From the Stands
The winds of change continue to blow through the hallways of the Guelph Storm. Mike Kelly was brought on as VP and GM two weeks ago, then Friday night every fan was shocked to see Taylor Beck skate out with the captain’s “C” on his chest and Scott Walker behind the Storm bench with head coach Jason Brooks and assistant Chris Hajt.
Apparently veteran Tyler Carroll offered up his captaincy to Kelly saying if he felt it would have a positive impact on the club he’d be willing to relinquish it. Kelly thought about it, met with some veterans then named Beck and Michael Latta as co-captains.
Walker had been helping out periodically with the team for the past month or so but after consulting with Brooks, Kelly decided that the recently retired Walker would be “a new voice in the dressing room”.
“I like to say to these guys ‘don’t be good, be great’” said Walker who played 17 years in the NHL. “I’m not talking about dangling through the entire line-up (as an individual) I’m talking about being great as a team.”
With some fans yelling for Brooks to get fired, Walker begs to differ.
“This group is getting really fine coaching” said the veteran of 829 NHL games. “Practices are unbelievable, run at great tempo and intensity. I’m just another voice that can help the guys with the little things. If each guy can be a little bit better it has a big impact on the team as a whole. We have some very skilled players on this team.
“Kids are better today than when I played in Owen Sound (1991-93). Kids have changed because they are bigger and faster and when you tell the kids something they can implement it right away. But you have to work with the skill set they have. They always say you can’t make a rusher out of a crusher and you can’t make a crusher out of a rusher.”
Walker certainly fell into the crusher category as a player (1,162 minutes in penalties) although he could play at both ends of the rink with two 25-goal seasons with Nashville and 21 goals one year with Carolina. He always played the game with tenacity, heart and character and everyone is hoping some of that will rub off on this current Storm group.
“They need consistency in their game” said Walker. “They need to care about making themselves better players by doing the little things right.”
Although they lost to Oshawa on Friday night, they dominated the third period outshooting the Gens 21-6 but by then it was too little, too late.
Sunday they faced the best team in the country in the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, a club that had only lost two games in regulation all season. After reverting back to their horrible habit of over passing the puck early, they quickly fell behind 3-0. Brooks called a timeout and from that point on Guelph began storming the net, looking for ugly goals by going into the high traffic areas. By the middle of the third period they had rocketed into a 5-3 lead and hung on for a 6-5 win after goaltenders Brandon Foote and J.P. Anderson fought at centre ice in the final minute. It was a game that had just about everything.
I’m not ready to say this team has turned the corner yet but there are suddenly signs of life. The addition of Richard Panik and Kyle Pereira through trades last week provided one spark and without a doubt, the positive and intense attitude brought by Walker has also helped.
From the Land of Oz….Despite their horrible slump the Guelph Storm went ahead with their Town Hall meeting Friday night after the game. Kelly, owner Rick Hoyle and captains Beck and Latta faced a group of mostly frustrated fans, fed up with the team’s losing ways of late. Kelly handled the most of the questions with his main message being – “trust me”. He asked for time to get things turned around and said he has enjoyed the “brainstorming” he has done with the coaching staff…Kelly was not happy Sunday afternoon when his star goaltender Brandon Foote decided to fight the St. Mike’s netminder. It was a dumb decision on Foote’s part and he’ll likely be suspended for the game tonight in Kitchener…Latta had three goals and an assist in the Storm’s win over Mississauga. Richard Panik had two assists in his Storm debut against Oshawa.
