BY JOHN DECOSTE

jdecoste@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

A year ago, Acadia hockey coach Darren Burns had the unenviable task of replacing 14 departing players, an almost complete turnaround for the ice Axemen.

To his credit, Burns succeeded in bringing in a good group of players who managed to rebound from a slow start to make the AUHC playoffs and who should provide a solid core for the Axemen for at least the next three years.

Burns’s task was considerably easier this time around, with just five players - Lanny Ramage, Dale Good, Pierre Mitsou, Brad Horan and Joel Isenor - to replace.

Even though he didn’t need to bring in the numbers he did last year, Burns said last week, “this is still an important recruiting year. We don’t have a lot of openings, but it was still important to bring in the right players.”

He said that with last year’s recruiting class, “we did a great job of bridging the gap. We now have a real good footprint in place for the next few years, and it was more a matter of adding a player here and there.”

Specifically, the 2007-2008 Axemen “lacked scoring up front and we also weren’t always as aggressive a team as we could have been.”

With commitments from six players so far – one goalie, three defensemen and two forwards – Burns said, “we have hopefully addressed those concerns.

“First and foremost,” he said, “we wanted to get quicker and add offense. We feel we’re bringing in some guys who will help our team speed and add offense and toughness, or a combination of both.”

Used to high-pressure situations

In goal, Burns will replace Ramage, who departed after five years at Acadia, with Christopher Westblom.

A former third-round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild, Westblom played with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. Two years ago, he played in the Memorial Cup.

“He’s a top-ranked overage goalie, very mature and used to high-pressure situations. We felt we needed to bring in a proven guy, and with Chris we feel we’ve done that.” Along with sophomore Mike Chiasson, “we should hopefully be set in goal for some time.”

On defense, Burns will welcome three newcomers: Paul Kurceba, Beau Prokopetz and Jamie Klie.

Kurceba, who last played with Kootenay in the WHL, also represented Canada at the world U-18 championships. “He’s a good two-way defenseman with good vision who shoots well and handles the puck well, and should help our power play.”

Prokopetz, formerly of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, is “a mobile stay-at-home defenseman,” 5’10” and 200 pounds. A “pillar” on the Eagles’ blueline, “he’s tough and likes to make the big hit. He should fit in well, especially on our big ice surface.”

Klie, a veteran of three years in the OHL, played last season with the MJHL Yarmouth Mariners, where he served as team captain and was named Most Valuable Defenseman.

“He shoots well and has excellent leadership skills, and should help our offense on the back end.”

Brings in offense up front

Up front, Burns has recruited two players who last played for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, both of whom have an offensive upside.

Jonathon Laberge, “a 70-point guy” with the Titan last season, is a skilled centreman, “a good two-way player who has the potential to make a difference on offense.”

Ryan Graham, a Newfoundland native, scored 30 goals in each of his last two seasons with the Titan. A “tough power forward,” he also had close to 200 penalty minutes. “He tends to play well in big games and should add to our toughness.”

Given that the Axemen were “offensively-challenged at times” last season, Burns’s priority was to bring in a couple of kids who could score. As well, he was looking for “kids who were first and second-line players” to augment the team’s returning players.

“We had the luxury that if kids weren’t likely to be first or second-line players, we didn’t feel we needed to recruit them.” He said Laberge and Graham will provide some offense and also fit into – and enhance – the mix the Axemen already have in place.

Burns noted he is still actively recruiting with the aim of securing at least one more ‘impact’ forward. “There are a couple of other guys we’re still talking to and there are at least a couple of high-profile forwards still up for grabs.” He is confident, however, that “even if nothing else happens, we feel we’re already improved.”