I’ve been behind on the overreaction Mondays due to the usual bout of cold and flu going through the Rivers household.
Now that we are all well enough, let’s take a crack at something I’ve wanted to get at for quite some time. As always, the following is my opinion only.
Regina has to trade away Nick Henry and Jake Leschyshyn to recuperate their losses
The Regina Pats were put into an interesting situation the last couple of seasons. In 2016-17, they had arguably the most talented core leading up to the trade deadline. They made moves to set themselves up for a run that sadly ended on home ice at the hands of the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Then over a month later, they found out they had won their bid for hosting the 100th Memorial Cup. That meant they had to go for it again the following season. This situation was made more difficult by two of their East Division rivals in the Swift Current Broncos and Moose Jaw Warriors going for it as well due to them being on the upswing on their cycles.
The bidding war was a fierce one with the impact helping the WHL to change their rules around trading younger players.
So what has the impact been specifically for the Pats? They have had a lack of high picks over the last two drafts and this looks to be the case for the next couple of drafts as well.
2017 Bantam Draft:
-They had no picks in the first two rounds and have not been able to sign their two highest picks, Ty Similanic and Colton Panowyk.
2018 Bantam Draft:
-No picks in the first three rounds and have only signed 10th round pick Jake Johnson from this draft so far.
2019 Bantam Draft
| Round | ||
| 1 | Traded to SAS for Libor Hajek | |
| 2 | Traded to SEA for Aaron Hyman | |
| 3 | Traded to SAS for Cam Hebig and Ryan Kubic | |
| 3 | Traded to RD for Austin Pratt | Originally acquired from RD |
| 4 | ||
| 4 | Acquired from VIC for a 4th in ‘19 and 8th in ‘18 | |
| 5 | Traded to Everett for Kyle Walker | |
| 5 | Acquired from MH for Jordan Hollett | |
| 6 | Traded to CGY for Justyn Gurney | |
| 7 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 8 | Acquired from EDM for Parker Gavlas | |
| 8 | Acquired from KOO for Tanner Sidaway | |
| 9 | ||
| 9 | Acquired from VIC with Dean McNabb | |
| 10 | ||
| 11 | ||
| 12 |
*=Regina recently brought in a 3rd round pick from Tri-City as part of a trade for defenseman Aaron Hyman.
2020 Bantam Draft
| Round | ||
| 1 | Traded to SAS for Cam Hebig and Ryan Kubic | |
| 2 | Traded to SAS for Cam Hebig and Ryan Kubic | |
| 3 | Conditionally traded to RD for Josh Mahura/Jeff de Wit | |
| 4 | ||
| 5 | Conditionally sent to VIC for Dean McNabb | |
| 6 | ||
| 7 | Dealt to CGY for 8th in ‘18, 9th in ‘18 and 10th in ‘18 | |
| 8 | Dealt to VIC for Dean McNabb | |
| 8 | Dealt to VIC for 4th in ‘18 | |
| 9 | ||
| 10 | ||
| 11 | ||
| 12 |
2021 Bantam Draft
| Round | ||
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | Traded to SAS for Cam Hebig and Ryan Kubic | |
| 4 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 6 | ||
| 7 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 9 | ||
| 10 | ||
| 11 | ||
| 12 |
As things currently stand (and if all of my information is correct), the Pats have no picks in the first two rounds for four straight seasons. While talented players can be found outside of those rounds, you are missing out on a lot of talented players, who teams across the league have seen and valued.
Going back further, the Pats look to have no first round picks for five straight seasons. Their last first rounder was Dawson Barteaux back in 2015 (who was traded away). Their 2014 first round pick Jordan Hollett was also moved after only a couple seasons in Regina.
The last first round pick who was kept to his prime WHL years was former WHL MVP Sam Steel.
The Pats have just not drafted and kept a standout Bantam player – developing him until he became a key part of the team, since Steel.
They need to restock the cupboards in a big way to set themselves up two, three, four and five seasons from now.
Lucky for them they have two players that could do that for them.
Nick Henry, is a 1999-born right wing who was drafted back in 2017 by the Colorado Avalanche. He was taken in the fourth round. The former Everett Silvertips pick had 81 points in 72 games back in 2016-17 before stumbling through an injury-plagued season last year that saw him have 29 points in 53 games.
Henry rebounded in the Memorial Cup, where he was third in overall scoring with seven points.
Henry, who has yet to be signed by Colorado and could come back as an overage next season, has 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points in 25 games. He possesses one of the best shots in the league and has proven that he has the ability to create his own shot on the rush. He would be a top-six forward on any team in the league and possibly a top right wing on a contender.
On a Regina team that is 8-17-0-0 and is already 11 points out of the last wild card spot and 14 points back of Moose Jaw for the third seed in the East Division, Henry is putting numbers up on a team that seems destined to miss the playoffs.
Why not move him to a contender, for a first round pick or two?
The Pats need to.
Another key piece from the strong Pats teams from 2016-17 and 2017-18 is center Jake Leschyshyn. He is one of the best faceoff takers in the league and has grown as a two-way center while playing into May.
Leschyshyn was taken in the second round back in 2017 by the Vegas Golden Knights and unlike Henry, is already signed.
He had 40 points in 2016-17 and 2017-18 but already has 32 this season in just 24 games. The son of former NHLer Curtis Leschyshyn plays a game that any coach in the WHL would admire as he plays hard over the whole sheet of ice and often gets the toughest matchups.
While his not coming back as an overage next season, could mean the Pats would not get some more conditional picks like they would for Henry, Leschyshyn still carries a lot of value. This is because he is the type of player that pushes you over the top in the playoffs. He can provide you offense while also holding the opponent down in his own end.
For how much impact a player like this can have, look no further than what Glenn Gawdin did for the Broncos last season or Garrett Pilon did once brought in by the Everett Silvertips.
Both of these players are likely being eyed by most of the WHL teams in the league and with teams being more restricted by the types of players they can move, the Pats could find themselves holding a bunch of high round picks.
Austin Pratt is also a 1999-born player that teams could be targeting as he has put up 23 points in 25 games this season, while playing a hard-working two-way game. The Pats might want to hang onto him as a leader for next season as an overage player, since he is more likely to come back than the other two.
The scenario of Henry and Leschyshyn being moved was made all the more likely by the Pats moving overage defenseman Aaron Hyman for another overager in forward Brett Clayton and a third-round pick in 2019. Hyman was a player the Pats moved a player and a second round pick for a season prior. They would not make that move if they were going for it again this season.
So the trading of Henry and Leschyshyn seems to be a certainty, but where will they go?
Well this early into the season, there are many teams still in the mix. Really any team still close to a playoff spot would want to add either of these players.
We shall see who gets either or both of these game-changers.
