Fleas on a Dog

When my nephew was young, he came home from school one December day and told his mother he learned a new Christmas song.  He then proceeded to sing it to her.  Only he heard Feliz Navidad as "fleas on a dog".  That was about twenty years ago, but every Christmas since we all sing it to my nephew when we gather.  We won't let him forget.  This will be the second Christmas we won't get to "hound" him about it though.  Thanks Covid.

And speaking of fleas on a dog, a few thoughts on the Thunderbirds disappointing loss Saturday in Everett. Yes, the loss stings.  It's a bitter pill to swallow because of what was at stake.  Seattle had a chance to put themselves in first place in the Western Conference, even if only for 24 hours. They faced a team they had just beaten fairly convincingly the night before and now was down to just 14 healthy skaters. The same effort the T-birds put forth Friday night would have probably won the game Saturday. Unfortunatley, Seattle came out flat.

Everett played hard.  That's all they did. Pretty simple game plan.  Leave every ounce of energy on the ice.  They won most of the puck battles. They put forth the effort for sixty minutes that Seattle didn't. They did very little to generate much in the way of offense though.  The offense they got all came from Seattle mistakes. Mistakes that were the result of not being mentally focused when the game started. 

Give credit to Everett for not using a short bench as an excuse, but this loss is squarely on Seattle's shoulders.There are no "gimmies" in the Western Hockey League. The T-birds learned that lesson at the expense of the top of the standings.  Maybe that's the best Christmas present this team could receive. A valuable lesson that wins are earned, not given.   

Let's get past that loss.  Don't forget it though.  Remember that sour postgame taste and let it motivate you going forward. But in the big picture, it was just one of 68 games on the schedule.  There are 40 games still to be played.  Seattle finished the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule with the second best record in the Western Conference. They went into the break by going 7-1-2-0 in their last ten games.  They put themselves in position to compete for the best record in the West. I was asked, before the season began, what I thought would be a realistic goal for this team.  I said top four finish in the conference.  They are ahead of that prediction.  

So often we remember that bitter loss and don't celebrate the successes.  Head Coach Matt O'Dette said there was a lot of positives the first two and a half months. "You can kind of forget that with the way it ends, with the bad taste in our mouth, but there's a lot to be happy about, a lot to be excited about. We've had a fantastic first half."  

They are eleven games over .500 and I still don't believe they've played their best hockey. We've seen glimpses, a period here or there, where they have looked invincible, but it hasn't sustained itself over 60-minutes yet.  They are still a relatively young team so maybe we won't see that this season on a consistent basis.  Not having the full roster together, but for a few games, has played a part as well.  

They'll have to make do the second half of the season without their leader and captain Tyrel Bauer. That's a big loss to overcome.  I think Bauer was having the kind of season that would earn him an NHL deal from Winnipeg, the team that drafted him in the sixth round back in 2020.  I hope the injury doesn't curtail that.  He's a well rounded player that will give you a little bit of everything. His offensive game is deceptive.  Who leads the team in breakaway goals?  Bauer with two. Half his goals are game winners. With Bauer healthy, the T-birds had the top penalty killing unit in the WHL.  Since his injury they have slipped a few spots down the rankings.  

Will the Bauer injury prompt Thunderbirds General Manager Bil Laforge to use some of his large stock of draft capital to make a deal before the January trade deadline?  Or is he comfortable giving some of his young blue liners more ice time while knowing he'll have Sam Knazko back after World Juniors to eat up some of those minutes Bauer would have played? After all, they did post a 3-1 record with both Bauer and Knazko unavailable and probably should have gone 4-0.  One thing we've learned so far under Laforge's tenure, he is not shy about making deals. 

Additionally, the T-birds went into the Christmas break with just 12 forwards on the roster.   That won't be sustainable over the second half.  Teams usually carry 13 or 14. Look for an addition or two to the forward group.  Maybe they rotate in a couple of young prospects.  Perhaps a few games from recently signed 2021 first round draft pick Tij Iginla?  2020 second round pick Brayden Dube is doing quite well with the Dauphin Kings of the MJHL.  The 16 year old has 26-points (15g, 11a) in 15 games, skating with older players. Could we see him for a game or three?

Where are the Thunderbirds in their "compete window"? Has it started or are they a year away? Some of the earlier trades made by teams in contention have come at a high cost, as in top prospects and multiple high picks.  The T-birds have both, but is there an acquisition to be made that fills a need without breaking the bank? 

Over the weekend the Thunderbirds put 94 shots on goal in two games.  It tells you they are driving the play. It tells you they have the majority of the puck possession. It means most of the game is being played in the opposing team's end of the ice. Yet once again the opponent ends up with 14 power plays.  Make it make sense.  

The last time Seattle played a nearly complete season, 2019-20, they had 11 road wins in 30 away games.  So far this season, they have 11 road wins in 16 road games. They lost once in Spokane in overtme.  Their four road losses in regulation have all been in Everett. They need to solve that building.  Maybe an exorcism?

Projecting the WHL career arc of 16 year old prospects is a fool's game but I like what I have seen in the limited viewings of a pair of young Thunderbirds defensemen.  Both Niko Tsakumis and Ethan Mittelsteadt have more then held their own in the few games they've played.  

The Thunderbirds used three picks through the first six rounds of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft on d-men. Sawyer Mynio was chosen in the third round, 63rd overall.  Mittelsteadt was a 5th round selection, while Tsakumis was taken in the 6th round. Combined that trio has played 22 games this season and compiled four points (3g, 1a) and are a combined +10. 

Four of the T-birds top six defensemen on this year's roster most likely are not returning next year.   20 year olds Ryan Gottfried and Eric Van Impe are definitely gone, 19 year old Knazko won't be back either and the status of the 19 year old Bauer is now up in the air. So, those three young d-men will be needed. Also a reason why the T-birds used three of their first five picks in last week's 2021 WHL Prospects Draft on defensemen. 

O'Dette left his team with this message going into the break, "Turn the minds off of hockey for a week or so." adding, "Take precautions. With Covid flaring up everywhere we have to be smart with what we're doing over the break. Be safe and enjoy time with families."  

My T-birds Three Stars for the Week: 

Third Star: D Ryan Gottfried.  Three assists in the three games for the 20 year old defenseman.  He lost his D partner to a long term injury and immediately stepped up his game.  He'll get a lot of shifts going forward with those green, young 16 year olds.  But if you trust him that's what you do and the T-birds trust him.

Second Star: G Thomas Milic.  When you win the first two games of the week by a combined score of 12-3, it's easy to overlook the performance of your goalie, but Milic was sharp in picking up two wins. Sometimes it's not the amount of saves you make but the timely manner in which you make those saves that wins you a game.  Certainly can't blame the 4-1 loss Saturday on Milic. His team didn't give him enough support.

First Star: C Henrik Rybinski. Rybinski was terrific in the two wins, but the true measure was Saturday in Everett.  When too many of his teammates didn't play with the passion needed, he was there working hard every shift.  Seven points over his last five games (3g, 4a) and points in 14 of his last 16. he finished the week with three points (1g, 2a) and a +3 rating.  Hard to imagine him not earning a pro contract by season's end.  

Oh, Canada! How We Missed You!

For the first time in 21-months, the Thunderbirds boarded the team bus and headed north of the border this past weekend.  And what a triumphant return it was as the team took both games, winning 6-1 Friday in Kamloops and coming from behind, not once but twice, to defeat the Rockets, 5-4, in Kelowna Saturday.

As a result, the T-birds have won three in a row, earned points in seven straight games and pulled within five points of the top of the Western Conference standings with a game in hand. Yes, that's right, not just within five points of the U.S. Division lead, but the top of the conference standings as well. Merry Christmas indeed!

Both wins were impressive, though in different ways.  Friday Seattle put forth a dominant opening period, scoring four times and putting the Blazers on their heels.  And when Kamloops appeared to fight back in the second, the T-birds stepped up their game a notch to hold them off and in the third period finished the game off strong.

The following night in Kelowna, Seattle, their blueline depleted by injuries, fell into an early two-goal hole.  There was no panic.  And when they fell behind a second time late in the third period, there was no panic. They didn't just climb out of that hole, they jumped out.  In the second leg of a two game road trek, with many hours spent on the bus, they were stronger at the end of the game then they were at the beginning, scoring two late goals for the win.

One of the quirks of Prospera Place in Kelowna is that the scouts' room is up in the pressbox, adjacent to the visiting radio cubicle.  So I get to eavesdrop on some of the conversations taking place before the game between NHL scouts. Saturday night a couple of scouts, who had been in Kamloops the night before, were discussing Seattle's battle with the Blazers.  It's funny that they had slightly different takes on the game. 

One said it was a dominant start by the T-birds. They came ready to play and capitalized on their chances.  The other basically said Kamloops was just as good if not better. They just had a bad start, but he said they got it together later on and he gave them full marks for not quitting. You can probably find truth in both perspectives. Think about that when you see player rankings for the draft.  Different teams will view a player differently, depending on when they saw him and who he was playing against.

The one thing they agreed on? The Seattle goalie,Thomas Milic, was exceptional.  And he was.  Milic made some big saves on a couple of Blazers ten-bell scoring chances on their early first period power play. I think if Kamloops gets one by him there, it's a different game.  Milic's early saves settled his team down and the T-birds would not only kill off that power play but strike shorthanded to open the scoring.

In the second period, with the Blazers already on the board with an early goal to cut into the T-birds lead, Seattle took another penalty. Kamloops had a chance to cut the Seattle lead in half and put all the momentum on their side. But Milic stopped a breakaway with an incredible, sprawling, right pad save.  The threat was neutralized. Seattle began to push back after that and eventually pulled away with a couple third period goals. In a 6-1 game you don't think of the goalie of the winning team being the difference, but Milic was the key for Seattle.

