Post by whalers on Sept 19, 2014 14:42:13 GMT -5
The Pawtucket Patriots are a BEAST. They currently lead the American Conference of the Farm Division. In fact, at 20-7-0, they lead all farm teams in the NHA. They have scored a league leading 102 goals while giving up only 67 .... the second best in the farm. Their differential is +35 which leads their closest competitor by 8 points. They have three players in the top 12 in scoring. Have I mentioned they are a BEAST?
All of this would normally bode well for a parent team looking to rebuild. The Providence Whalers are that parent team and they are sorely in need of a major rebuild. How excited are the fans of the Whalers in watching their young stars down below? How excited is the Whaler braintrust (?) The answer to this is .... UNFORTUNATELY .... not excited at all. Fact is .... the NHA is a NHL re-rate league. Fact is ...... hardly any of their farm players will ever impact the Whalers' roster. Why is that? Well, the Patriots currently have twenty-seven players on their roster. Only nine of them are presently playing in North America. Two (Nolan & Packard) are retired. One (Dylan Hunter) is now an Assistant Coach. Sixteen of them are playing in Europe and are NOT COMING BACK any time soon. Only Cory Urquhart stands a chance to return.
Of the nine playing in North America, only two, Adam McQuad (Bruins) and Thomas Greiss (Pitt-and a German ironically) are currently on NHL Rosters. Kevin Westgarth was recently signed by the Oilers, however, he's a goon who probably won't make the final cut. Kelsey Wilson, Colby Cohen, Tyler Ekford and Nathan Lawson are playing in the AHL, but all are long-shots to make it back. Moises Guitierrez and Peter Ashton are playing in the ECHL, but it is doubtful either will make it to the Pros.
So, the future of the Patriots ..... and therefor the Whalers .... in the immediate is very, very bleak. Both squads will have to rely on the draft over the next millenium in order to put a quality product on the ice.
All of this would normally bode well for a parent team looking to rebuild. The Providence Whalers are that parent team and they are sorely in need of a major rebuild. How excited are the fans of the Whalers in watching their young stars down below? How excited is the Whaler braintrust (?) The answer to this is .... UNFORTUNATELY .... not excited at all. Fact is .... the NHA is a NHL re-rate league. Fact is ...... hardly any of their farm players will ever impact the Whalers' roster. Why is that? Well, the Patriots currently have twenty-seven players on their roster. Only nine of them are presently playing in North America. Two (Nolan & Packard) are retired. One (Dylan Hunter) is now an Assistant Coach. Sixteen of them are playing in Europe and are NOT COMING BACK any time soon. Only Cory Urquhart stands a chance to return.
Of the nine playing in North America, only two, Adam McQuad (Bruins) and Thomas Greiss (Pitt-and a German ironically) are currently on NHL Rosters. Kevin Westgarth was recently signed by the Oilers, however, he's a goon who probably won't make the final cut. Kelsey Wilson, Colby Cohen, Tyler Ekford and Nathan Lawson are playing in the AHL, but all are long-shots to make it back. Moises Guitierrez and Peter Ashton are playing in the ECHL, but it is doubtful either will make it to the Pros.
So, the future of the Patriots ..... and therefor the Whalers .... in the immediate is very, very bleak. Both squads will have to rely on the draft over the next millenium in order to put a quality product on the ice.