Good recruiting bodes well for ice Axemen

Last fall, the Acadia hockey Axemen, with 14 new faces on their roster, predictably got off to a slow start: one win, one tie and nine losses in their first 11 games. To the surprise of many – and to the team’s credit – the Axemen turned things around, went 10-5-2 the rest of the season and secured a playoff berth.

Head coach Darren Burns came in for his share of credit, both for his recruiting - it’s not every day you have to replace 14 players at one time - and for melding rookies and young veterans into a team nobody in the conference really wanted to play.

Last year’s finish made for a real sense of optimism heading into the 2008/ 2009 season.

I’m sure others are curious to see how last year’s rookies will do with a year’s experience under their belts, and were also interested in seeing how Burns would fare in a more “normal” recruiting year.

We’ll have to wait until the season starts – and maybe until it’s over – to get real answers but, for now, on paper at least, Burns appears to have done his part.

The Axemen had five players to replace this off-season: goalie (and team MVP) Lanny Ramage, defensemen Dale Good and Pierre Mitsou (and realistically, Travis Young as well) and forwards Brad Horan and Joel Isenor.

As of August 1, Burns had commitments for this fall (and beyond) from seven players: goalie Kris Westblom, defensemen Paul Kurceba, Beau Prokopetz and Jamie Klie and forwards Jonathan Laberge, Ryan Graham and Chris Bruton.

Last week, he confirmed he had also added Scott Tregunna, a 6’2” forward who spent last season with the OHL-champion (and Memorial Cup finalist) Kitchener Rangers and had 31 goals and 82 points two years ago with Owen Sound of the OHL.

Even taking into account all first-year players in the AUHC can expect some degree of a learning curve, it appears to be a group that should impress.

Westblom, who arrives highly-regarded, will team up with sophomore Mike Chaisson to give the Axemen a solid goaltending tandem for, hopefully, at least the next three years.

Kurceba, Klie and Prokopetz join incumbent defensemen Nathan Welton, Zack Firlotte, Nick Emanuele and Derek Lewis to form an impressive defense corps.

Burns said he was looking for more offense and more toughness in his forward recruits. He appears to have gotten it. Graham had 28 goals last season and 37 in 2006/ 2007. Laberge, Graham’s teammate with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last season, had 29 goals in his final year in junior. Bruton, captain of the Memorial Cup champion Spokane Chiefs, had 26 goals and 63 points in 2007/ 2008 and provided great leadership.

Over and above their statistics, one can assume these players will be solid student/ athletes and solid citizens. During his seven years as head coach, Burns has gained a reputation for recruiting solid, fundamental team players with a superior work ethic and good leadership qualities.

Many of last year’s freshman crop weren’t that highly-regarded on arrival, but proved they could make it up in work ethic and desire.

Even on the surface, this year’s group looks more impressive - from the start – and fully capable, once they adjust to CIS hockey, of providing what is necessary to turn the Axemen from a middle-of-the-pack team to one fighting for a conference title.