Taming the Wolves

I think this sums it up nicely...

If you happened to be at the AJL yesterday afternoon for the showdown between the Commandos and Timberwolves, first of all you probably had a better parking spot than me. Secondly, you were treated to possibly the best effort of the season from the hometown squad.

It wasn't just that Dieppe won 5-1... it's how they won. They were quicker, competed harder, continuously forced the T-Wolves into mistakes and received top shelf goaltending when they needed it... and they did this from start to finish. The aspect of this game that stood out for me the most was how Dieppe took advantage of their larger, Olympic sized ice surface, something they don't always get the opportunity to do, especially against an opponent as formidable as Miramichi. There seemed to be a bit more room and a bit more time out there for Commandos skaters yesterday, consistently hitting the opposing blueline with speed and supporting the puck very well, allowing the game to come to them. As a result, Dieppe's goals were mostly the result of activating the trailer or outstanding passing.

Since the beginning of the season, I can't help but be impressed with the strides Matt Bernier has taken in adapting to the game at this level. After playing up front in midget, he has proven to be a much needed body on the Commandos back end (a position he had played in the past). Yesterday was the best outing I've seen from him this season. With Justin MacDonald sidelined due to mono, Bernier ate up valuable minutes and showed great poise on both sides of the puck. His decision making when breaking out of the neutral zone was quite impressive. This, along with the lead the team eventually accumulated, allowed the coaching staff to take a bit of pressure of a guy like Alex Snow and distribute ice time among the remaining blueliners more evenly. Solid defensive effort by the entire team yesterday, but the confident, no-nonsense play of #15 certainly stood out for me.

The newly constituted top line of Joel Blanchard, Robbie Graham and Shane Dallaire continued to shine yesterday. After combining for 10 points in a losing cause in Amherst on Saturday night, the trio piled up another seven against the T-Wolves. The chemistry developing between the three seems apparent even this early into the forming of the line as they were instrumental in creating the chances that lead to both first period goals by Dieppe. If there's one player who seems to be directly benefiting the most from the Chiasson trade, it appears to be Dallaire. Thus far he hasn't missed a beat in his new role, showing more and more of the offensive awareness he displayed in spades at the midget level. 

When the trade with Summerside was made, it was immediately understood that this was "addition by subtraction" in the sense that the Commandos were going to be greatly rewarded by this deal at the draft. However, the "addition by subtraction" theory could be applied to the team as it stands right now... I wonder how much that trade has brought the team together, knowing the roles players will now be placed in and what potentially successful scenario awaits the club down the road. It's obviously early... but what I saw yesterday from the home squad was a true team effort. Everyone had a little more jump, this on the back end of a two games in under two days scenario. Is that anything more than coincidence? Or did that trade do more than meets the eye for the Commandos? I suppose we'll get the answer soon enough.

Meanwhile in Bathurst, the Titan defeat the Cats 5-2 with the third line (once again) doing all the damage for Moncton. Can't say much more about this game as I wasn't watching at all and only heard a snippet of the second period... but by all accounts, it's was a familiar storyline for the Wildcats. So let's see... inconsistent efforts from the first line and breakdowns at crucial times from the defensive unit as a whole, plus relying on one player - currently returning from Russia - to spark much of the top 6 offence. It's going to be a very intriguing next 24 hours around the Coliseum.

In Other News, Hockey Also Existed Before This Morning

4-0 win for the Wildcats last night over Cape Breton. The Eagles are basically disguised as a pretty good Jr.A team this season, so it was one of those games that the Cats would've had to go out of their way to lose. From the opening whistle to the very end, Moncton played a pretty airtight game by and large. Any coach will tell you the game is alot more fun when you're doing the so-called "little things", and that was evident last night. They were blocking shots (looking like they were addicted to it on the PK in particular), strong on the puck and were opportunistic against an Eagles team that was basically trying to fend off their opponent as best they can. Cole Holowenko got what was no doubt one of his better birthday presents with his first shutout of the season, not facing much in the way of quality chances but staying focused and looking solid when those few shots were directed his way.

