Kelowna Rockets

[twofingers]

Sex sells - like it or not - what about the "Ice Crew" that you see at other rinks?

[GordonH]

Sex sells - like it or not - what about the "Ice Crew" that you see at other rinks?

Just have to watch the current IIHF World Championships to see all the young cheerleaders threw out the arena.

[Bubalouie]

Ticket prices need to be lower so the average joe or senior can go. The Hamilton's are trying to make it almost an elitist thing to be able to afford to go it seems to me. I don't know if they have anything to do with prices in the concessions or the parking.For two to go to one of the playoff games, 28 before tax plus parking, too much money for some.
We were on that wait list for season tickets and when they finally got to us, circumstances have changed and just can't do it.

[GordonH]

^^^ Walk up tickets in Kamloops is $20, Kelowna is $24. Parking especially since its only 2 Hr around streets of the arena, you can come out to a $30 surprise (since hockey games last longer then 2 hours).

[GordonH]

Kelowna needs to become much more disciplined on the ice, stop taking really dumb penalties. Also quit doing brain fart moves on the ice as well.
Both Rimouski Océanic and Oshawa Generals are both bigger teams then Kelowna, so ice smarts & speed is the key to winning.

[GordonH]

So based on the age restrictions in the CHL anyone born in 1995 or since is still eligible.

Cole Martin, Chance Braid, Tyrell Goulbourne are 21 years old next year so they are out.

List of 20 years olds next season:
Gage Quinney
Tyson Baillie
Cole Linaker
Leon Draisaitl
Madison Bowey
Mitchell Wheaton
Josh Morrissey
Jackson Whistle

Since the team can only have 3 twenty year olds in line-up after October 16.
Kelowna Rockets will be needing 8 new/younger players in the line-up for the 2015-16 season.

Thank-you Players & coaches/staff for one hell of a season, see you back here in September (at least some of you).

[just popping in]

Hope they find a coach as good as Dan Lambert.

"Kelowna Rockets head coach Dan Lambert is moving up to the big show.

Team president and general manager Bruce Hamilton announced today that Lambert has resigned from the team to take on an assistant coach position with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres."

[GordonH]

Hope they find a coach as good as Dan Lambert.

"Kelowna Rockets head coach Dan Lambert is moving up to the big show.

Team president and general manager Bruce Hamilton announced today that Lambert has resigned from the team to take on an assistant coach position with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres."

Since Rockets will be in rebuild starting this September due to large number of team will be over age (8 new players into the line-up).
Maybe the owner will go with an unknown, good time to try that.

[GordonH]

Newest Head Coach of Kelowna Rockets:
http://www.castanet.net/news/WHL/145314 ... -their-man

As of today the 2015-16 line-up is not available

[JayByrd]

As of today the 2015-16 line-up is not available

No, but we can get a fairly clear picture of it.

I'm not super up to date on the day to day business of the Rockets but here's my take.

Goulbourne, Martin, and Braid are out as graduating 20 yr olds.

Draisaitl, Bowey, and Josh Morrissey are all eligible to return, but as 20 yr olds with NHL contracts, consider them gone.

Mitch Wheaton has been traded.

Gage Quinney, Tyson Baillie, Jackson Whistle and Cole Linaker remain as the only '95s likely to return and fill the overage spots. There's a small chance that Baillie signs as a free agent somewhere and the Rockets lose him. As much as the coaching staff like Quinney, he could be the odd man out here. If Baillie returns and if management wants to bring in an overage D, that could spell the end of Linaker too. Given that the Rockets will likely only return four defencemen (Gatenby, Stephens, Stadel, Johansen), bringing in a veteran defenceman seems likely.

That still leaves 18 players who finished the season in Kelowna, likely to return. Rockets carried 25 most of last year, which is one or two more than usual. Long-term injuries (Wishnowski, Wheaton) as well as a quirky goaltending situation (Jake Morrissey losing his spot mid-season to Michael Herringer) necessitated this.

The only real question mark I see here, is are the returning defencemen ready to carry the mail on D.

Forwards likely to return: Chartier, Merkley, Dube, Baillie, Linaker, Quinney, Soustal, Kirkland, Southam, Coughlin, and pencil in Calvin Thurkauf. Only a couple of spots open there. Tanner Wishnowski made the team in camp last season, but missed the entire year with an injury, so pencil him in too, assuming he's recovered.

Defencemen likely to return: Stephens, Gatenby, Johansen, Stadel. I can see Mr. Hamilton wanting to add some experience here.

Goaltenders: Whistle, Jake Morrissey, Herringer. If Morrissey has worked his way back into the good graces of management, the backup job is probably his. Herringer has proved himself very capable though, so unless the Rockets are eyeing Morrissey as their #1 in 2016-17, maybe the youngster gets traded.

Thoughts?

[GordonH]

^^^ May they make it to Red Deer next May, first have good regular season. Maybe not the numbers as last season at least #1 in BC division.

[JayByrd]

I edited that a little.

Hard to say if this is a contending team, I agree. They'll have scoring, and some good experience at forward. Goaltending should be solid too. D is the question mark.

[GordonH]

I edited that a little.

Hard to say if this is a contending team, I agree. They'll have scoring, and some good experience at forward. Goaltending should be solid too. D is the question mark.

I fully expect if the D becomes an issue Mr Hamilton will do what he can to plug it, with trades as he has proven he can do.

Added: the other question mark is how the players will respond to the new Coach

[GordonH]

So 25th Anniversary Jerseys will actual have something to do with a Rocket, and not imaginary lake monster. lol

http://www.kelownarockets.com/article/r ... ary-jersey


Added later: Question: Is there a team who's jersey does not match up with team name???

[Symbonite]

are you talking about WHL or NHL Jerseys about logo and name?

But what I think is that the throwback is ok...Time to Update the new one and logo....Its been way too long with the same look jersey.