Dario Winkler remains a bit of a mystery.
The 18-year-old Austrian, whom the Silvertips claimed off waivers from Brandon last week, has been waylaid by visa issues although Everett general manager Garry Davidson told me Thursday that Winkler has been approved for the visa. According to Davidson, Winkler was in Vancouver, B.C., awaiting the return of his passport and would likely join the Tips this weekend.
However, Winkler hasn’t practiced with the team yet so he likely won’t play this weekend. He didn’t get much of a shot with the Wheat Kings (who coincidentally will be here next Wednesday) so the Tips are eager to see what he can do.
Hence the mystery bit.
Thursday was a shorter ice session that finished in a little more than an hour. It included plenty of power play and penalty kill work which seems to be paying off. Head coach Kevin Constantine has been slow to admit it, but the Silvertips power play is developing into one of the best in the league.
At 32 percent Everett (8-for-25) ranks second behind Vancouver (35.3 percent) in the power play this season. And this is after Everett struggled to a 1-for-10 showing in its first three games. So the last three games the Tips are at a 7-for-15 clip on the power play (47 percent).
A lot of credit has to be chalked up to the return of Noah Juulsen, whose powerful shot from the point has helped create a lot of chances. Despite missing the first two games the Montreal first-rounder is tied for the team lead with five points (two goals, three assists).
On the other side the Tips are toward the bottom in penalty killing at 73 percent (6-for-22). That’s a number Everett would certainly like to see improve.
Also of note is that at only six games in the Tips are last in the number of games played this season. That will change beginning this weekend, with a back-to-back against Portland and Seattle, a Wednesday game against Brandon, and a home-and-home with Portland next weekend. So we’ll get a better idea of where the Tips stack up once they catch up to the rest of the league in games played.
I noted this yesterday on Twitter, but Everett’s 2015 second round bantam pick, Brett Kemp, was named to Team Saskatchewan for the Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup. Current Silvertip Connor Dewar was on Team Manitoba last season.
Lastly I joined the @pucklandia podcast last night with Portland Winterhawks blogger Chad Balcom. The session included a guest appearance by Chad’s dog, Domino.
Follow Silvertips writer Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.
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