Have the hockey gods transpired to work against the T-birds? Have they made some kind of pact that when one key Seattle player comes back from injury, they have to lose another?  What deal has been made that says the Thunderbirds are not allowed to be whole for more than 24-hours? No sooner do the T-birds get Henrik Rybinski back in the lineup after a seven-game absence, they lose not one, but three player on the weekend.  Friday it was Ty Bauer and Sawyer Mynio leaving the game against Kamloops.  Saturday in Kelowna, Sam Knazko departed.

Saturday, after the big win in Kamloops and after approximately 20 plus hours on the bus, and after a three in the morning arrival at the hotel in Kelowna, the T-birds could have just phoned it in, especially after falling behind to the Rockets, 2-0, after twenty minutes. After losing the lead in the third period they worked so hard to get, they could have packed it in and said hey, it's not our night. They could have just been satisfied with a weekend road split, taken the two points from the game the night before and headed home. 

But they didn't. Even with only five healthy d-men left, including a last second call up in 16-year old Niko Tsakumis, they stayed on course.  They didn't mentally check out, they pushed forward.  They earned that "W" and put an exclamation point on a winning weekend.

A third of the way into the season and half of Seattle's skaters have reached double digits in points. The T-birds are deploying their depth.  The players you expected to be scoring, the Rybinski's, the Roulette's, the Gustafson's, are doing just that but the Davidson's, the Schaefer's and the Sanders' are pulling their weight too. Prior to this season Reid Schaefer and Mekai Sanders had combined for eight points (3g, 5a) in 72 games.  Through the first 25 games this season they have combined for 30-points (19g, 11a). That's quite the production from a couple of players selected in the eighth and ninth rounds respectively, of the 2018 WHL Prospects draft. 

We saw our first coach's offside challenge of the season as T-bird head coach Matt O'Dette challenged Kelowna's fourth goal.  "We were pretty confident with that decision (to challenge). There were five or six of our guys standing right there at our bench who said it was definitely offside, so it was a pretty safe risk, we thought." The goal was not overturned because there was inconclusive video evidence.  But because the video was inconclusive, neither were the T-birds penalized for losing the challenge.

There are three possible outcomes to a coach's offside challenge. One, the goal is overturned on review. Two,the goal stands because the video clearly shows the play was NOT offside and the challenging team is assessed a minor penalty and, three, the goal is not overturned, but the challenging team is not issued a minor penalty because the video evidence is inconclusive. 

I liked the idea of a challenge by the Seattle coaches in that instance.  First, even though the goal was not overturned, the stoppage of play, for what turned into a lengthy review, blunted the Rockets momentum and allowed the T-birds to regroup. After the delay, Seattle came right back and scored to tie the game back up.  Secondly, this is the WHL, not the NHL. there aren't 10 different camera angles to review, usually just one and it's not on the blue line.  It's going to be hard to consistently find conclusive video evidence, which means the chances of getting assessed a minor penalty on an unsuccessful challenge should be pretty low.  

My T-birds Three Stars for the Week:

Third Star: D Kevin Korchinski. The T-birds 2019 first round draft pick had not scored a goal in his first 45-games in the league.  He now has three in his last four games. He is getting more and more comfortable, and looking more and more confident eating up big minutes in key situations. Quite appropriate that he has his first two-goal game against Kelowna.  The T-birds selected Korchinski tenth overall in that 2019 Draft with a first round pick they obtained in a trade from the Rockets. 

Second Star: G Thomas Milic.  Milic went 2-0, stopping 56 of 58 shots in the process.   Seattle is ranked number one in the WHL on the penalty kill and he's a huge component of that success.  Over his last five starts he is 4-0-1-0 with a goals against average of 1.22 and a save percentage of .957. Whether it's a one goal game or a five goal lead, he plays the same way, as if the game is on the line with every shot he faces.

First Star: C Henrik Rybinski.  With Rybinski out of the line up for seven straight games recently, Seattle went 2-3-2-0.  Since his return from injury the T-birds are a perfect 3-0-0-0.  In just 16-games he has posted 19-points (6g, 13a) and is +15. This past week he registered four points (2g, 2a) and was +6.  With him in the lineup they are 12-3-1-0, without him they are 4-3-2-0.  Every player is on board the T-bird train this season, but he is clearly one of the drivers.  

Get to the Points

Hard to find fault when the Thunderbirds earns points in all three games this week and have points in four straight games. But as Head Coach Matt O'Dette said after the team's overtime loss in Spokane Saturday night, they have high standards and they expect to win. So, there is a little disappoinment in settling for one point, rather then getting the two in each game this weekend.

I think the only real frustration was the overtime loss Friday night at home to Victoria.  Three times in that game Seattle had the lead.  Three times they couldn't hold it, before falling 5-4 in the extra period. They had such an excellent first period.  They then grabed a 2-0 lead early in the second.  I don't think they got complacent, but I think some players got away from the game plan, maybe cut some corners.  That allowed Victoria back in to the game.

You might think dropping that game to a team that, at the time was in tenth place in the ten team Western Conference, was an ugly loss on the schedule.  But while it doesn't completely take away the sting of the overtime defeat, look what the Royals did in their journey against the U.S. Division.  They took all five teams to overtime and won four of them.  Not only did they beat Seattle, but they beat Everett and Portland too.

The T-birds continue to consistently outshoot their opponents. In the three games this past week they had a 109-64 shot advantage.  In the three games they averaged 36 shots per game (which, by the way, is their season average) while allowing an average of 21 shots against.  Using my expert math skills I think that's 15 more shots per game then their opponents.  At least, that's what my calculator tells me.  What does that mean?  How do you outshoot three opponents in that fashion and only go 1-0-2-0?  

Getting more shots doesn't guarentee a win.  You still have to finish your chances.  It does give you a chance to win though. Sometimes you run into a hot goalie who steals a game from you.  Sometimes there are shots that don't even count, like the ones off the post or crossbar, that trip you up.  But usually more shots, and decidedly more shots, tells you which team is carrying the play.  It usually indicates puck possession is tilted in your favor.  What we do know is, that if you're not shooting, you're not scoring. Seattle is shooting.

Currently, Seattle is averaging 3.4 goals per game.  I think they can do better, but that's pretty darn good considering they've played one third of their schedule without Henrik Rybinski in the lineup.  That's a third of your season without one of your best offensive weapons available. There will be stretches of the season where the puck just isn't going in for you. Offense can be streaky, but you keep funneling pucks to the net because you can't win if you don't score and you can't score if you don't shoot.  Offense is not an issue for the T-birds.

Sam Knazko is rusty.  The newet T-bird hadn't played in a competive game in a while.  He had played sparingly in just 16 games in Finland before opting out and deciding to come to North America.  He then got Covid and had to shut down all hockey activity.  He's still working on building back up his stamina.  But in just two games, you can see glimpes of the elite talent he brings to the roster.  Just don't say Seattle got lucky and he fell into their laps.  Remember, he's a T-bird because GM Bil LaForge selected him in the 2020 CHL Import Draft.  

Don't forget there is not one, but two WHL Drafts coming up this week.  Wednesday is the U.S. Prospects Draft,  a two round affair, and the T-birds have the number one overall selection.  Thursday is the regular 2021 WHL Prospects Draft and Seattle chooses ninth overall in that one, and has four of the top forty picks.  In the second round Seattle has their own pick at #31 as well as Red Deer's pick at #24 and Kelowna's at #38.

My T-birds Three Stars for the Week:

D Kevin Korchinski.  He finally scored his first WHL goal Saturday in Spokane and it was a big one, tying the game at two and getting Seattle a road point.  He had three points in the three games (1g, 2a).  On a team that has two 20-year old D-men and now two 19-year old NHL drafted defensemen, this 17-year old, still somewhat of a rookie, still logs huge minutes on the blue line.  He has seven points in  his last eight games and is quietly fifth overall in team scoring.

Second Star: C Jordan Gustafson. Whie Korchinski was the second of Seattle's two first round picks in the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft, Gustafson was their first and he is living up to that billing.  He leads the team in goals scored with ten and is tied with Conner Roulette for the team lead in points at 24.  With Rybinski out for seven straight games, Gustafson has been elevated to the top center role and has been not shrunk from the responsibility. He registered points in all three games this week (1g, 3a) and is currently riding a five game point streak.

First Star: C/W Jared Davidson.  Davidson has really picked up his offensive game in the absence of Rybinski.  He had five points (2g, 3a) in the three games this week and is riding a four game point streak (3g, 4a).  He has already passed his point total from last season.  Last spring he reached 20-points in 23 games.  He now has 21 points in 22-games this season. His 21-points has elevated him to second on the team in scoring, just three points off the lead.  

To Legit to Quit

 Four of Seattle's last five games have been against two teams, Everett and Kamloops, ranked in the top five of the CHL's Top Ten poll.  And while the results haven't gone the T-birds way, they have been in the battle. It was a busy week as well for the Thunderbirds as the five games were played over an 11 game stretch.  There wasn't a lot of down time between games.

It was also an untimely convergence of a tough, busy schedule and the absence of key players from the lineup.  It began with a hard fought, one goal loss in Everett back on November 13th.  Seattle was coming on strong late in the game, but ran out of time in a 3-2 loss.

The T-birds rebounded with a nice, come-from-behind win in Spokane last Friday. The win came at a cost though, as Seattle lost a heart and soul player, Henrik Rybinski, to an upper body injury.  Just before a three-games-in-five-nights showdown with two of the top ranked teams in the CHL, Seattle was without their leader.  

The Thunderbirds didn't necessarily play poorly in their first game without Rybinski in the lineup, but they didn't play well enough to keep up with the speed and quickness of Kamloops on Saturday in the first of two meetings in four days with the Blazers.  As a result Seattle dropped a 5-1 decision.  The schedule makers did the T-birds no favors either. Seattle had to travel back from Spokane the night before, while the rested Blazers were waiting for the T-birds in Kent after their Friday night game had been postponed. Ah, life in the WHL.

Then, despite it being their third game in three nights, Seattle was fairly good Sunday up at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.  But late in the second period the officials handed Matt Rempe a major boarding penalty.  As a result he missed the rest of the game and had to sit out Wednesday's rematch against Kamloops.  

