http://blues.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=731485
That's actually slightly surprising that he was sent back so early. I thought he had a good shot at coming back, but was surprised he was assigned right back to the Tigers instead of the AHL.
He Joins Ty Stanton who was sent back yesterday.
Left At Camp
Marek Langhamer (20)
Miles Koules (20)
Tyler Lewington (20)
The Tigers overagers all remain away.
Current Defense(9+)
Kyle Becker(20) Tommy Vannelli (19)
Ty Stanton(19) Matt Staples(19)
Connor Hobbs(17) Scott Allan(18)
David Quenneville(16) Ty Schultz(17)
Brad Forrest(17)
*Tyler Lewington
Defense Thoughts
I really don't know what the Tigers will do here, and I find this scenario hard to explain. Evaluating their roster, Its difficult to make decisions when 3 overagers are still away at camp. There could still be a surprise that happens.
They will need to cut/trade at least 2 players to get down to the 25 player limit in 3 weeks.
( 1 of them very highly likely to be a 20 yr old when Lewington returns)
the other?
They basically have 4 guys (Allan, Schultz,Quenneville,Forrest) competing for 1 spot, and that opens up a ton of questions...
If they keep a young 16 in Quenneville as well as 8 Defenceman does he see 40 games as required?
Maybe they send him down and keep 2 17's.
Do they throw Allan up at forward bringing a physical presence up front? They would still need to cut down 2 players on the back-end.
Does a guy like Staples/Allan get traded with the young prospects stepping up, bringing in a power forward? I see this team as a dark-horse contender depending on what their forwards can bring, and if that is the case I'd prefer Staples experience back on D, as it would make their defense one of, if not the best in the league
Do they cut one or two of the 17's in Schultz/Forrest? Both of them good players.
What can they get in trades for Staples, Allan, Schultz/Forrest?
All the scenarios make my head spin. All these young guys are good, and next year their will be room with a bit of turnover. I do think if they have a shot at upgrading a good player with size up front they should seriously consider it even if they are losing playing years from a young Defenseman (which is rare). What would you do?
BrooksCat
ReplyDeletesort of like your idea of moving Allan up for some size, keeps him around to be a defenceman as a 19 when we need him.
When I watched him, he did ok in his own end, but lacked the skill to hit the breaking forward accurately. a year of high speed practice may help him.
Forrest: haven't seen enough to guarantee him a spot on the team.
Quenville: can survive ok as a 16 Id keep him over Forrest.
Really like Becker as well as Lewington, sad that one may have to go.
A good situation to be in, even if difficult choices.
Even if Lewington doesn't return I don't think Kyle Becker is here past the October 10th overage deadline. Question is as you say who stays and who goes. I know they like Hobbs, Quenville and Schultz, in fact I was told by a team staff member that they think That Schultz may be the most talented of the three but has been held back by injuries. Of the young guys I think Forrest will be the odd man out. Moving Staples and or Allen up front fixes the defence problem but creates another one up front as to which talented young guy leaves. Glad I'm not having to make these calls.cy
ReplyDeleteLongtime fan
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite sure why you say Becker wouldn't stay if Lewington goes to the AHL. We saw this past weekend what Becker provides to the team, if given the chance to play. Note when he scored in game 1 and when he had his two helpers in game 2 - when the Tigers were losing. His leadership got the team going. His points weren't earned late in the game when the opposing team was already defeated. He was a young guy once and had to wait multiple years for his chance to be a full time Tiger--also due to injuries. Some smart WHL team will appreciate a 6'4" 215 pound, puck moving defenceman with offensive instincts and solid d zone coverage.
It is a real tough situation. I want to see Schultz, Queneville and Hobbs all stay. Hobbs was listed on the NHL players to watch for the next draft. I think that locks him. But honestly the others seem like locks in any other year. THey are all more talented then some of the older guys but lack experience. I would trade Allen. He is slow and I am not sure he could keep up to play forward. Trade him and Forrest and Becker for a power forward. But I guess then we have too many forwards.....glad I am only an armchair GM!
ReplyDeleteIt would not shock me to see Becker, Allen and a forward moved for a higher end power forward. Would like that. The tigers have so much talent that I think they could make a package deal.
Of course, we are waiting on Langhammer, I could see all trades on hold until they know he is back.
Shocked that Vannelli has been sent back but at the same time I like when NHL teams dont rush the young guys. Vannelli developed a lot in Med Hat and sending him back allows him to become a dominant defenceman in the league which places him in better position to make the NHL next year.
ReplyDeleteForrest, Becker and Fischer are all guys who I see as trade bait. Becker, only because of the 20 year old situation. Forrest is good but I think Schultz, Hobbs and Queneville are better. Fischer is a guy who does not seem to fit in to me. Another guy I would consider trading, because he is worth something but because of the talent on the team may be pushed out, is Mowbray. He is a talented guy, but right now the tigers are juggling so much talent they need to make hard decisions. THis is just my humble opinion...... would be tough sitting in the GM/coaches chairs.
ReplyDeleteThey seem very deep on D, so make a trade that gets the highest return for a forward. 16 year old can go back down and get real ice time to develop for next year. Keep the 17 year olds and lets see what they are made of.
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard much on Washington or Arizona lately in regarding cuts. Arizona has made a first round of cuts, nothing out of washington so far.
ReplyDeleteLanghamer, Lewington recently played in NHL pre-season games.
Langhamer was just sent back to the Tigers.
ReplyDeleteTrade staples. owre, allan problem solved and bring extra canned goods to staurdays game to help owre gain some weight been 162 pounds since he was 16.
