EVERETT – For the Everett Silvertips as a whole, tonight’s preseason game against the Tri-City Americans doesn’t really mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
But for the players who are fighting for the final few roster spots, their performances in tonight’s game are critical.
When the Silvertips and the Americans take the ice at 7:05 p.m. tonight at the Everett Events Center, it could be the final time some of the players put on an Everett jersey this season.
“Tonight’s game is huge, obviously,” said goaltender Brandon Heatherington, who is battling for the backup spot behind Michael Wall. “We’re getting closer and closer to the season and there’s not much time left to make the final cuts. We’re so close to the actual team that any little mistake is going to cost us.”
Everett currently has 27 players practicing with the team – 15 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders. The plan is to eventually cut down to 14 forwards, seven or eight defensemen and two goalies.
“I guess (tonight) is pretty big,” defenseman Derek Lewis, one of the players on the bubble, said. “The first three games at the (Everett Silvertips Pre-Season Tournament) were kind of an eye-opener for getting used to the team. Now it’s starting to get serious. But the jitters are out now that I’ve played a couple games, so hopefully I’ll be more calmed down, relaxed and able to control my game.”
The team has no deadline for getting down to its final roster, but would like to be able to dedicate the final two exhibition games next weekend to fine tuning for the regular season, rather than making final roster moves. Everett carried 27 players into the start of its inaugural season last year.
“I always find that these last decisions are more difficult to make and more difficult to deal with in terms of talking to the kids,” Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. “Now we’re at a number where all these guys are pretty close to making the team and anybody you cut probably could play for you. So it becomes very difficult to make these last cuts.”
In goal is where the Silvertips have their most difficult decision to make. The 19-year-old Heatherington, who has played two seasons in the WHL, would give Everett a more experienced backup. However, 16-year-old Leland Irving is a talented netminder who is considered the future of the position for the Silvertips, so any experience he picks up this year would be invaluable down the road.
Everett has a similar dilemma on defense. Lewis and Cody Thoring, both 18, are more mature players. Thoring in particular would seem to have an edge based on spending all last season with the team. However, 16-year-olds Taylor Ellington, Graham Pouter and Jonathan Harty have impressed in preseason and may force themselves onto the roster.
“The goaltending position behind Wall is very competitive, as is our defensive positions,” Constantine said. “We have some veteran defensemen and some very young defensemen and we’re just kind of trying to see who surfaces from all of that.”
The forward situation isn’t as urgent. Three of Everett’s four overagers – Riley Armstrong, Tyler Dietrich and Barry Horman – are forwards. With defenseman Mitch Love a lock for one of the three overager positions, only two of the three forwards will be retained. However, the overager deadline isn’t until Oct. 14, giving the Silvertips more than a month to make that decision.
Slap shots: Armstrong, Love and Wall won’t play in tonight’s game because they’re away at NHL rookie camps. … Former Silvertips forward Martin Ruzicka has been picked up by the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The 19-year-old Ruzicka, who had four goals and 12 assists for Everett last season, was cut after the Silvertips drafted Karel Hromas in this year’s CHL Import Draft. … Tickets for individual home games begin going on sale at 10 a.m. today. They can be purchased at the Everett Events Center box office, by calling 1-866-EEC-TIXX or online at www.everettsilvertips.com. A limited number of tickets are also on sale for next Friday’s exhibition game against Seattle at Olympicview Ice Arena in Mountlake Terrace. … Armstrong scored two goals in his debut for the San Jose Sharks’ rookie team as San Jose defeated Phoenix 4-1.
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