[Hollywood2]

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MANITOBA BISONS 2009-10

Next year country has started early in the university off-season. Two announcements have already been made. In addition, the league announced that four, rather than six, teams will qualify for this year's playoffs.

SAINTS GRAD RECRUITED

BLAIR MACAULAY (formerly of Tri-City and Saskatoon of the WHL and the Saints of the MJHL) has committed. The [LINK] at GoBisons.ca has his stats and also points out that Mike Sirant is back to coach after 3 years in Denmark. Frankly, I would not mind if Don McGillivray stuck around. Recruiting seemed to be going well under him. A blurb is also at [CJOB.COM] and at [WINNIPEGSUN.COM]. The 2008-09 thread is [HERE].

GOALTENDER AND D-MAN RECRUITED

The Bisons have announced the commitment of two more WHL grads for 2009-10 [LINK]. The goaltender is JESSE DECKERT, who played 4 games in the CIS for Lethbridge back in 2007-08. In the WHL he played for Prince Albert, Tri-Cities, and Regina. The d-man is BRANDON LOCKERBY, who played for Edmonton and Brandon. He is seemingly somewhat of an offensive d-man (35 points in 72 games).

Bookmarks:

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[Hollywood2]

click for Bisons Hockey page

SCHEDULE RELEASED

Canada West announced the schedules for all sports. The men's hockey schedule is [HERE]. Here's the Bison schedule:

• Oct 2-3 Saskatchewan at Manitoba 7:00 PM
  Oct 9-10 Lethbridge at Manitoba 7:00 PM
  Oct 16-17 Manitoba at UBC 9:30 PM
  Oct 23-24 Calgary at Manitoba 7:00 PM
  Oct 30-31 Manitoba at Alberta 8:30 PM
  Nov 6-7 bye
  Nov 13-14 Manitoba at Regina 7:00 PM
  Nov 20-21 Saskatchewan at Manitoba 3:00 PM
  Nov 27-28 bye
  
  Jan 8-9 Manitoba at Lethbridge 8:00 PM
  Jan 15-16 UBC at Manitoba 7:00 PM
  Jan 22-23 Manitoba at Calgary 8:00 PM
  Jan 29-30 Alberta at Manitoba 7:00 PM
  Feb 5-6 Manitoba at Regina 7:00 PM
  Feb 12-13 bye
  Feb 19-20 Manitoba at Saskatchewan 7:00 PM
  Feb 26-27 Regina at Manitoba 7:00 PM
  
  PLAYOFFS
  Mar 5 - 7 Canada West Semifinals 4 @1 / 3 @ 2 Best 2 of 3
  Mar 12 - 14 Canada West Final Winners at highest finisher Best 2 of 3
  Mar 25 - 28 CIS Championship at Lakehead

Expect a schedule of non-conference games to be announced soon. In recent years they have played away at North Dakota, Nebraska-Omaha, and Bemidji and have played the Moose prospects out in Steinbach.

Bookmarks:

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[Hollywood2]

click for Bisons Hockey page

FROM MEMORIAL CUP TO BISONS

The Bisons have landed IAN DUVAL from the Kelowna Rockets [LINK] and at [CJOB.com]. He is from Winnipeg and played for Central Plains in AAA midget before going on to the WHL. His stats are at the link. He had a good playoff:

Duval was tied for ninth in 2009 WHL playoff scoring with 18 points (ten goals – tied for fifth highest in WHL, eight assists) in 22 games. In the 2009 WHL playoffs, he added a +14 plus/minus rating while notching two game winning goals and two power play goals.

Bookmarks:

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[Hollywood2]

click for Bisons Hockey page

TWO MORE RECRUITS

The new recruits are TROY CROWLEY and TRAVIS MEALY. Their stats and background are at the [U OF M LINK].

Crowley is a former Saskatoon Blade but played with the Phoenix Polar Bears in the Western States Hockey League. He scored lots down there but seems like a shot-in-the-dark. He was coached by former Bison Harry Mahood.

Mealy is a d-man who played for the UPEI Panthers and is a grad of the QMJHL.

Meanwhile, Don MacGillivray will be GM/Coach of the Winnipeg South Blues. [FREE PRESS LINK]

Bookmarks: ~ ~

[Hollywood2]

click for Bisons Hockey page

BISONS GET WHEAT KING D-MAN

The Bisons announced the commitment of CHAD ERB from the Brandon Wheat Kings. His numbers are at the [U OF M LINK]. He was a high +/- d-man for the Wheat Kings.

