2006-07 Canada West Mens Hockey Preview
Despite the usual number of changes, the new Canada West season is shaping up much as it has in recent years: six teams chasing to join Alberta as Canada West representative at the University Cup.
Most teams have added top WHL prospects who have chosen to go the university scholarship route. All teams have lost key players and expect returning veterans to take over as leaders. When it comes to hockey Alberta just seems to have it, winning the last six Canada West mens titles and even seven of eight in the brief womens varsity history.
Golden Bears Head coach Eric Thurston learned everything Rob Daum had to offer and, after a slow start to the 2005-06 season that had some wondering if theyd finally lost it, the Bears turned it on and won almost everything the rest of the season, including a second straight University Cup on home ice.
Saskatchewans heartbreak from the March 2005 final got even worse in 2006 when it failed to qualify for the CIS final, something western fans had expected, and with perennial All-Star Dean Beuker off to play in Europe, there is a big offensive gap to fill. Standout Huskies goaltender Jeff Harvey no longer has veteran Thomas Vicars to back him up and three key defencemen are gone from coach Dave Adolphs roster.
The Calgary Dinos look to have rebuilt in a hurry, but need to avoid the injury bug that has haunted them in recent years and the emerging talent has to step it up a notch. The unfortunate part for Calgary is that Canada West works on a conference playoff system, not overall seeding, so the division playoffs will always include Alberta, and generally only two conference schools go to nationals. Manitoba suffers the big loss of Paul Deniset, now with Bremerhaven of the German League, who was a perennial All-Star. Krister Toews is a solid keeper, but needs a day off now and then to be rested for the playoffs.
Building on progress from last season, UBC may be the team to watch in 2006-07. Coach Milan Dragicevic has recruited some big names the last two years, including recent addition Mitch Bartley, instrumental in the Vancouver Giants playoff success and trip to the 2006 Memorial Cup. Darrell May and star netminder Gerry Festa will make the T-Birds a tougher opponent than in the past.
Regina also made big strides in 2005-06, but again failed to go anywhere in the post-season. Lethbridge, for its part, is trying to overcome the bigger schools and what they have to offer players. Talent from the junior leagues, in most cases, simply does not compare with that of WHL ability, and smaller schools are often forced to hope for the best as they grab away what they can from bigger post-secondary institutions.
Alberta Golden Bears
2005-06 conference: 21-5-2, 1st
2005-06 overall: 34-8-2
2005-06 playoffs overall: 7-0
Last CW title: 2005-06
Last CIS title: 2005-06
The Alberta Golden Bears hockey team starts the season as they have started every season in recent years, with high expectations.
This season will be a unique challenge to the program, which has won a CIS-record 12 national titles, including the last two on home ice, as 10 players have now moved on, prompting one of the largest recruiting years in recent team history. Added is the fact that Alberta will not have the luxury of an automatic berth into the University Cup, as the CIS final will be hosted on the east coast and no team that has ever flown to the national finals has ever won it all.
Among the departed from a 2005-06 team that finished first in Canada West at 21-5-2 are captain Gavin McLeod (D), assistant captain and faceoff specialist Justin Wallin (F), forwards Brad Tutschek, Brian Ballman, Joff Kehler, offensive defenceman Perry Johnson, utility player Jonathan Hobson (F), stay-at-home defenceman Chris Ovington and leading scorer Ben Thomson. Thomson is the only player from that group who has eligibili