Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Things That Make Me Go Hmm...

  • The Rockets will have three familiar faces attending the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects game Wednesday in Edmonton. Luke Schenn, Tyler Myers and Brandon McMillan are taking part in the event, which showcases the top 40 prospects across the country eligible for the upcoming draft. McMillan was a late addition to the game after a prospect was injured. All three will play Wednesday night before rejoining the Rockets Thursday in Medicine Hat. Schenn, Myers and McMillan will be in the lineup Friday in Swift Current.
  • Rockets captain James McEwan says he should have his cast taken off of his wrist by January 28th. In an interview this morning, McEwan anticipates rejoining the team on the ice by early March. McEwan underwent surgery on his wrist after having two tendons cut with the skate blade of Giants enforcer Garet Hunt.
  • Rockets coach Ryan Huska says Jamie Benn, and the Rockets number one line, played just 18 minutes in Saturday's 6-3 win over Prince George. That's a far cry from the 26 minutes the 18 year-old logged Friday night in a 3-2 win over Chilliwack.
  • You will have to pardon Rockets forward Brady Leavold if he is overly excited to get on the bus following Wednesday's game against Portland. The overage forward, who is having a sensational season, will no doubt want to put in a good effort Friday when he faces the Broncos in Swift Current. Leavold began his WHL career in Swift Current, and too say it was a rocky relationship would be an understatement. Despite his love-hate relationship with the city, Leavold still has friends and foes on a team that he suited up for 133 games.
  • I had a great conversation with Chris Ray on the weekend. The former Kelowna Rockets captain is enjoying his first season of university hockey, playing at the University of Waterloo. Ray, who is just a season removed from his days as a Rocket, had to undergo a hernia operation November 23rd, forcing him to the sidelines for a month. I will post the interview next week.
  • Speaking of former Rockets alumni, David Schulz will be my guest Friday night on Western Hockey League Primetime when the Rockets face the Swift Current Broncos. The former Rockets/Broncos defenseman is now playing in the East Coast Hockey League down in Texas. Schulz is currently sidelined with a separated shoulder.
  • If everything goes according to plan, I will be joined by Blake Comeau Saturday night in Medicine Hat. Unless you've had your head in the sand, Comeau is playing with the New York Islanders. 'Creep', as he was affectionately known in these parts in his days in a Rockets uniform has 2+2=4 in 16 games this season. Comeau is just 21 years old.

1 comment:

MG said...

18 to 26 minutes per game is not bad. Now the question has to asked how much ice time were Jesse Schultz, Tyler Mosienko and Kiel McLeod getting on average ???

I recall watching a playoff home game a few years back and Josh Georges was getting double shifted. He and Slovak would skate to the bench, throw up, take some oxegen and go out again for the enire third period. He must have been logging a few minutes back then.