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.
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