Goaltenders and Defensive Play
Saturday's game was the first time the Tigers let in more than 2 goals in a game. Both Tiger goalies are #1, and #2 in GAA, in the whl. Schneider hasn't lost a game yet with the Tigers.
Last Saturday saw the Hitmen score 5 goals by planting a forward in front of the net almost every time they were in the Tigers zone. You can bet other teams will pick up on that and try to use a similar strategy, so the Tigers defense will have to get better at boxing guys out.
Their defense has been strong. They will give up a chance every once in a while, however it is usually only one and done.
Tommy Vannelli
Everyone knows he is a great player but I like the aggressiveness and attitude he is showing. A lot more physical and hard to play against. Might need to tone down on the refs, but I like his increased aggression.
Ty Stanton
His confidence is picking back up. He had a terrible start IMO, but is showing a lot of poise and confidence with the puck. He is another player that is hard to play against with love taps, getting under the opponents skin. He is starting to show more of a play-making side to his puck carrying. His long reach and skating has a lot of potential. I also like the aggressiveness he has been showing.
Markus Eisenschmid
Very hard work ethic in both zones. He has already equaled his goal total of last year. His speed is a bit deceiving.
Chad Butcher
I think saying this guy was poised for a breakout year, everyone would look at you and say duuhh. He is off to a very fast start with 10 goals in 13 games, and is a player the opposition should keep an eye on when he is on the ice. The way he plays its hard to catch up to him to knock him off the puck.
Alex Mowbray
Has almost doubled his point totals from last season in 1/3 of the games played. Very good at protecting the puck down low with playing a speed game, he is also one of the more physical forwards. He has improved a ton, and I feel the coaches are way more confident putting him on the ice compared to last season.
Ty Schultz
He has so far won me over as one of the better new defenceman. This point in the season is usually the time the rookies/new players start to fade a bit from fast starts, but yesterday's game against Calgary blew me away with how much he has improved this year. I think he will make the NHL scouting Lists by seasons end if he keeps up his consistency and solid play. He is winning battles against more experienced opposition. Seeing a young player do that is often a sign of becoming a breakout player. It is still early in the season, but lets hope he can keep it up as he is playing really well.
David Quenneville
Against Calgary there were a couple times he looked like a 16 yr old rookie in his own zone. He was reaching out past his centre of balance deadening his speed, and his pokechecks weren't very effective. On a good note his shot from the point already looks pretty deadly, and has a solid first pass. He will take a bit of seasoning defensively, but has future powerplay Quarterback written on him.
Matt Staples
The odd guy out on the back-end but he has been filling in very nicely up front. Bringing a solid presence with a strong work ethic up front. I have really liked him filling in on the 3rd/4th line. His defensive experience is great to have. Sometimes with the 3rd and 4th lines, having them out in your own zone can be a bit frightening, but having staples as a Defenceman out there on the wing can be more comforting.
Trevor Cox
Kind of saw this slump coming a few games away. He has stopped moving his feet, doing a lot of gliding. At this level when you don't move your feet or hesitate I think your more likely to get injured. I'd like to see him keeping his feet moving 100% of the time just to get back into a groove. Their were spurts of it last game against calgary, towards the end and hopefully getting that empty net goal is a bit of a confidence boost to get him going again.
Blake Penner
Listed out as week to week...
6 on 5 Play
Against Calgary was awefully scary. How many times calgary passed to the 6th guy at the faceoff circle, then either shot, or went cross ice was dangerous. The Tigers were running around in their own zone, and I thought they were a bit lucky to get that empty netter.
Calgary Hitmen
The Tigers have played them 4 times, and have taken 7 of 8 points. They only play them 2 more times real close together in February.
Next Up
The Tigers take on the Rebels in Red Deer Tuesday. They had a real hard fought game last time they played each other.
Next Saturday at home the Tigers have a big matchup against Brandon. Brandon is the other team in the conference that is off to a really hot start. It will be the best offence in Brandon, vs the Best Defence in the Tigers.
Edit: Adding More
Tyler Lewington
Bringing a very solid play every night. I thought last season at the midway point he was performing below expectations, and searching the blog you could probably find comments somewhere mentioning it. Towards the end of last season something clicked for him. In the playoffs he was night in and out one of the best Defenceman on the ice. He has continued that strong play this season. He has stepped up with a big brother mentality taking care of teammates and providing a physical force when needed. Very defensively solid.
Kyle Becker
Not really sure how or why he went from being a player fans liked to pick on to becoming more of a fan favorite in one season.... He is playing a little more aggressively(maybe thats it), and not afraid to stand up for his teammates in scrums. He has found a liking to join the rush in key times providing another outlet, when the forwards do some good defensive work down low, and are a bit behind.
