2011-12 Canada West men's hockey preview: Alberta out to defend title again

Photo credit Uwe Welz, Alberta

EDMONTON – The 2011-12 Canada West men’s hockey seasons kicks off the winter sports season this week, with a pair of games on both Friday and Saturday night.
 
Here is a look at the 7 men’s hockey teams heading into the new season…

ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS

2010-11 conference record: 19-6-3 (1st)
 2011 playoffs: 4-0 (CW champions)
 2011 CIS: 0-2
 Last CW title: 2010-11
 Last CIS title: 2007-08
 
CW ranking: #1
Key additions: Levko Koper (F), Jordan Hickmott (F), Kruise Reddick (F), Thomas Carr (D), Jordan Rowley (D)
Key returnees: Kurtis Mucha (G), Colin Joe (D), Greg Gardner (F), Ian Barteaux (D), Sean Ringrose (F), Jesse Craige (D), Johnny Lazo (F), Ben Lindemulder (D)
Key departures: Chad Klassen (F), Derek Ryan (F), Eric Hunter (F), Kyle Fecho (D)
 
EDMONTON – The Alberta Golden Bears are reloaded and ready to defend their Canada West title and vie for the lone Canada West berth at the 2012 University Cup tournament in Fredericton, NB.
 
The Bears, winners of four straight Canada West titles and 10 in the last 11 seasons, have watched star players Derek Ryan, Chad Klassen, Eric Hunter and Kyle Fecho move on after last season.
 
Greg Gardner, 19 points in 28 games last season, has inherited the ‘C’ from Hunter, Sean Ringrose, a member of the 2009 CIS All-Rookie team, looks to take over the No. 1 centre position as well as an assistant captain rank, while fourth-year Colin Joe and third-year Ian Barteaux, along with sophomore Jesse Craige and third-year Ben Lindemulder, will provide the backbone of the defence. Second-year winger Johnny Lazo will put his skills on display in a top six role, one season after notching 20 points in 28 games.  Alex Rodgers, JP Szaszkiewicz, Zack Dailey and Lindsay Nielsen will all figure into the forward combinations as well.
 
Sophomore goalie Kurtis Mucha looks to have the starting job sewed up, but he will back-upped by fourth-year Real Cyr.
 
New up front are Levko Koper, a 2009 seventh-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers, Jordan Hickmott and Kruise Reddick. On the back end are Edmontonians Jordan Rowley and Thomas Carr from Medicine Hat of the WHL. Barron Smith, the 6’5” 210lbs son of former NHL defenceman Steve Smith, brings NHL size and potential to the blue-line as well.
 
http://www.bears.ualberta.ca/

UBC THUNDERBIRDS

2010-11 conference record: 11-12-5 (6th, missed playoffs)
 Last CW title: 1970-71
 Last CIS title: N/A
 
CW ranking: #7 
Key additions: Steve Stanford, Michael Wilgosh, Jason Yee, Brendon Wall
Key returnees: Justin McCrae, Max Grassi, Ben Schmidt, Marc Desloges, Jordan White, Scott Wasden
Key departures: Matthew Schneider, Craig Lineker, Max Gordichuk, Dalton Pajak
 
VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds men’s hockey team is looking to make the Canada West playoffs for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
 
Head coach Milan Dragicevic is hoping the team can continue the improvement shown last year, when UBC improved by ten points in the standings from the previous season.
 
There are 11 new players, including former Saskatoon Blade goaltender Steve Stanford and Junior A players, Michael Wilgosh, Jason Yee and Brendon Wall.
 
Coach Dragicevic says his new players are crucial to the success of UBC in 2010-11 and will be relied up lots to produce offence andenergy for the team.
 
They join a group of returning players that includes Justin McCrae and Max Grassi, UBC’s only top-20 scorers in the Canada West last season. Ben Schmidt also returns. He was the team’s third-leading scorer and UBC’s leading defenceman.
 
Goalie Jordan White is also returning to UBC after playing in every game last season and leading the conference in minutes and games played.
 
http://www.gothunderbirds.ca/

CALGARY DINOS

2010-11 conference record: 17-8-3 (2nd)
 2011 playoffs: 2-3
 2011 CIS: 0-2
 Last CW title: 1996
 Last CIS title: N/A
 
CW ranking: #2
Key additions: G Jacob DeSerres, F Tyler Fiddler, F Taylor Stefishen, F Dylan Hood, D Teigan Zahn
Key returnees: F Reid Jorgensen, F Brock Nixon, G Dustin Butler
Key departures: F Aaron Richards, F Torrie Wheat
 
CALGARY –Coming off their first trip to the University Cup since 2000, coach Mark Howell and the Calgary Dinos enter the season with expectations set high at Father David Bauer Arena.
 