Did last night change my mind about what I've been saying all week about my personal stance on this team? No... however, it did show that this team can be quite successful when playing as a collective unit. If Danny Flynn can get everyone to buy in, this season can still be very exciting... but consistency remains the key. They get to do it all over again against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, the 13th place team that is apparently going for it, if the addition of Marc-Olivier Brouillard from the Drummondville Voltigeurs is any indication. Perhaps with a new coach in Danny Dupont, a (very) modest skein of recent success (three game winning streak, 5-5 in their last 10) and a plethora of trades over the past month (six new players since December 11th, including Brouillard) give the Titan the look they feel they need to have to compete against the upper echelon of teams in the Q, or at the very least play a very viable "dark horse" come playoff time. On the other hand, maybe this is the one last kick at the can - as in, ever - for the Titan in Northern NB.

As for my question last night regarding who the Wildcats would have in uniform to fill out the roster up front, it was Mark Simpson, who again looked good in a limited role while his regular team, the Dieppe Commandos...

... had a rough night. A 10-5 loss to the Amherst Ramblers in which they fell behind 4-0 halfway through the first, lost the bulk of their coaching staff around the same time and forward Mathieu Newcombe has his face rearranged (incidentally, the word that got back to me saying Amherst fans were cheering when a doctor came out to tend to the prone player is not the most classy thing I've heard of... but if they were cheering instead of swearing, I guess that's deemed acceptable). Colton Stairs, making his debut after being acquired from the Woodstock Slammers along with a seventh round pick in 2013 in exchange for a second round pick in 2013, got into a scrap and should hopefully make alot of other players feel a bit bigger when in the lineup going forward.

Dieppe, this game no doubt wiped from the memory banks, are back at it this afternoon - with Mark Simpson back in the mix - against the Miramichi Timberwovles in a 2:30 start. If last night's game proved anything, it's that this team will remain an exciting offensive team to watch, as Robbie Graham, Shane Dallarie and Joel Blanchard combined for 10 points in a losing cause. It should be another entertaining, back and forth matchup again today as the two clubs battle for position in the Meek division standings. Come on down and see for yourself.

Oh, and to the fans of the Oklahoma City Barons... sorry.

Let's Party Like it's 1998!

It's not everyday the World Juniors feel like the Olympics to Canada, but that's in fact the case this year as the national team had to settle for the "4th place medal", dropping a 5-4 OT decision to Russia in the bronze medal game. This marks the first time since the infamous train wreck known as "Team Canada, 1998" walked into Helsinki, did their best to try and get relegated (including a loss to Kazakhstan) and finished 8th. Many people will probably ask what's wrong with the national program after this tournament. The answer to this is simple... there's nothing wrong with it! The same four to six teams essentially reach this stage of the tournament every single year. If anything, the law of averages in itself dictates this country finishes off the podium every so often. Ask the Swiss - who came oh so close to being in the semi-finals this year and haven't won a medal since that same 1998 tournament - if they would be willing to accept a fourth place finish after finishing in the medals 14 straight years. They'd probably not decline the offer.

Congrats to Team USA on winning gold, 3-1 over Sweden. Looking back on the tournament as a whole, given the balance the Americans had at all three positions (including the sensational netminding of tournament MVP John Gibson), their ability to score key goals at key times and to come back from a 1-2 start proves that the best team really did win this year. Phil Housley's crew definitely took a road less traveled to get to the finals, but they made good on every opportunity given them when it mattered most.

In other news, let's welcome Team Norway back to the fold for the 2014 tournament in Malmo, Sweden. Of course, the most riveting question I can think of regarding this development is do they still wear those jerseys with the polar bears on the front? Those were awesome!

Cats get back to work in a under an hour, facing the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in a 7PM start at the Coliseum. Although I've stated my opinion on the state of Cats more than enough this week, I"ll say one thing; no matter how hard they potentially sell the farm, they will not come out of it as dysfunctional as the Screaming Eagles, who are still searching for their first playoff win (not a series... a single game) since Game 4 of their 2010 first round series against Moncton. That win will likely elude them again this season. With ownership changes and muddled management, the Screaming Eagles have become, quite sadly, one of the most wayward franchises in the league... and with players jumping ship and allegedly asking for trades, the ship has yet to be steered in the proper direction. If the Eagles want to be what they once were, trading every marketable asset that will not still be around in 2015 and going for the lottery pick in this year, while stockpiling other prime picks in what is supposedly a deep 2013 entry draft is the way to go. Build around your 16 year olds currently on the roster (forwards Clark Bishop and Zach Moody and goalie Alex Bureau) and within three seasons (hopefully), turn this team back into the consistently competitive club it once was.

