Discussions

Now that the dust is starting to settle and we're officially into day 1 of the offseason, I thought it would be a fit to thank the Wheat Kings from top to bottom for another excellent season. Although it may not have finished quite like many would have liked, we were spoiled with a glimpse at what could be a very special next couple of seasons.  
 
Going back to a post I had at the start of the year when it looked like this was going to be a .500 fringe playoff team at best, I remember saying that three out of Andrew Clark, Daniel Bartek, Jay Fehr and Tyler Dittmer had to step up to fill in for all of the graduated scoring if we were going to have a competitive team. As it turned out we were lucky enough to have all four make major jumps, but the even bigger reason for the success was the much talked about rookie like of Brayden Schenn, Matt Calvert and Scott Glennie.  
 
At this level of hockey you live and die by how much your players improve from game 1 to game 72 of the season and on top of the guys mentioned above you have to look at the players Matt Lowry, Nathan Green, Del Cowan and Chad Erb have become as well as improvements from Colby Robak and Keith Aulie. Throw in how Joe Caligiuri was able to do quite well for himself in the playoffs and you have a team worth being proud of.  
 
Graduating will be Daryl Boyle, Theran Yeo and Tyler Dittmer.. all players who have played four years and will be missed for their leadership. Daniel Bartek will be in tough with the competition for 20-year olds next year but if he doesn't go pro I think he's the rare European that would fit in well in this league as both a 20 year old and European. Only one of Chad Erb or Matt McCue figure to make the grade as well. Andrew Clark may have a chance of turning pro, but a betting man would say that he still has something to prove in the WHL.  
 
Even with those players moving on, this team is going to return a scary amount of depth and talent next year compared to everyone else in the division. Although this year's rookies will be a tough act to follow, believe it or not there is a group of players ready to come in next year that are generating a lot of buzz. Chances are there won't be as much ice time available and it would never be fair to have Schenn, Glennie or Calvert-like expectations for a first year player but hopefully they can chip in their fair share already.  
 
Here's to a good summer and a fun 2008-2009 season. I've said it before, but the Keystone might have to add extension onto the "scout room" but then.. there will be a lot of eyes on this team!