2009-10 Canada West preview

by Canada West Men's Hockey Sports Information Offices

Overview
The Canada West playoff race was more competitive than ever in 2008-09, but only one team, the Alberta Golden Bears, qualified for the University Cup at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. This year two teams will qualify for the CIS event, March 25-28, 2010 back at Lakehead. Only the top four will make the post-season this time around, not six.

The Alberta Golden Bears have won the Dr. W.G. Hardy Trophy eight of the last nine years, and despite a couple of key graduates from the program, the increased experience and overall depth will be difficult for opposing teams to overcome. Gone is four-year goaltender Aaron Sorochan to the pro ranks, replaced by incumbent Real Cyr, who split duties last year. The top line of Derek Ryan, Chad Klassen and Brian Woolger is all back. Eric Hunter, Jesse Gimblett, 2008 University Cup MVP Ian McDonald and Dale Mahovsky are all back on the front line, with WHL grad Sean Ringrose now in the mix.

The Saskatchewan Huskies broke through and won the CWUAA title in 2007, but have yet to follow up with another. Perennial second-place finishers and runners-up to Alberta, the Huskies and coach Dave Adolph have a more experienced roster, including MVP Steven DaSilva, who won just about every award he could as a freshman in 2008-09. No. 3 scorer Steven Gillen is also back and Kyle Ross has transferred from Regina, while Evan Schafer and Jesse Zetariuk anchor the blue line. Two-time Adam Kryzcka Trophy winner Jeff Harvey enters the season with a 50-20-1 career record.

This is where things get very tough to predict...

The Calgary Dinos certainly have a roster good enough on paper to step back into the playoff fold, despite the fact that only four qualify this year. The added coaching of NHL veterans Cory Cross and Brad Isbister will also help. Canada West top 10 scorers Torrie Wheat and Brock Nixon are in the mix once again, along with Reid Jorgensen, Kyle Annesley and Brett O'Malley. Second Team all-Canadian defencemen Travis Friedley will not be back, so Dan Ehrman and Ryan Gillen head up the defence corps, with fifth-year netminder Jeff Weber and 2008-09 conference All-Freshmen team goaltender Dustin Butler as the Dinos' back-stoppers.

Head coach Mike Sirant returns for his 14th season with Manitoba after a successful stint with Danish National program. Coming of a third-place finish in last year's conference season, the Bisons have a trio of 2009 Universiade silver medalists in defenceman Stephane Lenoski and forwards Mike Hellyer and Rick Wood. Kyle Howarth, Jared Walker and Cole Hunter had solid offensive numbers a year ago. Fourth-year goalie Steve Christie has been a workhorse his entire CIS career and will likely be asked to start almost every night again.

The Lethbridge Pronghorns continue to make strides in conference play, but have yet to make a move in the post-season. While they are in tough again and without 24-point man Steve Zmudczynski, who has moved on from the program, big things are expected from top 2008-09 scorer Dustin Moore. Jason Roberts and injury-plagued Andrew Courtney are back and should play an increasing role. Ryan Pottruff and Andrew Marshall are key on defence, with third-year Scott Bowles being the starting 'keeper.

At Vancouver, the UBC Thunderbirds recovered late in the season to make the spring 2009 post-season. With the return of several veterans, including top goal-scorer Jeff Lynch, they should improve on the league-low 59 goals scored a season ago. Of course, Lynch does not expect to win the team scoring title by scoring eight this time around. Brandon Campos and Dalton Pajak, who played well when healthy, will help offensively. Seven defencemen are back, led by Max Gordichuk and 2008-09 CWUAA All-Freshman Matt Pepe. Fourth-year goalie François Thuot will see full-time duties with the graduation of Gerry Festa.

The Regina Cougars upset Manitoba in the 2009 post-season and hope to build on that success in 2009-10. A new line of Dillon Johnstone, Carter Smith and Tanner Shultz has clicked in preseason. The transfer of 20-point man Kyle Ross to Saskatchewan will hurt, leaving Caine Pearpoint, who had 17 points, as the top returnee. Second-year blue-liner Dylan Chapman, who was named to the CIS All-Rookie Team last season, is back. Brant Hilton and Adam Ward split goaltending time in 2008-09 and will do so again.