Even without Rybinki and Rempe available for the third period Sunday against the Silvertips, Seattle was the better team over the final twenty minutes.  They killed off the major penalty and scored a power play goal of their own to pull within 3-2.  They had a tying goal on their stick in front of the Everett net with about 90-seconds remaining.  Unfortunately, once again their last, best chance was denied. Close but no cigar.

The T-birds knew going into Wednesday's second game against Kamloops that they would have to play withot their top two centers.  Another forward, Sam Oremba was away at the U17 Capital City Challenge in Ottawa.  They entered the game down to just 10 forwards.  There were no spare parts, so they called up 16-year old defenseman Niko Tsakumis from the Delta Hockey Academy and inserted another 16 year old rookie d-man, a banged up Sawyer Mynio, back into the lineup.  

Meanwhile the Blazers were fresh and healthy.  They hadn't played since the Saturday win over the T-birds. Instead of traveling back to Kamloops between games, they made a short trip up to Vancouver to rest and practice.  A recipe for a T-birds disaster right?  Seattle should just fold the tent and live to play another day.  But this T-birds team doesn't back away from a challenge and undermanned they battled and stayed within striking distance until the final minutes of the game,falling 4-1.  

There are no moral victories in hockey.  You don't get points in the standings for playing hard just to come up short. I think though, the Thunderbirds will look back on this busy pre-Thanksgiving stretch and understand it was at this point in the season, not their recent eight-game winning streak, where they came together, developed their team identity and earned the character that will define them the rest of the way.

One shining example of that is their penalty kill.  Yes, they'd prefer not to be in the box as often as they are, but if any area of play is a complete team effort, it is on the PK. Everyone has to be willing to make sacrifices for the good of the team, doing what's necessary to disrupt an opponent's power play.  Over their last five games Seattle has killed off 18 of their oppenents 20 power play chances, including a couple of lengthy 5-on-3s.  The result?  The T-birds went into Thanksgiving with the WHL's top ranked penalty kill at 85.6%.  They did much of that work with two key parts of the penalty kill, Rybinski and Rempe, unavailable for much of that span.

My T-birds Three Stars for the past five games:

Third Star: C Jordan Gustafson. Last spring was technically his rookie season, but he only got 23-games.  He still has not played a full season of hockey at the WHL level, so I still look on him as a rookie.  He accumulated five points over his last five games and on the season is a point per game player.  He was all over the ice Wednesday night and scored the T-birds lone goal. In the abscense of Rybinski and Rempe, he's been centering the T-birds top line.

Second Star: C/W Jared Davidson.  Davidson is another one of those guys every team needs.  He plays in all situations.  He can play up and down the lineup.  He can play the wing on the first line or center your second line.  With Rybinski and Rempe out, Seattle needed his versatility. After going goal-less in his first eight games, he now has five in his last ten.  he has a deadly shot that will be key to getting more consistency from the T-birds power play.Three of his five goals have been scored on the power play.   

First Star: W Conner Roulette.  It's almost been a quiet first 18-games of the season for the Dallas Stars prospect. That is, until you look at his numbers. He leads the team points (20), is tied with Gustafson for the most goals (9) and is tied with Rybinski and Kevin Korchinski in assists (11). He's registered a point in all but two games so far.  He has points now in five straight games (3g, 3a).

Denied Number Nine

 A weekend split isn't the worst thing that can happen.  The Thunderbirds won on home ice and lost a one goal game on the road. But I was once told by someone who did more winning then losing that good players, good teams, will stew over the loss more then they'll celebrate that win. That's because they demand the best of themselves.  

The T-birds fall into that category.  They'll demand the best they have and not be happy when they don't give it their all.  I think coaches can understand if you left it all on the ice and come up short.  Sometimes the puck doesn't bounce your way. Where they take issue is when you don't give one hundred percent and lose a winnable game.  

We saw in the first period in the Friday win over Portland, what the best this team has can look like.  That was the best twenty minutes of hockey we've seen from this team this year.  And that is saying quite a bit because this team has played some good hockey so far.  You don't win eight in a row without bringing it every night.  Everything was working for them in that period because they were putting in the work to make it so.

Now, the key is to find that level of play on a more consistent basis.  It disappeared in the second period of that game and came back late in the third to preserve the win. It was no where to be found, Saturday in Everett in the 3-2 loss.  And I think Head Coach Matt O'Dette summed up the reason for that in his postgame comments.  To play at that level every game, you need every player on board. Some nights, for some reason, a few player are missing from the engine room.  That's Junior hockey.  Seattle still has a young team and some of those young guys are still learning that one of the most important keys to success in the WHL is consistency.  

The strangest thing that jumped out to me going into the Saturday game in Everett was, here were two teams with a combined 20-2-1-1 record, yet statistically both sat in the bottom half of the league in power play success.  Normally teams with the best records, build up those wins with an efficient power play.  I can't speak for the Silvertips power play struggles because I just haven't seen it enough.  I know they didn't have success against the T-birds because Seattle has a tremendous penalty kill.  

But when I watch the Thundebirds power play, I see a unit that is on the cusp of getting it going.  They had two late power plays in the first period Friday against Portland and the puck movement, the passing was on point.  It was hard to gauge the power play against Everett, though they did get one power play goal, because a couple of their man advantage opportunties Saturday were of the abbreviated variety. They were coming on the heels of a penalty kill. In that situation, your top power play guys are probably not available because they were most likely just out there on the PK. But even on the full power play, against Everett's league best penalty kill, I thought they were in position to do good things. 

The one criticism from that game, was the same one O'Dette had when I spoke to him after the game.  It was a similar problem when they were 5-on-5 versus the Silvertips.  They were missing the net with their shots and at times making one too many passes.  Which actually makes me optimistic for the power play because it means puck possession is not the issue. When Seatle is skating with the man advantage, more often then not, the puck is on their sticks.  

If that's happening the goals will come but even if they don't score, it should create momentum for them at even strength.  And that's what's happening. That's making them a hard team to play against at even strength.  That's why they won eight in a row.  Saturday was the exception, not the rule. 

My Three Stars for the Weekend:

Third Star:  D Ty Bauer.  His breakaway goal in the third period Friday against Portland was not only an unexpected thing of beauty, but it was timely.  It came at a significant moment in the game.  This was no garbage time goal.  It gave Seattle a two-goal cushion in an eventual 4-2 win.  It helped turn the momentum back in the T-birds favor.  Bauer has three goals on the season.  two of them are game winners.  This one wasn't technically a game winner but it sure felt like it.

Second Star: G Thomas Milic.  Milic was dialed in all weekend.  He was a big reason Seattle maintained their lead Friday versus Portland, especially in the second period, when the Winterhawks were awarded five straight power plays, which included two lengthy 5-on-3s.  If not for his first period twelve save performance Saturday in Everett, the T-birds would not have been around to make that third period push that fell just short in the 3-2 loss.  

First Star: C Henrik Rybinski.  Every player who didn't put forth their best effort Saturday in Everett should be put in front of a video screen and made to watch Rybinski highlights, not just from that game, but any game he's played.  He only knows one way to play and that is with an all out effort on every shift.  He is the gold standard. He is now riding a nine game point streak, accumulating four goals and nine assists in that span.  

Tri No More (Not Really)

 After three straight and four of their last six games against Tri-City, the Seattle Thunderbirds will put the Americans in their rear view mirror.  Well, for a couple weeks at least.  Seattle actually has another  game on the schedule this month against the Americans, but that will wait until after Thanksgiving.  

For now, the T-birds will take their wins and move forward, preparing for a pair of games this coming weekend.  Friday they host the Portland Winterhawks.  Don't forget, it's Girls Night Out.  Go to seattlethunderbirds.com for details.  Saturday Seattle travels north to Everett for a showdown with the Silvertips. 

The Thunderbirds were successful this past weekend because they found different ways to win both games, but the common theme was effort.  And that's been the mantra throughout their current seven game winning streak. Sure, you can lose a game even when you give your best effort, but it is highly unlikely you'll ever win without it. I say this, knowing there is another level of play this team can reach.  We're just twelve games into the season and they certainly haven't peaked yet.  Their team chemistry is still developing.  

You could point to the four wins in the current winning streak against Tri-City and say, yeah, but they're doing it against a team at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.  Again, the players don't have control over who their opponent is.  There job is to go out and meet the challenge and win.  Control the controllables by taking care of your business.  The position in the standings of these two teams would be reversed had the T-birds not played well and lost. 

Remember about a decade ago when Portland beat Seattle 10 out of 12 times, and went on to win a WHL Championship?  No one put an asterisk next the Winterhawks title because a 57-win team beat a 24-win team ten times on their way to the Cup. Good teams find ways to win, no matter the opponent. Who you're playing shouldn't matter as much as how you're playing.  

What areas does Seattle have to clean up as they move forward?  You might have to take out a microscope to find them, but they're there.  They need to cut down the number of odd man rushes and breakaways they're allowing, especially when they are on the power play.  And this is a little nitpicky, because they actually have been doing a better job recently of bearing down when they have the lead, but there have been a few ocassions when they get a little lackadaisacal coming back on pucks in the defensive zone. That slows down their transition game at times.

They are still taking too many penalties.  The coaches want to limit an opponent's power play chances to about three a game.  Right now the T-birds are allowing 5.5.  Seattle's penalty kill has been good. At around 85-percent it ranks with the best in the league, but the team's strength is 5-on-5 hockey and you can't play that when you're in the box.  

The Thunderbirds power play is hovering at just under 20-percent.  I thnk they'd like it up at around 25-percent or better, but I'm not to worried about it. They probably need to get to more rebounds when they have the man advantage, but even when they don't score off the power play, they generate momentum off it. 

They're doing a lot of things well.  Chiefly among them, they are getting a solid team effort every game.  They are rolling four lines and getting all three d-pairs involved.  The goaltending has been excellent.  Their transition game seems to improve with each outing and they win most 50-50 battles along the boards. They win the puck posession battle most nights and 30-plus shots on goal is the norm. They probably want to do better on faceoffs, but they seem to come up with key faceoff wins at the right time, especially late in games.

