All summer long, I’ve been saying there will be expectations on this season’s edition of the Brandon Wheat Kings. A bevy of returning talent at all positions, an ultra-talented crop of rookies that’s already made their presence felt at the WHL level, and an anticipated drop off for some of their division rivals fueled that belief on my end.
What I perhaps didn’t realize was just how much higher the expectations are within the Wheat Kings room than they are from the outside. Earlier this week, I asked Roger McQueen what the team expects of themselves this year. His immediate and unhesitant response?
“The end goal is to win the league.”
It’s a lot to put on any team at the start of the year, never mind one coming off an unceremonious playoff exit in the first round, swept at the hands of the eventual champion Moose Jaw Warriors. But in that Wheat Kings’ room, there’s some belief. And as we’ve discussed before, there’s reason for it.
With the preseason done, the Wheat Kings get a chance at some delayed, relatively minor revenge when they host Moose Jaw tomorrow night. That will be the first step in a long road to proving this squad can meet the high standards they’ve set for themselves.
- A strange note for the Wheat Kings right out of the gate, but an encouraging one nonetheless: they won four straight preseason games for the second year in a row. They’ve now won nine exhibition contests in a row, and while those games mean nothing in the standings, it’s better to win them if you have to play them. If they can’t take points in the standings from those games, the Wheat Kings can take a number of other positives. Firstly, after a rough start in this department they dramatically cut down on the shots on goal against. The high point of that was limiting Regina to just 16 in a game in Brandon. Secondly, they started three straight third periods tied with their opponent and won all three games by multiple goals. Closing out like that is a hugely important skill to learn in the WHL, and all the better for the Wheat Kings to learn it sooner.
- A third thing the Wheat Kings can take out of these games is that the future in goal looks more secure than ever. When Ethan Eskit went down with an injury (a relatively minor one; the team decided to be safe rather than sorry but are confident he’ll be ready for home opener) they handed the final three exhibition games off to 2008-born goaltender Dylan McFadyen. McFadyen has the size already to be a prototypical top goaltender, and he backed that potential up with three straight wins on the preseason. His most impressive win came in Regina, a game in which the team in front of him was a little sleepy but still gave him some run support, where he stopped 23 of 24 shots in a 3-1 win. Those saves included a sprawling desperation pad save late in the game to maintain the 3-1 spread, and stopping 20-year-old Braxton Whitehead on a breakaway.
- Sometimes, a player can play an excellent game without scoring. Such was the case three straight games for Joby Baumuller, who had an exceptional preseason without finding the stat sheet until the final game against the Regina Pats. Then he scored the kind of goal that makes you think he could absolutely go off this season. Baumuller’s speed, which was never a problem for him, has clearly been a point of focus for him this offseason. Coupled with his heavy shot, he’s got the tools to take a massive step forward in the stats department.
- I was leaning toward giving Nick Johnson a star of the game even before he scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in Regina. The big power forward from Calgary looks like more of a power forward than ever, using his size and strength to protect the puck and win battles below the goal line. When he was on the ice, the Wheat Kings lived in the offensive zone, and several times they got full offensive zone changes in thanks to Johnson’s hard work in the tougher areas of the rink. He posted four points in four preseason games and looks like the kind of player that can will a team to a win in those grindier, rougher games. The Wheat Kings have their share of skill up front, but sometimes you just need to gut out a win and with players like Johnson and Carter Klippenstein on board, they have the necessary sorts of players.
- The blue line is the biggest question mark on the team because it’s so young. There are five rookies with the team right now (Charlie Elick remains away with the Columbus Blue Jackets) and three 16-year-olds. The good news is, those young players did a lot to answer those questions with their preseason play. I’ve sung the praises of Gio Pantelas on this blog before (and probably will again) for his alert stick defensively, his penchant for punishing bodychecks, and his general puck sense. And while Adam Belusko and Dylan Ronald are technically rookies at this level, they are older players with some junior experience under their belts. Ronald suited up in the AJHL last season and Belusko has played in Slovakia’s junior circuits and represented his country internationally numerous times. There will be an adjustment period for both, but once they settle in they’ll be just fine.
- The Wheat Kings have both Charlie Elick and Carson Bjarnason away at NHL camps, but in that way they’re in a better position than many other teams. Though they’ll surely miss both players, Ethan Eskit proved last year he can fill in just fine while Bjarnason is away with the Philadelphia Flyers and it’ll be a by-committee approach to replacing Charlie Elick’s minutes, with the committee led by 20-year-old Luke Shipley. Other teams are in very different boats, with Moose Jaw, for example, missing defensemen Vojtech Port and Kalem Parker as well as forward Brayden Yager. Every year, someone floats the idea of starting the WHL season later so more of these top players can come back from the NHL and give the fans what they want to see, and the longer I work in the league the more I can understand their line of thinking. But then again, by this time of year I’m missing hockey enough that I’m glad to see it back even if some of the best players are away.
- The return of Marcus Nguyen from the Florida Panthers is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, Nguyen is a huge piece up front for the Wheat Kings. His speed, shot, work ethic, physical play, and penalty killing wizardry will all be a huge boost to the lineup, and Murray says there’s another gear offensively for Nguyen to hit still. On the other hand, it puts the Wheat Kings into decision mode, and a tough decision it is. There are now four 20-year-olds with the team, and the other three (Rylen Roersma, Nolan Flamand, and Shipley) have been long-serving Wheat Kings, none more so than Roersma who is entering his fifth season with the club. The Wheat Kings don’t have to make any decisions yet, but they can’t dress all four players on any given night. Even though training camp is over, an entirely separate tryout is about to begin, and whichever player is ultimately moved it will be a tough day at the office when that young man has to find a new hockey home.
- Bob McKenzie released his preseason draft rankings this morning, and wouldn’t you know it, Roger McQueen is right up there at number six. One fascinating note from McKenzie’s ranking: McQueen was ranked sixth in the consensus, but one scout gave Roger a vote for first overall. It’s a big year ahead for him and it’ll be fascinating to see how he handles it after he’s gotten to watch Charlie Elick, Nate Danielson, and Carson Bjarnason go through their draft years. Speaking of the draft, it’s a big year for first-time eligibles Carter Klippenstein, Joby Baumuller, and Brady Turko as well. Expect scouts to be keeping a close eye on the Wheat Kings this season.
The time from now until the home opener can be measured in hours, and believe me, I’m counting them down. Looking forward to having the call tomorrow night and telling another season’s worth of stories for the Brandon Wheat Kings!