2009-10 Canada West Men's Hockey Schedule

Alberta Golden Bears
2008-09 conference record: 22-4-2 (1st)
2008-09 CW playoffs: 4-1 (1st)
2008-09 CIS tournament: 1-1 (t-3rd)
Last CW title: 2008-09
Last CIS title: 2007-08

EDMONTON - Following a third-place finish at last season's CIS University Cup, the Alberta Golden Bears are "chomping at the bit" to open the new conference season at home against the Regina Cougars.

Last year Thurston's squad posted 22-4-2 record (W-L-OL) in conference action and captured their 47th Dr. W. G. Hardy Trophy as Canada West champions, their eighth win in the last nine seasons, and qualified as the lone conference berth to Nationals.

This season two teams from Canada West will advance to the Thunder Bay, Ontario tournament at Lakehead, and despite numerous changes to the blue line and back, Alberta looks to be a strong contender to qualify out of the West.

Gone from the 2008-09 squad are eight players in total, including two CIS all-Canadians in assistant captain and former CIS championship all-star Ben Kilgour and Golden Bears starting goalie for the previous four seasons, Aaron Sorochan. Despite a year eligibility remaining, Sorochan elected to try his luck among the pro ranks, and seems to have secured the back-up job for the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League, farm team to the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.

Defencemen Shaden Moore, Ryan White, Cody Wasik, and Travis Featherstone will also not be back for this season, while fifth-year forward Richard Kelly graduated, and now works as the Bears' strength and conditioning coach. Fourth-year defenceman Derek Price will likely miss most of the season recovering from off-season surgery. Shoring up the blue-line are two WHL recruits in Colin Joe and Ian Barteaux, while Reade Wolansky is set to join the back end as well, after sitting out a full season to complete his transfer from Sacred Heart Univeristy in the NCAA.

Freshman and former Swift Current Bronco Travis Yonkman is locked in a battle with returning sophomore goalie Real Cyr for the No. 1 job in the Alberta net.

Alberta's forward corps features two new key players in former WHL grads Sean Ringrose and Michael MacAngus. Ringrose will start the season between Jesse Gimblett (23 points in 26 games last season) and new assistant captain Eric Hunter, the 2008 Canada West rookie of the year, while MacAngus will see time with 2008 University Cup MVP Ian McDonald and Dale Mahovsky.

The Golden Bears' top trio of Derek Ryan (35 points in 26 games), Chad Klassen (37 points) and Brian Woolger (28 points) remains in tact and will be their most dangerous unit once again. They combined for four goals and six points in two games at the championship tournament last season, where Klassen was honoured as a CIS Second Team all-Canadian.

UBC Thunderbirds
2008-09 conference record: 11-14-3 (5th)
2009 CW playoffs: 2-3 (t-3rd)
Last CW title: 1971
Last CIS title: none

VANCOUVER - After struggling through an injury-plagued first half of the 2008-09 season, the UBC Thunderbirds managed to turn things around after the break, going 5-4-1 to end the season before winning a best-of-three playoff series over the Lethbridge Pronghorns 2-1.

Although Saskatchewan ended UBC's season in the Canada West semifinals, overcoming difficult circumstances to make a solid playoff run should provide this year's returning players with valuable experience and momentum heading into the new campaign.

Thirteen new faces to begin last season, combined with constant lineup changes due to injuries, meant the T-Birds were never able to find their rhythm offensively and wound up with a conference-low 59 goals during the regular season.

One of the key returnees up front will be Jeff Lynch, the T-Birds' leading goal-scorer from last season. Lynch will likely be a big factor in jumpstarting the offence, and he also brings a physical presence to the ice.

Two other players expected to step up after injury-plagued seasons last year are Brandon Campos and Dalton Pajak. Campos was lethal for the T-Birds when healthy and he finished the season on a tear notching six points in five playoff games. Pajak has battled injuries the last few years but has 17 points in his last 26 games in the Blue and Gold. Both players had relatively injury free junior careers, they combined to play 226 games over their final two years before coming to UBC, so their health issues are more anomaly than regularity.

