EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips received news Thursday that could prove a double-edged sword.
Tips defenseman Rasmus Rissanen received confirmation Thursday that he’s been invited to attend Finland’s selection camp for the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships.
The 18-year-old Rissanen now has the opportunity to represent his country on hockey’s highest stage for players under the age of 20. It’s the type of honor most young players dream about while growing up.
However, his selection may contribute to a potential crisis looming on the horizon.
Rissanen’s possible participation at World Juniors means Everett may be forced to endure a stretch without three of its top four defensemen following the Christmas break. Radko Gudas and Ryan Murray could be absent, too.
Like Rissanen, Gudas also has been invited to a World Juniors selection camp. The 19-year-old is a virtual lock to make the Czech Republic team, given he was one of its key members last January. If Rissanen makes Finland’s team, both will be unavailable during the tournament, which takes place Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan.
Murray, Everett’s 16-year-old defensive phenom, is scheduled to suit up for Team West at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge, which is Dec. 29-Jan. 4 in Timmins, Ontario.
“It’s good,” said Everett coach Craig Hartsburg, who emphasized the positive about losing players to international competition. “Obviously it’s going to be hard for our team, we possibly lose our three best defensemen. But it’s what happens when you have good players. It’s good for them, it’s good for the organization. We’ll be short-handed, but while they’re there they’ll talk about what it’s like to play for the Everett Silvertips, which will help with recruiting. In a lot of ways it’s positive, but certainly it’s going to be hard not having them.”
Gudas also is expected to miss at least two games before the Christmas break as he departs sometime next week. Rissanen and Murray don’t leave until after Everett’s final game of the first half — Dec. 19 in Chilliwack.
The players aren’t the only defensive losses. Everett also will be missing its defensive coach. Associate head coach Jay Varady, who handles the defense, is serving as Team USA’s video coordinator at World Juniors. Assistant Chris Hartsburg will take the reins on defense while Varady is gone.
The Tips’ defensive depletion even extends to potential filler players. Sixteen-year-old prospect Evan Morden, who is perhaps Everett’s top option as a call-up, is also headed to the U-17s, where he’ll be Murray’s teammate.
Should Everett lose Rissanen to World Juniors, it would leave the Tips with just four defensemen: Chris de la Lande, Alex Theriau, Paul Sohor and Gabe Minville, and Minville has just six games worth of WHL experience.
“It’s a huge challenge,” Craig Hartsburg said. “I don’t know exactly what we’ll do. Doug (Soetaert, Everett’s general manager) is going to have to find us a couple players, and there’s a chance we’ll put a forward back there if we have to. That’s just the way it is, there’s not much you can do about it.”
At least the Tips can take solace that they’re not alone. Most WHL teams lose players to international duty during the holidays, though usually the losses aren’t so concentrated in one position. Regina is suffering a defensive drain even worse than Everett as the Pats lose one defenseman to World Juniors, two to the U-17s, have a fourth out injured and a fifth who just left the team.
But the schedule works against Everett, too. The players would miss one of the busiest and toughest stretches for the Tips this season, with nine games in 15 days from Dec. 27-Jan. 10.
Everett’s first four games after the Christmas break include three against Tri-City and one against Saskatoon. Both currently are ranked in the top 10 for the entire Canadian Hockey League. Those four games are followed by four consecutive road contests.
Nevertheless, Soetaert has vowed to find a way for the Tips to field a full complement of six defensemen during the absences. One option is Drew McDermott, who was reassigned during November but remains on Everett’s 50-player protected list. Another is 15-year-old Nicholas Walters, the team’s top pick from this year’s bantam draft.
“I’ve been planning for this for a while,” Soetaert said. “I knew we were losing two, possibly three. But we’ve done some things to look after it. We’ll have six defensemen for sure.
“And if we don’t, (center) Zack Dailey has played defense in the past.”
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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