As for Moncton, it's anybody's guess who might be in the lineup to replace missing forwards Yannick Veilleux, Dimitri Jaskin and Kyle Haas. Callups are incredibly difficult given the fact the Flyers (playing Fredericton) and Commandos (see below) are both in action tonight. Guess we'll find out the resolution to this problem soon enough.

The Commandos make their first visit to Amherst this season when they face the Ramblers at 7PM. Dieppe, 1-1 in the season series against the Ramblers this year, are looking for their third straight win and momentum heading into yet another key tilt with Miramichi at the AJL tomorrow afternoon. Zach Cahill did all the damage in regulation in Miramichi on Wednesday night in a 3-2 shootout win for the visitors. Great to see one of the hardest working guys on the roster get rewarded, especially after a subpar 2011-2012 season, statistically speaking. Let's see if he can continue that trend in the border town tonight.

As for me, it's off to the Coliseum... and just like Thursday night in Halfax, all bets are off once again.

The Big Blowup

What do you mean "The faceoff stays inside???"

I'm not getting into the statistical details - or most other details - of what happened last night. Those can be found here.

I will reiterate one thing, however. Everything that happened last night started with a botched faceoff location. A veteran team... supposedly one of the top teams in the league... containing size, strength, ability and - most importantly - veteran presence, blew a game over what began as a botched faceoff location. That missed call led - both directly and indirectly - to the Cats playing with four defencemen for 10 minutes... with two of the top four guys in the box. From there... well, let's just say getting back in the game was secondary. Just plain old fashioned getting back (at whom I don't know... the Mooseheads for being the better team? The refs for throwing that "insurmountable" obstacle in the team's way?) was the primary objective. Every major infraction last night was the responsibility of a veteran player.

So... what's wrong with this picture? This is supposed to be a "go for it" year. On paper, the team is solid. On the ice, they've left me (and alot of others) wanting more. There have been better teams float through this city the last few years and there have been worse. But this is probably the one I find myself the least "attached" to... and as time goes on, I wonder if certain players on this team don't feel much of an attachment as well. Another thing I know is this: today marks the first time that Danny Flynn - a man who is very good at pointing out the positives with his team whenever possible and seldom says anything particularly harsh in the media - has ever called any player he's ever coached here "spoiled brats". That went a long way with me in determining how bad it really was for everyone on the Cats last night... and gave me a bit more perspective into what I feel needs to be done with this club.

When Danny Flynn coached this team to the President's Cup in 2010, it was very much "his" team. The leadership core (Scott Brannon, Randy Cameron, Mark Barberio, David Savard) had been cultivated in large part by him. When Nicola Riopel came back from the AHL at Christmas, he fit right into that core as well and remains - for my money - the only goalie in team history that would've been fit to wear the "C" if such a thing were permitted. At the trade deadline, Flynn saw the chance and had the assets. Of all the players available on the market, the three biggest acquisitions he made had one thing in common. Gabriel Bourque, Nicolas Deschamps and Kelsey Tessier were all captains of their former clubs. They (along with Alex Wall) all meshed with the existing group just about as perfectly as possible, the remaining Cats players fed off their new teammates and vice versa, and the rest, as they say, is history.

This year's team is not so much "Danny Flynn's team" as much as it's a team he acquired... and unlike the players that arrived here in the winter of '09-'10, these guys have at least two differences from those who came before them. For one, they all arrived from the same team. I'm not going to touch on this point as much because that means dealing with a dynamic, namely the dressing room, that I'm ill equipped to discuss, but the possibility of this aspect making the team alot more "clickish" certainly exists. The bigger difference that I've noticed is that they have all won before. The 2010 boys were very much looked upon as an augment to the existing talent on the team. This past summer's draft day acquisitions feel more like the team that came together in the winter of '99-'00; in other words, they feel more like "hired guns". By the way, anyone remember how far that 2000 team made it on an embarrassment of talent? Look it up if need be.

This year's team would be well served by an infusion of hungry, "leader-type" veterans much like the squad that was assembled three seasons ago. Problem is, they don't exist - at least not to that large of a degree - on this year's trade market (plus, trading for leaders is alot tougher than one may think). Even if they did, how does Moncton go about acquiring them? Do they give up every first round pick for 10 years? Strip the cupboards bare of every and any marketable asset?

