you? I'll even break the bank and offer to buy your admission. Regards munzie
|
|
|
Post by Curtis on Mar 5, 2012 17:13:27 GMT -5
no munzie, it wasnt on purpose. Gas is too expensive:( Jim will do what Jim has to do with or without my rants. Ive been told im 170 lbs of dynamite with a short fuse and i guess the nickname crazy was earned somewhere along the way.
Actually, back in1994 , i was with the Bowmanville Eagles as assitant GM behind Mike Laing but eventually took over promotion and equipment on his request. The eagles were moving up to tier 2, so i entertained buying the Junior C license on condition i had a place to play .I started out in Norwood, but the old Brethren coliseum was pretty small and minor hockey was not in full support of it. I received a call from the manager of Marmora and got offered the 6 hours of ice needed, friday night games with our own private dressing room and full support from Marmora minor Hockey. I had phone polled business's in the area and had 12 sweater sponsers @ $350.00 ea and 23 program ads @ $50.00 ea.
Campbellford rebels put in a block because of the 50 km radius which they had the right to do even though it was suggested to me(from somewhere;)) that i negotiate territory and other terms to entice Campbellford to allow us in but to no avail...end of story! I thought there would have been a good rivalry between the 2. It wasnt just a few years earlier that the Madoc hurricanes jr c team allowed Campbellford to come into the league and using the same 3 counties for territory that Madoc had...but the 50 km radius was not a factor and madoc liked the closer team for a rivalry!
Ive been rooting around hockey my whole life, ran a 6 team contact mens league in the Village of Newcastle, the longest running contact league at the time, in the early mid eighties. formed a select tournament team out of it that i had travelled around ontario and had a blast winning and losing. It is now a 6 team non contact league and has been for about 10 years.
well, gotta go, got a cow and heifer in calf i got to check on and fill the outdoor woodstove.
Thanks for the tix offer but i didnt think you would want to buy me a ticket to watch Brantford and Whitby play!!
|
|
|
Post by munzie on Mar 6, 2012 1:40:45 GMT -5
Either way, my offer stands!
|
|
|
Post by jimc on Mar 9, 2012 21:22:19 GMT -5
ah yes, Good old Brent Ladds and the OHA...the hockey world's greatest gong show!
|
|