The coaching staff consistently talks about good habits.  Well, the best habit you can have is winning.  The T-birds have that right now.

My T-Birds Three Stars for the Weekend:

Third Star: The top D pairing of Ty Bauer and Ryan Gottfried. Bauer leads the team in +/- at +10.  He had a pair of assists this weekend. He'll take the odd penalty but that's because he plays a physical brand.  He's getting more and more opportunities to put shots on net.  Gottfried didn't register a point in either game but finished the weekend with a +3 rating.  Describing him as "consistent" or "steady" might seem bland, but that's what he is.  You get the same game from him every night.  He's a terrific penalty killer, blocking shots and sweeping pucks out of harms way.  

Second Star:  C Henrik Rybinski.  He has points now in seven straight games and is now a point a game player with 11-points (2g, 9a) in 10 games.  The reality is, he has a point in all but one game he has played.  I don't really count opening night down in Portland.  He got hurt on the opening shift and missed the rest of the contest. Along with Bauer, he's the alpha dog on the team. He sets the tone for how this team wants to play by expending every ounce of energy he has on every shift. He wants to earn a pro contract and you can see that in every shift he takes. 

First Star:  C/W Jordan Gustafson.  He's on a six game point streak and now leads the team in goals scored with eight. Along with Conner Roulette has the team lead in points with 14 through 12-games.  His offensive game, the shoot first mentality, draws your attention but he's a complete player.  Do yourself a favor and watch him all over the ice.  Watch him in the d-zone, on the backcheck.  Key on him along the boards in the attacking zone. On his OT game winner Saturday, he never stopped skating, even without the puck, putting himself in position to score that goal.  

These are Tri-ing Times

The Thunderbirds are four-fifths of the way through their stretch of five straight road games and have put the first four into the win column. As a result, the T-birds are riding a five-game winning streak, have improved their road record to 6-1-0-0 and, with fifteen points on the season, have jumped into a tie for first place in the U.S. Division. They accomplished that by taking three games in four nights this past week.

They also found a different formula for winning each game. Wednesday, though it was not necessarily what Head Coach Matt O'Dette wanted to see, they won a track meet down in Portland, defeating the Winterhawks, 6-4. Friday, they used superb goaltending, strong defending, and timely scoring to upend Spokane, 4-1. Saturday in Kennewick it was excellent penalty killing and puck possession that led them to a, 3-2, overtime win over Tri-City. Again, good teams find ways to win.

In the first two games last week, Seattle surrendered a combined five power plays to Portland and Spokane and did not allow a power play goal against. Somehow Saturday against the Americans, the T-birds had most of the puck possession and outshot Tri-City 50-21. Yet the Ams ended up with seven power plays to the T-birds two. Seattle did not get a man advantage chance until the third period. I am not sure how that happens. 

Were the Thunderbirds reckless and undisciplined? I didn't see that. Aggressive? Sure, they were the team dictating the pace, but the team dictating the pace of play should not be penalized more than the team chasing the action. Fortunately, the Thunderbirds killed off seven of those eight Tri-City power plays, including a lengthy 5-on-3 in the second period.

O'Dette says the T-birds were feeling the effects of playing their third game in three nights towards the end of the game in Kennewick. It did not show on the ice as Seattle was pushing late in regulation for the go-ahead goal. Good teams push through adversity and dig a little deeper. The T-birds did that. The three goals they scored against the Americans Saturday was the fewest they have scored in a win this season, but it took a 47-save effort from Tri-City goalie Talyn Boyko to keep them from scoring more.

Seattle has scored 37-goals through the first ten games this season. They were shutout once (3-0 loss in Everett, October 16th). So, in the nine games in which they have scored a goal, they are averaging 4.1 goals per game. In their seven wins they are averaging nearly five goals per game (4.42). In their current five-game winning streak they are averaging 4.6 goals per game. Only twice this season have they failed to score at least three goals. One, of course, was the shutout loss.  The other was a 4-2 setback at home to Portland. On both occasions, Seattle still managed 30 or more shots on goal.  Sometimes you just run in to a hot goalie.

The offense is there. Seattle has the talent to put the puck in the back of the net. In fact, there is probably more offense waiting to be unleashed. The T-birds have only gotten five goals thus far from their defenseman and Jared Davidson has only scored once in ten games. What the Thunderbirds need to do to consistently bring their "A" game to the rink every night, is tighten up the back end. They are still allowing too many odd man rushes; they are still letting opposing players get in behind them on stretch passes. It is putting unnecessary pressure on their goalies.

They made it a focal point of their game plan over the weekend against Spokane and Tri-City. They thus limited those chances against. It is a big reason they only allowed three goals against in those two games, so we know they can eliminate those plays from the opposition without sacrificing their own offensive production. 

The finish line for this five-game road stretch is in view, but there is one game remaining before they get back home to the accesso ShoWare Center this Saturday. Friday, they travel back to Kennewick for the front half of a home-and-home against the Americans. 

 

My T-birds Three Stars for the Week:

Third Star:  G Scott Ratzlaff. He deserved his first WHL shutout in the 4-1 win in Spokane. Seattle got a little complacent on their power play and allowed the Chiefs to score a late shorthanded goal. You could not fault Ratzlaff on that. Otherwise, he was on point and had terrific rebound control. Before the T-birds got their offense going, he held Spokane off the board. He just seemed in perfect position for every shot that came his way, the definition of "dialed in".

Second Star:  C/W Jordan Gustafson. Three more games, three more goals. He now leads the team with six goals on the season. Five of them have come during this current four game, road winning streak. But it is not just his goal scoring that attracts your attention. he plays a complete game and shows his responsibility in the defensive zone every game. I enjoyed watching him hold his own in battles against Spokane's Jack Finley, who is two years older and a 2020 second round pick of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning.

First Star:  C Henrik Rybinski. Much like Gustafson, his value is in more than the offense he helps create. He attacks the puck all over the ice. He is driving the play whenever he is out there. He never gives less than 100 percent on any shift. He is a big reason Seattle killed off seven Tri-City power plays Saturday, and of course it was his own hard work on the PK that set up his shorthanded goal Saturday. He doesn't have to score to affect a game but he's currently riding a five-game point streak (2g, 4a).

Let's Have Some Crumpets and Spumante

The 2021 CHL Import Draft went off on Wednesday and Seattle, as expected, made two selections.  So, if I had told you a week ago the two players chosen would probably come from, oh, say Slovakia and Belarus, you'd probably believe me.  If I had said they would hail from Finland and the Czech Republic, you'd probably nod in agreement.  If I said they would be coming from Italy and Great Britain you would have probably called for the guys with the white coats and that jacket with all the buckles!

But hockey's reach is expanding and indeed, the Thunderbirds first pick is Allessandro Segafredo, a right wing from Asiago, Italy.  Their second choice is Leon Okonkwo Prada, a defenseman from Colchester, Great Britain.  

Segafredo is the younger of the two.  He doesn't turn 17 until September.  Among forwards, that puts him in the same age class as current Thunderbirds Jordan Gustafson, Gabe Ludwig and Nico Myatovic.

Okonkwo Prada celebrates his 18th birthday in a week (July 7th), joining Jeremy Hanzel as the two 18 year old defensemen on the roster.   If both players opt to join Seattle for this coming season they will add to the T-birds still young core. 

I was asked if I have been practicing pronouncing Segafredo's name for the radio broadcasts.  Well, if he scores over here as much as he did last season over in Europe, I'll get plenty of opportunity to say his name.  Playing for the ZSC Lions U17 in Zurich, Switzerland, Segafredo put up 52 points (25g, 27a) in 26 games.  For good measure he potted another ten goals, plus one assist, in 24 games with the GCK U20 team.  

Due to the pandemic, Okonkwo Prada was limited to just eight games this past season but was nearly a point per game player, registering one goal and six assists for his team in Sweden, Rogle BK J18.  Interestingly, Thunderbirds General Manager Bil LaForge said the T-birds actually had scouted him the previous season for the 2020 Import Draft.  

With the 2021-22 closer than you think, the Thunderbirds will now begin the recruiting process, hoping to convince both players to come to North America to continue their hockey development.  This had to be one of the stranger Import Drafts, which is already a, shall we say, unique process.  With the global pandemic affecting hockey at all levels in Europe just as it did here in North America, you have to wonder how much video was available on these players.  

In his first two Import Drafts LaForge swung for the fences but neither Tim Stutzle (2019) or Samuel Knazko (2020) signed on with Seattle.  Stutzle, of course ended up being selected third overall in last year's NHL draft and spent this past season with the Ottawa Senators.  Knazko, who just signed his initial NHL contract with Columbus after the Blue Jackets made him a 2020 third round selection, is going to play professionally this season in Europe.  Even if he were to come to North America this coming season, he is eligible to play in the AHL.

Neither Stutzle or Knazko needed the WHL to raise their draft stock.  They were already elite talents.  Stutzle had been playing in a men's professional league the year Seattle selected him.  Knazko had already spurned the Vancouver Giants a year before the T-birds took a chance on him because scouts were already on to him.

But with both the 2019-20 and the 2020-21 seasons curtailed due to the pandemic, coming over to North America and playing for Seattle, just might be what both Segafredo and Okonkwo Prada need to raise their profiles among NHL scouts.  

Remember too, when the T-birds used that 2019 Import draft pick on Stutzle, they were a team in transition.  the T-birds were two seasons removed from their WHL Championship and most of the older, elite talent had moved on.  Now though, the team is once again stocked with young up and comers who NHL scouts will be flocking to view. Another reason these two latest Import picks could decide to choose to further their development while wearing the T-birds colors.  

June is over, July has arrived.  In three weeks the NHL Draft will take place.  Then come the dog days of August. Before you know it training camp will be upon us. Expect some roster adjustment between now and then.  While Seattle's roster will have lots of familiar faces, there will be new ones added and a few missing.  It's the nature of things in Junior Hockey.  

