One Hit Wonder

Another one game weekend for the Thunderbirds.  With eleven teams now in the Western Conference, this is going to happen frequently, especially as other US Division teams take their road trips to Alberta.

Since we are nearing the holiday season (some people are already there), what's the old saying "if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas."  Seattle is winless in their last four games but has been in position to win going into the third period in all but one of those games. IF only they were healthy the might be on a eight or nine game heater.

There have been two overriding themes to the first month of the season, injuries and youth.  In an odd way, you can look at both of them as actual positives.  I know it's counterproductive to say injuries are a positive. Tell that to the injured players and you won't get agreement.  But because of those injuries Seattle's young players, and there are a lot of them, are getting valuable ice time in all situations that is going to speed up their development. There is no substitute for experience.

At the moment the T-Birds are carrying nine full-time rookies on their roster. That's nearly fifty percent of the team.  Occasionally over the first dozen games, they've had to bring in affiliated players just to have enough players each night.  That was the case Friday night against Spokane with 15-year old Colton Gerrior being recalled and making his WHL debut.  

Gerrior is the ninth player to make his T-Birds debut since the season began back in late September.  There are another five players who debuted last season, playing in either just one or two games.  Fifteen year old Jaxson Dikur sat on the bench as the backup goalie opening night. That's 15 rookies in the lineup at some point this season. Yet here the T-Birds sit, with a 7-4-1-0 record. 

They're missing rookie center Braeden Cootes who is away at the U17 World Hockey Challenge. We can lament where they might be record-wise if the likes of Jordan Gustafson, Nico Myatovic, Gracyn Sawchyn and Owen Boucher weren't injured, or if Kevin Korchinski had been returned by the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks. But think about it this way, where would they be if these young players hadn't played to the standard they're playing?  Those rookies have combined for 30 points (16g, 14a). 

Raise your hand if you had a 16-year old Antonio Martorana leading the team in goal scoring through the first twelve games. He's on pace for a 33 goal season. I'm not sure that is sustainable but getting to 20 goals should be reachable.  And he's not doing it on the fourth line. With top players out, he's elevated to the top line, so he's playing against the other teams best players.  

If he can do that at age 16, think what he might be able to accomplish in a few seasons when he's 19. In fact think about what these 15 players combined with two players we haven't mentioned, Bryce Pickford and Hyde Davidson, might do in two-three years.   

Of course, we live in the now.  And right now the T-birds are minus some key players and that is going to affect the results. Does anyone doubt that a healthy Seattle team wins that game Friday against the Chiefs.  I don't.  But because of those injuries we are seeing more of the youth than we anticipated.  As a result we're probably going to see some pronounced ups and downs with this young team. There are times they're going to look like inexperienced rookies, especially against older teams.  But as they say, short term pain for long term gain.

The good news? At some point those injured players will return.  Jordan Gustafson may be as close as a week away from getting into the lineup for the first time this season. In a Western Conference that I believe is filled with parity, Seattle has to weather through the first half, get healthy and get ready to make some noise after Christmas.

My T-Bird Three Stars for Friday Night:

Third Star: C Coster Dunn. Dunn essentially has become the T-Birds number one center in the absence of Gustafson, Cootes and Sawchyn. He assisted on Seattle's first goal and won all his faceoffs.  He's relentless fighting for pucks.  I think he needs to get a little stronger but that will come. He took a big leap physically from last spring to this fall, getting bigger and that trend should continue.    

Second Star: D Jeremey Hanzel. Without Korchinski he's being tasked to do everything Korch would be doing, and he's succeeding.  He's eating up a lot of minutes, quarterbacking a make shift power play and killing penalties. Add on his leadership and his contributions so far this season are immeasurable.

First Star: G Scott Ratzlaff.  It's been a tough start for Rattzy but Friday he looked like the Scott Ratzlaff that won WHL Goaltender of the Month last December.  Through his first 5 or so starts, it appeared he was fighting the puck and had trouble controlling rebounds.  That was not the case Friday against the Chiefs, especially in the third period with the T-Birds back on their heels much of the period.  He gave them a chance and got them a point.