Looking ahead
Bit in the Herald yesterday about looking forward to the 2010-2011 season:
The team said good-bye to overage players Johnny Lazo, Brett Plouffe and captain Jarrett Toll and have 20 guys who will be competing for roster spots this fall. Of that group, six will be overage players -- 20 years old. WHL teams can only have three on their roster.
That group is comprised of forwards Kruise Reddick (who was named team captain for next season Tuesday), Mike Brown and Sergei Drozd, defensemen Eric Mestery and Tyler Schmidt and goaltender Alex Pechurskiy.
Mestery (Washington) and Pechurskiy (Pittsburgh) have been drafted, and it's possible they could be signed by their respective teams and moved up.
"Brown, Drozd and Mestery will be evaluated as to where we are as a team," said Tory, who conducted exit interviews earlier in the week. "We are assuming Tyler (Schmidt) will be back. Alex has expressed a desire to come back to North America. If he comes back, it gives us an option to trade him."
Drozd (Belarus) and Pechurskiy (Russia) are both European players, and each WHL team can have two. Their status with the team will depend on need and the upcoming CHL import draft (June 30).
"The European draft will add two players," Tory said. "I'll try and get a defenseman there, but we will take the best player available. We draft 55th and 115th. There are no guarantees when you pick that late or if their teams will let them come." (Herald)
From what I've seen and heard (which isn't much, let's be honest), Pittsburgh is hot on From Russia With Glove so I can potentially see him getting on with their AHL or ECHL affiliate. Otherwise, like Bob says, he's trade bait (BRB, happy dance). I don't see Mestery getting signed by Washington, but stranger things have happened. I just don't think he's ready to move up, another year of junior would do him some good.
6 comments:
Pechurskiy can't sign with the Pens yet - he has one more year left in his contract with Magnitogorsk, so I guess this means I'll have to find out which team he's going to and stalk the shit out of them...
Wait, what? Stalk? I mean follow. =]
Although I'm not exactly sure why you want to get rid of him. He's the backup, and a good one at that, and he knows his role. I think. I'm not around them the way you are, maybe you see things differently (whereas I don't see shit...remind me why Pittsburgh is so far away from Washington?). Anyway, the important thing is that he gets to Pittsburgh sooner or later, and I'd prefer the "sooner".
He's a good backup, but do you use a coveted overage spot for a backup goalie? It'd be better to bring in the next in line to take over when Drew's gone.
You have a point there; I just don't want him to go back to Russia, lol. I'm selfish and my reasons are purely personal. And besides, if he doesn't play for the Ams, that's not to say he won't find another team here in the US. I have the feeling that if he REALLY wants to stay here, he'll find a way.
Not that I won't watch the Ams if he doesn't play for them - I fell in love with the WHOLE team as soon as I started listening to their games. So, I mean, I'll still be around. Can't get rid of me THAT easily. =]
He'll find something. Teams sometimes have a 20-year-old goalie, it would give him a complete starters role, but Drew's obviously the man, just the way it shakes out.
But who knows what goes on in Trader Bob's mind?
and you're more than welcome to hang around, we love having you! :)
BRB, happy dance!
一句話,那就是,"船到橋頭自然直."
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