Storm Watch News: 2008-2009 in R

By Ryan Ohashi
rwww.lethbridgehurricanes.com
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rTHANK YOU FANS!
rThis season the Lethbridge Hurricanes saw a 20% increase in their season ticket holder fan base for the third season in a row as well as a 10% increase in corporate accounts! This helped the Canes power their way to 11 sell outs and an average attendance of nearly 4200 fans per game! Of course this couldn’t be possible without the support of you, the fans of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Thank you!
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r2009 SECOND ROUND KNOCKOUT
rThe Lethbridge Hurricanes season came to an end with a 6-0 loss in Game Four of their WHL Eastern Conference Semi Final against the Calgary Hitmen. Though disappointing, the loss did not do anything to tarnish another successful Lethbridge Hurricanes season. The defending Eastern Conference Champions rallied through injury, suspension and even the franchise’s first game seven in over 15 years to advance to the second round of the WHL Playoffs. The 08-09 Hurricanes upset the second seeded Saskatoon Blades by virtue of a 4-3 game seven victory. It was the team’s first game seven since the 1990-91 Hurricanes won an East division championship over the Medicine Hat Tigers in seven games before losing in the WHL Finals. That team was led by Canes All Time leading point scorer Jason Ruff (382), goaltender Jamie McLennan and sixty goal scorer Brad Rubachuk. The 08-09 team became one of seven Hurricanes teams to advance past the first round of the WHL playoffs and only the third Canes team to do it in two consecutive years.
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rBOY WONDER
rZach Boychuk led all Hurricanes in playoff scoring for the second year in a row as he notched 13 points (7G, 6A) in 11 playoff games. Boychuk was on a tear through the end of the season and the month of March where he notched 22 points (14G, 8A) in his last 17 games, including 4 PPGs and 4 game winners. He was the recipient of the Hurricanes Plus/Minus Award as well as the co winner of the 08-09 Harry Ingarfield Memorial Award for the Hurricanes Most Valuable Player. He had a 14 game point streak come to an end in Game 1 of the Canes first round series against Saskatoon before rebounding with his first WHL Playoff hat trick in Game 2 as part of a four point night; a pair of goals, including the game winner in Game 4; a goal and an assist including the game winner (shorthanded) in Game 5 and a another two point (1G, 1A) night in the Canes Game 7 victory. The first round pick signed an entry level deal with the Carolina Hurricanes this season. Boychuk totaled 271 regular season points and 110 goals in his WHL career. His 57 points (28G, 29A) in 08-09 moved him into 7th on the all time Hurricanes career points list with 271 regular season points; just above former first round pick Mark Grieg and just below former NHL forward Byron Ritchie. He ties Brent Seabrook as the highest NHL drafted (14th overall – ‘08) Hurricane player of all time and along with Luca Sbisa (19th overall – ‘08) marked the first time in franchise history that a pair of Hurricanes went in the first round.
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rTHE FINNISH FLASH
rJuha Metsola tied an individual club record of five shutouts this season, a record he now shares with former Hurricanes goaltenders Logan Koopmans, Aaron Sorochan and Michael Maniago. Metsola still holds other Hurricanes regular season club records with a 1.98 GAA last season and a combined for a total of eight shutouts; along with Michael Maniago in the 2007-2008 regular season. He followed this rookie season up with a stellar playoff performance where he was named the MVP of the 2008 WHL Eastern Conference Championship and led the Canes to their first WHL final appearance in over a decade. In 08-09 he was selected as the co winner of the 08-09 Harry Ingarfield Memorial Award for the Hurricanes Most Valuable Player and went toe to toe with WHL Eastern Conference nominee for goaltender of the year Braden Holtby before eliminating Holtby and the Blades in the first round.
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rANSWERING THE CALL
rCarter Ashton represented well as he tallied the game winner for Team Canada in the gold medal game of the U-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament last summer. Zach Boychuk won his second straight gold medal as the Alternate Captain of the National U20 World Junior team for the 2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships held in Ottawa. Juha Metsola also participated in the WJHC as a member of Team Finland posting the second best goals against average and save percentage in the tournament.