ReplyDeleteMarek Langhammer has been returned to junior per the Coyotes web site.
ReplyDeleteDefenseman Tyler Lewington, a seventh-round pick in 2013, was counted by Capitals brass as one of camp’s most pleasant surprises, even earning a bump into one game, but both he and free agent center Miles Koules return to Medicine Hat in the WHL.
ReplyDeleteWith Lewington/Langhammer returning they should trade Becker, Staples and a young prospect for a big scoring forward and with how wide open this year is its time to stack the team and GO FOR IT
ReplyDeleteEverybody Is Back!!!
ReplyDeleteKoules, Lewington expected to play in calgary tonight.
Is Langhammer going to play? What is the deal with Vanelli? Heard he might choose not to come back?? And feel bad for Rathjen, a heart condition - really sad to hear. Wonder if it is career ending?
ReplyDeleteWith everyone back I would think we would be more of a contender for top couple spots this year. I am not sure how edmonton or calgary look, everyone says calgary should be good, but I am not sure why.
ReplyDeleteVannelli lived back in Minnesota during the summer and drove to St. Louis for Camp. So he had to drive back to Minnesota, and is awaiting a flight to get back to the hat.
ReplyDeleteLanghamer was cut thursday night. So it probably depends on if he was able to catch an early flight to Calgary today.
Matt Staples is listed as the C tonight, and Langhamer is on the gamesheet
ReplyDeleteLewington is wearing the C
ReplyDeleteMowbray, Fischer and Becker in a package deal for a big scoring forward
ReplyDeleteSweeeeeeeeeeet Victooooooooooooooooory!
ReplyDeleteLove a win!!!!! Boy, the Calgary announcers whine about everything! How on earth did they think that Koules dove? And that hitting Langhammer in the blue was Langhammers fault because he moved??
ReplyDeleteYa they sure were wining just about shut the sound off until I hit the Away button and had good ole unbiased Bob Ridley option. Tigs need a good faceoff forward no Bredo anymore!! exciting end to end game. Lewington shook them up when they tried to bully our boys in the crease!!
ReplyDeleteDuring the first part of the game they were commenting lots about Tigers diving, and the refereeing but seemed to have a 180 tone in the third period.
ReplyDeleteI thought Ty Stanton looked terrible out there. Lewington was real good. Quenneville also got a ton of ice-time and was quarterbacking the powerplay.
Becker was the overage scratch.
Langhamer looked really good. He was making cross crease one-timers look like routine saves.
Labelle was also back in the lineup.
How can they send any of the young defence down? Quen, Hobbs and Schultz were all awesome. Quen showed he has sweet hands as a d-man. Interesting Becker was not dressed
ReplyDeleteThere was one point when the Tigers were shorthanded they put out Lewington, and then Matt Staples to take the faceoffs.
ReplyDeleteFaceoffs are a problem, likely something they will work on in practice. Powerplay was awful, again, practice will hopefully take care of that. Good overall game. Out worked the Hitmen.
ReplyDeleteI do not see how Allen will fit in on defence. The talent is amazing back there. I know he is big but a trade bringing in a big forward would be more useful then Allen back on defence. Lew and Stanton have size and can use it as we saw.
Wonder when Ast is back - surgery might mean he is out for a while. He would have been useful out there. Nice to start the season with 6 points. These were 2 big points we took from Calgary, who likely is going to be tough competition in the near future.
ReplyDeleteSo, with this team, should the Tigers make a run for the Cup?
Tomorrow night against Oil Queens will be tough. I hope the players and the fans come to the arena pumped up. Wanna see the Oil Queens lose so bad.
ReplyDeleteThink people need to relax a bit and let some games play out before talking about cups and the like. While they most likely need a big forward who can score, teams aren't normally trading their top guys away this early in the season so fans need to be patient and let things unfold.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to Curtis Valk In Utica Ahl tryout.
ReplyDeleteMarek played sooo good, too bad Labelle didn't get to throttle the hitman that jumped him from behind.
ReplyDeleteYa, we are a long way off a cup run. But, I can say, looks like we have a competitive team which will sure be fun to watch this year.
ReplyDeleteI take all games in the first month with a grain of salt, generally scores are all over the place as you are waiting for teams to gel. Tigers look good early but time will tell who is the front runners in the division.
I have a good post on the defensive situation coming up. I'm going to wait till tomorrow night/sunday after the game to post and get a better confirmation from what I saw from the young defenceman.
ReplyDelete-------------
Also Vannelli is flying into Calgary saturday night and won't be available untill Tuesday.
------------------
IMO the Tigers have championship goaltending and defence. Their forwards are average to above average.
Calgary just got all their guys back and were missing Virtanen. They look a team who by the end of the season will be very good.
For size I think inthe Tigers could get a good deal for Koules and look at Kelowna for a big mean physical 20 year old in Goulbourme, Heffley and Rigby and then look at trading Staples or Forest for scoring forwards
ReplyDeleteAdd depth, get bigger and more physical
As seen by the tigers 0-8 PP against Edm, we need to work on that. Omg that is the whole reason for the loss. I thought they looked brillent thoughout. A lot of effort from all the guys. Just could not click 5 on 5 or on the PP. With Edm especially, we needed the PP clicking, tough to score otherwise.
ReplyDeleteReal tough not getting to OT. We let up a bit and Edm planned on wining in 60. Too bad
writing a new post. I'll have it out in 10-15 mins from 10:21
ReplyDelete