Chiefs sacrifice for their countries

By DOYLE POTENTEAU
Kelowna Daily Courier
KELOWNA — Tim Speltz doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
For most of this month and some of January, the Spokane Chiefs will be rather shorthanded thanks to the 2009 World Junior Championship in Ottawa.
On Wednesday, Hockey Canada and USA Hockey released their rosters, and the Chief could lose up to five players to the annual under-20 tournament.
The five? Starting goalie Dustin Tokarski (Watson, Sask.) and defenceman Jared Spurgeon (Edmonton) will attend Canada’s selection camp, while forwards Drayson Bowman (Littleton, Colo.), Tyler Johnson (Spokane) and Mitch Wahl (Seal Beach, Calif.) have been named to the U.S. team.
Wahl leads Spokane with 28 points (15-13), while Bowman is third with 26 (11-15) and Johnson is fourth with 22 (7-15).
And, as a bonus, sophomore defenceman Stefan Ulmer, 18, will be playing for Austria in the world junior Group B tournament, Dec. 15-21 in Aalborg, Denmark.
“We’re going to take a bit hit (for December). So we’ve talked to the (WHL), and they’re going to reschedule our games when it works better for our team,” said Speltz, with a laugh. “So, we’re really excited about that.”
All kidding aside — and, no, no games are being rescheduled — Speltz says losing up to half-a-dozen of his team’s best is an honour, albeit one that comes with a big price.
“It’s a double-edged sword, and a lot of teams have been through it,” said Speltz, adding the last time he could recall one team losing more than three players was Medicine Hat in the mid-1980s, as the Tigers “lost a pile” to Canada. “It’s fantastic for the players, but it’s not perfect in the short term for the team. But, long term, those guys are going to be better for the experience.
“(The selections) are a reflection of the success we had last season (as Memorial Cup champions), no question about that. It’s one of the things that come with winning. For us, we have to look at it positively: It’s going to be a great opportunity for our young guys to get more action than they normally would. At the end of the day, that’s going to make them better players, too.”
Of course, one can’t bring up the U.S. roster without mentioning how five WHLers were chosen — Bowman, Johnson, Wahl, Jonathon Blum (Vancouver Giants) and Jim O’Brien (Seattle Thunderbirds) — along with three from the OHL (goalies Thomas McCollum, Guelph Storm, and Josh Unice, Kitchener Rangers, plus forward Eric Tangradi, Belleville Bulls).
That eight CHL players were chosen is an amazing development, considering USA Hockey generally bases its roster around NCAA players, with maybe one or two CHLers tossed in.
For that, the WHL can thank Everett Silvertips associate coach Jay Varady, who was part of USA Hockey’s selection process.
Silvertips general manager Doug Soetaert said he wasn’t at all surprised by the five WHL picks.
“Americans are finding that the WHL can be a major step in their hockey careers,” said Soetaert. “The WHL is a viable operation, and more and more (American players) are starting to see that. The league is educating American families more about itself, and, because of that, more (U.S. players) are coming here, becoming successful and are getting drafted.”
Said Speltz: “(The eight) are a reflection of, No. 1, the U.S. player playing in the CHL; and, No. 2, especially with our guys, how they’ve had a successful run of playoff hockey and a successful (Memorial Cup) tournament.
“Going into the (world junior) tournament, they know Canada has traditionally been the best team and is expected to be the best team again this year. So where do they get their players? From major junior. So I think the U.S. has said 'You know what? These players know how to play that game; they know how to play with and against (Canada).’ So that’s what I think it’s a reflection of what it’s going to be.”