The responsibility to make things happen offensively won't fall entirely on the returning players, as the T-Birds have added four new centres to the lineup. Justin McCrae picked up 167 points in 302 games during his five-year WHL career. He won the Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs in 2008, and was fourth round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2004 Draft.

Joining McCrae as new additions up the middle Scott Wasden, Bill Smith and Max Grassi. Wasden also has Memorial Cup experience, as he competed in the 2007 tournament when his Medicine Hat Tigers were defeated in the finals by the Vancouver Giants. Grassi played five seasons in the BCHL, totaling 177 points in 221 games, while Smith was a dominant player in Junior ‘B' with the Grandview Steelers.

Defensively, the T-Birds will have a very familiar look this season, as just one recruit joins a unit with seven returnees. Key returnees at the back include Max Gordichuck, who led all defenders with nine points last season, and Matt Pepe, who was named to the Canada West All-Freshman team last year. Pepe and fellow blue-liner Craig Lineker also suited up for Canada's silver medal winning team at the 2009 FISU Games in Harbin, China.

Between the pipes, fourth-year goalie François Thuot will finally get the chance to be a full-time starter, after sharing duties with Gerry Festa for the first three years of his UBC career. Last season Thuot got 18 starts to Festa's 12, and his workload will likely be significantly increased this year as Festa was lost to graduation. First-year goalie Jordan White is the sixth new addition to the T-Birds lineup, and will be backing up Thuot in the upcoming campaign.

Calgary Dinos
2008-09 conference record: 10-16-2 (7th, missed playoffs)
Last CW title: 1995-96
Last CIS title: none

CALGARY - It has been an off-season of transition for the Calgary Dinos after missing the playoffs last spring for the first time since 1985.

With one last chance at a playoff spot after a frustrating season in which the Dinos had slogged through a 1-11-1 midseason stretch, the UBC Thunderbirds shut them out on Calgary ice to keep them away from the post-season for the first time in 24 years.

However, with struggles come change, and the Dinos are recharged and ready to make amends after their forgettable 2008-09 season.

Head coach Mark Howell takes over the Dinos after most recently coaching the Westside Warriors of the BCHL, and has assembled quite the supporting cast in bringing in former NHLers Cory Cross and Brad Isbister to coach the defence and forwards, respectively. The new coaching staff is given a team that certainly underachieved in last year, but one that has plenty of pieces to work with.

The Dinos certainly do not lack in offensive firepower, as Canada West top 10 scorers Torrie Wheat and Brock Nixon lead a group of forwards that have the potential to light the lamp on any given shift. Reid Jorgensen, Kyle Annesley and Brett O'Malley each posted 19 points or better, and will all be looked upon to shoulder the scoring load once again for Calgary.

On defence the Dinos do have question marks after losing Second Team all-Canadian defencemen Travis Friedley, who completed his studies at UC. Returning blue-liners Dan Ehrman and Ryan Gillen will be joined by a host of new faces on the blue line, as Graham Potuer and Luke Egener are among Howell's defence-heavy recruiting class.

Another member of Howell's recruiting class is forward Tylan Stephens, who figures to be a solid piece for the Dinos after a strong 57-point season with the Kootenay Ice of the WHL in 2008-09. Stephens elected to forego his 20-year-old season in the WHL, deciding to focus on his studies.

In goal, last year's starter Jeff Weber returns for his final season with the Dinos, but will be pushed hard by 2008-09 Canada West All-Freshmen team goaltender Dustin Butler and fourth-year netminder Nathan Deobald.

Despite the challenges of any changeover, Howell is happy with his new team's progress thus far.

"The reality is that any time a new coach comes in, you never know how guys, especially the veterans, are going to respond," said Howell, who played CIS hockey with the University of Alberta. "But all the returning guys have been great so far. They've been receptive and have been giving a really honest effort in trying to make the transition seamless.