I know this blog must be starting to sound like a broken record as I've broached this topic twice in the last three days. However, I can't stop repeating it... and as deadline day looms, the lack of what this team needs - a combination of depth of talent, leadership and stability - is more and more glaring... and is very rare on this season's trade market. As much as I appreciate the effort the players on this team put into the cause night in and night out, the decision to make a run for it with the base of talent and disposable assets at present screams total madness. This is not just based on last night, either... this is based on a team that had gone, in this order, 5-7, followed by 15-2, followed by 3-6. It's great if you can get that 15-2 team going in the playoffs... but the odds are even greater based on the first 38 games played this year that you're going to get that sub-.500 team skittering onto the ice. Sub-.500 teams generally do not fare well in the playoffs... hence the beauty of the "best 4 out of 7" format.

This team is quite talented. I even agree when people say this team is built for the playoffs because, on paper, they are. When they bring their "A" game, they are one of the toughest teams in the league to beat. Unfortunately, that happens less than half the time. Could some of these players prove a bounty to other teams in this league looking to stock up? I'll bet you all that I have they would be more than willing to pay the price to find out for themselves.

So, I don't know. I think I know what will be taking place in the next few days. If it is what I think it is, I won't like it, although I'll support the club in any event. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that if Danny Flynn held the ownership reigns, a do-over might be undertaken. I also fear that the man behind the bench today may not be here after this spring if the Cats fail to produce results with the team they have now, and that's what bothers me as much as anything. I have a ton of respect for Danny Flynn. Anytime I've ever had the chance to interact with him (almost always media related) he's been professional, obliging and a treat to talk with. It would be a crying shame if he was to leave this organization if this team fails to achieve the ultimate goal, as he is the man most capable of building it back up again... but am I the only one that feels like Danny Flynn might be coaching and managing this season with a metaphorical gun to his head? I doubt I am.

Bottom line, this season has been one of the most maddening in team history up until now. Last night just happened to be the biggest blowup thus far. With all due respect to everyone involved, I hope after next week, it's remembered as only the second biggest.

"Wake Up Canada... Well, Everyone But Team Canada... You Get To Sleep In Today!!!"

Well, wasn't that something?

The person who coined the term "We win as a team, we lose as a team" probably had a game like this in mind... because both the winning and losing teams did just that today. Team USA did what good teams do. They put pressure on their opponent - a very good team in it's own right - continuously holding the advantage at all turns in the offensive zone. They won battles for loose pucks when need be, however those battles were few as the Americans maintained puck control for prolonged stretches. For the first 40 minutes, they kept Canada to the outside in their own zone and when required, they got the goaltending edge they needed from John Gibson. The only puck Canada did put past him technically shouldn't have counted (but it should've... but it shouldn't have... it's a long story).

I think it's tough to pin the blame on any individual player on Team Canada. It's easy in hindsight to say that Binnington should've been in nets from the start today, but unless he has some form of X-Ray vision that I'm unaware of, he would've been as equally hindered by traffic in front (mostly his own teammates, I might add) on the first two US goals as Malcolm Subban was. The third goal by John Gaudreau was a shot that many a Hall of Fame netminder would've had trouble on... it was that precise and that quick of a shot. The fourth US goal was questionable, but can Subban's teammates honestly say they contributed to the loss any less than he did? They won't... and it's not just because they're being good teammates... it's because that statement would be false.

My biggest concern coming into this game was that Canada would play the same way they did against the Americans in the round robin. In that game - a 2-1 Canada win - the team looked very good but not outstanding. There were still a number of mental and physical mistakes in their game that the US simply failed to capitalize on. If the puck doesn't hop over Alex Galchenyuk's stick with seconds to go in the third, we might've be talking more about poor positioning by the Canadian defense than the gutsy effort our national team put forth that morning. Although Subban was more of a difference maker that game, the team in front of him as a whole was as well. Instead of a still solid but slightly disjointed unit, this morning's Canadian squad reminded me more of how the Russians have looked virtually this entire tournament; lacking competitiveness, making poor decisions at key times (both on the bench and on the ice) and reacting to the play in front of them rather than dictating it. My comment from before this tournament began still stands - I have yet to see the Canadian juniors lose a game they deserved to win in perhaps the last decade. I find it hard to be disappointed by this loss in a way simply because the better team won this morning. To sum up the last three paragraphs in four words, they just got beat. Simple as that.

