The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Bomber coach/GM Ryan Hoffman wants to see desperation and hunger as players fight for spots in training camp, which begins today. The toughest battle might be between the pipes as second-year goalie Dale Pettit battles newly acquired Jonathan Trout and a third goalie, who Hoffman couldn't name due to roster reasons. "All those guys are fighting for two spots, there's nothing that's carved in stone for either of those guys," explained Hoffman, who is expecting an interesting battle. Hoffman is hoping the trio is going to make decision time hell for his coaching staff. "It's an open competition and may the best two men win," he says. Hoffman has high expectations for Pettit because he worked very hard this summer to improve and to continue developing. He's hoping his goalie will come in and win that starting job. The same is expected with Trout because of his age and experience. The goalies will have the luxury of playing in front of a defense that Hoffman has plenty of confidence in. This is because their top four are returning and Hoffman says the two McCulloughs are key. "The mobility and puck sense those guys have really improved our defense core," he says. "I think we have four legitimate guys who can play on the powerplay, which we definitely weren't able to say a year ago." Hoffman expects the special teams to be better and a big part of that is experience. The mention of the defense with offensive power leads to questions about the forwards. Will they burn out the red light? The team has scoring leader and rookie of the year Tyler Beachell returning. Dalton Pajak put up good numbers in the eyes of Hoffman after being picked up from Yorkton. "Adding Needham, his offensive abilities will really help round out that number one line," says Hoffman. "From there, how much better guys like Richard Dupre, and Blake Rolston and Andrew Leslie and Clayton Gieger, are gonna be for us offensively?" "It's gonna come down to them having six goals last year to 10 or do they go to having 20?" asks Hoffman. "Really, that's what's going to make the difference for us offensively is how dramatic of an improvement those guys have." The Bombers coach believes the team will have a real solid third line of very tenacious checkers who can skate. "When you look at the speed and tenacity that a guy like Ronald Marcoux brings, and Jared Kissick is another acquisition we made this summer who is a very good two-way guy," he says. "Mike McKinna, a big, real physical thumper on the left side. I think we put together from a mix of four or five guys a real good third line to shut down, and be physical to other teams top lines." The fourth line is made up of one or two young guys playing with Mackenzie Groenewegen in the middle. "I think our fourth line is going to be a line that we'd like to be physical and throw out there to be a momentum swinger or a line that can give us a boost of energy every now and then," Hoffman says. Hoffman believes the level of competition is going to be high with guys battling to make the team. "When we bring those younger guys in that know they're going back to play midget,"Hoffman explains, "you know the level of desperation those guys have isn't quite the same as those guys who are scratching and clawing to make the team."
