Hop on the bus, Gus
Published 4:45 pm Monday, December 29, 2014
The Tips are going to be well acquainted with the team bus by the time January comes to an end.
Sunday’s game at Tri-City began a stretch in which Everett plays 12 out of 14 on the road. The Tips have two long bus rides each season, one for their trip to the WHL’s Eastern Conference, the other to Prince George. This season those trips come right on top of one another — not to mention in January, right in the heart of winter when the travel conditions in Canada are most treacherous. I don’t recall Everett ever having a road stretch that comes close to this one. I attended practice Monday, and I feel like I won’t be seeing the team again until February.
The long road begins Tuesday in harmless enough fashion with a game in Kent against Seattle. But the team departs straight from the game for its six-games-in-nine-days trip through the East Division. The Tips will make stops in Kamloops and Calgary before arriving in Saskatoon on New Year’s Day.
The team should return on either Jan. 11 or 12, then have a week at home before heading out for its annual two-game stint at Prince George. Then on the way back from northern B.C. the Tips stop in Kelowna for two games against the Rockets, creating a brutal four-in-five.
This could really be a make-or-break stretch for the Tips. Everett is clinging to first place in the U.S. Division, just kind of treading water since the middle of November. The Tips need to experience some success during this long road stretch to remain in contention for the division banner. Especially against the East Division as the other U.S. Division teams had success during their trips out east earlier in the season. The good news for Everett is that the Tips have fared well on the road so far, going 9-5-0-1.
The WHL trade deadline just happens to take place during Everett’s trip out east — Jan. 10 is Everett’s final game of the trip at Swift Current. Talk about inconvenient timing. I’m sure the Tips are hoping that doesn’t affect the players during the road trip.
As an aside, I am perplexed as to why the league seems married to Jan. 10 as the date for the trade deadline. This season Jan. 10 falls on a Saturday. That means pretty much every team has a game on trade deadline day. Does that make any sense? Wouldn’t it make more sense to have the trade deadline on a day when no one plays? For example, the league could have a week where there can be games on Tuesday, but no games on Wednesday or Thursday, with the deadline taking place on the Wednesday. That would allow any traded players to travel to their new destinations without having to rush and without missing any games. Instead, all the players will be on pins and needles throughout a gameday, then be on an emotional comedown for the actual game. Go figure.
One other note from Monday’s practice. Winger Spencer Gerth, a 16-year-old prospect, skated with the team. Gerth isn’t joining the team, the Langley, B.C., resident was just getting a taste while he’s home for the Christmas break. He’s a non-drafted listed player, and I couldn’t tell you his chances of ever playing for Everett. But I just thought I’d mention that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more physically-developed 16-year-old (6-foot-3, 200 pounds, massive muscles) come through Everett.
