EVERETT — Don’t refer to the Everett Silvertips as an expansion team. That’s a sure way to draw the ire of coach Kevin Constantine.
"No ‘E’ word," Constantine said. "It’s just an excuse to lose. We don’t make up excuses for our performance. We’re just like any other team, we’re just a team in this league trying to win games."
That’s the attitude the Silvertips carry into their inaugural season, which begins tonight at Kamloops.
"A lot of people are going to expect us to finish in last place and that’s just fine with us, we don’t care," goalie Jeff Harvey said. "We’re out to prove a lot of people wrong and we’re going to turn a few heads this year."
To achieve that, the Silvertips will have to overcome the recent history of WHL expansion teams. The Vancouver Giants managed 13 wins in the 2001-02 season, the Edmonton Ice — now playing in Kootenay — won 14 games in 1996-97, and the Calgary Hitmen were limited to 18 in 1995-96.
However, the Silvertips enter the league under favorable conditions. The U.S. Division of the Western Conference is considered the weakest in the league. Last season the Tri-City Americans (20-44-3-5) and the Portland Winterhawks (19-40-8-5) had the two worst records in the 19-team league, and the Spokane Chiefs (26-36-6-4) weren’t much better. The Seattle Thunderbirds (44-22-3-3) were the only team that would have made the playoffs in two of the other three divisions.
With four of the five teams in the division advancing to the playoffs, reaching the postseason is an achievable goal for the Silvertips.
And in Constantine, who spent 10 seasons as a head coach in the NHL with San Jose, Pittsburgh and New Jersey, the Silvertips have the coach with the strongest resume in the league.
"Everything’s been smooth, I’m totally surprised," left wing John Dahl said. "The coaching staff has really influenced the players to buy into all the systems and it’s amazing right now."
One advantage is the Silvertips are allowed to keep five overage (20-year-old) players this season, while the other teams can carry just three.
The Silvertips have used that advantage to build an experienced defense. Harvey, the most experienced player on the team, was 22-17-2 with an .890 save percentage for Swift Current last season. Defensemen Matt Suderman, Bryan Nathe and Devin Wilson, who are also 20, give the Silvertips experience on the blue line. Add in Slovakian Ivan Baranka, who was selected by the New York Rangers in the second round of the 2003 NHL Draft, and Everett should be solid on defense.
The biggest issue for Everett is scoring goals. The 25 skaters on the roster combined to score 98 WHL goals last season. Right wing Barry Horman (22 goals with Spokane), left wing Dahl (17 with Saskatoon) and left wing Tyler Dietrich (10 with Medicine Hat) were the only players to break double digits last season. Center Riley Armstrong, left wing Jeff Schmidt and Czech right wing Martin Ruzicka are also being counted on to provide offense.
The Silvertips went 4-1 in the preseason, albeit against teams missing key players away at NHL training camps.
"I think they have a little bit of a feel that through the exhibition wins that they’re capable," Constantine said. "Sometimes understanding your capabilities makes you more resistant to not performing well. So I hope some of that has been gained through our wins in the exhibition schedule and that they understand that they do have the capability of winning hockey games."
Notes: Kamloops finished 39-27-5-1 and in second in the B.C. Division last season before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs. … The Blazers have a new coach in Dean Clark. … Center Erik Christensen, the league’s defending scoring champion, remains in camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the Blazers did get defenseman Nikita Korovkin and forward Cam Cunning back from NHL camps for the opener. … Goalie Devan Dubnyk is expected to be a top 10 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft.
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