By Glen Erickson /
While the battle between the pipes has resembled a revolving door of sorts in Prince George over the past couple of seasons, the Cougars have chosen to take a gamble on a goaltender from Reno, Nevada.
In recent years, the list of netminders wearing a Cougars jersey includes Joe Caligiuri, Kevin Armstrong, Joel Danyluk, Alex Wright, Ian Curtis, Michael Salmon, Jordan White and James Priestner. Other than Armstrong, who played his 20-year-old season with the Cats, none seemed to emerge during their tenure as a long-term, bona-fide, number one starter in B.C.’s Northern Capital. It is hoped that the addition of highly-touted Hudson Stremmel in late October may put the search to rest.
Stremmel, now 18, was selected in the sixth round, 106th overall, by the Chilliwack Bruins in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft. When he indicated to the Bruins that he would not report, the team dropped him from their protected list. He went on to play with the Chicago Steel of the USHL, where he posted a 3.19 goals against average while compiling an 18-14-1 record in 35 games. This season, he joined the Colorado College Tigers of the NCAA Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference before making the jump to the WHL.
“We listed him about a month ago,” Thompson said. “We got tipped off a little bit that he was a guy who might come out. He went through the process to get a scholarship, but I guess goalies are a little different because there are only two nets on the ice and he was in a situation where there were three goaltenders down there.”
The acquisition of Stremmel had been in the works after James Priestner advised the team in early October of his intention to retire from hockey.
“Well, we were shocked when he came and talked to us,” Thompson said. “Sure, I suppose he did it the right way and I commend him for his decision if that is what he wants to do. It would have been nice if it would have come in the summer. Not too many teams have to turn over both of their goaltenders in October, so that made it pretty tough, a fairly stressful time.”
News & Notes
Through Nov. 9, Prince George has posted a 3-13-1-1 record…With Garrett Thiessen injured but expected to play during the Cats eastern swing, the club’s 20-year-old crew currently includes defenceman Dallas Jackson, along with forwards Alex Rogers and Tyler Halliday…Forward Brett Connolly has been named to Team WHL for the Subway Series games against Russia, but according to Thompson, he will not play unless he is 100 per cent healthy. |