Former Wheat Kings Set For Stanley Cup Hunt
April 15, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release
Brandon, MB. - The long and winding road, better known as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, kick off tonight, withfour series' openers, featuring several former members of the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings.
In Montreal, the Canadiens host Mark Stone and the Ottawa Senators while in the U.S. Capitol, EricFehr, Jason Chimera and the Washington Capitals play host to the the New York Islanders, who will begin the playoffs without former Brandon blueliner Travis Hamonic.
The team announced Tuesday that Hamonic's injury is "undisclosed." The 24-year old had 33 points in 71 games this past season. He was injured this past weekend on a hip check from Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Rob Scuderi.
Fehr meanwhile returned to practice this week as he attempt to work his way back from injury and onto the ice in time for Wednesday's opener. Caps' coach Barry Trotz said only that Fehr is "getting pretty close" to being able to return, but wouldn't commit to playing them in game one. "I'm not committing to anything," Trotz said. "They're very close."
Fehr has only sat out since last weekend with what the team has described only as an "upper body injury." He sustained the injury in the Caps' overtime loss to Ottawa two weeks ago. A former Western Hockey League Player of the Year, who scored 19 goals and 33 points in 75 games for Washington this season, told reporters Monday that he felt "great," then added "it felt good to be out there" at practice.
No stranger to post-season play, Fehr enters the series having played 33 playoff games for the Caps. As a Wheat King, the former Manitoba Male Athlete of the Year, scored 26 goals and 51 points in sixty WHL playoff games.
Like Fehr, Chimera has seen plenty of playoff duty, having played in 43 during his lengthy NHL career that has seen him suit up for 869 games. In 77 games with Washington this season, the Edmonton product had seven goals and 19 points.
In Montreal tonight, Carey Price and the Canadiens will look to "cool off" a former Brandon captain and potential Calder Trophy Rookie of the Year candidate.
Stone, who led the Wheat Kings in scoring with 41 goals and 123 points in 2011-12, finished the regular season by scoring 35 points in his final 31 games. He enters the playoffs riding a 9-game point scoring streak, in which he has scored eight goals and 13 points.
Stone and Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau finished tied for first in rookie scoring this season with 64 points, although the Winnipeg product gets the tiebreaker because he scored 26 goals to Gaudreau's 24.
As a Wheat King, he scored 106 goals and 296 points in 232 career games.
Elsewhere tonight, the Nashville Predators play host to the Chicago Blackhawkswhile Michael Ferland and the Calgary Flames take on the Vancouver Canucks. A member of the Wheat Kings from 2009-2013, Ferland scored 80 goals and 182 points in 189 career games in Brandon. As a Flame this season, the rugged left-winger had two goals and five points in 26 games.
The Brandon product says that he can't wait for the puck to drop tonight.
"I couldn't sleep these past two games during my pre-game nap," he told the Calgary Sun before last weekend's game against the Jets in Winnipeg. "So I don't know how it's going to be for the first game here in the playoffs. The last time I never had a good nap was my first NHL game, but these last two ... It was tough to get to sleep. I'm just super excited for it to begin."
Meanwhile the remaining four Stanley Cup playoff series will kick off on Thursday, including Dustin Byfuglien and the Winnipeg Jets in Anaheim to meet the Ducks.While he has seen playoff action as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, Byfuglien and the Jets will be making their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance since the club moved from Atlanta.
A former Wheat King and Prince George Cougar, "Buff" has played 39 career playoff games and won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. An NHL all star this season, Byfuglien is coming off a solid season that saw him score eighteen goals and 45 points in 69 games and is one of fourteen players on the Jets' roster who've suited up for a total of 301 career playoff games.
One player whose name isn't on the list is veteran center Bryan Little.
''You realize how tough it is to make it in the playoffs,'' said Little, whose career began in 2007-08 with the former Atlanta Thrashers. ''I've definitely been through a lot of ups and downs. Been close a few times, but I don't think the teams I've played on ever had that extra push to get in until this year.''
Rounding out the list of ex-Wheat Kings set to dip their big toe in the Stanley Cup playoff pool this week is Winnipeg's Ryan Reaves. Reaves and his St. Louis Blues' teammates will take on the Minnesota Wild.
For much of his five-year NHL career, Reaves - who scored 36 goals and 79 points in 201 career games as a Wheat King - has been the quintessential role player. This season however, its been different as he has proven there's more to his game. He reached career highs in goals (6) and points (12) and racked up 116 minutes in penalties. Lately, the Blues' fourth "grinder" line of Reaves-Steve Ott-Marcel Goc has been both the most punishing and hard working line of the four.
Only the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars scored more goals than the well balanced Blues during the regular season.
Rounding out Thursday's Stanley Cup schedule - the Rangers will host the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Lightning will take on the Detroit Red Wings.
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