Time for bronze on Saturday morning. With all apologies to James Duthie, I think the old PVR will get a workout for that one. I need my beauty sleep.

Elsewhere, the Commandos started 2013 off on the right foot with a 3-2 shootout win in Miramichi last night. Zach Cahill did his best to make up for the departure of Danny Chiasson by potting both regulation time goals, while Joel Blanchard and Robbie Graham got the job done in the skills competition. According to Doug Doull's twitter after the game there were, and I quote, "no ringside judges scoring style points" which I hope just means Jeff LeBlanc had an ugly tie on though I have my doubts. Two points are two points however, and those points have vaulted Dieppe into a three way tie with the Timberwolves and Woodstock for second in the Meek division. Never a dull moment among the NB teams in the MHL it seems... and it continues for the Commandos on Saturday night in Amherst when they face the "never dull" Ramblers at the "never dull" Amherst Stadium (though that recent swearing ban may have brought the level of dullness up slightly) before heading back home on Sunday for a 2:30 PM matchup against those same T-Wolves.

Cats are in Halifax tonight... they can beat the Moose with Halifax's full lineup, they should beat the Moose with their depleted lineup (albeit Moncton continues to miss - and I mean miss - Dimitri Jaskin) and I'm going to leave it at that. All bets are off at the Metro Center.

Is the Long Run the Best Run?

Back on November 21st, I went through the pros and cons of the notion of the Moncton Wildcats trading up to go for a run as contenders for the President's Cup. We are now almost seven weeks removed from then... and I think another assessment is in order with the trade deadline less than a week away.

Since I wrote that post, the Cats have gone 10-5. Seven of those victories came consecutively. Of those five losses, four of them have come against teams below them in the standings. The fifth loss was against the #1 ranked Halifax Mooseheads... however, the Moose were missing their entire first line, their top defenseman and their starting goalie that night, and only a third period surge by Moncton made the final score a "respectable" 8-6 as a badly understaffed Halifax squad actually held a lead of 8-2 at one point in the second and dictated the flow of the first 35 minutes. Needless to say, the last few weeks have been a suitable cross-section of the season as a whole; that is to say, it's been up and down like a yo-yo. Before I get into my synopsis of the team as a whole, I'd first like to give my thoughts on this team from a position to position standpoint.

Let's start with the biggest powder keg of them all - goaltending. Alex Dubeau and Cole Holowenko have proved serviceable thus far. In fact, Holowenko has proven to be a great "70-30 split" type backup in my estimation. After being thrown to the wolves during his first game (9-4 loss in Blaineville), he rattled off five straight wins and looked good in the process. Despite a few hiccups, the BC native has proven to be a solid pickup. Dubeau's numbers have improved steadily after a horrific start to the season - a 2.99 GAA, .886 SP and 17-11-1 record going into the 2013 portion of the schedule.

I've talked to many people about the Wildcats goaltending situation and the schools of thought range from "goaltending needs to improve markedly" to "goaltending is great but defensive breakdowns need to be fewer". In my opinion, it's a combination of both. The mental and physical mistakes being made by this club's skaters (forwards as well as defensemen) have been very telling. Some nights they look airtight (3-0 wins versus Blaineville and Halifax respectively), other nights there have been more than one Keystone Cops-esque breakdown that leads to defeat (pick most games against PEI or the aforementioned 8-6 loss to the Moose). On other occasions, just as things are running smoothly, a weak goal will manage to find it's way past one the Moncton netminders (the win at home against Baie-Comeau which was achieved in spite of the starting goaltender performance that day or the loss at home to Val-d'Or in which goaltending severely dictated momentum).

I'm not about to sit here and point the finger at the masked men of this club as the primary reason why the Cats have been unable to gain traction in the Q standings thus far, but I will say this much: the three times Moncton advanced to the league finals, they did so with the following goaltenders: Corey Crawford (2004), Josh Tordjman (2006) and Nicola Riopel (2010). All three of those netminders either outright won a series for the Cats or at the very least kept their respective clubs very much in them - and that was by necessity, I might point out. That's also keeping in mind the fact that all three of those teams had superior a defense corps in front of these goalies. When that has to happen three times in a club's history to ensure they advance, it stops being a coincidence. Unfortunately - and with all due respect to this year's team and it's goaltending - it's very hard to say with certainty that the netminders on this season's squad could do the same.

