Brian Liesse
Central Division

Daily Dose of the Dub: Oil Kings and Chiefs trim roster; Hamaliuk trying for a spot with Moose Jaw

Written by Brandon Rivers on

Edmonton reassigns Guenther, Slaney, Harris and Platz

Edmonton Oil Kings (27)

16 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies.

-Dylan Guenther – 2003 – Forward – 2018 first round pick.

-Keegan Slaney – 2003 – Defense – 2018 first round pick.

-Brian Harris – 1999 – Forward – 2014 11th round pick.

-Jayden Platz – 2000 – Defense – 2015 2nd round pick.

Hamlaiuk with the Warriors

-It seemed like a good bet that Spokane Chiefs overage defenseman Dalton Hamaliuk would get a shot with another WHL team after he was released by the Chiefs. That landing spot was not one I would have picked though as the Moose Jaw Warriors already have three overage players in camp in forward Tristin Langan, defenseman Brandon Schuldhaus and goalie Brodan Salmond.

Hamaliuk played his first game in the preseason for Moose Jaw on Friday – a 3-2 loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings. He scored one of the Warriors two goals in the game.

His emergence may mean that the Warriors are leaning towards having Adam Evanoff be their starting goalie when the season starts. That would probably spell the end of Salmond’s tryout with the Warriors and give them the room to keep Hamaliuk. Salmond stopped 31 of 34 in the loss on Friday and has a 2.55 GAA and 0.932 save percentage in two preseason appearances.

Spokane goes with two 1999-born goalies

After the Chiefs traded Donovan Buskey, there was a three-way battle in net for them. Ultimately, Spokane decided that 16-year-old Campbell Arnold needed another year of seasoning and they are sticking with 19-year-olds Bailey Brkin and Dawson Weatherill as their duo in net.

Weatherill had just one appearance in the preseason, stopping 24 of 25 shots. Once healthy, he took the net back for the Chiefs in the playoffs last year and played pretty well. He would is the favorite to get a majority of starts.

However, keeping another 19-year-old, especially one they brought in during 2017-18 and gave the start in game one of the playoffs last year, might mean the Chiefs will be splitting starts pretty evenly between Weatherill and Brkin.

Brkin had two preseason appearances, stopping a total of 47 of 53 pucks.

Gavlas gets six game suspension

-Regina Pats defenseman Parker Gavlas had a six-game suspension leveled at him by the WHL for a checking-to-the-head major in Regina’s 3-2 Thursday night loss to the Saskatoon Blades.

His check occurred with 5:26 left in the game and earned him a five-minute major and a game misconduct. Gavlas is a 19-year-old d-man who played eight regular season games last year for the Pats and three playoffs games. He played much of last season with the Yorkton Terriers of the SJHL.

He is one of 10 defensemen still listed on the Pats roster. If he does make the final roster, he will not be able to play until Saturday October 6th against Brandon.

Links and notes:

-Burzan back with less teeth

-Cole Fonstad came back from Montreal’s camp ready to have a big year.

–Pretty sweet looking trophy case up in Prince George now.

-Former Everett Silvertips d-man Ben Betker signed in the ECHL.

-Third-generation WHL player Joel Craven is getting set for another year in Medicine Hat.

-The Wentachee Wild added former Seattle Thunderbird Forward Blake Bargar to their roster