The Regional Optimist has closely followed the Battlefords North Stars for years and this could be one of the best seasons in a decade, or at least the first half. The question - how did they get here? This is a review of how the first half of their 2011-12 season has gone.
Off the ice changes came fast and furious for the North Stars in the off-season, as a new play-by-play voice Mike Feeney and marketing and office manager Jillian Miller were hired, but no one would argue the most significant move for the team was the hiring of head coach and general manager Kevin Hasselberg.
"I think this is a very good match from the program's perspective and most importantly from my perspective," Hasselberg said in an interview in August, days after it was announced he would replace Ken Pearson. The statement couldn't be more true at this point in the season. The Battlefords North Stars led the SJHL with a 28-8-0-2 record with one game remaining before their Christmas break.
They led the next closest teams, Weyburn and Humboldt, by five points and have been ranked nationally as high as fourth while earning nine- and 13-game winning streaks.
Obviously the coaching staff has done a tremendous job of bringing the players together. This is one of the closest hockey teams on and off the ice, which seems to one of the many reason for the success thus far.
The North Stars had Graham Hildebrand returning and penciled in as the number one goalie, but who would the other goalie be this season? A handful of younger suitors were at camp, but Hasselberg was able to lure Connor Creech from the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL. Creech battled with Jared Knott for the backup job and the decision wasn't made until two weeks into the regular season.
Creech hasn't disappointed, and neither has Hildebrand, who is in his fourth season and for the first time not splitting time with Kyle Birch. Hildebrand had a 16-4-1 record while Creech was 11-4-1 on the season. Hildebrand has the SJHL's best goals-against average while Creech is sixth and both have save percentages of at least .900.
It is safe to say the North Stars have one of, if not the best, goaltending tandems in the league, as both have either won or been nominated for goaltender of the week at some point through the season.
Defensively, the Battlefords North Stars were expecting to be in pretty good shape coming into camp, but that soon turned into a question mark.
Brody Luhning was playing well in the Western Hockey League with Regina during pre-season games, as was a North Stars' summer time signee Nathan Zumbulak, who ended up sticking with the Regina Pats. Woody Klassen was at training camp, but it was more for conditioning, as he planned to tryout for the Greenville Roadwarriors of the ECHL.
Returning to the North Stars were Travis Sparrow and Zach MacLellan along with Dillon Forbes, who played in the playoffs with the North Stars last season. After that, there were some holes to fill. Hasselberg took on some players he was familiar with from his past coaching jobs and started to piece together the defence.
After training camp and pre-season, Luhning was returned to the North Stars from the Regina Pats and the next week the North Stars acquired Curtis Toneff, who was playing with Dallas Jorgenson at the time. Jorgenson was moved after Klassen returned to the Battlefords and in a matter of a couple weeks the North Stars inserted two of the top offensive defenceman back into their lineup and were a much improved defensive unit.
Grayden Turner, who played junior B last season, was invited to camp and continued to make it through each round of cuts. He remains with the team and has played 15 games while proving he isn't afraid to defend his teammates. Turner has also filled in on a forward line on occasion.
Also on defence is Matthew Sheeran, who hasn't played yet, but is hoping after the Christmas break he is cleared by his doctor to get in game action for the first time with the North Stars. However Sheeran has fit in well with the team and was a big hit during their Halloween costume practice with his big ballerina costume.
This season the big focus was on the returning forwards. Blake Tatchell, Brett Miller, Braeden Johnson, Tim Rollins, Kyle Hall, Tanner Schwab, Boyd Wakelin and Robbie Newton all returned and were excited to start the season after a disappointing end in the survivor series last year.
Tatchell has been the most dominant player in the league this season recording 32 goals and 31 assists in 37 games while drawing the attention of several university hockey programs.
Johnson has also put up impressive numbers and should be taking notes from his linemate, as next season he will be 20, and he should be the front-runner to lead the North Stars offensively.
The top lines for the North Stars have changed on occasion this season, but Tatchell and Johnson have played together most nights, when they are healthy, with Hall, Miller, Rollins and now the newest edition, Jordan Ethier, getting a chance on the top line.
The North Stars added former La Ronge Ice Wolves' forward Ethier via a trade with Chilliwack and are hoping that improves their offence. He has played just one game with the North Stars so far.
Rookie forwards Tanner Quinn, Jared Samborski and Ryne Keller have made up a fourth /energy line of young, quick, physical players and have been together most of the season. The North Stars also have inserted forward Jake Daughtry onto their line to add some size after he was acquired from the Winkler Flyers of the MJHL. The idea with Daughtry was to give him a change of scenery and see if he can help the hockey team. He has when called upon.
Roger Tagoona had an outstanding rookie season in Melville last season, but needed a change of scenery after a slow start this season. The North Stars traded the rights of goaltender Blake Voth to the Millionaires for Tagoona and it looks to be a trade that worked great for both sides. Especially since the North Stars didn't give up a roster player for Tagoona, as Voth was playing semi-professional hockey in the United States to start the season.
The list of players who at one point were with the North Stars this season includes: Jared Kambeitz, Jesse Gerbig, Lucas Recknagle, Sam Prpich, Jorgenson, Nikolas Rogers and Knott. Expect a minor tweaking near the SJHL trade deadline, but this team looks to be for real and if the second half goes anything like the first four months, the North Stars should be in position to make a long and success playoff run.