Defense has been touched upon above, but what I said in November rings true. The last time the Wildcats won the President's Cup, their top four was as follows: David Savard, Mark Barbierio, Brandon Gormley, Simon Jodoin. In other words, three players who have appeared in or on the cusp of making the NHL and one player who went on to be captain of this club and one of the more versatile blueliners in recent team history. Alex Wall, a then-19 year old who was a #2 defenseman on a strong Quebec Remparts squad the following year was brought in to be the #4/5 guy in Moncton in 2010. That's the kind of defensive depth required to win in this league. Does Moncton have that same depth - and just as importantly, that same amount of experience - this season?

Unfortunately not. This is not to say it's a subpar back end. It's just not as deep. The runaway top two on this year's squad are a pair of Jonathans - Racine and Narbonne. I - along with the rest of the Cats' fans and coaches - am a huge fan of both. However, I cringe at the thought of one or both going down with an injury. We've already seen what life without Racine is like while he was day-to-day with an ankle issue just before Christmas. That life was not pleasant. Guys like Sam Roussy and Jacob Sweeney are coming along nicely... however, "coming along" is not the same as "being there". The number of mental mistakes being made by this group as a whole on at least a semi-regular basis is still a bane of contention... and the lack of experienced depth exposes this fact more than it should on a contending team.

Up front, the team can get a goal from any of the top three lines at virtually any time. Problem is, the consistency in which that occurs is problematic. Outside of Dimitri Jaskin, there hasn't been a foward on this club that's carried the offensive load game in and game out this season. An even more alarming fact is that the third line and guys like Ross Johnston and Conor Garland have been as much a key offensive component in the wins procured during Jaskin's departure for Ufa as the first line. The Saulniers and Veilleux have great stats on the season but the number of games in which they do not factor into the scoring has to be cause for concern (as an aside, I would like to see Jaskin and Veilleux on the same line for a couple games, just to see if the two like-minded players could find some chemistry). It's great to have depth... and I'm loving the way the third line has produced this past month or two... but once again, when you rely on anyone on your bottom six to provide consistent offense, they had best be point per game players or close to it in order to validate that philosophy. That player does not exist in that context on this team.Therefore, stability would be a requirement to ensure positive results as the playoffs grind along.

At this point, I would like to point out that I have used the most consistent part of this post has been the word "inconsistent". This concerns me... it should concern you as fans... and I can bet it concerns the people involved with the day to day operation of this team.

In other words, to enhance the odds of success for this club, an upgrade of sorts at all three positions would be ideal. Given the market this year, goaltending would be next to impossible to improve upon within the league. This would put a higher premium on the need to add depth of experience and talent both on the back end as well as up front. Something in the way of two solid top four dmen and at least one more top six forward would go a long way towards bringing this club closer to the ultimate goal. The fact that there are five or six other teams at the moment that are more or less equal or better prepared for a long playoff run not only makes the market more competitive, it puts the onus on the Cats to do something in the next six days to allow their proverbial horse to stay in the pack or perhaps pull away.

Then, there is the issue of assets... or lack thereof. Less than stellar results in the last two or three QMJHL entry drafts have left the number of viable, top shelf trading chips available very low. The prime draft picks available for trade are mostly beyond 2013, which will obviously slow the inevitable rebuild in Moncton considerably. This is not to say it's a lost cause. Of course, a run could be made. Assets could be removed from the cupboards. However, if this team wants to go down that road, it's painfully obvious that they can forget about being competitive again in three seasons.

This leads me to the ultimate question to be asked at this critical juncture of the season: would there be greater long term reward in this team selling off assets in an effort to contend in years to come?

It's an unusual situation in Moncton this season... many fundamental pieces are in place for the club to contend, a few additional components are required to ensure greater certainty of a longer playoff run and the cupboards are not greatly stocked to acquire those players. On the other hand, the key pieces that are already here would undoubtedly cause a bidding war and fetch a sizable fortune if placed on the open market. Take a look at the 2008-2009 Saint John Sea Dogs, who that year were so sure about their place among the league's upper echelon that they had T-shirts printed for the occasion (I still wear my "Our Team, Our Time" shirt - purchased for $2 in the spring of '09 - when out for a walk or run). By this time four years ago, it was painfully obvious that continuing down the path to contention would be disastrous for the Dogs and despite still being in the upper half of the standings, they decided to offload key components of that team in the name of looking forward to the years ahead. It turned out there was alot to look forward to. Three regular season titles, two Presidents Cups and a Memorial Cup title later and I'm sure any uproar created by the trades of Alex Grant and Chris DiDomenico have long been forgotten... and the desirable talent that would be available out of Moncton this season greatly trumps what the Dogs had to offer that year.

