by Blues

http://www.stlouisblues.com/news/0304/040630c.html

Tomppa

Why didn't we sign him?

That would seem to be a mystery.

___________
Play hard, shake hands, drink beer.

"LA needs two hockey teams like Switzerland needs two navies" -- Norman Chad (from "My 10-Point Plan to Save Gary Bettman from Himself")

Well, I'm happy for Wellar, but pissed that we couldn't get it done.  Good luck to him.

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``I'd love to have a pre-game skate tomorrow and be getting ready for Game 8,'' he said wistfully. ``It just makes me excited for training camp.''
- Shean Donovan, two days after losing Game 7 of the SCF

Hitmen Release

Hitmen’s Patrick Wellar Signs Contract With St. Louis Blues

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                   June 30, 2004   

Senior Vice President and General Manager Larry Pleau announced today that the St. Louis Blues have signed former Hitmen Captain Patrick Wellar to a contract.

Wellar, 20, played in 68 games, registering 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) for the Hitmen this past season. He established a career high and ranked second on the Hitmen with 132 penalty minutes. Wellar was named Calgary's top defenseman and was also named the team's playoff most valuable Player during the 2002-03 season.

The Colonsay, Saskatchewan native has spent the past four full seasons with Portland and Calgary of the WHL, amassing 58 points (16 goals, 42 assists) along with 441 penalty minutes in 246 games played. The 6-0, 210-pound defenseman was originally Washington's third round selection, 77th overall, in the 2002 Entry Draft.

Hitmen GM and Head Coach Kelly Kisio added  “This is a great opportunity for Patrick. He was a great captain for us, and an excellent ambassador for the Calgary Hitmen. It’s great to see that he’ll be able to continue his hockey career with an NHL club.“

 

 

			Regular Season					Playoffs
Season	Team		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1999-00	Portland Winter Hawks	WHL	1	0	0	0	0	--	--	--	--	--
2000-01	Portland Winter Hawks	WHL	57	2	7	9	65	10	0	1	1	13
2001-02	Portland Winter Hawks	WHL	61	3	10	13	125	7	0	2	2	4
2002-03	Calgary Hitmen	WHL	60	4	15	19	119	5	0	0	0	15
2003-04	Calgary Hitmen	WHL	68	7	10	17	132	7	1	1	2	10

 

 

 ### June 30, 2004

 

 

For more information:

Kelly Kisio                                                                                             Derek Boessenkool

General Manager                                                                                Public Relations Coordinator          

Calgary Hitmen Hockey Club                                                            Calgary Hitmen Hockey Club           

(403) 571-2210                                                                                    (403) 571-2201   

kkisio@hitmenhockey.com                                                               derekb@hitmenhockey.com

"Why didn't we sign him?"

McPhee offered him a contract, and he refused to sign. No idea what the offer was, or what Wellar expected to get.

________________________

I am not a number...... I am a Free Man!

My sentiment in one word: FUCK!

Yeah, I'm disappointed too, Marc, but I guess he just didn't want to be in Washington.  I'm glad he found a place in the league though, because I still believe he has the talent and I'm still a Wellar fan.  Geez, it could have been Dallas, and then I'd really be disappointed!  I can live with St. Louis.  At least they're on my neutral team list.  At this point, I have favorite players scattered throughout the league, and I can separate cheering for them vs. cheering for their teams.

I believe Wellar is good friends with Jeff Schultz, so I'm wondering what he's telling him about the Caps...

My guess would be Wellar saw himself as no higher than 9th on the Caps' defensive depth chart for the upcoming season, and maybe even lower than that.

Good luck to him.

I never got a chance to watch this guy play. Is he really good?

On the Calgary Hitmen, he was the obvious choice for Captain.  Whenever je was on the ice, you could see that he held himself as being responsible for everything that happened.  Probably the best d-man on the team, and has a great shot from the point.  Was a forward at one point in his Junior career, but was converted (thank God) to defence while still with the Portland Winterhawks.

As for the 9th defensive slot, it's possible that he saw himself that way, but I would probably put our depth chart as such:

Witt (II)
Morrissonn
Eminger
Norton (UFA)
Berry (UFA)
Boumedienne (VI)
Wellar
Doig
Kwiatkoski (UFA)
Fortin (VI)

Please remember, that's just the way I saw it.  Wellar is only 20, turning 21 next season, so he still has room to grow with his skills.  I didn't include Yonkman, as it's unsure if he'll be healthy enough at any stretch of time to join the Caps.

Now with Berry, Norton and Kiwi being UFA's, and Boomer and Witt being RFA's, that would likely have pushed Wellar up the depth chart.  Granted, he didn't know how the Free Agency period would turn out for the Caps, but he's better than a ninth spot surely.  I think it was a personal reason he didn't sign, but that's once again just my opinion.

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``I'd love to have a pre-game skate tomorrow and be getting ready for Game 8,'' he said wistfully. ``It just makes me excited for training camp.''
- Shean Donovan, two days after losing Game 7 of the SCF

Wellar refused the Caps first contract offer because he wanted to go UFA - can't blame him for that. I haven't heard if the Caps offered anything after he became a UFA though. Without knowing the offers he got, you can't tell why he left the Caps. I'd bet he simply got a better offer and didn't need to look beyond that. Good for him.

Strangely,I'm not shocked.

Now watch them re-sign Kiwi . (Remember,kiwi belongs on a plate or mixed with strawberry juice;but just doesn't belong on ice.)

7/11/01-1/23/03.
"This is America! And in America, if something sucks, you're supposed to be able to get your money back."-Stan Marsh
"Say what again! Say what again! I dare ya. I double dare ya mutha*****! Say what one more goddamn time!"-from "Pulp Fiction"
I'm the Weeping Willow,and I approve of this post.

"(Remember,kiwi belongs on a plate or mixed with strawberry juice;but just doesn't belong on ice.)"

LOL!