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rTOP PROSPECTS
r91-born forward Carter Ashton and 91-born defenseman Brennan Yadlowski have both been ranked in the NHL Central Scouting Service’s Final Rankings for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft to be held this June. Ashton, the Hurricanes 1st round pick (7th overall) in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft has been ranked 12th among North American skaters while Yadlowski has been ranked 70th. Ashton, finished his injury shortened rookie season in 2007-2008 with nine points (5G, 4A) in 40 WHL games. He then had a breakout 2008-2009 season leading the Hurricanes with 30 goals and 10 power play goals this season. He was the recipient of the Hurricanes Top Draft Prospect Award, the Hurricanes Three Stars Award and co-winner of the Hurricanes Community Relations Award. Ashton also participated in the 2009 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Oshawa, Ontario. Yadlowski had a solid rookie campaign in 07-08 and logged good minutes as a rookie defenseman in the WHL. He was a fifth round pick and the first defenseman chosen by the Hurricanes in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft (97th overall). In 2008-2009, Yadlowski was a consistent contributor to a developing Hurricanes defense and has improved his rank from 153rd in the CSS Mid Term rankings to 70th. Yadlowski is now a two time winner of the Hurricanes Scholastic Player of the Year award (07-08, 08-09) as well as the Hurricanes Most Improved player award. (07-08, 08-09) The 2009 NHL Entry Draft is scheduled to be held in June of 2009 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC
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rREMEMBERING ‘MANI’
rThe Canes honored the memory of Michael Maniago during the 08-09 season by wearing a special memorial symbol on the back of their helmets. Maniago passed away in a fatal car accident this past November. The Hurricanes honored Michael Maniago’s memory in the final weekend of the regular season as they presented a $5000 cheque to the Michael Maniago Memorial Fund providing opportunities in the sport for underprivileged kids.
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rCANES IN YOUR COMMUNITY
rThe Lethbridge Hurricanes continued to leave their mark on the Lethbridge community with their continued involvement in programs such as: Operation Christmas Child, the AMA Safety Patrol Skating Party and the AADAC Spit Tobacco Education Program. Also making its return this season was the ever popular ENMAX Pond Hockey program as well as the Home Depot Behind the Bench Coaches Clinic. In total, Hurricanes players, staff and coaches totaled over 600 hours of community service and made nearly $70,000 worth in charitable donations this season alone.
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rFAMILY MATTERS
rThe Hurricanes had six players in their line up this season with ties to junior hockey in Lethbridge. Carter Bancks (Father – Jerry), Colton Sceviour (Father – Darin; Uncle – Todd) and Brody Sutter (Father – Duane; Uncles – Brian, Darryl, Brent, Rich, Ron) all have relatives who are former Lethbridge Broncos while Dwight King (DJ King), and Mitch Versteeg (Kris Versteeg) each have brothers who are former Hurricanes… Brennan Yadlowski’s father Warren is a former Edmonton Oilers draft pick, and WHL Calgary Wrangler. Ironically the Wranglers would eventually move to Lethbridge to become the present day Hurricanes.  Brennan’s younger brother Austin is a WHL prospect drafted by the Hurricanes in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft… Despite popular belief, defenseman Max Ross is NOT related to 1st round NHL draft pick and WHL defenseman Nick Ross or Nick’s brother – WHL 1st round Bantam Draft pick Brad Ross; both Lethbridge residents… Ross has several ties to the franchise as his grandfather Walter “Stubb” Ross was a successful Lethbridge businessman who founded the “Lethbridge Air Service” later renamed “Time Air” and was one of the forefathers of major junior hockey in Lethbridge. Ross’ grandmother Marg Ross was a billet for the Lethbridge Broncos and served as a billet for each of the six Sutter brothers to play in Lethbridge… Carter Ashton’s father Brent was an NHL journeyman who played for nine NHL teams in his career and is a WHL Saskatoon Blades Alumnus.