Lethbridge Pronghorns
2008-09 conference record: 14-13-1 (4th)
2008-09 playoffs: 1-2 (t-5th)
Last CW title - 1993-94
Last CIS title - 1993-94

LETHBRIDGE - After another first-round exit, the Lethbridge Pronghorns are still attempting to make the next step in Canada West and their first playoff series victory since their national title in 1994. For the second time in three seasons the Horns were eliminated in three games, on home ice, losing to the UBC Thunderbirds.

With 19 returning players from last season, the Horns have a strong core of returnees and should have instant continuity to begin the season. With only five players not returning, there are few holes to fill, but they are important ones, as offensive catalyst Steve Zmudczynski graduated early and heart-and-soul players Kris Deines and Tyler Stella have moved on.

While Zmudczynski's offence will be difficult to replace, Deines' leadership and versatility cannot be discounted and leaves a big void in the dressing room.

Third-year goaltender Scott Bowles will once again be counted on to be the work horse in the net for the Horns. Last year Bowles started 26 of the Horns' 28 conference games and was exceptional in their first-round playoff series.

ACAC champion Reese St. Goddard transfers from SAIT to back-up Bowles and comes to the Horns with a strong college resume. St. Goddard shutout high powered Mount Royal College in the ACAC championship-winning game and won three titles in his four seasons with the Trojans.

The once-young Horns blue line is a year older and more experienced; Winter Universiade member Ryan Pottruff and former Barrie Colt Andrew Marshall anchor the group. Pottruff led the conference defenceman in scoring and learned a great deal from his experience in Harbin, China last winter as a member of the silver medal-winning Canadian side at the World University Games.

Former Lethbridge Hurricane Paul MacDonald, Curtis Cooper and ACAC Landon Jones will have to play big roles as well on the back end for the Horns. MacDonald was a steady defensive defenceman as a freshman and is expected to only improve with maturity.

Despite the loss of Zmudczynski upfront, the Horns have a solid group of forwards back; lead by last year's leading scorer Dustin Moore. Moore, also a member of the Winter Universiade team finished tied for seventh in conference scoring last year with 26 points. Fifth-year forward Jason Roberts will look to end his university on a high note. Roberts has seen his production decline over the past two seasons but has the ability to finish among the conference elite scorers.

After missing most of the last year due to injuries, Andrew Courtney looks to return to the form that saw him score 12 goals as a freshman and lead the team with his energy and gritt. Former Lethbridge Hurricane and Saskatoon Blade Adam Chorneyko is expected to make an immediate impact as a Freshman. As an over age in the WHL, Chorneyko set career highs in goals and points with 21 goals and 58 points.

Manitoba Bisons
2008-09 conference record: 13-9-6 (3rd)
2008-09 CW playoffs: 0-2 (t-5th)
Last CW title: 1964-65
Last CIS title: 1964-65

WINNIPEG - After a three-year absence, a familiar face will be back behind the Bisons bench for the 2009-10 season.

Head coach Mike Sirant returns for his 14th season with Manitoba after a successful stint with Danish National hockey program and has assembled a very strong team for the upcoming season. Sirant felt his European experience was invaluable and given him some different perspective on concepts and tactics that will beneficial for Manitoba.

There is a strong nucleus that returns from last season, starting with the trio of Bisons who played and won a silver medal for Team Canada at the 2009 Winter Universiade - defenceman Stephane Lenoski and forwards Mike Hellyer and Rick Wood. Third-year Hellyer wears the ‘A' for the first time and, in the 2008-09 season, was second on the team with 20 points (6g, 14a) in 28 games. Wood is in his fifth season with Manitoba and second time wearing the ‘A'. He was first on the team and tied for 13th in Canada West scoring with 23 points (12g, 11a) in 2008-09. Lenoski led the Bison defenceman scoring with eight points (1g, 7a).

In addition, Manitoba has strength in the nets as fourth-year goalie Steve Christie is ready to backstop the Bisons again. Christie was the third ranked goalie in Canada West last season with a 2.41 Avg., .920 Save Pct., three shutouts plus a 13-9-1 record and dressed for all conference and playoff games in 2008-09.