52 comments:
Hoping Penner is ok. With his and Ast out that is a lot of grit off the team right now. I like Staples but think we need to get another forward. Too many defence does not make sense. And Shaw will be leaving the team as well for surgery, so they will be very short. Tough situation.
Wow, this Rebels game is showing a bad and undisciplined side of the tigers. Wish they would stop with the stupid penalities and just play hockey!!!
Every game is a hard one when you are in first place all the teams get up for the games against you.. lets get Brandon on the weekend Go tigs go!
The defense has to move the blockers from out front of Marek if he cant see he wont stop it.
I forgot about last nights game in Red Deer.
They were going to loose on eventually. Lets see how adaptable they are at working out the kinks.
Where is Connor Hobbs is he injured? Where does one find the injured list if there is one?
Good luck to Rathjen in PG. Glad to see him picked up and get another shot in the WHL!
Hobbs left the team wants to get traded, wow says a lot about leadership or coaching if a guy doesn't want to play on a top 10 CHL team
Jumping to conclusions usually isn't a good idea.
I thought Hobbs was quite impressive. Quenville is good too but they should have gave Hobbs more opportunity in his Draft year hope they get good return for him.
That does not seem right. I understood that Hobbs really liked the team. He was getting a lot of ice time and a lot of responsibility. I have a hard time believing that.11
I hope Hobbs has not left the team. Really liked him. He was also getting a lot of opportunity on the team. I have not heard bad things about the leadership or coaching with the tigers. Hard time believing this.
Whoa, that is kinda dropping a bomb, you sure that is right?
no pp time for Hobbs that I saw
04Forever, you need to collect facts that are correct before posting absurd things. You are wrong and need better sources before posting such things
I believe his mom was in a serious accident last week so he went home. If he has asked to be moved maybe he wants to be closer to his family.
Something has to be going on with Clouston and the players and not good things. I the last 3 seasons a player has asked to be moved. When we got Hobbs Clouston said he will be good for the future. Now he is here and he has to ride the bench while 2 16 year olds get ice time. Yeah they are good players but what happened to rookies learning the ropes their first year? Hobbs should be getting power play time over the other two. Those two are good don't get me wrong but they are no Bouwmeester. I think Clouston plays favorites and it shows. Too bad Hobbs is leaving I enjoyed watching him.
Sad to hear I hope his mother can recover fully!
Some things are more important than hockey.
My source is around the Tigers obviously not going to name them, I posted earlier this season that the Tigers had players talking about asking for trades around christmas break all around head coach and it is true the Tigers have had a player ask for a trade 3 years in a row that should bring up question marks
Good luck to Connor which ever the situation he is a good kid. If he ends up else where it will be a good addition for sure.
I love how people like to rip the coach/gm without really thinking logically. It's Hobbs draft year and he potentially could go fairly high. One problem he needs top 4 minutes to get the exposure. In Sept no one thought Kyle Becker would be back so that would have allowed Hobbs to play in the top 4. Now fast forward to the end of October and Hobbs is outside the top 4 and doesn't see himself moving up in the order. So let's blame the coach/gm for putting one of the top teams in Canada together because one player wants to showcase himself over the good of the rest of the team.
Every team in the league has players asking for trades why should the Tigers be any different. It's the sense of entitlement that today's player has. You don't have to earn anything it should just be given automatically. Hobbs seems to be a good kid it's to bad that he wants to be moved but on the bright side he's a pretty good asset to have to get that power forward the team is missing.
Tigers can be number 1 in Canada all year, the playoffs are a completely different story and the Tigers are kidding themselves if they think they could beat Calgary or Edmonton in 7 games with that small of a roster.
Anonymous 8:27 brings up a good point. If anybody has been around junior hockey enough in recent years, asking for to be traded is NOT an uncommon occurrence on any team. In reply to 04Forever, I'm finding a trend of a lack of logic in your posts. The tigers made it to the conference finals and lost to the Memorial Cup winning team with a roster arguably smaller and less skilled than the one we have right now.
It certainly is not only the tigers. Clouston is a tough coach but ask any guy who has played for Sutter or Hay. They will tell you that Clouston is great compared to them. Clouston expects a lot but gives opportunity to those who show up - look at Becker. He is a winner, hockey Canada has recognised his coaching and the WHL has as well. Players can leave if they do not want to play on a winning team. I hear PA and Leth are always willing to take players who are not prepared to earn a spot but rather want it given to them.
WHL is a stepping stone to the NHL and if you think it is all flowers and hugs from those coaches you have another thing coming. WHL is time to man up and I love how much of this tiger team has done that. Thats why they are winners. If someone is not prepared to do that, well they can go somewhere else to get there sense of entitlement acknowledged.