Howell was able to make several key additions to the team over the off-season. Leading the list of recruits for the Dinos is a familiar name to Calgary hockey fans in former Calgary Hitmen co-captain Tyler Fiddler. Other recruits joining Fiddler on the Dinos this season are Dylan Hood, Jacob DeSerres, Taylor Stefishen, Max Ross, Spencer Copp, and David Robinson. The Dinos also announced a pair of late roster additions this week that should significantly solidify their chances in 2011-12 in Teigan Zahn and Randy McNaught.
 
Brock Nixon enters his fourth season with the Dinos after finishing second last year in team scoring. Nixon will now play a huge role in mentoring the new Calgary recruits, which include five freshman forwards. Reid Jorgensen, the team’s leading scorer with 33 points in 28 games last year, has committed to return for a fifth and final season and will once again bring his offensive firepower to bear for the Dinos.
 
On the blue line, Calgary has reliable defenders it can feel very comfortable with entering this season. Five of the seven defencemen on the roster have at least two years of experience in CIS and will add a veteran presence to the squad.
 
Between the pipes, Calgary has some of the best goaltending in the nation. Butler, the reigning CIS top goalie, was pushed by Lazaruk last season and Memorial Cup champion DeSerres looks to be in the mix as well.
 
http://www.godinos.com/

LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS

2010-11 conference record: 13-11-4 (5th, missed playoffs)
 Last CW title: 1993-94
 Last CIS title: 1993-94
 
CW ranking: #5
Key additions: LW Cass Mappin, C Devon Kalinski, F/D Brent Henke, G Dylan Tait, F Mark Hall, DJ Mcdougall
Key returnees: G Scott Bowles, F Dustin Moore, D Ryan Pottruff, F Taylor, F Nick Hotson, F Winston Day Chief
Key departures: Andrew Courtney, Andrew Marshall, Lucio Pucci-Daniele
 
LETHBRIDGE – For two consecutive years, the Lethbridge Pronghorn have gone down to the final weekend of the season chasing the final playoff position and both year’s the ‘Horns have come up just short. The goal for the 2011-12 season is to get out of the gates quick and not build an early hole that in a short season is too difficult to recover from.
 
As it has been since his arrival, the ’Horns goaltending will be solid and will give the team a chance to win every night with fifth-year senior Scott Bowles.  Former Lethbridge Hurricane Dylan Tait has been brought in this season to help solidify the crease and push Bowles for playing time.
 
Fifth-year seniors Dustin Moore, team captain and a 2009 All-Star, and Winston Day Chief will lead the charge up front. Sophomores Taylor Gal and Dan Iwanski will be counted on the make a bigger contribution offensively with the graduation of heart and soul forward Andrew Courtney.
 
The new recruits will add depth in certain positions and give the team an added boost on the special teams. Newcomers Cass Mapin, Brent Henke, Devon Kalinski and Mark Hall all spent portions of their junior careers in the WHL and will help solidify an experience forward group.
 
Former Canada West 1st team all-star Ryan Pottruff will anchor the blue line that has a mix of youth and experience. Three other defensemen return from last season, but will miss puck moving rearguard Andrew Marshall who earned his degree and has moved on after four seasons.
 
http://www.uleth.ca/horns/

MANITOBA BISONS

2010-11 conference record: 13-9-6 (4th)
 2011 playoffs: 0-2
 Last CW title: 1964-65
 Last CIS title: 1964-65
 
CW ranking: #3
Key additions: Matthew Lowry, Tyler Schmidt, Mark Friesen
Key returnees: Jeremy Schappert, Dane Crowley, Mike Hellyer, Blair Macaulay, Tyler Dittmer, Jared Walker, Myles Rumsey, Ian Duval
Key departures: Steve Christie, Troy Crowley, Greg Beller, Kyle Howarth, Riley Dudar, Nolan Waker
 
WINNIPEG – The Bisons and 16-year head coach Mike Sirant are re-focused with a strong nucleus returning and some key additions since last season.
 
There are 16 players returning from 2010-11, led by Canada West Outstanding Freshman Jeremy Schappert, fifth in the conference among defenceman with 14.
 
Second Team All-Star Dane Crowley, forward Second Team All-Star Blair Macaulay, forward and team captain Mike Hellyer, in addition to Tyler Dittmer (9g, 11a) and Jared Walker (9g, 10a) the offence looks strong. On the blueline, Myles Rumsey (2a), Travis Mealy (3g, 4a) Brandon Lockerby (4a) and Chad Erb (2a) all are back for Manitoba.
 