The Herd also have veteran forwards Kyle Howarth (last season: 6g, 12a), Jared Walker (8g, 9a) , Cole Hunter (9g, 4a) , Riley Dudar (2g, 10a) and newly appointed team captain Calin Wild (6g, 6a) will all be back in the Bisons' dressing room. On defence, alternate captain Kip Workman, David Brown (3g, 4a) and Stewart Thiessen return to patrol the blueline. Overall, there are 18 Bisons from last season's third place squad in the 27-man lineup.

Along with a veteran group, the Bisons had added pieces with a strong recruiting class. The newcomers will add depth, speed and agility and all will make an immediate impact this season. Forward Ian Duval finished the 2008-09 season with the 2009 WHL Champion and 2009 Memorial Cup finalist Kelowna Rockets. Defenceman Chad Erb completed the 2008-09 season with the Brandon Wheat Kings and had played four seasons with Brandon. Defenceman Brandon Lockerby ended a three plus year WHL career with the Edmonton Oil Kings and Brandon Wheat Kings. Defenceman Travis Crowley played for the Phoenix Polar Bears (Junior A Tier III) in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) during the 2008-09 season while defenceman Travis Mealy played two seasons with the UPEI Panthers from 2006-08.

Forward Blair Macaulay earned the Winnipeg Saints team award as Playoff MVP after he led the team (third overall in Manitoba Junior Hockey League) in 2009 playoff scoring with 28 points (10g, 18a). Goalie Jesse Deckert played for parts of five seasons in the WHL and also suited up in limited action for the Lethbridge Pronghorns in the 2007-08 season.

Sirant feels very positive and sees high energy and determination surrounding the team and program from day one of training camp. He stressed the Bisons will use speed, skill and physical play to compete hard every game in Canada West. With two Canada West teams earning a spot to the CIS Nationals, Manitoba expects to be one of the team vying for a coveted berth to play for a national championship.

Regina Cougars
2008-09 conference season: 11-15-2 (6th)
2008-09 CW playoffs: 3-2 (t-3rd)
Last CW title: none
Last CIS title: none

REGINA - The Regina Cougars hope to build on its playoff performance from last season, when the Cougars entered the Canada West post-season as the No. 6 seed and knocked off Manitoba in two straight games on the road before losing in three games to No. 1 Alberta.

"We played well in the playoffs last year, and we're focused on trying to get back to that level as soon as possible," Regina head coach Blaine Sautner said. "We'll continue to try to play well defensively, but we still want to put up more goals as a group than we did last year. If we come to play every night, we have a very legitimate shot at the top four in the conference."

Up front, Sautner put together a line of Dillon Johnstone, Carter Smith and Tanner Shultz that clicked late in the non-conference schedule. Johnstone had 14 points in 16 games with the Cougars last season, while Shultz found his scoring touch late in the season. Smith is a first-year Cougar that scored 20 goals for the Red Deer Rebels last year.

Sautner also expects to get production from an all-newcomer line of Craig Cuthbert, Bryan Kauk and Mark Nelson. Cuthbert played with the Bonnyville Pontiacs last season, while Nelson will be in his third year of eligibility after playing with the NAIT (ACAC) for two seasons. Kauk played senior hockey in Manitoba last season but recorded a 128-point season with the Dauphin Kings two years ago.

Sautner expects to use returning forwards Dan Bohemier, Neil Kodman, Caine Pearpoint, Matt Sawa, Ryan Sawka, Justin Scott and Blair Stengler in several capacities. Recruits Partik Bhungal (Chilliwack Bruins) and Linden Wilcock (Briercrest College) are also versatile forwards.

The defensive corps is led by second-year blue-liner Dylan Chapman, who was named to the CIS All-Rookie Team last season after finishing third among all Canada West defencemen with 17 points in 28 conference games. The Cougars have five other returning defencemen, including Ryan Bender, Adam McPherson, Russ Nielsen, Matt Rintoul, and Cody Thoring. Brandon Blair, a transfer from Marian (Wis.) University, is the only newcomer on the blue line for the Cougars.

