Depth keyword for offense this season

The main question plaguing hockey Huskies fans this season is where the offense is going to come from. The Huskies lost 52.5 percent of its offense to graduation, and those numbers aren’t easy for any program to recover from. Head coach Jamie Russell has a hunch that the Huskies will do just that, with 16 forwards on roster. “We have some real good leadership up front,” said Russell. “We have some players that have seen quite a bit of ice time and understand their roles.” All eyes will be on senior winger Malcolm Gwilliam, the highest-scoring returning forward. His 14 points were three shy of his career best, but he netted a pair of power-play markers. He’s set for a career year with classmate Alex Gagne as his pivot for a full season. Gagne had just nine points last season but found a home on the top line for the last month of the season. This season, he’ll be the top centerman, and he should thrive in the role. “[Gagne] had a significant injury in his first season,” said Russell. “He definitely skates very well, and I thought that he had a very effective second half on our first line.” Senior center Ryan Angelow has developed over his career into a valuable faceoff specialist and penalty killer. The two-way forward will be taking the bulk of important faceoffs, at least during the early portion of the season. Derek Kitti, a senior winger, will be counted on more heavily this season. It took him awhile to break into the lineup last season, but he proved valuable at both ends of the ice and will see his ice time increase if he continues to improve this season. Two more senior wingers, Justin St. Louis and Alex Lord, will both battle for ice time. St. Louis had flashed brilliance at points during his career but needs to show consistancy this season. Lord, who battled an injury all last season, will be a valuable member of the penalty killing units this season, provided he can stay healthy. Junior winger Ryan Bunger, a hard-nosed, lunch bucket forward won’t blow away defenders with his breakaway speed, but there isn’t another forward on the Huskies who will get their nose as dirty as he does in front of opposing goaltenders. His seven points a year ago were down from his freshman season, but he’s back with a renewed vigor this season. “Ryan is a player we look [forward] to bring energy and a physical edge,” said Russell. “If the line he’s on can get pucks to the net, I think he has the ability to score goals like a Tomas Holmstrom.” Sophomores Eric Kattelus, Jordan Baker and Bennett Royer will all vie for increased ice time this season. Kattelus, a center, had a solid freshman campaign in which the two-way forward proved his awareness at both ends of the ice. Baker busted out of the gates but struggled to keep up that intensity as the season progressed. He appears to be built from the same mold as Mike Batovanja, but with a stronger offensive upside, so he’ll need to be more consistent this season. “Jordan has really good speed and will start the year on one of our top two lines,” said Russell. “He’s at his best when he’s competitive.” Looking a bit like a deer in the headlights, Royer struggled with the speed of the WCHA. However, when paired with Kattelus in the latter stages of the season, he seemed to settle in. His offensive ability should set him up well for a better season this year. Six freshmen will be working to break into the lineup this season. Mikael Lickteig, from Little Falls, Minn., scored 74 points in 58 games for the Alexandria Blizzard of the NAHL. He was named team MVP for his efforts. A two-way forward, Alex MacLeod of Nelson, B.C., compiled 78 points over four seasons split between the Peniton Vees of the BCHL and the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL. Brett Olson, the oldest member of the class, was captain of the Waterloo Blackhawks last season, where he posted 54 points. Olson, a center, has impressed the coaching staff with his poise both in and out of the locker room. He hails from Superior, Wis. “Brett is an older freshman,” said Russell. “He was a late bloomer, and I think that we’re going to see him settle in a little faster than the rest.” Son of former NHL goaltender Pokey Reddick, Bryce Reddick played for the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the BCHL where he notched 55 points. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he earned Most Sportsmanlike for the Capitals each of the last two seasons and should be a solid scoring winger for the Huskies. Seth Soley, a two-way winger from Elk Mound, Wis., will look to have a season like Kattelus. Soley isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty, but he is also conscious in his end, which is something the Huskies’ coaching staff has been preaching the last two seasons with much success. The Vettre, Norway, born Peter Rohn will have to spend the first 17 games of the season watching his teammates from the press box as he played 17 games over two seasons in the Norweigan Elite League. Last season, he posted 50 points en route to team MVP honors with the Green Mountain Glades of the Eastern Junior Hockey League last season. Despite the loss of Rohn for the first half of the season, depth is the key word for the Huskies this season. Russell is excited about the possibilities, and certainly if the large freshman class lives up to its billing, there should be plenty to cheer about for Huskies fans this season.