This is a lot of new recruits in a year where not many spots should be open. I expect the next announcement should be for pre-season and non-conference exhibition games. Two usual opponents - Nebrask-Omaha and Bemidji - have been confirmed as WCHA teams commencing in 2010-2011.

Bookmarks: ~ ~

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NON-CONFERENCE GAMES ANNOUNCED

The complete Bison schedule is [HERE]. The newly added non-conference games are:

Sep. 11	v Regina @ Whitewood, SK
Sep. 18	v Carleton (7:00pm @ Max Bell Arena)
Sep. 19	v Carleton (12:00pm @ Max Bell Arena)
Sep. 25	@ Brock
Sep. 26	@ Brock
Oct.  4	@ UND (this follows a home series against Sask)
Nov. 27	v Iowa State (3:00pm @ Max Bell Arena)
Nov. 28	v Iowa State (1:00pm @ Max Bell Arena)
Dec. 29	@ Lakehead
Dec. 30	@ Lakehead

There is no Bisons v Moose game in Steinbach this year. Also gone are trips to Bemidji and Nebraska-Omaha.

However, the nice new feature is that they will play two new opponents at home (Carleton and Iowa State). I don't care for that 3rd game in 3 nights game at UND. It is too bad that on Sept 19 they will be playing Carleton whilst at 2:00 pm the Bison football homecoming game will be played next door. No doubt Carleton has a tight travel schedule.

Bookmarks: ~ ~

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CONFERENCE RECRUITING SUMMARY

With all due credit to Berrcave at HF Boards, here is a compiation of what has transpired so far in Canada West:

REGINA COUGARS

Carter Smith F Red Deer Rebels WHL
Craig Cuthbert F Bonneyville Pontiacs AJHL

MANITOBA

Ian Duval F Kelowna Rockets WHL
Blair Macaulay F Winnipeg Saints MJHL
Chad Erb D Brandon Wheat Kings WHL
Travis Mealy D UPEI CIS
Brandon Lockerby D Edmonton Oil Kings WHL
Jessie Deckert G University of Lethbridge CIS
Troy Crowley F Phoenix Solar Bears WSHL

UBC

Justin McRae F Spokane Chiefs WHL

CALGARY

Eric Frere D Kootenay Ice WHL
Graham Potuer D Everett Silvertips WHL
Luke Egener D Red Deer Rebels WHL

LETHBRIDGE

i have not heard anything from Lethbridge

SASKATCHEWAN

Kyle Bortis F Calgary Hitmen WHL
Brennan Bosch F Medicine Hat Tigers WHL
Brendan Dowd F Edmonton Oil Kings WHL
Andrew Bailey F Kootenay Ice WHL

ALBERTA
lots of rumours

My suspicion is that the Evil Monkeys will make a host of announcements all at once.

I also see that Alberta is hosting an exhibition series on September 18th and 19th and Sask hosts a similar event September 25th and 26th. The Bisons will be playing Carleton and Brock on those weekends.

To follow up you can click the logos for the other CW hockey websites:

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LAKEHEAD DITCHING CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT

It seems that Lakehead is scrapping the 4 team round-robin tournament format. They had two players injured last year. [TB NEWSWATCH STORY] The teams played a round-robin over 3 days and then 1st played 2nd in the final, for a 4th game in 4 days. I know that when the Bisons won the tournament one year they were dead the next weekend.

So this year's 2 game series between the Bisons and Thunderwolves may become a regular feature.

[Edwards87]

That's too bad... I always enjoyed watching the Varsity Cup. I don't really care to watch any glorified exhibition games if there's nothing on the line.

[Hollywood2]

Originally Posted by Edwards87

That's too bad... I always enjoyed watching the Varsity Cup. I don't really care to watch any glorified exhibition games if there's nothing on the line.

I guess that at the end of the day a tournament is a non-conference game. But I see the point. I know one year the Bisons won the tournament but were wasted the following weekend when regular play resumed. I believe that due to where the holidays fell they had a very short week of rest following four games in four days.

Maybe they should have had a 2 game straight knockout tournament with 4 teams involved.