With all the talk about the returning Dommett-Calkins-Adamyk line along with Taylor Duzan up front, Wasden has been a bit of an afterthought. Which isn't surprising, considering the feisty right winger missed almost all of last season after tearing his ACL in the 10th game of the year.
The Saskatoon product had scored in his first and only SJHL game the previous season and gave the Klippers a physical presence in their bottom six, something they often don't have enough of. Then he blew out the knee in a Oct. 13 game against Weyburn and was lost for the year.
Wasden knew all along he wouldn't be able to skate again until the off-season, but he stuck with the team, buying into long road trips and being at the rink early to prepare, even though he was reduced to being a spectator. He was dying to get back on the ice, especially during that heart-stopping conference final against Yorkton, when the Terriers pounded the Klippers around on a few occasions.
It was a learning experience for the pesky 6'1" winger and he looked terrific in intra-squad action during the summer camp earlier this month. Wasden possesses an intriguing mix of truculence (thanks, Brian Burke), speed and good hands. The top six group is more or less set, with at least seven other players making a claim for that ice, but look for Wasden to chip in a few points on the third line while wearing down the opposition. Next year, he should get a chance to play top six minutes as a 20-year-old.
Wasden isn't the only Klipper bouncing back from a devastating injury. Sanfred King broke his femur in January 2009 as a member of the Brandon Wheat Kings and Larry Wintoneak feels he still has another gear or two in him. It's remarkable King is playing hockey at all after such a gruesome injury.
So who do you see in that top six? And the bottom six.
ReplyDeleteIn the top six, Dommett-Calkins-Adamyk will stay together and obviously will be the first line (although Larry technically doesn't number his lines). Duzan and King are pretty safe bets to be there. The other two with a good shot, I think, are Hoffman (he was used on a scoring line a few times last year - good face-off guy and his hustle is unmatched) and Braeden Johnson, a very skilled winger who was also used in that role when called up.
ReplyDeleteThere are other possibilities too - Ryan Benn adjusted well to a bottom six role last year but he's a very creative offensive player if given a chance. We didn't get to see a lot of Tanner Exner due to injuries, but he's got pretty good instincts too.
Bottom six - guys like Wasden, Taylor, Mysiorek will be back, with help from new guys like Gourley, Gerwing and Penner, assuming they make the team.
Should be some good battles in camp, with at least 16-17 forwards with a legit shot.