Via Twitter Tommy Vannelli has confirmed he will be suiting up for the Orange and Black.
I'll be playing for the Medicine Hat tigers of @TheWHL and taking classes while I'm there. Thanks to my friends/family for their support!!
https://twitter.com/Vannelli3
He was rumored to be visiting last week.
Vannelli is a 2nd round, 47th overall pick of the St Louis Blues. You can read more about him a couple posts down. It increases the Tigers Roster to 28 players counting Doty.
Defense (For depth purposes)
Bredo Lewington
Stanton Vannelli
Becker Jensen
Its unfortunate for the young guys, but once Vannelli proves he can play, it's likely only one of those 4 mentioned below will stay. The others likely sent down because the top 6 are all core players where you don't healthy scratch them.
Schultz
Hobbs
Allan
Staples
The Tigers have quality prospects to call up should they need to if injuries occur.
24 comments:
I'd go with any of those bottom 4 over Jensen any day.
Hobbs and Schultz likely stay, Staples gets traded, and Allan gets demoted to some team in the AJHL .
Personally I'd like to see Becker moved for a power forward or a spark plug guy that goes out and creates a ton of energy
Even if they kept both 16 yr old's I find it really hard how they get both of then 40 games.
I can see a deal happening with one of the older guys and maybe one of the youngsters being packaged up.
Team should deal with the loss of our "nuclear weapon" Doty..maybe don't have to make trade but can watch the player transactions and scoop someone like Doty off the cut down lists.
It might happen, but I would rather see the top 6 stay here....unless the return is some kind of impact player.
Next year those kids will all be here, and they will get a lot more ice-time at a lower league
“We are very excited to add Tommy to our group,” said Tigers’ General Manager/Head Coach Shaun Clouston. “He is a talented and mobile defenseman who will add offense to our back end. We look forward to working with Tommy as he continues his development in the Western Hockey League."
Vannelli is expected to arrive in Medicine Hat later this week.
http://tigershockey.com/article/american-defenseman-tommy-vannelli-to-join-tigers
The link I have attached shows that Jacob Doty was sent to the Chicago Wolves by St Louis but further down the page it says he will not be reporting, so he may be on his way back.
http://www.stlouisgametime.com/2013/9/22/4757608/game-time-prospect-sunday-september-22-2013
I even read that page and missed it.
With Regina getting rid of 2 of their imports, there is still a demand for an overage player.
I even read that page and missed it.
With Regina getting rid of 2 of their imports, there is still a demand for an overage player.
Doesn't sound like they have plans to add overrage players at this time as they are going to give 16-18 year old kids a chance to show what they have for the future. In other words it sounds like they are going to be in the toilet this year.
What's also interesting is that doty was listed on the Blues website as being sent down to Chiago Wolves with Beech etc but if you go to the Wolves website he's not listed as a player sent down
With the size of the Hitmen (5 guys under 6 feet tall!!!) I would agree with the anon of keeping Doty considering one of them is Galbraith (who knows if he stays) but he is a Hunter/Valk killer.....I do think the Tigers could pull in a nice pick for Leier and Leier is a great player but protecting the stars is more important than an at best 2nd line winger
Doty playing in chicago tonight according to the wolves twitter account.He hasn't signed w/Blues/Wolves yet so meybe decision coming soon.
I really hope Doty signs an NHL contract. Good player and good guy! Don't want to see him in any other WHL jersey!
I think Bredo should be traded. With Vannelli and young guys like Hobbs and Schultz it makes Bredo the odd man out, sadly!
My view is:
This year the Tigers have a roster that is shaping up to be a "Go For It" type year with the talent and insane depth....its too early to tell whether they have an elite team, or just a very good team.
I think it's usually good to wait until late december to judge your team because you see a lot of teams rise in october/november only to fall back to earth in late november. You see what pieces need to be improved and judge whether the cost outweighs the potential improvement.
Vannelli will need a few games, perhaps half a season like Pitlick to adjust to the whl, but the Tigers will have 6 very good Dman.
In a go for it type year you want to keep the veteran core players. DMAN mature later than forwards, the more experience the better. None of the top 6 are weak players.
Plus hobbs,allan,schultz, will all be here next season. Those 3 could potentially push out staples for the 7th dman slot though because staples is the "rawest" veteran.
Bredo plays near 20-25 minutes a game and excels at stopping a cycle and getting out his first pass, slowing the game down in the Tigers end...this is why he is invaluable to the Tigers and a lock.
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Valk=50 goals so that = lock.
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Trading for toughness costs very little compared to trading for skill...
As long as leier can hit the net instead of his moonshots like last game, he will produce a lot more points than DOty....
Doty's speed isn't that great and he would likely still play on the third line, whereas Leier can play in the top 6.
The Tigers have a lot of depth fighting for the third line insert all the young guys here. Combine that with Doty's enforcer reputation and he probably won't get too many challengers.
Speed is also an intimidation factor a lot of people don't realize. IF you finish your checks and are quick you generate a high intimidation factor.
I think all those factors combine have Leier as more valuable to the team over Doty.
Its kinda hard to explain this in a text box, but they are some of my thoughts on this years team, and overage situation.
I do hope Doty can get a contract. Seeing that Doty initially wasn't reporting to Chicago then now playing in a pre-season game makes me wonder if the Tigers have told him about the situation.
Also when Bredo is on the ice you never have to worry about having a second centreman on the ice because he is pretty good at taking draws.
Speed is not intimation if your team gets completely neutralized by a great D team......tsk tsk tsk TigerTurf didnt you learn anything from the last 2 sweeps even look at the memorial cup team not only were they dominate speed wise but they could also physically dominate teams with their 3 line and back lines
I think we agree with each other, I just worded it weirdly.
I didn't mean speed alone but Speed and finishing your checks combined...that creates intimidation...there is a balancing act.... a team of all 5'10 guys who are quick aren't going to intimidate a team that is faster and 6'1.
I was just trying to explain how Leier's speed, and ability to finish his hits and play more ice-time is more valuable and can create intimidation with his skillset, a different type of intimidation than just I can fight everyone but won't score as much type intimidation
I do hope that collectively as a team the Tigers can keep finishing their hits consistently so when it becomes playoff time they are used to the tricks, instead of turning it up in the playoffs.
Ideally I think a mix of players is the most beneficial so you can throw out different combinations and make it harder for the opposition coaches to worry about the big power forward, or small speedster instead of just one approach.
I do agree but also think we need to protect the top players the blades series they were afraid of hitting Valk and Hunter because the possibility of fighting Doty stopped it, it's an effect that's better to have then better to wish you had becuase of an incident
great analysis Tigers Turf.
The Tigers do have quite a decision ahead on the 20's. I think most people misunderstood Doty being "assigned" to Chicago of the AHL for him making that team and deciding to play there. I think it's still wide open as to whether he gets offered a contract and if he takes it, holds out for an NHL deal, or comes back to the Tigers.
I think the team will be pretty good this year and with Bredo playing the way he is and all the roles he fills he would be impossible to say goodbye to. As for whether Leier or Doty stays, I think that depends on how willing some of the other guys are to step up.
I'm sure Lewington will get in a few more scraps as he tries to prove to Washington he was a worthy pick.
GO TIGERS GO!
Doty apparently has signed .. That leaves the tigers with the three best 20 year olds in the league period.. offense, defense, and someone that can contribute both ways. Plus all three are leaders for younger guys. If Hunter comes back they could challenge the best teams in the whl. they have to make decisions about the young guys
Tigers have the D and arguably in net to make a deep run secondary scoring and fore check needs to be touched up
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