Calgary Hitmen ‘excited’ about potential after busy WHL commerce week

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For followers of the Calgary Hitmen, there’s cause to be stressed.

One other Western Hockey League commerce deadline has come and gone with loads of change within the lineup to get youthful …

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Once more.

However Steve Hamilton is feeling this previous week — one with 4 trades to herald future expertise — has fuelled the crew additional with the sort of potential it takes to rise from the mediocrity of too many consecutive seasons.

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“It’s thrilling,” declared the Hitmen head coach. “Just a little little bit of a change clearly over the previous week — new guys got here in.

“There’s plenty of work to be carried out round right here.”

All totalled, the adjustments to the lineup have been large within the final eight months.

Even earlier than Wednesday’s WHL commerce deadline despatched veterans Sean Tschigerl and Tyson Galloway to the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Swift Present Broncos, respectively — which fetched 4 upcoming draft picks — the Hitmen had been dedicated to altering the shortcomings of earlier years.

The offers this previous week had been merely an extension of that dedication spurred on by a change within the roster-maker’s chair, with veteran government Garry Davidson taking cost — first as director of hockey operations over the summer season after which because the crew’s sixth GM in November.

“On the finish of final yr, we had 24 gamers on the roster,” Hamilton mentioned. “Now we have eight remaining (from that roster). So it’s a new crew — two-thirds of it’s a new crew.

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“By design, we have now a youth motion occurring. We wish a crew that we will develop that’s acquired a excessive ceiling and massive potential.”

They’re younger, for positive.

For Friday’s 7-4 victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs at Scotiabank Saddledome — in what was their first sport since deadline day — the Hitmen iced simply 5 19- and 20-year-old gamers, together with newcomers Pavel Bocharov and Justin Invanusec, each acquired in deadline offers.

However whether or not potential blossoms into success stays to be seen.

“Now we have a ton of talent in our lineup — we have now a ton of potential,” Hamilton mentioned. “I imply … our crew ought to be taking part in under-18 — by age, 85% of them, proper?

“So whenever you have a look at it that method, there’s guys that haven’t had a whole lot of reps within the league they usually’re getting them this yr in large moments and massive alternatives. They’re not driving the bench for 2 years after which figuring it out as an 18-year-old. They’re taking part in now, and we’re rising this group collectively, and we’re doing it purposely. And it’s all a part of the plan to develop this group collectively and develop our core collectively.

“To see Tyson and Sean transfer on, that’s at all times a transparent signal that’s there’s a altering of the guard. They’re two fantastic guys that we want nothing however success for going ahead for them. However a brand new period right here for us, and that began with (Friday).”

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Definitely two of Hamilton’s high kids like what they see for the way forward for their squad, even after shedding 20-year-olds Galloway — their captain — and Tschigerl — a key contributor.

“Loads of guys exited, however good guys got here in and slot in nicely,” mentioned Carson Wetsch, who’s headed to the 2024 CHL Prime Prospects Recreation on Jan. 24 in Moncton, N.B. “And we’re going to maintain on getting these wins.

“I like that the blokes rapidly slot in to what we’re about right here — that Hitmen hockey and that hard-working hockey,” Wetsch mentioned. “Pasha performed an ideal sport, and Justin performed an ideal sport, they usually slot in nicely.”

However it’s extra about ahead Wetsch — himself nonetheless 17 and a driver Friday with the primary objective and two assists in a stellar effort — and the youthful Hitmen.

Two-way defenceman Carter Yakemchuk, 18, is one other of these featured phenoms, as he’ll be part of Wetsch later this month on the prospects sport for NHL draft-eligible gamers within the main junior ranks.

“We’re a super-skilled crew,” agreed Yakemchuk. “I feel we have now a whole lot of younger expertise that’s going to take a while to develop. However they’ve acquired an unbelievable talent set — all of them.

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“I assumed that after the commerce deadline, we introduced some good guys in,” continued Yakemchuk. “I assumed they actually performed nicely and gelled with everybody. It was good to get a win popping out of the commerce deadline with our new crew.”

“We like our group,” added Hamilton. “We just like the youth of our group and just like the potential of our group.

“I imply … if you happen to have a look at our crew, I like the best way we play. We make errors, however so does everybody else. We make younger errors, however we’re going to get higher due to it. We’re going to reside by way of these errors.

“However we’re going to reside by way of the moments the place guys make performs and make issues occur. So it’s thrilling.”

LOOSE PUCKS

Friday’s resolution marked a third-straight triumph for the Hitmen (16-17-5-1), who at the moment are 3-0-2-0 of their final 5 to push to inside one level of a playoff spot within the WHL’s Japanese Convention … Ethan Moore had two targets within the sport, whereas Hitmen teammates Wetsch, Yakemchuk, Maxim Muranov, Oliver Tulk and Tyson Greenway shot dwelling singles. Goaltender Ethan Buenaventura made 34 saves in incomes the victory … Hitmen scratches had been D Reese Hamilton (decrease physique, week-to-week), F Chase Valliant (higher physique, week-to-week), D Aleksey Chichkin (higher physique, week-to-week) and D Hunter Aura, an affiliate participant up from B.C.’s Yale Hockey Academy within the Canadian Sport Faculty Hockey League … The Hitmen proceed with the third scene of their seven-game home-stand Sunday in opposition to the incoming Tri-Metropolis People on the Dome (2 p.m.).

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