Bruce Hamilton wasn害羞草研究所檛 necessarily counting on his challenging for a Memorial Cup title this spring.
Then again, a swift and abrupt expulsion from the Western Hockey League post season clearly wasn害羞草研究所檛 part of the president and GM害羞草研究所檚 grand plan either.
The Rockets害羞草研究所� 2017-18 campaign came to a sudden halt last Thursday night in Kennewick, WA, in the form of a four-game sweep at the hands of the Tri-City Americans.
In the end, Hamilton said the Rockets ran up against an opponent that was hitting its stride at playoff time.
害羞草研究所淵ou know, I really thought we had enough horses to play for awhile,害羞草研究所� said Hamilton, 害羞草研究所渂ut when you look at all the teams we could have drawn, the (Americans) were one of the ones that concerned me. They were hurt for a lot of the year, but got healthy towards the end, and I always thought right from the start they were one of the teams to beat.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e a big team with three complete lines and three high-end defencemen, and we just didn害羞草研究所檛 match them.害羞草研究所�
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It was Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 earliest exit from the WHL playoffs since 2012 when the Rockets were swept in the opening round by the Portland Winterhawks.
Six key veterans won害羞草研究所檛 be back with the club next season害羞草研究所攐ver-agers Carsen Twarynski, Gordie Ballhorn and James Hilsendager, along with Dillon Dube (Calgary), Cal Foote (Tampa Bay) and Kole Lind (Vancouver) who will all turn pro in 2018-19.
Next season, the Rockets will be led up front by the likes of Kyle Topping, Leif Mattson, Nolan Foote, Conner Bruggen-Cate, Erik Gardiner and Jack Cowell.
害羞草研究所淲hen we acquired our 99s (1999-born) like Mattson and Gardiner, we filled some key holes there so I害羞草研究所檓 pretty confident about the group of forwards, 19-year-olds, we害羞草研究所檙e going to have coming back,害羞草研究所� said Hamilton. 害羞草研究所淢attson and Bruggen-Cate had breakout years and Topping was real good for us, so we like what we have there.害羞草研究所�
Hamilton said the back end is the main area the Rockets will need to address in the off season, as the club looks for support for Braydyn Chizen, 17-year-old Kaedan Korczak and Libor Zabransky.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l likely need to acquire an overage defenceman, maybe a second older D-man to round out the group we have,害羞草研究所� he said.
With James Porter and Roman Basran between the pipes and each with a season under their belt, goaltending could well be Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 strength in 2018-19. Add another rookie, Cole Tisdale, into the mix and Hamilton likes his team害羞草研究所檚 potential in goal.
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害羞草研究所淔or the first time in a long time, we go into a season with really good competition in goal,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淵ou can never have enough at that position, and with those three young guys (Porter, Basran, Tisdale) it looks pretty positive going forward.害羞草研究所�
As for the coaching staff, head man Jason Smith and assistants Kris Mallette, Travis Crickard and Adam Brown are all under contract for next season and Hamilton expects the staff to remain in tact.
Still, in the hockey business, nothing is for certain.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檒l be surprised if there are any changes, Jason likes it here and his family is settled here, I don害羞草研究所檛 think he害羞草研究所檚 in a rush to go anywhere, but we害羞草研究所檒l see how things progress over the summer,害羞草研究所� said Hamilton. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 coached at the NHL level before and if a good opportunity comes along and it works, then good for him. That害羞草研究所檚 the business we害羞草研究所檙e in.害羞草研究所�
The next order of business for Rockets害羞草研究所� management is the WHL害羞草研究所檚 bantam draft May 3 in Red Deer. Kelowna will choose 18th overall in the opening round.
Hamilton said the Rockets are interested in hosting the 2020 Memorial Cup and expect to submit a formal bid within the next several weeks. The WHL club first hosted the Canadian Hockey League害羞草研究所檚 championship tournament in 2004, defeating Gatineau in the final.
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