The Cougars will continue to have one of the top one-two punches between the pipes, as Adam Ward and Brant Hilton both return. Ward had a 3.33 goals-against average and an .882 save percentage last year and backstopped the Cougars to all three of their post-season victories, while Hilton had a 2.36 goals-against and a .914 save percentage during the conference schedule.

Saskatchewan Huskies
2008-09 conference record: 17-9-1-1 (2nd)
2008-09 CW playoff: 2-2 (2nd)
Last CW title: 2006-07
Last CIS title: 1982-83

SASKATOON - The Saskatchewan Huskies will once again enter the Canada West season with no other goal than to bring the team's first University Cup title home since 1983.

In 2008-09 the Huskies came close, finishing with a 17-9-1-1 record with 14 rookies on the roster. A perennially ranked team, the Huskies did not exit from the CIS Top 10 in the season. However, the season came to an end after being swept in two games by the Alberta Golden Bears in the Canada West final.

"Every year when the Canada West schedule comes out we circle the conference final and the CIS championship," said Huskie head coach Dave Adolph, who enters his 17th year with the team. "Those are our expectations every year. We know to some it might be lofty, maybe even arrogant on our part but Huskie Athletics and Huskie hockey to us is about excellence. The bar is set very high for us. Our expectations are to be one of the two teams representing the Canada West in Thunder Bay, Ontario in late March 2010."

A highlight for the Huskies was the impressive university debut for Steven DaSilva. The forward turned heads after scoring 41 points in 26 regular season games in 2008-09. For his season, he was named the Canada West MVP, Canada West Rookie of the Year, Canada West scoring leader, CIS Rookie of the Year, a Canada West First Team All-Star, a CIS First Team All-Canadian and a member of both the conference and CIS All-Freshman teams.

Returning to help DaSilva on offence is Steven Gillen, a 2008-09 Canada West First Team All-Star. Gillen scored 11 goals and 19 assists on the Huskies top line, as well as represented Canada with DaSilva at the 2009 World Winter Universiade in China. The two led Canada in scoring. Other offensive power returning is Chris Durand (eight goals, nine assists) and Michael Kaye (seven goals, eight assists).

The Huskies will need to replace captain Trent Adamus (seven goals, 12 assists), Casey Lee (12 goals, 19 assists) and Colin Patterson (six goals, 13 assists) on offence. All three sat among the top-five Huskies scorers last season. Adamus finished his CIS eligibility, while Lee and Patterson left to pursue professional hockey.

Blue-liners Derek Endicott and Mark Hinz, who both finished their CIS eligibility in 2008-09, will also leave absences for the Huskies to fill. Veteran's Evan Schafer and Jesse Zetariuk will be looked at to patrol the line, as well as sophomore Chad Greenan, who had three goals and 12 assists last year.

Returning in net for the Huskies is veteran Jeff Harvey. The two-time Adam Kryzcka Trophy winner for lowest goals against average enters the season with a 50-20-1 career record in four seasons with the Huskies. In 2008-09, Harvey had a 14-7 record with three shutouts and a 2.75 goals against average. Joining him is Saskatoon native David Reekie. Reekie spent time with the Regina Pats and Everett Silvertips before playing with the Lincoln Stars in the United States Hockey League. In 2008-09, he backstopped the Stars with a 23-10-4 record, a 2.01 goals against average and a .935 save percentage.

The most notable addition to the Huskie roster is forward Kyle Ross, a transfer from the University of Regina Cougars. Ross led the Cougars during the 2008-09 season with eight goals and 12 assists and led the Canada West conference with 91 shots. He won the Canada West Dr. Randy Gregg Award for Athletics, Academics and Community Service.

Other recruits include forward Andrew Bailey (Kootenay Ice), Kyle Bortis (Calgary Hitmen), Brenden Dowd (Edmonton Oil Kings), Brennan Bosch (Medicine Hat Tigers), Cody Hobbs (Prince George Cougars) and Brett Ward (Chilliwack Bruins). Bailey, Bortis, Dowd and Bosch were all among top five in scoring on their WHL teams last season.

About CWUAA
"Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at least 10 CIS national titles every year since 1997-98. Comprised of 14 schools, from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, the CWUAA produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues and events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games."