Where do you see the AMS next year? What are your expectations? Who do they keep as 20's? What lines will be together? Taken from WHL board. Thought this would keep people talking hockey!


My thoughts are as such:
I see them behind Portland and Possibly Spokane if they play as they did this postseason. I foresee the team keeping Feser, Rykman and Messier as 20s. Her are the lines barring trades of course.

Feser, Rankin, Williams
Rykman, Yuen

Messier, Stromwell, Messier
Topping, Grist

Dallman, Nickles, Veteran 19 year old via trade (Bob makes one every year early to add depth and get return for an outgoing 20)
Hamonic, Plutner

M.Hughesman, Mrkonjic, B. Williams (the Second one 16 year old), Bowles

Goalies Comrie, warmbody as this is Erics year to shine.
Bench
Tomchuk, Gutiérrez, Fluter, Another 16

Stout defense as you can see but we are going to need some scoring out of all 3-4 lines to be good.

Here's what we know:

Starting goalie is set with Eric taking the net full-time. Feser is one of the 20's. Defense should be very strong with every one eligible to come back. We are losing 3 100 pt scorers.

I'd say Mychan fills one of 20 spots as long as his injury heals. He brings something this (and every team) needs which is toughness that can also play a regular shift and put the puck in the net. The Tomchuk signing is interesting because we are pretty set at Defense and Filbrandt looks ready to make the squad too, almost making it last year. So maybe this means no 20 y/o d-men, opening the possibility of Bob trading for a 20 y/o scorer (or keeping J. Messier too, which I hope not). Or maybe somebody we think should be returning won't (was Plutnar homesick?) or may be traded. I hope not but you never know.

I see the lines like this:

Feser, Mychan, Rankin
B. William, Stromwall, ???
Nickles, Lil Messier, ???
Bowles, McCue, Gutierrez
Rookie?, Rookie?

Yuen, Grist
Ryckman, Topping
Hamonic, Plutnar
Tomchuk, Filbrandt

Comrie
???

Regardless of the lines, we are at least 1 and maybe 2 top six forwards short. I agree Bob will probably get a veteran 19 y/o forward (like MacMaster or Conrad) who is responsible defensively, can play on the PK etc. Maybe Dallman gets a chance to fill that role at the start of the year. I think Nickles also gets a chance to show he can play every day. We'll have quite a few rookie forwards. I'd love to see Max Becker or the other Brian Williams or some other California kids join too, but so far I don't think any of those guys has signed yet.

I doubt we'll keep 8 dmen past Christmas and who knows who will be coming in as the 2nd goaltender.

A few interesting things are that Saskatoon is hosting the Mem. Cup. Assuming they win the East (which is a big assumption) the Western Conference winner would also automatically go. So maybe that's a little incentive to try and be as competitive as possible. Saskatoon may also be willing to pay a high price for talent so maybe if the Ams are not in the hunt they trade somebody for a high price they wouldn't normally trade. Hiller may be moving up so that would be another big question mark. And finally there is talk of a possible lock-out in the NHL. I would think this would make things very crowded at the AHL level, so might that mean Holland or maybe even Schwartz or Connelly would be available. I know I'm dreaming on this last scenario.

We have a lot of turnover so my guess is we finish middle of the pack in the Division, but you never know. Portland is losing a lot of guys too, Spokane will be older, but they don't have a ton of skilled forwards. Everett is in rebuild mode and will probably lose their best player and Seattle is a mess.

In Bob we Trust, Go AMS!

Every year it seems like we loose key players and it will be somewhat of a rebuilding year but somehow Bob makes it work. After the 08-09 season I was thinking to myself that we would probably finish at the bottom of the pack. Loosing players like Reese, Fadden, Procyshen, and Pickard. Then one of our 25 point scorers named Shinnimin stepped up and had an outstanding season. Not sure anyone thought we would have the success we did in the 09-10 season. Not going say that last season was going to be a rebuilding season but I think we had a lot of questions going into the season. Loosing Owsley and a very young defense corps left me a little concerned. This next year I think our biggest question is at up front. But it is very possible that some of our younger guys could really surprise us. Just like Shinnimin did in the 09-10 season breaking out for 82 point performance. I think it is very possible for Fesser, Willimas and Rankin to have outstanding seasons. Add Stromwell, Mychen(hopefully) and we could be ok up front. add that to a very solid Defense I think we could turn some heads. I also trust that bob will make a few summer trades to firm things up.

offense lines
1st line: Feser, Mychan, Rankin
2nd line: Stromwall, Bowles, Williams
3rd line: McCue, Nickles, Dallman
4th line: lil Messier, Gutierrez, Mrkjnork

back ups
Walers, Martin, Lewis

this could change depending on a trade or if we are able to sign young B. Williams

Defense lines
1st line: Grist, Yuen
2nd line: Ryckman,Topping
3rd line: Hamonic,Plutnar

Back ups
Tomchuk Filbrandt

goalies
Comrie, Teskey

scott stop it......