Of course, that winning skein to our south has not gone unnoticed by Wildcats' ownership. Robert Irving has already made it obvious that he wishes to contend this year. He will tell anyone who will listen that this will be the season in Moncton. However, Irving is a very intelligent man and very savvy in the business world. Sometimes in the business world, the greatest asset at one's disposal is patience and foresight; knowing when to buy, when to sell and knowing when one or the other is too much of a risk. Although I don't necessarily expect it, a part of me would be incredibly eager to see what would transpire in the ensuing seasons if this team offloaded any number of key contributors. I sympathize with Mr.Irving inasmuch as I would love to see this team win a national title... and in a way, it would be a shame to eliminate the potential of not having a banner to hang from the rafters of the Coliseum next fall.

However, the even greater possibility of two or three banners to hang is an intriguing proposition as well.

Here's a Resolution: Beat the ****ing Sea Dogs!!!

Help yourself to the Champagne, Danny. You deserve it after last night's game.

So, what exactly is going to have to happen for the Wildcats to defeat the Sea Dogs? Rampant stomach flu to run through Saint John? Sand on the visitors bench at the Coliseum? Some sort of voodoo curse? Convincing them to rehire Christian LaRue? All I know is I'm running out of the ideas, as the Cats threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Dogs last night, only to lose to the entity now known as "The Noah Zilbert and Sebastien Auger Show" but a count of 3-1. If you want to take a positive out of this, at least it was a game in which Moncton's compete level was higher than virtually any other game against Saint John this season and the team did fight until the bitter end... but knowing what Moncton's record would be if they only beat Saint John and PEI even half the time is something that has to grate on Danny Flynn and company.

It doesn't exactly get any easier for the Wildcats as they next face off against Halifax, Thursday night at the Metro Center. The Moose are still missing Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Martin Frk to the World Juniors... however, the last time these two teams met the Moose were minus those players plus starting goalie Zach Fucale and top dman Konrad Abeltshauser and we all know how great that turned out for the Cats. Time for "looking beyond who's not in the lineup, part 2" for Moncton.

Over in Dieppe, the Commandos awake from their long holiday slumber tomorrow night at the Miramichi Civic Center, where they face the T-Wolves in a 7:30 start. The Wolves have been hands down the most positive story in the MHL this year, going from being on the outside looking in during the post season last year to battling for second in the Meek Division (one point behind Woodstock as of today). For the Commandos, they begin life without Danny Chiasson in fourth place, just one point behind Miramichi. A Commandos regulation win gives them a tie for Second with the Slammer, therefore - as has been the case for most of the season - it (and almost every other game from now until the start of the postseason) will feel like a playoff game for Dieppe. As well, given their most recent transaction, each game will undoubtedly become more of a challenge... but also more of an opportunity for the players who represent the team's future to gain more valuable experience as the games get more and more challenging in 2013.

Speaking of Chiasson, his two point effort helped propel the Summerside Western Capitals to a 4-2 win over the always pesky Campbellton Tigers at home today. The Caps have lost exactly one game in regulation at home all season, are a continuous force to be reckoned with and are a bunch of other great things that will continue to keep their Twitter guy off my back into the New Year. ; )

For anyone looking for good hockey before the sun rises, my recommendation is the Dimitri Jaskin-led Czechs against the USA in quarter-final action at the World Juniors. For those who want to see the most curious (and surprisingly dangerous) team of the tournament, Russia takes on Switzerland tomorrow morning as well. Switzerland has already taken Sweden and Finland to a shootout and the Czechs to OT. Basically, if Russia plays like they can, they have a date with the Swedes in the semis wrapped up. If it's a repeat of the game against Slovakia, all bets are off. Of note, the Russians will be without key forward Valeri Nichushkin after being assessed a checking from behind major against Canada's Tyler Wotherspoon yesterday. In other news, Russian forward Nail Yakupov is day-to-day with a nagging case of poetic justice.