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rImportant Summer Dates
rApril 30 – 2009 WHL Bantam Draft
rMay 24 – MasterCard Memorial Cup Final
rJune 16-17 – WHL Annual General Meeting
rJune 26-27 – 2009 NHL Entry Draft (Montreal, QC)
rJune 30 – CHL Import Draft
rJuly 10 – Lethbridge Hurricanes/Broncos Alumni Golf Tournament
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rBY THE NUMBERS – In 08-09…
r16 – Number of Hurricanes players with previous WHL Playoff experience
r13 – Number of Hurricanes players who were part of last seasons WHL Eastern Conference Championship team
r2 – Number of players who were part of the Tri City Americans 2008 Western Conference Finals team (Hoff, Mestery)
r3 – Number of overage players in the Canes lineup: Drew Hoff, Mitch Versteeg, and Captain Ben Wright
r9 – Number of WHL rookies: F- Austin Fyten, F – Garrett Taylor, D – Cody Castro, D – Max Ross, F – Mark Reners, D – Derek Ryckman, F – Brody Sutter, G – Michael Tadjdeh and G – Brandon Anderson
r8 – Number of players in their draft year of 2009: F – Carter Ashton, F – Cam Braes, F – Austin Fyten, F – Brent Henke, F – Craig Orfino, G – Michael Tadjdeh, F – Garrett Taylor, D – Brennan Yadlowski
r3 – Number of NHL First round Draft Picks: Kyle Beach (Chi ‘08), Zach Boychuk (CAR ’08), Luca Sbisa (PHI ’08)
r2 – Number of U.S. Born players: Garrett Taylor (San Diego, CA), Cody Castro (Peoria, AZ)
r4 – Number of Local Lethbridge area players in the Hurricanes lineup: Max Ross (Lethbridge, AB), Mitch Versteeg (Lethbridge, AB), Ben Wright (Foremost, AB), Mark Reners (Pincher Creek, AB)
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rHURRICANES 2009 WHL BANTAM DRAFT SUMMARY
rLethbridge, AB – The best is yet to come for the future Lethbridge Hurricanes, but the groundwork for success was laid in Edmonton today as the WHL held the annual WHL Bantam draft. Canes Assistant GM Brad Robson alongside General Manager Roy Stasiuk and the rest of the Lethbridge scouting staff made their selections and ignited the careers of ten new WHL prospects.
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r“I am really happy with how our draft played out” said Robson “We feel we got a lot of speed and quickness which is the way the game is going now so for the future success of the organization, we got some really good skaters and obviously some players with a lot of skill and the ability to put the puck in the net. The picks we made today will ensure we are going to be a very fast and very skilled hockey club now and in the future.
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rThe Canes kicked off the day by selecting forward Ryley Bennefield from the Leduc Allen’s Transport Oil Kings with their first selection – 33rd overall in the second round of the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. Bennefield is a 5’10” 160 pound forward who tallied 32 goals and 25 assists for 57 points and 59 Pims in 30 games for the Leduc Allen’s Transport Oil Kings of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League (AMBHL) in 08-09. Bennefield wrapped up his season with an excellent showing at the Alberta Cup this past weekend in Calgary where he competed with a broken collarbone…
rCLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
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rCLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE DRAFT RESULTS FROM WHL.CA
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rBe sure to check out these WHL WEB TV Features for information on the Western Hockey League – the finest player development league in the world!
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rTHE WHL ADVANTAGE – CLICK HERE TO VIEW
rThe Western Hockey League offers the finest Scholarship and Hockey opportunity in North America today.
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rThe WHL offers players the best of both world’s …
r    * The World’s Finest Player Development League
r    * North America’s Most Comprehensive Scholarship
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rWHL HOSTS 4th ANNUAL U.S. PROSPECTS CAMP IN ANAHEIM – CLICK HERE TO VIEW
r The Western Hockey League held the fourth annual WHL U.S. Prospects Camp in Anaheim, California on the weekend of April 10-12, 2009.  The WHL U.S. Prospects Camp was held at the Anaheim Ice, the official training centre of the NHL Anaheim Ducks and featured 80 top rated players in the 1994 age category from throughout the western United States.