The Creston Valley Thunder Cats will be playing differently under new head coach Geordie Wudrick. After a 21-win season that saw them lose in the first round, Wudrick is assembling a bigger, faster and more aggressive roster.
“That’s the way I like to coach and I played too,” said Wudrick in their Quick Shift team preview.
KIJHL: What should fans be excited about when it comes to this team?
GW: We’re going to push the pace, and looking at some of the guys we have, they are big, strong, fast and like to play the body. They like to be all over the puck. As a fan, I think that is always exciting hockey to watch.
KIJHL: You added defenceman Jordan Gale in a trade from Osoyoos, and signed Brayden Gosselin, who had played in Summerland last season, what are you looking for them to bring?
GW: With Gosselin, that was an intriguing signing. I was really excited when I saw that he was available. I like his size (6-2, 207 pounds), his skating ability and I love his physicality, especially playing in the league as a 17-year-old. I thought watching him on a team that struggled a little bit, he was a bright spot. He’s got leadership in his blood and I like that he has that defensive side to him – he can play a shutdown role. He is really starting to blossom with his skating and puck handling and his ability to open up offence. He is going to be a great two-way defender. (Note: Gosselin played for Team KIJHL in the BCHC Top Prospects Game).
When Gale’s name came across my table, I was excited to be able to add someone like him. Similar to Gosselin, I like that he is a leader, before playing in the league he captained in midget. He is very mature and has a calming presence. It looked like he had a phenomenal off-season building up his body to be a guy that can handle heavy minutes. I think he has underestimated skating ability and can do really good things with his feet. He has a nice offensive touch too. He will be one of our top penalty-killers and is a great addition.
KIJHL: For the past three seasons brothers Luke and Max Chakrabarti provided excitement for Thunder Cats fans. With Luke moving on to Castleton University and Max being traded to Weyburn in the SJHL, who are players that bring similar skill sets in those positions do you feel that fans can get excited about?
GW: I think they have different elements than some of the guys that we have. There are lots of players to be excited about. Gosselin and Gale bring different elements in their physicality and ability to play shutdown defence. On offence, one guy to be really excited about is Liam Munro (11 points in 11 games as a Thunder Cat after the trade deadline). He’s got an insane ability to open the game up with his skill, skating ability and is a great shooter, great playmaker. He brings a full offensive package and I think he is really going to blossom into a high-end forward in this league. Some guys that really impressed me throughout camp would be Berkley Gross – a first-year player with skating ability. When I saw him play in the summer, it looked like he was bringing that same edge with his feet. He is a great puck handler as well and has exceptional vision out there.
Dryden Harding with his size (6-4, 187 pounds) has exceptional skating ability and some of the softest hands I’ve seen from anyone on the ice with us. I think he is really going to blossom and have a lot of confidence to be able to do things in an offensive manner.
KIJHL: With the roster that you inherited, what areas are you looking to improve from last season?
GW: The biggest thing right away in the nature of who I am and the way I played is we want to get bigger and that was high on my list through the off-season. Especially increasing our size on the back end. We also want to have guys that have the combination of size and skating ability. Up front, if you look at Harding, he’s a guy that can fly out there. Adding Gosselin and Gale as our two bigger guys that can skate really well.
I always believe in scoring by committee. My philosophies are being able to have four lines, and six defencemen every night that can play any situation. We are going to have success by all guys playing well. I think we’re going to have a really deep roster and win games through hard work. Pressuring the puck and lots of physicality.
KIJHL: Are there any players that you are expecting to have big seasons? Talk about what you are hoping to see from them.
GW: Bradley Boyarski (5-11, 171 pounds) played a bit of a lesser role and has done phenomenal off-ice conditioning, and his skating looks really good. (Note: Boyarski collected a goal in 22 games after coming in a trade from Revelstoke where he played one game.)
Jace Litkoski, 20, brings a great package of skating ability and a great blend of defence and offence. He is strong, confident, a good leader in the dressing room, and has really impressed us. I think the system that we play fits his style of play. Boyarksi has 16 points in 77 career regular season games.
KIJHL: Are there first-year players who can make a smooth transition for an immediate impact?
GW: Defenceman Braeden Lackey was our first signing. He is a phenomenal skater, and what you will see is he has a calm demeanor. He is a really good puck handler and can use his feet to open up offence for himself and his teammates. He can also really defend well. He is coming from maybe the best AA team in Western Canada – the KC Colts.
Berkley Gross (2006 – Titans Hockey Union U18 JPHL/ 13 PTS in 32 GP) Gross will fit in quite well right away. He has phenomenal skating ability, a great skill set and has good finish and touch around the net.
Sanjay Chalupiak (2006 – Pilot Mound U18 Prep CSSHL) Chalupiak is a player I like a lot as he has a good blend of offence and defensive awareness. He is one of the hardest working guys on the ice and will slowly start to add in the offensive part of his game. He is hard on the puck and is smart and can play in all situations.
Daine Thomas (2007 – Indigenous Sports Academy U17) Thomas is one of our smaller forwards (5-8, 135 pounds) and has quite the skill package with vision and some of the best hands and finish on the ice. He is a great stick handler and the more comfortable he gets, and the more he adjusts to the speed and level, he will be a guy that turns into quite an offensive guy.
KIJHL: When it comes to your leadership group, what are the important characteristics that you want each player to possess?
GW: One of our big things that we talk with the players about is trying to have championship-style culture by being champions on- and off-the-ice. Three big things I ask from all the players, especially leaders, is sacrifice, accountability and commitment. Having those things individually and those same characteristics relating to the team, too. Sometimes you have to sacrifice things personally to be able to benefit the team. Sometimes it’s asking guys to play different roles and hold each other accountable.