From the insider info I got he was coming back after he saw his mom. When I asked the individual knew nothing of him not returning.
Well it seems now Matt Staples will get his defence position back. I am sad about Hobbes but I think he has made a big mistake. Once you are known as a quitter that tag stays with you. He would have had a sure spot with tons of ice time next year. Why would he think he should get more ice time over our more experienced defence? Oh well, I hope we can get a good forward for him as we will be short at this position.
Hobbs has made a big mistake. I am shocked he was worried that he was not top 4 minutes as a new player, a first year player! Being a quitter is not a characteristic that NHL teams want. Guys always excel when they battle through and earn positions. Like Becker, he camp to battle for a 20 year old spot, he was unlikely to get it, but I would have kept a guy with that attitude! A lot of value is placed on the never say die attitude.
I support Shawn with the players he plays. Guys earn time, like Butcher, who put in his time and has earned it. I do not think anyone should be given anything. You compete and you earn. And if you are not ready to do that, likely the Tigers is not the team for you.
Quitting never seems to work out for guys look at Hart and Jensen. Jensens number are not great and Hart never excelled much after her left the tigers. They both would have seen better growth here no doubt
No I in TEAM! Shame that he thinks that way, following Jayden Hart who we traded for Hobbs, so gone the same way! Hope his ending isn't the same.
Loved this kid on the team but now knowing he is a guy with that entitlement like so many seem to have lately, makes me sad. Good player, would have been great to see him battle for PP and PK time.
But someone who is not willing to battle for time on the ice is not someone I would want in my dressing room. So bring in a kid who wants to battle and improve. We are set for defence anyways.
Glad Clouston will not rush this decision. Hobbs can sit at home and wait for as long as it takes the tigers to get the guy they want. I would ensure this works in the tigers favor,
Had a tiger staying at my house who was on another team. Said that the coaching staff are good coaches, tough but fair, spots are earned with good play and our coaches here are a lot more respectful and easy to deal with then his previous teams. Level headed kid, he has been around the league, made it very clear, Shawn is not the problem.
Send him to the Hurricanes, he wants a trade, go have a taste of teams that kill any future of a player. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Or maybe PG. He can be top 2 and have a -40 at the end of the season. This does not seem well thought out. Good player making a bad decision. No I in team is right.
I think I would hold off and make that trade around Christmas.
"Entitled " seems to have taken over from "earn" when it comes to some athletes, well ,not just athletes but a big portion of the younger population in general. I'm sure Connor is a bright young man and had figured out that as far as the coaching staff was concerned he had dropped to number 7 on the defensive depth chart, and to number three between himself, Quennville and Schultz as far as ice time given. So instead of bucking up and working harder to try to move up he pulled the chute and took his ball home. Hope it works out for him but quitters usually don't prosper in the long run.
Maybe angry he was being outplayed by Schultz and Quenneville. That is my guess. Too bad, he would have been a good player for the tigers if he had some patience and will to compete for a job.
I do not blame Clouston for this at all. Tigers have a great coaching staff. Tigers have been winners for years - they always make playoffs, always competitive. Not all guys can hack this environment.
He might be tough to trade as he clearly cant play for a tough coaching staff so crossout Kamloops, Red Deer, Edmonton, Brandon, Swift, Royals, Van....... I am sure there are more. So maybe Lethbridge or PG? I am not sure it gets easier anywhere else.
I woudl have a tough time acquiring a guy who quit on his team. Not something I would want to bring into my dressing room.
Quitters usually end up on those low teams who never seem to get out of the basement. Not sure that is the place to go.
rolTigers did not have the same jump against Brandon and also looked like they were not moving their feet like normal. Too bad but bound to happen!
The loss did make it seem that the tigers need a bigger guy up front. Maybe with Hobbs quitting that is where we can get one!
Boy the team was short out there tonight. Looks like some guys may need to be pulled up. Hobbs woudl have had a lot of ice time!
But now that Hobbs is gone, I wonder if they will pull up Brad Forrest? He is a good player, solid defenceman and I thought really has showed well in the last 2 years of camp. He is a guy who would likely be happy to be called upon and would not cost the tigers anything.
Then hopefully trade Hobbs for a large forward that can help with net presence.
Good job tigers for tonights effort, hard when you are down so many guys. Got to keep fighting even when odds are against you
Where is Rroary does he want to get traded too (poorsport) he cant skate anyway!
I dont care if guys want trades. They can ask for that. But just announcing you want a trade and leaving, well that lacks class. It puts a bad taste in the mouth of your team players, management and other teams out there. Wish he would have done it in a more honorable way.