 

In the Blink of an Eye

More then a year into a pandemic has seemed like a lifetime but a 24 game hockey season has come and gone in a flash.  Still, it was better to have something than nothing at all.  Let's look back.

As I've reiterated time and time again, the Thunderbirds made a conscious decision to go young, once it was determined this would be such a short season.  They opted to use these two dozen games to develop their team of the future.  Had this been a normal 68 game campaign with a postseason Seattle probably goes with an older roster.  

No doubt they would have carried at least three and not just one 20-year old.  And it's doubtful we would have seen 12 rookies on the team.  But with no playoffs to fight for, going with the youth route made the most sense for a team that has accumulated a lot of young, promising talent over the past couple of years.

But even making the decision to go young didn't necessarily go as planned.  Because of things like injuries, the T-Birds ended up younger than even they expected.  

It started somewhere between December and early February when goalie Blake Lyda made the decision to no longer pursue a hockey career. Remember, Lyda had played in a few games last fall with the AJHL's Spruce Grove Saints, with an eye on being ready whenever the WHL season got the green light.   He was expected to split time with Thomas Milic, maybe even get more starts, so the team could bring Milic along slowly. Somewhere along the way he had a change of heart.  It happens, but suddenly Seattle was in the market for a second goalie to pair with Milic, who now became the number one option in net.  

They were able to pick up Jackson Berry, who had been released by the Moose Jaw Warriors after playing in parts of just five games last season.  More importantly the T-Birds didn't have to expend any draft capital to get him.  His numbers aren't going to wow you, but under difficult circumstances, Berry gave Seattle a chance to win nearly every game he played in, especially after he was pressed into the number one job when Milic made the final roster for Team Canada's gold medal winning U18 squad.  Milic would be absent for the second half of the season. 

In an ideal world Lyda would have stuck with it.  Seattle would then have then listed Berry and brought him in as a third goalie, so that when Milic left for Texas, Berry would become Lyda's backup, rather then having to bring 15-year old Scott Ratzlaff down from Canada.  But as we've discovered, this is not an ideal world.  So, if back in January you had Jackson Berry getting the most time in the crease for Seattle this season on your pandemic hockey bingo card, congratulation!

In the end, the two goalies projected to man the crease for Seattle, Lyda and Milic, played in only nine of 23 contests and those nine games all belonged to Milic. 

On to the forwards. Late in training camp back in mid-March, just a few days before opening night, Seattle had to rightfully dismiss two players from the roster due to "inappropriate racial comments and actions".  Those two players were going to figure prominently in Seattle's top nine forward group not only this season, but for the next two seasons as well.  It's different than the Lyda situation but once again, before the puck even dropped on the season, two more players the T-Birds were counting on, were out, including a former first round pick.  

Then, eight games into the season the T-Birds lost second line center Matt Rempe, an NHL drafted player, to a season ending lower body injury.  A few games later their best offensive player, Conner Roulette left to join his teammate Milic in Texas with Team Canada's U18 team.  They would then lose another top six forward, Payton Mount, to an upper body injury for seven of the last eight games, including the final three.

That means that five of the team's projected top nine forwards would miss a combined 80 games.  And the defensive group, while mostly intact, didn't go unscathed either as Cade McNelly missed four games to either illness or suspension.  The biggest affect of this was that, combined with the absences in the forward group, it meant Seattle played a number of games with just 17 dressed skaters, one under the limit.  

Yet despite that adversity, the Thunderbirds still won 10 of their 23 games.  And that's what this shortened season should be remembered for.  The WHL team with the youngest roster, utilizing six rookie forwards, three rookie defensemen and three rookie goalies, nearly won half their games!  They were two games above .500 when the injury bug hit.  And 10 of their 12 losses, plus the shootout loss, were to two teams, Everett and Portland, with a combined record of 31-12-3-0.  

Seattle finished third in the U.S. Division, ahead of two older teams.  They pitched two shutouts against a Spokane team featuring the leading scorer in the entire WHL a season ago, Adam Beckman.  They won six of their 10 games with a either a 16-year old or 15-year old in net.  They got 48 points (14g, 34a) in those 23 games from their nine rookie forwards and defensemen.  

One of those rookies, 16-year old Nico Myatovic, wasn't even supposed to be here this season. He joined the team at the midway point due to the depleted roster, and ended up scoring three goals. 2020 first round draft pick, 2005 born Sam Oremba, wasn't even guaranteed to see the ice but ended up playing the final 15 games and registered five points (2g, 3a).  

More importantly, after enduring a six game losing streak, Seattle finished the season strong, earning points in four of their final five games, compiling a 3-1-0-1 record.  In the process they outshot their opponents 191-137 over that span, and three times held the opposing team to fewer than 30 shots. 

This team was like a lizard or a salamander.  When they lost a limb, they grew a new one.  A Rempe goes down, a Myatovic steps up.  Lose a Roultette, grow an Oremba.  So while we anxiously look toward the future, let's not be too hasty to forget this season, even if it was gone in the blink of an eye.  

My T-Birds three stars for the Season of Covid:  

Third Star:  C Jared Davidson.  Voted the team's Most Improved Player, Davidson stepped in to the void created by Rempe's injury. He took over the number two center role.  He jumped seamlessly onto the top power play unit and he played with the confidence earned from the coaching staff.  With 19 points, he finished third on the club in scoring and his nine goals were second most including two game winners.  His goal, assist and point totals were all career bests.  

Second Star:  W Keltie Jeri-Leon.  The team's lone 20-year old did exactly what he was supposed to do, lead.  Lead in scoring, lead on the ice and lead in the locker room.  His 17 goals wasn't just the most on the team, but it put him among the league leaders in that category. When the T-Birds season ended Sunday he was tied for second.  The Thunderbirds made the decision to go young but they kept Jeri-Leon so the ship could have a rudder.  

First Star:  C Henrik Rybinski.  He was not just Seattle's best player every night but most games he was the best player on the ice.  Relentless is the best way to describe him.  He leaves it all on the ice every game, every shift.  He led the team in scoring but he also led in fuel spent.  Former head coach Steve Konowalchuk used to preach about using up all your fuel stores.  You can recharge when the game is over.  What are you saving it for?  Current head coach Matt O'Dette is from the same school.  Rybinski is the textbook example of their kind of player.

My Oh Myatovic

As WHL debuts go, that was pretty pedestrian for Nico Myatovic don't you think?  I mean, only two goals on two shots? I think he needs to shoot the puck more, how about you?  

Okay, all kidding aside, where ever his future hockey endeavors take him, Myatovic will always remember his first T-Birds game.  Two goals scored during a pandemic shortened season, with no fans in the building.  Of course he would have preferred fans be there. We all would. How loud would the accesso ShoWare Center have been after that first goal, on a Two-for-Tuesday no less?  

I do have one suggestion.  If he's gonna score at this pace, he should change his first name to Otto.  Then he can be Otto Myatovic (the last name is pronounced My-ATT-uh-vic, with emphasis on the second syllable).  I'm not sure his mother would be on board with that idea though.

By getting into the lineup Myatovic became the fifth player from the Thunderbirds 2019 WHL Draft class, to suit up for a game.  In other words, every player from that draft they have signed to a standard WHL Player Agreement, has played in at least one game.  

In 46 combined games that group has already compiled 19 points (7g, 12).  Myatovic also became the 19th skater on this season's roster to record a point.  Seven of those 19 skaters are rookies.  Six are in just their second season.  Only Spencer Penner, who's played in just five games, and Reid Schaefer, who is currently out with injury after playing in the first eight games are, so far, without a point. 

The leader of that draft class is Seattle's top pick from that year, Jordan Gustafson.  In 12 games he has eight points (4g, 4a) and two game winning goals.  He plays in all situations.  He's already a key component to Seattle's improved power play.  And once again, late in a game, protecting a one goal lead, he was out their taking defensive zone faceoffs.  It's obvious the coaching staff has the utmost confidence in him.

I think it is also obvious that the organization has great depth, thanks to GM, Bil La Forge, and his scouting staff.  La Forge did a masterful job of making trades that brought back a good number of high draft picks but the scouts did their homework and the T-Birds made good use of those picks, choosing the right players to fit their system.  

Think about this; Seattle loses one of their best players in Conner Roulette, to Team Canada for the U18 World Championships.  They lose their second line center, the NHL drafted Matt Rempe, to a long term injury.  That's 17 points out of the lineup.  So they make a phone call to have Myatovic join the team for the rest of the season and he promptly scores twice in his first game. 

And Myatovic was not a high pick.  He was chosen in the sixth round, 119th overall.  When you get selected in Round Six, that's probably because an area scout really likes your game, believes in your talent and convinced the head honchos that you are a fit for this team.  That's how you get players like Myatovic or, you know, an eighth rounder who became a valuable piece of a championship team like Donovan Neuls.  

Average hockey age of Seattle's roster Tuesday night versus Tri-City was 17.25 years old.  

With Rempe out, third year player Jared Davidson has moved into the number two center role.  He's responded well with seven points (3g, 4a) in 12 games. He's also won 77 faceoffs. Davidson is the epitome of plug and play because you can use him up and down the lineup.  It makes it easier on the coaches when you have that versatility. 

Three games over the past week for Seattle and they earned two wins and came oh-so-close to getting at least a point in the third game with a terrific third period comeback last Friday versus Everett, only to give up a late goal and fall 4-3.  While this team has an abundance of team speed, they showed they can grind out wins as they did in two games against Tri-City.  

There was a sequence in the third period Tuesday against Tri-City that led to scoring chances at both ends.  First T-Birds defenseman Tyrel Bauer got loose in the slot, skated the puck below the hashes only to be denied by Americans goalie Talyn Boyko.  Off that save Tri-City transitioned into a 2-on-1 break the other way.  Except that odd man rush dissipated because one T-Bird player hustled back and the Ams didn't even end up with a shot on goal.  Who was that hustling T-Bird?  Tyrel Bauer.  