With Canada West All-Star goaltender Steve Christie graduating, fourth year Jesse Deckert, second-year Joe Caligiuri and first-year Mark Friesen have all been in the mix and will see playing time this season.
 
New faces include Matthew Lowry, a red-shirt with the Bisons last season and played forward in 2009-10 with the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL) and Elmira Jackals of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Defenceman Tyler Schmidt completed a five year WHL career (2006-11) with Tri-City Americans. Goaltender Mark Friesen was starting goaltender with WHL’s Swift Current Broncos in 2010-11 season.
 
http://www.gobisons.ca/

REGINA COUGARS

2010-11 conference record: 8-18-2 (7th, missed playoffs)
 Last CW title: N/A
 Last CIS title: N/A
 
CW ranking: #6
Key additions: G Lucas Gore, D Mark Schneider
Key returnees: F Terrance DeLaronde, D Russ Nielsen, G A.J. Whiffen
Key departures: G Adam Ward, F Dillon Johnstone, D Cody Thoring
 
REGINA – The Regina Cougars have a 3-1-2 record in non-conference action this season and hopes to continue that success as the Canada West schedule fast approaches.
 
Up front, the team’s top returning scorer is Terrance DeLaronde as the third-year winger had 14 points in 24 games last season in his first year at the U of R. The Cougars will look for increased offensive contributions from Brett Leffler and Matt Strueby, who both had 30-goal seasons for the Regina Pats during their WHL careers. Returning forward Craig Cuthbert has been all over the scoresheet so far this season, while the team’s three first-year forwards – Brock Appleyard, Tyler Henry, and Troy Hunter – were all over a point per game in Junior A last year.
 
The Cougars have fifth-year defenceman Adam McPherson and fourth-year blueliner Russ Nielsen, but beyond those two it’s an extremely young defensive corps for seventh-year head coach Blaine Sautner. Mark Schneider should have an immediate impact after four seasons in the WHL, and Sautner added four defencemen from the SJHL including Blaine Tendler (Yorkton Terriers), who was named the league’s top blueliner last season.
 
In net, the Cougars lose goalie Adam Ward, who ended his five-season career at the U of R ranked second on the school’s all-time list in minutes played and third in goals-against average. They’ll roll with a tandem of second-year goalie A.J. Whiffen and rookie Lucas Gore (Chilliwack Bruins). Whiffen had a solid .909 save percentage last season, while Gore was brilliant in a 49-save shutout in a 1-0 win over Manitoba last Friday.
 
http://www.reginacougars.com/

SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES

2010-11 conference record: 17-11-0 (3rd)
 2011 playoffs: 1-2
 Last CW title: 2006-07
 Last CIS title: 1982-83
 
CW ranking: 4
Key additions: Chad Suer, Matthew Spafford, Kyle Aschim, Zak Stebner
Key returnees: Andrew Bailey, Kyle Ross, Kyle Bortis, David Reekie 
Key departures: Steven Gillen, Jason Wagar, Steve DaSilva
 
SASKATOON – After a surprising exit in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season, the Saskatchewan Huskies are ready to turn the tides back in their favour.
 
The roster has 21 returning players, including captain and 2010-11 all-star Kyle Ross, fellow 2010-11 all-star Andrew Bailey and 2010-11 leading scorer Kyle Bortis. The three finished as the top scorers for the team in 2010-11 and will be looked at as leaders on offence. Bortis tallied 10 goals and 17 assists, while Bailey notched 11 goals and 13 assists and Ross chipped in with eight goals and 15 assists.
 
Also returning to the Huskies offensively is Huskie Athletics Male Rookie of the Year Craig McCallum and Derek Hulak, who joined the Huskies in January.
 
Defensively, returners Jesse Zetariuk, Brett Ward, Cody Hobbs and Matthew Delahey will be asked to play a large role. Ward also helped offensively scoring four goals and 10 assists.
 
Third-year goaltender David Reekie played in 21 games in net for the Huskies tallying a 2.49 goals against average and a .917 save percentage. Ryan Holfeld helped between pipes with a 5-3 record, 1.97 goals against average and a .936 save percentage.
 
New additions include defencemen Chad Suer (Everett Silvertips), Kyle Aschim (Victoria Grizzlies) and forwards Matthew Spafford (Dauphin Kings), Zak Stebner (Kelowna Rockets).
 
http://huskies.usask.ca/

About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
 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, 1997 to 2010. Comprised of 16 schools from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada West 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 or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games. “cwuaa” on Twitter.