The Vancouver Night Train all but acknowledged to fans today that this season would likely be a rough one.
In a meet-and-greet for season ticket holders and press, Night Train management told fans to expect a rocky go of it, as division rivals like Delta and Ice Harbor emerge as possible powerhouses.
Vancouver shed veterans Jonathan Toews, Pekka Rinne, and Alex Edler in offseason trades, and word has leaked that the team plans to cut longtime top-6 centreman Tomas Plekanec as well. The outlook is not good on the injury status of Shea Weber, who may miss most of the season, alongside perennial walking wounded Chris Tanev.
But the team has hope for the future: Already, it’s one of the youngest groups in the entire league. Team coaching staff expects 2017 draftees Mat Barzal and Thomas Chabot to step in and play important minutes in their rookie seasons. Of the most recent draft class, only defender Matt Grzelcyk may see regular ice time this year: Martin Necas, Luke Kunin, Adam Gaudette, and Logan Brown are all at least a season away.
Veterans Mark Stone, Kyle Palmieri, Anders Lee, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Nick Foligno will be asked to fill the leadership void left by Toews. Still, none of their jobs are safe and the team may look to send some of them to contenders before the trade deadline.
Gump Worsley Memorial Hockey League 