| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010 3:35 pm |
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Sports 
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Transformed Silvertip After a rocky start with Everett, Alex Theriau has gained strength, speed and confidence to become a key member of the Silvertips’ defense EVERETT — The moment Alex Theriau stepped into Comcast Arena for training camp in August, one couldn’t help but notice the difference.Who was that muscle-bound young man? Was that really Alex Theriau? That’s not the same skinny kid who was here four months earlier. Turns out the physical changes were just a symbol of Theriau’s offseason transformation as a player. After a rocky start to his Silvertips career, Theriau has become a key member of the Everett’s defense, and he’s no longer the youngster who looked out of place at the WHL level. “I feel great,” Theriau said. “I’ve been getting a lot of opportunity and a lot of ice time, so the confidence just goes way up.” Said Everett associate head coach Jay Varady, who works with the defensemen: “I think he’s been really good lately. He’s put in some solid efforts, he’s given us big minutes and he’s been a really good hockey player for us.” The 17-year-old Theriau (pronounced TERRY-oh) was the key component Everett received from Lethbridge last January in the trade that sent Kyle Beach to the Hurricanes. The smooth-skating defenseman arrived with a big reputation, having been the sixth-overall pick in the 2007 bantam draft. But after watching him play upon arriving in Everett last season, one could only wonder, “Really?” Theriau didn’t look like a player who commanded such a high pick. He was in and out of the lineup, and when he did play he was used sparingly. He looked tentative and unsure of himself when he was on the ice. The season ended with Theriau dressing for just one of Everett’s five playoff games against Tri-City. “When he first showed up here there was tons of potential, but he was a 16-year-old, and to play in this league as a 16-year-old defenseman is really tough,” Varady said. “We knew his summer had to be good, and he knew his summer had to be good.” So, Theriau went to work. He returned home to Duncan, B.C., determined to get into the type of shape required to compete at the WHL level. He focused on getting stronger and improving his speed. The results were stark. Theriau added about 10 pounds of muscle and now packs 189 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame. His smooth skating stride tends to disguise that he may be the fastest player on the team. “I just worked out hard all summer to put myself in the best possible position,” Theriau said. “That was my main focus.” It didn’t go unnoticed. “I think he had an incredible summer,” Varady said. “It’s proof he worked hard in terms of his testing when he came back, and he was ready to be a player in this league.” It’s shown on the ice. Theriau has been ever-present in Everett’s lineup this season, registering (10) assists in the Tips’ 23 games. He’s played in all situations, including logging substantial time on both the power play and the penalty kill. When teammate Ryan Murray went down with a broken thumb on Oct. 17, Theriau was summoned to join Radko Gudas on Everett’s top defensive pairing. The Tips haven’t missed a beat, going 8-5-1-0 in Murray’s absence. The most noticeable difference in Theriau from last season is his confidence. He’s no longer tentative battling along the boards or trying to make the first pass out of the defensive zone. “My confidence is way up,” Theriau said. “Confidence comes from continuously making the right plays and knowing you have the ability to more than just get by.” Said Varady: “He’s strong in the corners now and able to win battles — that gives a player confidence. He gained that and he’s shown he’s ready to play.” Theriau’s improvement also has been noticed by scouts. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau recently ranked him 23rd among WHL skaters for the 2010 NHL draft. Murray rejoined the team Wednesday, but Theriau continues to play a lot of minutes. Theriau likely will continue to see a lot of ice time not only the remainder of this season, but for the rest of his Tips’ career. “I’d like to keep up my responsibilities on the ice as far as ice time,” Theriau said. “I just want to keep contributing to the team the best I can.” Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog |
- The Kid (Griffey) strikes again!
- Teams from Snohomish County join in search for Colton Harris-Moore on Orcas
- State changes mind on how to handle Darrington graves in highway right-of-way
- Woman gets 17 months for lies, bribery
- Car thief eludes Everett police
- Frontier: Things aren’t that bad
- Everett plans big upgrades for city parks
- Suspects sought in Snohomish shooting
- Riders take to Community Transit's Swift buses
- Once again, Colton Harris-Moore eludes capture
- Monroe girl guilty of murder in Sultan gang slaying
(24) - State changes mind on how to handle Darrington graves in highway right-of-way (14)
- Police step up hunt for Colton Harris-Moore on Orcas Island (12)
- Teams from Snohomish County join in search for Colton Harris-Moore on Orcas (10)
- Riders take to Community Transit's Swift buses (10)
- Everett plans big upgrades for city parks (9)
- Senate eyeing smaller sales tax hike (6)
- Woman gets 17 months for lies, bribery (5)
- Census distrust misplaced (4)
- 15 arrested for drunken driving on St. Patrick's Day (4)
- Archbishop Murphy graduate happy to be in San Jose
- Troupe improv-ment
- Best finish ever for Mavs
- Local businesses clean for a reason
- Edmonds Art Walk opens 9th year March 18
- Lynnwood girls wrap up at state
- Lynnwood wants outsider to review budget
- SKCC presents premiere of Jenkins’ composition
- Boeing to Offer NewGen Tanker to US Air Force
- New CEO at Valley General Hospital
- Dan Koffman's ‘TopSpin' marketing astounds, inspires, motivates, produces — just for starters
- Economic forecasts for Snohomish County, Everett, Marysville offer some bright moments
- Government officials influencing home prices
- Massive EPA energy regulations meet challenge
- Washington state healthcare reforms also needed
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