Faced with the prospect of missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season, the 麻豆社国产Wolf Pack traded away its top two scorers.
Forwards Jake Charles and Malcolm Gould were sent to the Grandview Steelers, along with defenceman Brandon Pfeil, in exchange for defenceman Gray Meckling and forward Clayton Wilson.
Charles left 麻豆社国产after playing 35 games with 15 goals, 28 assists for 43 points, while Gould scored 23 goals, 17 assists for 40 points in 36 games.
But like Michael Mackie-Kwist, who was recently picked up by the British Columbia Hockey League's (BCHL) Burnaby Express Junior "A" team, the pair might be moving up for some games, Gould with the Quesnel Millionaires and Charles with the Express, said Wolf Pack head coach and general manager Matt Samson.
"It was a tough deal to make but the league has got to change how we set up the playoff structure because it makes no sense," he said. "Basically, we're the only team that's out of the playoff picture but we're [eight points] up on the eighth placed team."
There are 10 teams split into two divisions in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League (PIJHL). The top four teams in each division advance to the playoffs. However, with the league's top four teams in its division, the Wolf Pack is at a disadvantage, said Samson, especially since division rivals play each other seven times and play teams outside the division four times over the season. He is urging the league to change the format so the top eight teams overall make the playoffs.
"From a coach and a general manager's standpoint, it's a little bit frustrating when you work really hard and win some big games and you catch some bad breaks, but at the same time, we're definitely one of the top six or seven teams in the league with everyone here," said Samson.
The Wolf Pack was hit hard again on Saturday night (Jan. 16) when defenceman Kevin Conibear sustained a cracked fibula. The leg injury puts him out for the rest of the season.
Left with only 13 carded skaters to finish out the nine games remaining in the regular season, 麻豆社国产must fill the ranks with affiliate players. Despite the shake-up, the Wolf Pack hasn't lost the drive to win. 麻豆社国产rallied back from a 3-1 third period deficit to beat division rivals Delta 6-4 in the Ice Hawks own barn on Tuesday (Jan. 19). Colton Lewis's first goal of the season was the game winner. Goals also came from Wilson, Tadz Brown, Marco Finucci and Luke Kasteel.
"It gives us some life," said Samson. "It's a good morale booster for the guys."
However, it was evident that 麻豆社国产was not a full Pack on Saturday during a 6-1 loss to the Abbotsford Pilots at Brennan Park Arena.
Samson said it is a challenge to work new players into the line-up so late in the season but the team is still showing promise.
"It's a bit of a struggle in that regard to find the chemistry but I thought on Saturday we competed well and then got in a five minute stretch where we took some silly penalties and that kind of buried us."