Quick shout out to the medical staff, Athletic Trainer Phil Varney, the team doctor and the paramedics on scene, for the abundance of caution they took at the end of the game with Payton Mount, who was struck in the head by an errant puck while on the bench at the end of the game.  

Sadly, we have reached the midway point of this pandemic shortened 24 game season.  The second half begins Friday with a home game against Everett.  Basically there are just over three weeks left and it will go by in a flash.  Let's enjoy it.  

My T-Birds Three Stars for the past three games:

Third Star: W Keltie Jeri-Leon.  Riding a five game scoring streak, he registered five points over the three games with three goals and two assists.  The "old man" on the roster has been coming through in the clutch with timely goals and as always he provides an invaluable, positive brand of leadership.  It has to be disappointing to have his final season in the WHL cut down to just 24 games but he is making the most of it.  

Second Star:  The goaltending combo of Thomas Milic and Jackson Berry. I lost count of how many odd man rushes and breakaway chances these two stopped this past week, but everyone one of those saves kept Seattle within striking distance of victory.  The T-Birds young roster is going to be prone to errors that lead to Grade A chances for the opposition and these two rose to the occasion.  

First Star:  C Henrik Rybinski.  This is sounding like a broken record.  We could just put this on repeat because he's the best player on the ice every night.  He had six points (2g, 4a)  in the three games and as a result has taken over the overall team scoring lead with 14 points (3g, 11a) through 12 games.  He's doing this while also being tasked with shutting down the opposition's top line.  He makes the players around him better and on a team with 12 rookies on the roster, that's definitely a good thing.  

The Young and the Restless

Before this 24 game season is over, the Thunderbirds will have employed the services of 12 WHL rookies.  Honestly, it could have been more but there are only so many minutes in a game and just 24 spots on this roster.  So if my humble math skills are correct, that would still be 50 percent of the team, right?  At least that's what my trusty calculator tells me.

While two of the rookies still await their debuts, the other 10 have combined for 21 points through nine games on six goals and 15 assists. That's about 30 percent of the team's offense so far.  They've also chipped in two game-winning goals and they've complied a 5-4-0-0 record in net with a 3.16 GAA and a save percentage of .901, with one shutout.  

In a normal season this doesn't happen.  But this season is far from normal and with no championship to play for, no playoff spot to hunt down and with nothing but pride on the line, this is the approach you should take. Because this season is not about this season. For Seattle, it's really about next season and the season beyond that. 

This is like baseball spring training where teams play about 20 games to prepare for 162. The T-Birds are playing a 24 game preseason to prep for the (hopefully) 68 game 2021-22 campaign. They are utilizing all these first year players in all scenarios to see how they handle the pressure of the WHL.  Wins are still celebrated and losses still sting, but lessons learned and experience gained hold greater value.  

Pundits like to evaluate trades as soon as they happen. They give them grades or declare a winner and a loser before the ink on the deal has dried. But especially when draft picks are involved, evaluating a trade can take months if not years. In the end, most transactions benefit both parties, one in the short term and one in the long term.  

I'll make an exception though. The 2019 Draft Day trade Seattle GM Bil La Forge made with the Kelowna Rockets not only goes into the win column for the T-Birds, it might be outright larceny.  La Forge sent three players to Kelowna in exchange for three high draft picks and Conner Bruggen-Cate.  

To be fair, the Rockets were building for their role as Memorial Cup hosts, a tournament that was canceled due to the pandemic, something completely out of their control. But even before that tournament was canceled, Kelowna, even with those additions from Seattle, was floating around .500 and barely holding onto a playoff spot. 

In fact it was their mediocre performance the first half of the 2019-20 season that necessitated another trade with the T-Birds in December of 2019 with the T-Birds shipping Matthew Wedman to the Rockets for three more draft selections.

In the end here is what Seattle got from Kelowna in those two deals:  three first round picks, two second round picks and one fifth rounder.  Kelowna received Matthew Wedman, who played well for the Rockets but aged out after 35 games.  They also got San Jose Sharks prospect Dillon Hamaliuk, who will age out after this season and just 60 plus games.  Neither player will have played one playoff game with Kelowna before their time in the Okanogan is done. 

Defenseman Jake Lee is still there and has been solid in 60 plus games and is eligible to return to Kelowna next season as a 20-year old.  The same is true of goalie Cole Schwebius.  He has another year of eligibility if the Rockets want to bring him back as a 20-year old. They can also try to recoup some of their lost draft capital if they choose to trade either player this summer.

The T-Birds though have already turned one of those draft choices they received from Kelowna into gold.  With the 10th overall pick in the 2019 Bantam Draft, Seattle used Kelowna's pick to select defenseman Kevin Korchinski.  Korchinski, at age 16, is already getting heavy minutes.  He's a slick, smart, puck moving defenseman who is helping resuscitate Seattle's power play.  

The T-Birds used the fifth round pick they got in the Wedman deal to choose forward Reeve Sukut in last spring's draft and with no training camp last fall, we've yet to get a look at him to see what the T-Birds got with that choice.  But it's the draft picks the T-Birds banked in those deals with Kelowna that should have you salivating.  

Still to be cashed in from those deals are two more first round picks, one in 2022 and one in 2023, as well as 2021 and 2022 second round picks.  La Forge and his team of scouts, led by Cal Filson and Mark Romas, have already laid down a pretty good track record of using picks acquired in trades on elite if not solid prospects.  We've already mentioned Korchinski, but Conner Roulette, Gabe Ludwig, Thomas Milic, Nico Myatovic and Scott Ratzlaff are all players on the current roster that Seattle selected with draft picks obtained from other WHL teams.  

No one bats a thousand but I'll put my money down that the T-Birds will make good use of those picks they have sitting in the vault.  If Seattle can maximize the value of these extra picks, they should be a force in the WHL for next five to six years.

My T-Birds Three Stars for the last two games:

Third Star:  W Keltie Jeri-Leon.  The lone 20-year old on the roster is making the most of his shortened last season in the WHL.  He scored two goals and added an assist.  He's on pace to be a point a game player.  He leads the team with six goals.  

Second Star:  W Conner Roulette.  Had a three point game against Spokane Sunday. Included in that was the game winning goal in OT.  He currently sits atop the leaderboard in team scoring with ten points and is ready to head to Texas to represent Canada at the U18 World Championship.

First Star:  C Henrik Rybinski.  He's been the team's best player from the first puck drop opening night.  He saw his five game point streak snapped Tuesday in Kennewick but was still one of the best players on the ice.  He set up the game winner Sunday against the Chiefs, in a game he took over as the T-Birds overcame a two-goal deficit.  I'm sure Seattle would love him back next season as a 20-year old but the Florida Panthers 2019 fifth round pick is playing like someone who wants that first NHL contract.  

Best Supporting Actors

Before we hit Sunday and an Easter matchup with the Spokane Chiefs, a few words on a couple of players who are quietly going about their business and providing solid minutes in key situations for Seattle.

You may remember the start of the 2019-20 season when the Thunderbirds ran into some injury issues among their defensive group.  It was significant enough that Seattle needed to make an early season trade with Red Deer to bring in some help.  Late in August as the preseason was dawning, Seattle sent the rights to listed goalie Landon Houg and and conditional seventh round draft pick to the Rebels for 19 year old defenseman Hunter Donohoe.  

The situation only got worse though and Seattle was forced to make yet another trade for a defenseman.  So in early October of 2019, with the season already underway, T-birds GM Bil LaForge made another call to Red Deer.  This time he sent unsigned defenseman Noah Barlage, along with a 2022 7th round draft pick, to the Rebels in exchange for an 18 year old defenseman. 

Coming back to Seattle was Ryan Gottfried, who at the time of the trade wasn't even playing for Red Deer.  He was back home in Winnipeg waiting to see if he still had a WHL career.  Up to that point Gottfried had played just 58 games in the WHL.  Meanwhile, when Seattle eventually got healthy back on the blue line, they ended up with a plethora of d-man and a decision had to be made.  Which defenseman do they keep, which one had to go?  

Donohoe, the first to arrive, would seem the correct choice, right?  Except he just never seemed to fit.  He lasted just nine games, was even a healthy scratch on occasion.  He registered just one assist and finished his T-birds career at -9.  Instead it was Gottfried, a year younger and happy to be here, who fit well with his new team.

Fast forward to this new, abbreviated 24 game campaign and Gottfried is playing his best hockey since joining the team.  He's not going to wow you with big offensive numbers. He has one assist through seven games.  But he has been rock steady along with his defensive partner, Tryel Bauer.  They are Seattle's top pairing on the blue line and together are usually out on the ice against the opponents top players.  

More significantly Gottfried just may be among Seattle's two or three best penalty killers on a PK unit that is doing great work early on.  He's shown to be very good at getting to pucks when the team is shorthanded and getting that puck out of harms way.  He has made himself a valuable player.  On a team that is featuring almost a dozen rookies, it is nice to have that calming, older presence and he is providing the team just that.  You can trust him to make the right play.  He's gone from being a player without a home to being at home as a T-bird.

Then there is Reid Schaefer, an 2018 eighth round pick out of Spruce Grove, Alberta.  Taken so late in a draft that featured Conner Roulette, Lucas Ciona and Thomas Milic, it would be easy to get lost in the wash.  Eighth round selections are usually longshots, especially from a draft that featured so many talented players chosen ahead of him.  

But I noticed Schaefer quite a bit in his first training camp a couple years ago, and not just because of his red hair.  he showed a flair for putting pucks in the net.  The T-birds noticed him too because they were quick to sign him.  He got a chance to skate in a few games as a 16 year old last season.  Now that he's here full-time at age 17, he's making his presence felt.  Like Gottfried, he is an excellent penalty killer.  at 6'2", 200 lbs., he already has the size that can make him a prototypical power forward.  He's not done growing either.  He also has the frame to add muscle.  And eventually I believe he will start scoring too.  

While a lot of young T-birds player are wowing us and rightfully earning some praise for their play so far this season., Gottfried and Schaefer are flying a little bit under the radar but still proving their value to this team and a good team needs those type of players on the roster to be successful.