Losing one of your top six forwards in Eisenschmid for 4-6 weeks is going to hurt when there isn't a lot of depth to start with.
What happened to Eisenschmid??
Cracked or broken knee cap.
The reality is with players wanting trades may have nothing to do with the team or coach. Especially with a young player like Hobbs he has left home at a young age,his family,friends,and school mates behind to chase a dream why shouldn't he be able to give himself the best chance to achieve them? It's a huge commitment and the truth is although Medicine Hat can be one of the better places to play, no kid says I don't care if I play as long as I am in the hat. It's all a business and it should be for the players as well. Owner makes money, coach does what he has to so he can keep his job, managers trade players add players to keep there job, players should be able to do what they have to so they are successful and keep there job. No players no team,coach,Manager, ect. So to me this is less about the coach the player and more about the business of hockey. Entitlement I wish we wouldn't use that term against young players because most won't know the sacrifices put I by these players. A WHL players schedule is less than glamorous and if that is entitled, I would say the tigers making 10 years of straight playoffs makes the fan base entitled.
Kids these days also have agents that are getting into their heads. Especially on draft years. They do what they gotta do to make their living too, so if that is telling a kid he should demand a trade and look elsewhere for more ice time and exposure it happens. Agents, lawsuits, unions are ruining the junior leagues. Kids are making demands and are forgetting that it is hard work that gets you places. It is only going to get worse too.
So anon 8:41 what you are basically saying is that the players should be free to pick and choose where they play to give them what they feel is the best chance of achieving their goal of becoming a professional player. The reason the bantam draft was instituted was to give each team equal opportunity in selecting the best players available in a given year. If this system was scrapped and players were allowed to pick and choose where they played it would spell the end of junior hockey in this country.
I can understand wanting to put yourself in another position on another team. But what I think lacks thought and class is just up and leaving. The shows poorly on the player. I would not want a player who treats his team that way. Have some class as ask for a trade but continue to be a part of that team until things change. Just shows lack of being a team player, as a team player sticks with his team until his situation changes, Hobbs just bails on the team and cares about himself. No 'I" in team.......no matter what town that team is in.
Yes but he is responsible for leaving abruptly, puttting his teammates in a poor position. I do not like that. Show some maturity and respect. Ask for a trade as soon as possible, stick around and be part of the team until a trade is made possible. This only looks poorly on him. And with actions like this, I am sure some teams do not want him in the dressing room. Dont care how talented a guy is, if there is no respect for his teammates, coach, organisation, fans and the sport, then I would not want him on my bench.
6:41,
You are correct that the bantam draft was initiated to give each team equal opportunity in selecting the best players available in a given year.
However, the 50 man list is plain wrong. Teams should be allowed to keep all their 15 and 16 year olds on their list, but players are 17 and older should be outright released if they don't make your roster. That would set them free to pursue opportunities elsewhere and make junior hockey stronger as a whole. This way teams sitting on high end players they don't have room for , while teams that could use that player are filling in with lower caliber players.
Further, teams should obligated to a minimum amount ice for every player they keep on the roster. Its not right to have committed players rotting in the stands for extended periods of time. If you don't have room on your team, they should be forced to let them go to the benefit of the player and of a team that needs that player.
Make Junior Hockey better;
1.) Eliminate the 50 man list. 2.) Eliminate OWNERSHIP of player rights past 16 years old.
3.)Release players outright who don't make your roster.
4.) Obligate teams to a set minimum amount of ice for every player kept on the roster.
And a step further for the CHL/NHL/NHLPA relationship.
Eliminate all restrictions on adults (18 years and older). If they don't stick in the NHL they should be free to earn a living. Forcing them back to Junior (ala Sam Reinheart) is akin to slavery. Forced labour on Sam to the financial benefit of his junior team. It's illegal and should be exosed and eliminated.
Trade Hobbs for Morrisey or Reinhart!
1.) Eliminate the 50 man list.
2.) Eliminate OWNERSHIP of player rights past 16 years old.
3.) Release players outright who don't make your roster.
4.) Obligate teams to a set minimum amount of ice for every player kept on the roster.
1,2,3 are kind of the same thing and I think it is a terrible idea. As soon as a kid turns 17 he is free to quit and go to another team....This will feed the rich and make the poor poorer. Edmonton's Calgary, Portland, and the hot team that year will get free trades...
98% of the time teams will have released a player if they don't make it as an 18 yr old.
I might be a fan of a 17 yr old+ waiver draft of players who have been cut, but I'd have to think about it more. It could help promote younger development.
#4, Maybe in a non NHL developmental league.
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