It's only preseason where, in the big scheme of things, wins and losses don't really matter, but when you want winning to be your culture, it matters a lot.
The T-birds went to Everett for three games in three days of preseason action and came away with three wins. They did it using a slightly older lineup and they did it by using a slightly younger lineup. They weren't perfect. It's hard to be when you're mixing up your roster each game, but they found a way to compete, execute and win each game.
The wins didn't help them climb the standings or secure a playoff spot. There are no points for wins in the preseason. No cup will be lifted after the last preseason game next weekend. The real win this time of the year is when you learn how to win, and a lot of young players learned how to win at the WHL level in those three games in Everett.
Seattle will enter the 2022-23 regular season with a lot of experience missing off their back end. 20 year old defenseman Ryan Gottfried has graduated out of the program and both Ty Bauer and Samuel Knazko appear headed to the AHL, rather than back to Seattle for their 20 year old season. Chase Lacombe was not brought back for what would have been his 20 year old year.
Seattle's oldest returning defenseman is 19 year old Jeremy Hanzel. Seattle did select Kai Knak in the Import draft and traded for Easton Kovacs. Combined, those two 18 year olds have 57 games of WHL experience and it all belongs to Kovacs. So some of Seattle's youngest defenseman are going to be called upon to play.
Now, 2022 second round draft pick Kaleb Hartmann is not elible to play this season because he's just 15. but the T-birds did select a couple of defensemen in the second round of the 2021 draft and both of those 16 year olds, Hyde Davidson and Bryce Pickford, could find their way onto the opening night roster. Each of them played in all three games this weekend and they look like top end talent. Combined, they earned a goal and two assists and were +6 in the three games in Everett.
But there are a couple of other young defensemen who might be flying under the radar. Both are entering their 17 year old season. Both were picked in the 2020 draft. We didn't get to see Niko Tsakumis this weekend as he's dealing with a minor injury. Last season in 11 games with the T-birds he earned two points (1g, 1a) and finished +3.
Ethan Mittelstaedt got into 16 games last season as a 16 year old, scoring a pair of goals and finishing at +3 as well. Mittelstaedt played in two of the three preseason games this weekend in Everett and I really like what I saw from him. He plays like he believes in himself. He reads the ice well. He's strong on the puck. He plays with physicality. He ended the weekend with two assists.
All of those d-men will get plenty of playing time next weekend to state their case. Both Kevin Korchinski and Hanzel are headed to NHL training camps. Korchinski of course, was the 7th overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft, selected by the Blackhawks. he'll head to Chicago this week. It appears Hanzel has an invite to camp with the Edmonton Oilers.
If you had any questions about why the T-birds traded for Kyle Crnkovic, and I know some of you did, because I got asked a lot, those questions were answered this weekend. Yes, he's an offensive playmaker, but he plays a 200 foot game. He essentially takes the role Lukas Svejkovsky had last season. He'll play in all situations and in particular, be a key component to the power play
But why give up Conner Roulette? Why not keep him and still acquire Crnkovic? Well, because the T-birds also added 17 year old Gracyn Sawchyn in the offseason. His hockey IQ is off the charts. Again, it is only preseason but I'd be shocked if, in what will be a deep 2023 NHL Draft, Sawchyn isn't selected in one of the first two rounds. He has the potential to be that good. He really stood out in the two games he played up in Everett this past weekend.
Meanwhile, the hopes are high that Brad Lambert comes to Kent after training camp with the Winnipeg Jets. He's a first round NHL pick and right away is probably one of your top three forwards. You've got Davidson, Schaefer and Ciona to go in that top group as well. And you have Sam Oremba and Nico Myatovic, both ready to take big steps this season in their first year of NHL draft eligibility.
Sam Popowich is the team's Swiss Army knife forward. You can play him up and down the lineup. Add to that, at some point Mekai Sanders will be back in the lineup and he'll need minutes too. Gabe Ludwig and Coster Dunn are versatile third/fourth line guys. At age 16, Tij Iginla has to play in two-thirds of the games per WHL rules. Seattle may also want to keep Simon Lovsin around. The 16 year old showed well up at Angel of the Winds Arena.
As talented as Roulette is, there was a real possibility that he wasn't going to be among Seattle's top six forwards and that wouldn't be fair to Roulette, who is going into his 19 year old season and trying to earn an NHL contract. In Saskatoon he'll get the first line minutes he needs. If he had stayed with the T-birds he may have been relegated to the third line. And if at some point the T-birds feel they need to add another high end forward for a long playoff run, GM Bil Laforge will not hesitate, but for now, I think he feels pretty good about his group, even without Roulette.
Best game of the weekend? For me it was Sunday's. The T-birds iced their youngest roster of the weekend. Many of those young players were playing in their third game in as many days. Seattle fell behind 2-0 after the first period to Tri-City. But they stuck to the game plan, they didn't stray off their good habits and won in overtime, 5-4.
Before the weekend action kicked off, Seattle signed 2021 draft pick, goalie Spencer Michnik, to a standard WHL Player Agreement. Michnik got the start Sunday and earned the win. The stat line may not look anything but ordinary with 26 saves on 30 shots. But two of the four goals allowed were power play goals including a 5-on-3 score. I thought he settled in and played well. He's just 16 and is only going to get better. He's listed at 6'2" which already makes him the tallest goalie on the roster. I think he has room to grow and would not be surprised if he's 6'4" or taller before he's done sprouting.
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