Norpacs Least Favorite - Seattle jr. Totems
Why are they called the jr. totems anyways? jr to the 60's-70's Totems? The Totems I knew, who are all aged out by now, were big bearded grizzly lumber jacks. Anyway the Totems you all know and love...er... hate... are GONE, They're reighn of terror seems to be over, as far as I know anyway. The beastly size and toughness is all drafted into the upper ranks of the beer leagues, and a few select in colleges i beleive. Don't get me wrong they could definently put the puck in the net, but the beauty of the Totems was they were a real junior team (in my opinion) because they had the toughness to cover the goal scorers asses when they put too many pucks in the opposing teams net and the other team would put bounties on they'r heads... which didn't get them very far with the likes of Kevin Quinn (Franlin Pierce, D-3), Jimmy Gabriel, Jon Carpenter, and Alaskas own Spencer Galvin who played for the Ft.Van Pioneers back in the day and I followed when I stayed at my relatives down in vancouver. Each of these guys put up at least 30-50 Points a season, not bad when you consider these guys spent quite a bit of the time with their sticks n' gloves on the ice brawlin' like no other. No more Tanner Shulze, Kyle Stombaugh, Damir Alic, Kyle Farrell, Zac Wegener, i'd even put Galvin on this finess goal scoring list as well. I don't know these guys personally, but pointstreak.com says these guys were puting up anywhere from 70-110 pts. up a season, i dont know how accurate pointstreak.com is but it can't be too far off....
...BUT...
They lost pretty much all of their meat and goal scoring ability two years ago with the 87's going into retirement, and last year with the diminish of the 88's. What's left you ask? Well let's take a quick look...
Strong Point - Between the pipes #1 Kevin Maile, veteran tender that has played junior hockey since the ripe and tender age of 14-15? A solid "streaky" goalie, when he's on, he's ON, but on his nights off they have #35 Miles Klingenberg, a big goalie how cuts off the angles well and also plays pretty damn solid, nothing pretty but gets the job done, kind of a suitcase the past few years it looks, but is returning for a second year in Seattle so it looks as if he may have found his home.
On the blue line veteran D man #11 Kjell Sherman, big, hard hitter, assist man. Along with #5 Josh Prather, who has been in the league since he was 15 as well, very well positioned, mean, ready to drop the gloves if he has too. With the loss of 88's Taylor Perkins and Quinn Snider who ran they're Defense last year and logged 40+ minutes a game AND ran the power play/ penalty kill any game I watched they will be lackin' on the blue line.
As far ass the offensive attack, that is where they lost the most. #9 Chris Beede, a hard hitting, gritty, and can snap the twine when he needs too. Along with #22 Jake Rademacher, who has hands for days and apple sauce passes, but also lacks speed throughout the neutral zone. As I look at the rest of the roster, with the exception from a few choice rookies from last year that are returning, I dont know any of these new YOUNG faces, for the most part they are locals, hopefully they have as easy as a transition from midget to junior hockey as Shaun Pauly did, Pauly threw up 60+ Points I beleive and is now on the Wenatchee Wild of the NAHL.
As far as typical totems toughness they have veteran #3 Kale Barr, more of a crazy/ scary tough, but has long arms and quick hands once the gloves come off. #8 Sam Ballenger, loyal to the Totems throughout the years with some memorable bouts throughout the years as well, hopefully these too can focus on squaring up in stead of just jumping as they are both notorious for, but hey whatever works coach. #18 Brandon Vandermoon, although small, looks as if he had numerous tilts, I only caught one last season, but he has that south paw thing going for him, as it was the only hand he used, yet very effective, he will take care of any mid range trouble from the oppisition this season.
Weak Point - Can they pick up where they left off? Back to back Pacific Divsion Championships, and Back to Back trips to Tier 3 Junior Nationals somewhere on the east coast I beleive. It is a tradition of winning up in Seattle, but they will need help from every man, every game, every minute. Typical stupid penalties will be the death of them this year.
Coach Murphy seems to know what he's doing though with his previous years success, hopefully this batch of young bloods can pull it together and stay ontop of the "Totem Pole" (no pun intended). In my opinion they will have a winning season, but wont be blowing most teams out of the water on the scoreboard as they have the last few years.