The Quarter Pole

Seven nights, four games, three wins, wonderful to watch.  The Seattle Thunderbirds are one quarter of the way through this abbreviated 24 game schedule and are on pace for 16 wins. In a season that has been turned over to developing the young talent on this roster, that would be an impressive accomplishment. 

Win or lose this team competes for the "W'.  There will be teachable moments along the way, hard lessons learned, but they will entertain.  The only disappointment so far is that you, the fans, haven't been there to witness it in person.  Three of their four win have come on home ice and each one has been a one-goal nail biter.  From the opening night shootout victory over Spokane to Wednesday's come-from-behind win over Everett, you'd be getting your money's worth.  

To a person, everyone in the organization wondered how raucous the ShoWare Center would have been when Jeremy Hanzel skated in, around and through the Silvertips defense in the third period Wednesday as he scored the game winner.  These players, especially these young rookies, can't wait to be part of that full throated ShoWare experience for the first time.  It can't come soon enough.

The tale of the tape is in and Seattle is the youngest team in the WHL for a second straight season.  With ten rookies and only one 20 year old, the young guns are getting plenty of ice.  But you need a rudder to steer the ship and Seattle's seasoned players are bringing the young pups along.  No one epitomizes that more than 19 year old Florida Panthers prospect Henrik Rybinski.  

Rybinski is off to a terrific start.  It may not show loudly on the stat sheet where he sits seventh in team scoring with a goal and three assists, but he is leading by example with his all out effort on every shift.  He is relentless and you can see that tenacity rub off on young players like Jordan Gustafson and Gabe Ludwig.

When the T-birds acquired Rybinski from Medicine Hat at the trade deadline two seasons ago, he was playing on the wing but wanted to play center fulltime.  The T-birds weren't sure if he could do the job.  But to their credit, they gave him the opportunity to prove himself and he has blossomed.  

He's centering their top line, going toe-to-toe with the opponents top players and only getting better. He's winning fifty percent of his faceoffs.  But it's not so much how many times he is successful on the draw as when he's successful such as the late defensive zone win against Everett in a game with Seattle nursing a one goal lead.  He's their top penalty killer and instrumental on a power play that has tallied in all but one game so far this season.  

The WHL has allowed teams to carry 2005 born players (15 year olds) on their rosters this season if they were first round Bantam picks in the 2020 draft.  As a result the top six picks from last spring's draft have all either scored a goal or registered a point this season.  The seventh pick from that draft is Seattle's Sam Oremba.  He's yet to play a game, though he is with the team.  

He's one of those ten rookies Seattle is carrying on their roster.  Those other teams seem to need their 15 year olds to score to find some success.  The T-birds having Oremba with them is a luxury, not a necessity.  That's how deep their pool of rookie players is.  Oremba is a really, talented player but Seattle doesn't need him in the lineup to win games.  Mind you, he can help them win, they just don't need him to...yet.   

Through six games, Seattle has registered 73 shots on goal in the first period.  That's an average of just slightly over 12 shots on goal in the first period each game.  The T-birds have scored just three first period goals and two of those came in one game. They are getting off to terrific starts minus that pesky ingredient, goals.  Just wait until they start adding some scoring to those fast starts. 

Congratulations to winger Conner Roulette and goalie Thomas Milic who were selected to be part of Canada's U-18 roster for the tournament that will take place later this month in Texas.  Well earned. 

My T-birds Three Stars for the last four games:

Third Star:  D-man Jeremy Hanzel.  Props to the T-birds scout who discovered this gem.  Hanzel was not selected in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, playing in, as he told me, a league that usually doesn't draw a lot of attention.  But he got the attention of the T-birds who scouted, listed and signed him last spring. Now he has NHL scouts paying attention, probably even more so after that game winner against the 'Tips.  

Second Star:  C Henrik Rybinski.  He's the tone setter for Seattle at both ends of the ice.  A terrific defensive forward with the assignment of usually trying to slow down, if not shutdown, the opposing team's top playmakers.  But he's more then that as he will chip in with timely offense.  Even if he doesn't score he's probably the one creating the scoring chance for his teammate.

First Star:  W Conner Roulette.  Hard to think of going pointless in the first two games as a slow start, but that is how good Roulette is in that, if he doesn't record a point coming out of the gate we panic a little.  Calm down, the wheel is spinning.  He now has points in four straight games including four goals and is now leading the team in scoring with six points on four goals and two assists.  His creativity in the offensive zone reminds me just a tad of Patrick Kane.  He's just fun to watch on the ice.  

Aaaaaand We're Off!!

So nice to once again be writing about actual hockey games being played! But first let's acknowledge those who are making it possible for the five WHL U.S Division teams to hit the ice again for this abbreviated, 24 game season. From the owners, to the front office staffs, from the equipment managers to the off-ice officials and from the bus drivers and the Zamboni operators to the cleaning crews this is truly a team effort. Let's hope it's a once-in-a-lifetime team effort, but a team effort nonetheless.

There is probably not enough space here to thank everyone.  If you are involved in making this return to play possible, take a bow.  No person's task in getting this season going is insignificant.  Some roles though have been more prominent then others and I want to take a moment to acknowledge the work of Thunderbirds Athletic Trainer Phil Varney.  I've written about Phil in the past.  He's not just an ace bandage and ice pack guy.  Those days are long gone.  His career field is a science and Phil follows the science.  He is a highly trained medical professional (he has a Masters Degree) and he has been working with the league on this return to play since last March.   

If you follow him on Twitter (@pvarney) you'll rarely if ever see him post opinion, unless maybe it's about the Red Wings.  Instead you find he tweets or retweets facts posted by the professionals who deal with this virus every day.  From the testing to the treatment, to sanitizing the benches and penalty box, he's been putting in some long days.  Just as an example, I know he read every study he could find on face coverings and whether they are effective, and which ones are the most effective.  So, if you're on Twitter, give him a follow and then give him a #ThanksPhil.

Now to the actual hockey played by the T-birds his weekend.  Seattle earned a split of their two games and I think "earned" is the right word here.  Seattle was the better team opening night in their 4-3 shootout win over Spokane. The team played well Saturday night against Portland, just not well enough to win and fell 4-1.

The results really aren't too surprising.  Remember, the division had just a couple weeks to train after a year long layoff.  Player conditioning is going to be a factor early on. The T-Birds used a lot of pent up emotion and energy Friday against the Chiefs.  They had a fast start Saturday against the Winterhawks but you could see some of the players tiring as that game wore on.  For both teams it was their second game but one of Portland's slight advantages was having a day of rest between their opener Thursday and the game Saturday.  

In the two games, the T-Birds outshot their opponents in the first period by a combined 27-12.  The problem was they had nothing to show up on the scoreboard for that decided early edge in puck possession and territorial play.  Through two games they've yet to score a first period goal while allowing one against.

Despite showing some rust at times, despite settling for a split, there was so much to like about what we saw from this young team over six plus periods.  Matt Rempe already wears the battle scars of a player who parks out in front of the opposing net.  At 6'8", 240 lbs., the New York Rangers prospect knows he has, as Liam Neesom would say, a particular set of skills.  Saturday night those skills led to his first goal of the season, off a tip of a point shot on the power play.  A tip of the hat to Portland goalie Dante Gianuzzi, who prevented Rempe from scoring a few more.  Gianuzzi won this battle, but the war continues.  

I don't know if it comes across as too much tooting the horn when it comes to the effusive praise given the young talent on this team but it was on full display this past weekend. 

We often say a team takes on the identity of it's coach.  The fact this team works hard for 60 minutes every game is a direct reflection of Matt O'Dette.  But General Managers are called the architects and Bil La Forge is the master planner behind this roster.  One of the cornerstones he laid was back in May of 2019, when on draft day he dealt Dillon Hamaliuk, Jake Lee and Cole Schwebius to the Kelowna Rockets.  

Among the pieces he got back was the Rockets 2019 first round pick.  It gave La Forge two selections in the first 10 picks.  He used his own pick, the eighth overall choice, on center Jordan Gustafson,  and with the 10th overall pick obtained from Kelowna, he chose defenseman Kevin Korchinski. Recall too, that back in January of that same year, at the league trade deadline, he had traded Zack Andrusiak to Everett for a second round pick.  He turned that pick into winger Gabe Ludwig. 

Now, if you were listening to the broadcast or watching the streaming of the first two games this weekend, you couldn't help but hear about or see those three player positively impact both games.  These three rookies played like seasoned vets.  All picked up their first career point.  Gustafson plays bigger then his 5'10" frame would suggest.  A prolific scorer at lower levels of hockey, he isn't afraid to get his nose dirty and I have no hesitation calling him a 200 foot player.  Through the first two games he's won 50 percent of his faceoffs (9 of 18).  He's already had an impact on the power play, registering an assist on each of Seattle's two power-play goals.

I hesitate to compare a young player to a former Thunderbirds player who has established himself as a top player in the NHL.  But there were a number of times this weekend when I watched Korchinski skate the puck out from behind the Seattle net and I had a "deja vu, flashback, where-have-I-seen-that-before" thought.  Let me stop and just call it hints of Shea Theodore because Korchinski is going to be his own player, but it was a bit eerie.  

Ludwig is a bundle of energy.  He's a pitbull with finesse.  He is speed and quickness on ice.  Think of a package that combines a little Scott Eansor, Nolan Volcan, Donovan Neuls and Sami Moilanen with potentially, a much higher ceiling.  I've always wanted to say this, but I heard from an unnamed source that NHL scouts like Seattle's draft class for this summer's NHL Draft, but they are really excited about the group that will be eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft.  

My Three Stars for opening weekend:

Third Star: Lots of players to choose from here.  That's how well I though the team showed.  From goalie Thomas Milic flashing terrific lateral movement in the crease to defenseman and newly minted captain Ty Bauer laying out to block numerous shots, there was so much good hockey to describe on the broadcasts.    

