Opponent: Prince Albert Raiders
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Everett Events Center
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
The newest Silvertip has arrived. Twenty-year-old forward Chad Bassen, who was acquired from Medicine Hat last week in the Cutdown Draft, arrived in Everett on Monday and could be in uniform for today’s game against Prince Albert.
“Things have been excellent,” Bassen said about his first two days with the Silvertips. “The building’s unbelievable, there’s a great coaching staff and the team’s great, it seems like a good bunch of guys. So I’m excited.”
Bassen, a 6-foot, 181-pound native of Manning, Alberta, brings exceptional speed and skating ability to the Silvertips’ front line. In 12 games with Medicine Hat, Bassen had two goals and six assists. Last season Bassen had 13 goals and 20 assists in 55 games with Tigers.
However, Bassen got squeezed out at Medicine Hat, which had four overage players, one more than the limit. Bassen was released and picked up by Everett, which had an open spot for an overager.
Bassen was a little shocked when he first received the news.
“I was wondering if I was going to come down at first,” Bassen said. “I was kind of disappointed that I left Medicine Hat because I really liked it there. But at the same time I was excited I was coming to this team. I knew a couple of the guys on the team and they said things were going good.”
Bassen has played with an expansion team before, spending the 2001-02 season with the Vancouver Giants in what he referred to as “an experience.” But he’s expecting better things from Everett.
“They’ve got a great record so far and they haven’t let in many goals,” Bassen said. “I think we can win our division and can go deep into the playoffs. Everyone here has played on a WHL team, so it’s not like it’s any different from any other team.”
Scouting report: Prince Albert arrives as one of the hottest teams in the WHL. The Raiders were 8-4-1-1 going into Tuesday night’s game at Kelowna and in first place in the East Division.
The Raiders are led by the 20-year-old defensive pair of Mark Ardelan and Travis Young. Ardelan (four goals, 12 assists) is the WHL’s leading scorer among defensemen and Young (three goals, 11 assists) is tied for second. The offense is led by 20-year-old left wing Seth Leonard (seven goals, six assists) and 17-year-old center Kyle Chipchura (five goals, eight assists). Goalie Rejean Beauchemin is 8-4-1 with a 2.44 goals against average and a .909 save percentage.
Prince Albert coach Peter Anholt coached his 700th career game against Kelowna, and by the end of the week will move into ninth place on the all-time WHL list with 702.
Around the WHL: The Prince George Hurricanes have named Lane Lambert as their new head coach. The 38-year-old, who had been an assistant coach at Moose Jaw, was officially hired Monday. Prince George will send a 2004 sixth-round bantam draft pick to Moose Jaw as compensation. Lambert replaces Ed Dempsey, who was fired Oct. 6. … Swift Current’s Alex Leavitt was named the WHL Player of the Week for Oct. 14-19. Leavitt, a 19-year-old rookie forward, had three goals and five assists last week, helping the Broncos earn two wins and two ties.
Nick Patterson
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