EVERETT — Tuesday marked the end of an era in Everett Silvertips history as the organization announced that head coach Kevin Constantine would not have his contract renewed when it runs out on May 31.
That leaves several things in flux heading into the offseason. Assistant coaches Mitch Love and Brennan Sonne have contracts independent of Constantine, and general manager Garry Davidson has expressed interest in retaining one or both coaches when he hires a new head coach.
As for when that will be done? On Tuesday Davidson expressed his full commitment to focusing on the bantam draft to be held May 4 in Calgary before addressing the issue of a new head coach. Once the draft is over and a new head coach is named, Davidson and the organization will start looking at what the returning group looks like.
“We’ll just take our time and digest everything and once we have a handle on where we think we’re at then we’ll try to see if we can shore up the weaknesses,” Davidson said. “But when I look at the board right now with all the potential players, I like our group and I think we’ll have a very competitive group here next year by the look of it.”
One offseason question mark every year is what the overage situation looks like the following season. The Tips had eight 1997-born players at the end of this season, but just three can remain. Those players included forwards Patrick Bajkov, Keith Anderson, Matt Fonteyne, Devon Skoleski and Cal Babych, defensemen Noah Juulsen and Kevin Davis and goaltender Mario Petit.
Anderson and Babych were both late-season listed pickups so it’s hard to see either of them returning. Juulsen is expected to play professionally next season in the Montreal Canadiens system. Petit was a more-than-serviceable backup to Carter Hart, and will likely get a shot to start for another WHL team, but the Tips won’t use an overage spot on a backup goalie.
That leaves Davis, Fonteyne, Bajkov and Skoleski as the mostly likely candidates to return, though nothing is certain. The first three along with Juulsen formed the foundation of Davidson’s first bantam draft in 2012 that ranks among the best drafts in franchise history.
Davis and Bajkov each had breakout seasons in terms of points this past year and it’s possible one or both could sign a pro deal before camp in August.
“You can’t put your finger on it this early for sure,” Davidson said. “You might have your wish list, but one of the guys you’re wishing for might sign a contract and be gone. And it wouldn’t be the first time that an overage (player) goes as a 19-year-old in the draft and you don’t get him back.”
Hart is Everett’s only 2013 bantam pick to stick with the organization and thus Davidson has spent ample time and resources trying to bolster the 1998-born class that features potential returnees in Sean Richards, Brandson Hein and Eetu Tuulola.
Both Richards and Hein are expected back. Tuulola made significant strides during his first season in the WHL and had a tremendous series against Seattle despite suffering a broken hand. However, he’s under contract with HPK in Finland and his NHL rights are held by the Calgary Flames, so Davidson said it remains to be seen if he comes back.
“I think Eetu really enjoyed his experience here and would have no problem coming back, but it’s all dictated by other things,” Davidson said.
Riley Sutter, a 1999-born, late-birthday forward jumped from one goal as a rookie to 20 this season and figures to be high on the NHL’s radar as the 6-3, 200-pound center enters his draft year. Fellow 1999-born forwards Connor Dewar and Brian King are both tenacious grinders who will be counted on to continue progressing on offense, while 2000-born Orrin Centazzo will be back after his rookie season was cut short due to a broken collarbone in February.
Other than Davis, the most experienced blueliners coming back are 1999-born defensemen Jake Christiansen and Everett native Wyatte Wylie. Christiansen will be entering his third year while Wylie is another late birthday and just completed his rookie season. There are also 2000-born defensemen Ian Walker and Montana Onyebuchi who spent the year with the team, and 2000-born Gianni Fairbrother, another late birthday who played most of the season at the B.C. major midget level while appearing in three regular-season games with the Tips.
The organization has signed its top two picks in the 2016 bantam draft in forwards Ethan Browne and Mark Liwiski. Both averaged more than a point per game in their midget seasons and should be in competition for roster spots. The Tips also inked their goaltender of the future in Dustin Wolf, a California-born fifth-round pick who will back up Hart next season.
The 2016-17 team was expected to be battling for playoff positioning in the middle of the U.S. Division, but instead won the division title and took the top overall seed in the Western Conference into the postseason.
Will they be able to do so again? It’s hard to know and Constantine’s ouster makes predictions all the more murky.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
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