September 20, 2002

The last time the Thunderbirds gave up 10 goals in a game was September 20th, 2002 at Kamloops to start the 2002-03 season. Box score here...

The good news is... that team actually won the U.S. Division that season and finished with 94 points. Not only that... but they started the season 1-6-1 before turning things around and winning the division.

The lesson her is that 5 games is only 5 games and it is still really early in the season.

Having said that.... This is a team that has made defense their trademark under Rob Sumner and the defense is absolutely horribly right now. I don't know what the Los Angeles Kings are doing but if Thomas Hickey isn't going to make the opening day roster he needs to come back to Seattle right now, this team is totally lost without him. The strange part is... I have this feeling that when/if Hickey comes back you can automatically plug him in for 30 minutes of ice time or more and I could see this team running off a series of wins. I know that sounds crazy... but I compare it to baseball where a team gets their closer back from the DL and everyone else falls back into their proper roles on the team. With Hickey back... the minutes are spread out a lot more appropriately and everyone can calm down and fulfill their role without the added pressure.

My point...? Yeah it is bad... it's real bad and my guess is that some people in the front office are a little freaked out by this start.... BUT.... there is no need to panic and there are 67 games left to turn things around and this team might look entirely different with Thomas Hickey back in the lineup.

Relax people... the Tbirds finally come home tomorrow night... come out to Key Arena to see Guyle Fielder and see the final home opener at Key Arena and hopefully the boys will turn things around against what I think is the top team in the WHL the Spokane Chiefs. Home ice or not... if the Tbirds win tomorrow night... it will be a big win.

and....

the extra point is up... and it is good... only need a Touchdown to get back into this game. Ugh. Seriously boys... seriously...

Update...

Hickey was not listed in the box score tonight for Los Angeles... my guess is that he will be back by next week.

Hickey News... or at least speculation

I have been trying to gather as much information I can from the little news that comes out of LA Kings camp about what the Kings might be thinking about doing with Hickey and there are a few things I have noticed here in the last couple of days.

1) We have known for some time that the biggest reason (other than talent) that Hickey could end up staying with the Kings is the fact that they were very thing on the blue line. Most who speculated thought that there was possibly one or perhaps two spots left on the roster with Thomas competing with Drew Doughty to make the final roster. Well, the Kings the other day acquired veteran defenseman Sean O'Donnell from the Ducks which one would think locks up another one of those spots.

2) In addition to the added competition for a roster spot, it appears to me that Hickey has only seen action in 2 of 4 possible games (the Kings have played 5 but the first set of games were played with a split squad, is this baseball?) and he did not log any action in their most recent game last night.

This would lead me to believe there is a strong chance he is coming back and perhaps sooner than later. I don't think this means they have ruled him out... I'm just thinking at this time they are probably leaning towards sending him back to Seattle over keeping him on the roster. All of this of course could be thrown out the window if he plays again tonight.

The question is... if they are leaning towards sending him back to Seattle, how long will they make the Tbirds twist in the wind waiting for him to come back? My best guess at an answer... they won't make them wait much longer.

Here is my over under... I think if he doesn't play again tonight (unless he is banged up... and if he is I couldn't find it anywhere) I think he comes back on Monday the 6th which is the day after the last exhibition game.

Yup... new O/A player...

All credit to Steve Ewan and Marc Weber over at "The Dub Hub" for the scoop.

Seattle has claimed 20 year old Chris Cloud off of waivers from the Vancouver Giants. With Seattle being the only team in the WHL to not have a point they had first selection on the waiver wire where apparently several teams put in claims for Cloud.

Cloud is from Waywayseecappo, Manitoba (that is the last time I type THAT one out) and is a 5'11" 186 lb Left Winger who shoots left handed. Last season with the Giants, Cloud had 8 goals and 11 assists to go along with 105 PIMs. Cloud fought 15 times last season, 18 the year before and 10 the year before that... so he adds what I consider to be some much needed punch to the lineup

More details can be found in the entry from the Dub Hub here.

This leads me to believe that though the Tbirds may not announce is (and likely won't) that Ashton Hewson is in fact gone.

Changes?

Ashton Hewson is no longer listed on the TBirds roster on the WHL website....

I'm assuming this probably means he is no longer with the team but that is speculation on my part at this point. That would leave the Tbirds with an open O/A spot....

Monday Morning....

I'm back to work now (gimpy arm in all... not that anyone cared) and it is back to the grindstone.

The couldn't really be off to a worse start after 4 games and their trademark Sumner defense apparently is lost in translation somewhere. This team seems to be waiting on hope that Thomas Hickey is coming back... but newsflash here folks even if Hickey comes back it might not be until November 1st!

The Kings could give Hickey a 9 game tryout before returning him to Seattle and their 9th game isn't scheduled until October 30th.

This team better figure out how to play without Hickey and figure out how to be a top quality team on the chance that Hickey never comes back.

The schedule gets no easier this weekend with a trip to Vancouver followed by their home (KeyArena) opener on Saturday before a 3 in 3 road trip to Everett, back down to Porland and back up to Chilliwack.

In other news.... Bud Holloway was reassigned to Manchester of the AHL. We knew Bud was not coming back but this is the confirmation, congratulations Bud, story here.

Why this team is 0-4...

Here is the link to the stats....

-59 in 4 games.... wow that is bad.

WTF... ok guys its time to start playing...

these games actually count...

EDIT: ok thats a little better...

Tbirds remain winless and pointless...

Tbirds drop to 0-3 tonight at the Toyota Center 5-3 to the Tri-City Americans. Seattle led this game 2-1 in the 1st period but then gave up three straight goals to trail 4-2 in the 3rd period.

Seattle then pulled to within one goal as David Richard got a power play goal to make the score 4-3... but the deficit would last only 12 seconds as the Americans pushed the score back out to 5-3.

Jim O'Brien gets into a fight with the more experienced Mitch McColm with 3 seconds left in the game and something about it did not sit well with the Tbirds as Acolatse proceeded to get an USC penalty during the dead whistle before coach Rob Sumner was also tossed from the game and Jonathan Parker fought Jason Gardner at the buzzer. Jared Jagow also managed a Game Misconduct in the scrum as well. Because the WHL TV and Insinc have such horrible reception... I could not tell exactly what the Tbirds were upset about. Hopefully someday the league will upgrade these video feeds.

Tbirds managed only 13 shots on goal in the game... I'm sorry that just isn't going to cut it.