Four rookies earned their first points as T-Birds but my Third Star goes to Gustafson who earned two assists and showed he will be a force to reckon with on the T-Birds power play.  It says something about the coaches confidence in him that he was out there Friday night for much of the 3-on-3 overtime period.

Second Star: RW Keltie Jeri-Leon.  If not for hitting two posts Seattle's lone 20-year old on the roster may have had a four goal game opening night.  Instead he settled for two and added an assist for a three point weekend.  The coaching staff and front office rave about his character and leadership.  Talk to him for just five minutes and you'll understand why.  Just wait until the pandemic is over to do it though!

First Star:  C Henrik Rybinski.  The Florida Panthers prospect is back, baby!  I think Rybinski had a slightly off season a year ago.  But over the weekend he was the player Seattle got from Medicine Hat at the 2018-19 trade deadline.  He set the tone with his ferocious forecheck.  He was darting in and out of traffic with the puck, creating numerous scoring opportunities.  He won over 50% of his faceoffs (24/41).  A young team needs a veteran tone setter and this weekend, Rybinski was just that for Seattle. 

A Treasure Trove of Talent

First things first.  Woohooo!  Seattle Thunderbirds hockey is on its way back!  After getting approval from the State of Washington, the WHL announced this past week that the league's five U.S. Division teams will commence an abbreviated season March 19.  There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to get up and running, but the teams, the league and the State have come together to make this happen and that partnership will continue to ensure a safe and healthy campaign.

Most likely it will be a 24-game season.  We already know the games will be staying within the division.  A schedule will be announced later but some variation of the T-Birds playing each of their division rivals six times seems the most plausible.  There will be no fans allowed in any of the arenas but video and audio streaming services will be available. 

Now, you may be asking why go through all the trouble for just 24 games? It certainly won't be a profitable endeavor.  Simple answer?  For the players.  The Western Hockey League is one of the top development leagues when it comes to sending players on to the NHL.  It's the league's mission to develop players for the next level.  In fact, I'll take it one step further.  It is their promise to the players. 

A lost season is a lost year of development.  Even 24 games are critical for the players but especially those who are eligible for the next NHL Draft scheduled for this summer.  Seattle's roster is filled with players who fit that criteria.  At least eight Thunderbirds are first time draft eligible.  These 24 games could be the difference when it comes to being selected by one of the 32 NHL teams.

And there is talent to be found up and down a WHL roster.  The other night former T-Bird defenseman Austin Strand became the fifth member of the T-Birds 2017 WHL Championship roster to make his NHL debut when he stepped on the ice for the Los Angeles Kings.  Remember, Strand went undrafted by the NHL.  By playing as much as he did in the WHL though, he constantly had the eyes of the scouts on him and he eventually signed as a free agent with the Kings.  

Not only did Strand make his NHL debut that night, but so did another former WHL defenseman, one time Tri-City American Dylan Coghlan, who suited up for Vegas.  In fact every U.S. Division team, except Everett, had a former player on the ice in that LA versus Vegas matchup.  There was not just Strand and Coghlan, but Spokane's Jarret Anderson-Dolan played along side Strand with the Kings while former Portland Winterhawk Cody Glass scored a goal for the Golden Knights. 

We haven't even mentioned former T-Bird, and current Golden Knight, Shea Theodore was also on the ice while Strand's former teammate with the T-Birds, Keegan Kolesar, was a scratch.  T-Birds fans should remember the name Austin Wagner.  He played against Seattle in that 2017 WHL Final as a member of the Regina Pats.  He now plies his talents with LA.  Kale Clague?  A member of the Brandon Wheat Kings team that beat Seattle in 2016.  Now a member of the LA Kings.  

You want an example of just how deep the talent pool is in the WHL?  Let's time travel back to those back-to-back WHL Championship Series Seattle was a part of in 2016 and 2017.  Check the rosters of the three teams involved, Seattle, Brandon and Regina.  Combined, 15 players have played at least one NHL game now.  Seattle is represented by six names.  Strand joins, Mat Barzal, Ethan Bear, Landon Bow, Keegan Kolesar and Alexander True.  

Five players from the Brandon club that bested the T-Birds in the spring of 2016 have since skated in the NHL; Jayce Hawryluk, Nolan Patrick, Ivan Provorov, John Quennville and Clague.  And for Regina, the 2017 WHL runner-up?  Three other player besides Wagner, (Adam Brooks, Josh Mahura and Sam Steel), have suited up in the NHL.  

Quite a bit of NHL talent has put skates down on the ice at the accesso ShoWare Center in just the last decade plus, players like Brenden Dillon and Thomas Hickey.  And not just T-Birds players.  Just from the U.S. Division alone, we've been spoiled to see the likes of current Boston Bruin and former Tri-City American Brandon Carlo.   Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart honed his skills with the Everett Silvertips.  Spokane produced New Jersey Devils defenseman Ty Smith while Columbus d-man Seth Jones helped lead the Winterhawks to a 2013 WHL title.  

Those players are just the tip of the iceberg. Many more have reached the NHL level and still more are playing in the AHL, ECHL or pro leagues overseas. Now, another batch of talented players are chomping at the bit to join them including the T-Birds own Conner Roulette.  But they need to play.  That is why you put together an abbreviated 24 game schedule; for the players. 

How Youth Doing?

My fingers have been crossed so long, hoping that we'll get even a shortened 24 game WHL season in at some point, that my hands are starting to look like lobster claws.  I'm an optimist, so I'll keep them crossed.

Meanwhile, as we wait, there have been a few roster moves made by the Thunderbirds recently and the moves point to what is not surprising.  The T-Birds are going to put whatever season unfolds in the hands of their young players.  The T-Birds were the youngest team in the WHL last season, as well as one of the youngest in the CHL, and the same could very well hold true for this season, should it unfold.

When the 2019-20 season abruptly ended last March, Seattle had three candidates who could potentially return to fill the three 20-year old slots for 2020-21; goaltender Roddy Ross, defenseman Owen Williams and winger Keltie Jeri-Leon.  Ross was dealt to Regina during the May WHL Bantam Draft, leaving two.  Recently General Manager Bil LaForge told mynorthwest.com's Andy Eide that the team has parted ways with Williams.  

That leaves just Jeri-Leon and I get the impression LaForge is just fine with that.  If there is going to be a season this winter/spring two dozen games doesn't leave a lot of time to evaluate the young talent.  To create more ice time for those young players, you don't crowd the field with veterans.  I fully expect the T-Birds to go with just one 20-year old on the roster.

Then Monday, in a swap of Imports, LaForge announced the trade of 19-year old Czech defenseman Simon Kubicek to the Edmonton Oil Kings for 19-year old forward Vladimir Alistrov of Belarus. Alistrov is currently playing in the KHL, so it is unclear if he will come to Seattle for a 24-game campaign.  

If Alistrov, who potted 19 goals for Edmonton last season, does report he will give the T-Birds some offensive punch and add to an age group (19-year olds) where the team is light.  It would also potentially put him in the mix for one of the 20-year old slots for the 2021-22 season.  Barring an offseason move the T-Birds would have four players in the mix for those spots, Alistrov, Henrik Rybinski, Cade McNelly and Ryan Gottfried.  

By moving Kubicek (and the earlier release of Williams), Seattle signaled that they want to give as much ice for this proposed 24 game schedule to their young defensemen.  Specifically they are saying three rookies, 16-year olds Kevin Korchinski and Spencer Penner along with 17-year old Jeremy Hanzel, will be a significant part of the rear guard. But it also indicates a level of trust in second year player, 18-year old Luke Bateman.  It gives him a chance to showcase himself in his first year of NHL Draft eligibility.  Even NHL drafted Tyrel Bauer is still relatively young at 18 as he enters his third season with the team. The 19-year old Gottfried would be in just his second season with the club.  Yep, at 19 that makes McNelly the grizzled vet of the group.

Not to be overlooked in the youth equation is Seattle's group of forwards.  Outside of the 20-year old Jeri-Leon and the 19-year old Florida Panthers prospect Rybinski, the T-Birds are very much a green group.  They have four 18-year olds in Jared Davidson, Matthew Rempe, Payton Mount and Brendan Williamson.  Only Davidson and Mount though, have played more then a full season at the WHL level. 

The bulk of the Seattle forward group will be composed of their 17-year olds.  All have played at least a few games of WHL hockey, but even those who were on the roster fulltime didn't get in a full rookie season due either to the pandemic, injury or both.  

It's a group that holds a lot of promise, led by a trio of player who have all been rated for the upcoming NHL Draft by NHL Central Scouting Service.  At the top of the list is Conner Roulette who could hear his name called in the first two rounds after being rated as an "A" Skater.  Kai Uchacz and Lucas Ciona, each with a "C" rating, are right behind him.  The others in that 2003 born group who will fight for ice time this season are Mekai Sanders, Reid Schaefer and and Sam Popowich.  

Meanwhile at least a couple of 16-year old forwards will be heard from as well.  2019 first round draft pick Jordan Gustafson made his WHL debut with Seattle last season while second round selection Gabe Ludwig, who signed with the T-Birds last spring, should make his Seattle debut if and when the season commences.  There are so many young forwards battling for ice time that it most likely means that another signed 2019 draft pick, Nico Myatovic, will probably have to wait until next season to be added to the mix.  

So, if there is going to be a season, the average age of the players on the current 23-man T-birds roster will be 17.5 years old, and feature nine rookies and nine second year players.  Youth will be served.

One final note on Simon Kubicek.  Last summer he sent me a text.  He wanted to know the proper spelling for Kubi-dooby-doo!  He was planning on getting a tattoo.  Then, early Tuesday, the day after he was traded, I got another text from him.  He wanted to thank me for the nickname, I suppose, and his father wanted to thank me as well.  Dad stayed up late listening to a lot of T-Birds games online from his home in the Czech Republic.  I asked him about the tattoo.  Unfortunately, because of Covid, he said he hasn't been able to get it yet but he promised to send a picture when he does.  And when he does, I'll pass it along.  Kubi-dooby-doo!