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.
Change is becoming a common thing early this year with the Bombers, but it can be good. The team is currently seeking a new coach/GM and now three players have requested a change of address. "Clayton Geiger, Fritz Sauter and Ronald Marcoux, they have all been put on the wire for trade," says interim coach/GM Brad Snyder, early this week. "They've shown interest to move to different leagues or different teams, so we're going to try and accommodate them and get players back in here of better quality to help out the franchise." Snyder succeeded with moving Geiger, who was sent to Battlefords' for 20-year-old forward Jesse Gulbraa, and 18-year-old defenseman Evan Smith, as reported on the SJHL website. The goaltending situation has been cleared up with Kevin Desfosses going home to Quebec. "We've decided that we're going with Mr.Crickard. He's going to be our back-up goalie this year for Mr. KalembaÉit's just a situation, we have to make a decision, we have too many imports, he is an import and we think Mr. Crickard can do an excellent job for us and he's going to be our future goaltender," Snyder says. Crickard is ready to play after being injured during the Saskatoon Showcase in a game against the Hounds. Crickard sustained a concussion and hurt his back. "Yes, Mr. Crickard is ready to play," Snyder says. "He's healthy, he's enjoying it now, he's more relaxed, he's getting more ice time at practice and I'm sure any time I ask him, he's going to perform to the best of his ability." According to Snyder, Marcoux approached him to be traded closer to home, which is in St. Paul, Alberta, but Snyder admits that he doesn't know where Marcoux wants to go. "He told me he wants to move closer to home in the Alberta Junior Hockey league," explains Snyder, "but my understanding is that his parents live in Yorkton or outside of Yorkton in Cansack." With Geiger, Snyder felt he needed a fresh start and just enjoy the game again. When asked if Geiger's trade demand had anything to do with Ryan Hoffman's release, Snyder responded by saying "I don't think so." He feels, though, it might be a challenge to deal Fritz Sauter "I'll do what I can for him," Snyder says, "but I mean basically, what can you do, there's only so many teams out there and a 20-year-old third or fourth winger is going to be tough to move." Again, Snyder scoffed at the question that Sauter also requested a trade because of the coaching change. "I think he just wanted to move on and see what other opportunities are out there for him. We're going to look for kids that are wanting to really play in Flin Flon to help out our franchise." By acquiring Gulbraa, 6-0 190 pounds, and Smith, 6-3 165 pounds, Snyder got bodies that he wanted to help the team. In 106 games with the North Stars, Gulbraa scored 18 goals, 35 assists for 53 points with 95 penalty minutes. Smith had one helper in five games. "Really, I'm happy with what he have here," Snyder says confidently. "We'd like to get maybe another goal scorer, somebody on the power-play, or something like that, wait and see what's available and we'll go from there." As the team prepares for their weekend games tomorrow and Sunday against La Ronge at the Whitney Forum, Snyder talked about his special teams. "I think our PK was excellent on the weekend and I don't think we really have to touch much with it," he says. "Change a few things that I want to work with it and I think our power-play's coming." Right now the Bombers have the worst man-advantage in the league scoring 11 goals on 85 opportunities for 12 per cent. The penalty killing is better as the team kills penalties 83 per cent of the time as they have allowed 13 goals on 78 chances. In order for the Bombers to continue their success this weekend, they will have to be extra careful with special teams. La Ronge has the best penalty kill allowing just 14 goals on 116 chances for 87 per cent. They also own the third best power-play scoring 22 times in 95 chances for 23 per cent. "Specialty teams have played a bigger part in this league all the time and we're going to try and get better as we go along here," says Snyder. "I think we do have the ability and the bodies here and the skills, especially, we have a very skilled team here."