Why are they called the jr. totems anyways? jr to the 60's-70's Totems? The Totems I knew, who are all aged out by now, were big bearded grizzly lumber jacks. Anyway the Totems you all know and love...er... hate... are GONE, They're reighn of terror seems to be over, as far as I know anyway. The beastly size and toughness is all drafted into the upper ranks of the beer leagues, and a few select in colleges i beleive. Don't get me wrong they could definently put the puck in the net, but the beauty of the Totems was they were a real junior team (in my opinion) because they had the toughness to cover the goal scorers asses when they put too many pucks in the opposing teams net and the other team would put bounties on they'r heads... which didn't get them very far with the likes of Kevin Quinn (Franlin Pierce, D-3), Jimmy Gabriel, Jon Carpenter, and Alaskas own Spencer Galvin who played for the Ft.Van Pioneers back in the day and I followed when I stayed at my relatives down in vancouver. Each of these guys put up at least 30-50 Points a season, not bad when you consider these guys spent quite a bit of the time with their sticks n' gloves on the ice brawlin' like no other. No more Tanner Shulze, Kyle Stombaugh, Damir Alic, Kyle Farrell, Zac Wegener, i'd even put Galvin on this finess goal scoring list as well. I don't know these guys personally, but pointstreak.com says these guys were puting up anywhere from 70-110 pts. up a season, i dont know how accurate pointstreak.com is but it can't be too far off....
...BUT...
They lost pretty much all of their meat and goal scoring ability two years ago with the 87's going into retirement, and last year with the diminish of the 88's. What's left you ask? Well let's take a quick look...
Strong Point - Between the pipes #1 Kevin Maile, veteran tender that has played junior hockey since the ripe and tender age of 14-15? A solid "streaky" goalie, when he's on, he's ON, but on his nights off they have #35 Miles Klingenberg, a big goalie how cuts off the angles well and also plays pretty damn solid, nothing pretty but gets the job done, kind of a suitcase the past few years it looks, but is returning for a second year in Seattle so it looks as if he may have found his home.
On the blue line veteran D man #11 Kjell Sherman, big, hard hitter, assist man. Along with #5 Josh Prather, who has been in the league since he was 15 as well, very well positioned, mean, ready to drop the gloves if he has too. With the loss of 88's Taylor Perkins and Quinn Snider who ran they're Defense last year and logged 40+ minutes a game AND ran the power play/ penalty kill any game I watched they will be lackin' on the blue line.
As far ass the offensive attack, that is where they lost the most. #9 Chris Beede, a hard hitting, gritty, and can snap the twine when he needs too. Along with #22 Jake Rademacher, who has hands for days and apple sauce passes, but also lacks speed throughout the neutral zone. As I look at the rest of the roster, with the exception from a few choice rookies from last year that are returning, I dont know any of these new YOUNG faces, for the most part they are locals, hopefully they have as easy as a transition from midget to junior hockey as Shaun Pauly did, Pauly threw up 60+ Points I beleive and is now on the Wenatchee Wild of the NAHL.
As far as typical totems toughness they have veteran #3 Kale Barr, more of a crazy/ scary tough, but has long arms and quick hands once the gloves come off. #8 Sam Ballenger, loyal to the Totems throughout the years with some memorable bouts throughout the years as well, hopefully these too can focus on squaring up in stead of just jumping as they are both notorious for, but hey whatever works coach. #18 Brandon Vandermoon, although small, looks as if he had numerous tilts, I only caught one last season, but he has that south paw thing going for him, as it was the only hand he used, yet very effective, he will take care of any mid range trouble from the oppisition this season.
Weak Point - Can they pick up where they left off? Back to back Pacific Divsion Championships, and Back to Back trips to Tier 3 Junior Nationals somewhere on the east coast I beleive. It is a tradition of winning up in Seattle, but they will need help from every man, every game, every minute. Typical stupid penalties will be the death of them this year.
Coach Murphy seems to know what he's doing though with his previous years success, hopefully this batch of young bloods can pull it together and stay ontop of the "Totem Pole" (no pun intended). In my opinion they will have a winning season, but wont be blowing most teams out of the water on the scoreboard as they have the last few years.
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