It’s time to start talking championships, and not just this year
"I think we have huge potential to do some really good things," Golden Bears head coach Ian Herbers says.
Fair Frames It’s safe to say that the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey team has out-performed expectations for such a young group. And it makes you wonder, “what will the team will look like a few years from now?”
First things first, what will this year look like?
The start to the season can only be described as explosive, but the end of the semester, not so much.
The team faced injuries and adjusting lineups, losing some insurance games as a result. This could prove costly, in the sense that they might not host the Canada West playoffs. On the bright side, they’ll end the regular season against some low-ranking teams, potentially adding to their points.
But the real excitement will come on January 24 and 25 when the Bears play the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, with Brett Hyland back in the lineup. Hyland took six points in two games against the Huskies. If that wasn’t enough, his hat trick probably was.
With all this momentum, things are on the up for the Bears, and head coach Ian Herbers thinks so too.
“I’m excited to see what the team can do this year. I think we have huge potential to do some really good things.”
It seems the Bears are on track to earn their 57th Canada West championship, but their 17th U Sports title? That’s a bit up in the air.
Some key trends from the top goal scorers
So what does it take for the Bears to win their 17th U Sports title? Development — whether its from senior players or staple rookies.
When talking about key players, Sean Tschigerl comes to mind, and his potential development could send the Bears over the edge. During his time in the Western Hockey League (WHL), Tschigerl hit his peak with 62 points in his senior year, but never generated more points than games played.
But this year he’s already gotten 18 points in 14 games and despite missing two games, he’s still in the top 10 for points, and leads the Bears in goals.
On an offensive line with Tshigerl is Hyland, who leads the team with 0.7 goals per game. His development is a little more subtle though. During his last three years in the WHL, he averaged more points than games played, and his goals-to-assist ratio only went from 13-16 to 32-27 — not a crazy amount.
It seems Hyland improved in more precise areas. The biggest ones are puck battles, draws of the face off, and play-making. Pretty much exactly what you want from a starting forward.
Development on the defensive side will take the Bears to the next level
Tyler Palmer followed a bit more of the stereotypical route, with a WHL best goals against average (GAA) of 2.57 his senior year. Though this season he’s at 2.01, a career high, and second in Canada West. A key difference from now to a year ago, is the tandem he has with Ethan Kruger. Kruger, very similarly, had a 2.00 GAA his first year. The best part is that they have another year to develop together.
Second only to his defensive partner, Marc Lajoie is the most offensive defenceman the Bears have, with 18 points in 16 games. When paired with Aidan de la Gorgendiere, they combine for 39 points and 34 assists.
The two are well regarded as the most effective pairing in their conference and have three years to grow together.
By now, you might be thinking that this idea of improvement seems basic, but when 11 recruits and five of your best players go through it at once, that’s when things start to happen.
There’s some players that will be costly to lose
Developing talent aside, there’s a few players that will be costly to lose.
A big one is Tyler Preziuso, the unsung hero of the penalty kill. In his four years with the Bears, he’s been a consistent player. And this year, he’s been key in taking a below average penalty kill to a competitive unit, leading Canada West in short-handed goals.
However, sitting third in Canada West for short-handed goals is Hyland, while six of the top 10 short-handed assists players belong to the Bears.
Beyond Preziuso, the team will lose some reliable players that are essential to distributing talent across all lines. This includes Justin Hall, Adam Hall, Josh Prokop, Jakin Smallwoord, and Eric Florchuk. Filling that gap will come from off the radar, first and second-year players.
Nevertheless, if this team is a preview of the next three years, that’s when championships happen.
