Game On Magazine 2017 Nov Game On low res | Page 90

| THE C O ACHES | W I T H S C O T T Y B O W M A N
T
AMPA, FLA. – I spent
the pre-season at a
number of rookie
camps and had a
chance to see some of
the top players of the
future.
One of those players was
Oakbank, Manitoba’s Brett
Howden.
Howden, a big 6-foot-3,
190-pound centre, who was
drafted in the first round,
27th overall by the Tampa Bay
Lightning, the team I watch
most often during the season.
He’s a strong, fast skater
with good hands and a bright
future but a lot of people were
surprised he was sent back to
the Moose Jaw Warriors of the
Western Hockey League for
this season.
I wasn’t surprised for two
reasons. For one thing the
Lightning have a lot of veteran
players and this 2017-18
season will be an important
one in Tampa. This is a club
that believes it can compete,
not only for a playoff spot,
but also believes it has the
horses to go deep in the post-
season. There wasn’t a spot for
a 19-year-old rookie on this
club. At least, not now.
As well, the Lightning had
options on Howden. They
could send him back to junior
and they did not have to waive
him. If they were to send any
number of their other players
to Syracuse (AHL), they would
likely have to put them on
waivers first and there is a
good chance some of those
players would be scooped up.
So by sending Howden to
Moose Jaw, they let a young
player continu e his junior
career and they don’t lose
him to the waiver wire. The
Lightning expect big things
from Howden in the future.
There is no rush to get him to
the NHL.
This upcoming season is
also going to be a big one
for another small-town
Manitoban, James Reimer
from Morweena.
Reimer is a 29-year-old
eight-year veteran goaltender,
in his second year with the
Florida Panthers who will
serve as a backup to 38-year-
old starter Roberto Luongo.
At best, Luongo is a
55-game-per-season goalie at
age 38 and that means Reimer
should play at least 27 games
this season. He’ll also play the
back end of 15 back-to-back
games that the Panthers have
on their schedule.
Reimer played 43 games last
year and had a solid .920 save
percentage. He’s very capable
and it will be very important
that he has a strong season if
the Panthers hope to get back
into the post-season.
And finally, this should
be a big year for Winnipeg’s
Jonathan Toews.
The Chicago Blackhawks
made a deal with Columbus,
sending Artemi Panarin to
the Blue Jackets in order to
re-acquire Brandon Saad. Saad
is a tremendous 25-year-old
player who scored 55 goals
during the past two years in
Columbus. He’s also signed
at $6 million a season for the
next four years.
James Reimer, Florida Panthers
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However, playing alongside
Toews with Richard Panik on
the other wing, Saad could
have an explosive, breakout
year while Toews gets a winger
back that he played very well
with from 2012-2015. Toews
will be better with Saad than
he was with Panarin and that
will mean big things for the
Blackhawks this season.
I’m excited about the
upcoming NHL season and
I’m also excited about your
Winnipeg Jets. Forget that
opening night loss to Toronto.
The Jets have a talented team
and I think they’ll be right in
the hunt come April. ❍
COACH BOWMAN’S MANITOBA VIEW
OF THE UPCOMING NHL SEASON