That smile, that grin, whatever you want to call it, on Conner Roulette it is ever present. It's part of who he is. Like his helmet, stick or skates, it's as much a piece of his equipment as everything else in his hockey bag. It is as much his signature as is his autograph on a playing card. The kid loves this game and it shows. His love of scoring goals, makes him enjoy the game even more and he's pretty proficient at that. There were 171 points over two years of Bantam hockey, 88 points last year at the Midget level.
What is it they say? If you love your work, you'll be more productive at it? Make no mistake, Roulette wants playing hockey and scoring goals to be his vocation. If and when it becomes his full-time job, he's gonna love his work. But even if that never happens, he's always going to love this game. There is something pure, unadulterated and innocent about going about your business with a smile. So, whether he's playing at the accesso ShoWare Center, skating some day in the future in an NHL arena or if it's just on a prairie pond in the middle of a Manitoba winter, I hope that smile, that grin, never leaves his face.
Just don't mistake that wide grin, that perpetual smile, for indifference or aloofness. Don't ever think it means he doesn't take this game seriously. He doesn't believes he has it all figured out. He came to camp this summer to earn a roster spot, not to have one handed to him. When it comes to this game, Roulette is all business. He is the quintessential rink rat. If he could, he'd be on the ice 24-7, perfecting every part of his craft. A lot of what he can do on the ice is natural, God-given talent, but like most of the best players, it's also the result of hours spent perfecting his skills. He is a student of the game, studying not only himself but listening and learning from others. Like the rest of the young cast on this T-birds roster, he's still a work in progress. Here is some advice. While you are watching them grow and get better at their craft, take a cue from Roulette and smile along with him. You'll enjoy it so much more.
Seattle completed a three games in four nights stretch with a much needed win at home Saturday. Injuries certainly play a part in the early season struggles but so does inconsistent play. Seattle had a strong finish to the first period in Kamloops Wednesday despite missing two of their top four defensemen and two of their top six forwards. But they couldn't carry that momentum over to the second period. Friday in Spokane they were solid in the games final forty minutes but a slow start to the game put them in a three goal hole they couldn't climb out from. Even in the win they allowed the Royals to sneak back into the game late.
The power play finally came alive in the 5-3 win over Victoria, going 3-for-6. Special team both win and lose you so many games over the course of a season. Seattle is still in the process of building their special teams units. There are a lot of new faces for both the power play and the penalty kill. Finding the right chemistry may take 15-20 games.
Wednesday night in Kamloops, Roddy Ross had what could only be described as an off night. It was out of the norm. He was fighting the puck, especially in the second period. Games like that happen, even to the best of them. He shook that one off and was back to his usual Goal-Robbin' Roddy Ross self Saturday night. If I'm the Philadelphia Flyers, who drafted him back in June, I may not have liked that 5-goals-allowed second period against the Blazers but I'd be thrilled with his response to it Saturday versus Victoria. Part of being a professional is learning to bounce back. Ross didn't let Wednesday's performance linger. It was a one off. One of Ross' greatest strengths is his rebound control and ability to steer shots away from the front of the net. He was nearly perfect in that regard Saturday night.
While it doesn't mean they aren't affecting games in other ways, the T-birds big two of Matthew Wedman and Henrik Rybinski aren't getting on the scoresheet yet. In a combined eight games, they have tallied just four assists. Now, to be fair, Rybinski has been robbed a few times already by some highlight goalie saves and Wedmam just returned after being away at NHL/AHL camp with the Florida Panthers. A solid week of practice before the team plays their next game should help. They are going to score and for this young Seattle team to be successful, they need those two to light the lamp. But Seattle's other players can't wait for those two to get going. They have to do their part. The team needs contributions up and down the lineup.
How bad is the T-birds injury situation, or as I like to call it, the Seattle Scurge? Not only are their five players out with long term ailments but General Manager Bil LaForge is dealing with his own lower body injury. That's him zipping around the building on a scooter. Now I hear prospect Tyler Dodgson is on the shelf with a lower body injury that will cost him a spot on Team Manitoba for the upcoming WHL Cup (U16 tournament). Dodgson, a defenseman, was Seattle's eighth round pick in last spring's Bantam Draft. When it rains, it pours.
By the way, tip of the hat to defenseman Ryan Gottfried. With the recent injuries to Cade McNelly and Ty Bauer, the T-birds were in dire need of some blueline help. LaForge was able to acquire Gottfried from Red Deer midweek. With only one practice with his new team, he played two games in under 30 hours with a lot of bus time in between. Gottfried was in Winnipeg at the time of the deal so he had to make the long trek west as well.
My T-birds Three Stars for the Week:
Third Star: W Keltie Jeri-Leon. Goals both Friday and Saturday night, it was just the second time in his WHL career that he scored in back-to-back games. The last time was in early 2018 as a member of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. His last second power play goal in the second period against Victoria turned out to be pretty important in Seattle's lone win of the week. Playing on a line with a pair of 16 year olds in Kai Uchacz and Lucas Ciona, they have developed some good, early season chemistry. With this young team, the T-birds need the 19 year old Kelowna native to step up and provide points and leadership.
Second Star: C Payton Mount. Mount, in his second season, played in just two of the three games this week, missing Friday's game in Spokane due to illness, but made the most of his ice time. When we talk about the young players this team is building around, we have to include the 2017 first round Bantam pick in that conversation. He had a three assist game against Victoria and head coach Matt O'Dette said Seattle probably doesn't win the game without him. In four games he is tied for the team lead in scoring withs five points (1g 4a) and is +3.
First Star: W Conner Roulette. Following his hat trick against Victoria, he now has four goals in six career WHL games. He started the season by hitting three posts and somehow missed his first chance at the empty net against the Royals Saturday night. He's probably most upset he missed another chance to score on the power play when he couldn't get his stick on a Wedman pass early in the third period with a wide open net in front of him. He's just 16 but has already gotten minutes on Seattle's top line and on their top power play unit. His active stick makes him a deceptive forechecker. He's not the biggest player on the ice but does well in tight spaces. We can joke that every team in the WHL passed on him at least once in the 2018 Bantam draft but some did it twice. Oh, that includes Seattle who used the second of their two second round selections that year to acquire him. Do you think Roulette is taking a subtle jab at those teams that passed on him? Roulette was taken with the 34th overall pick. He wears number 34. Maybe it is just a reminder to himself to work harder so he can bring himself up on that list.
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