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The Mayon Event...Central division The Mayon Event...East division Guys whose Mother's don't even like 'em Team toughness...West division Team toughness...Central division Team toughness...East division P.O.W...Punch up Of the Week The FM Says 2000/2001 season Memory Lane Hockey Balboa Links to other sites Left Over Scraps Email The Fighting Major Official WHL site Sign the guestbook |
 B
The Birds are led by the very tough seventeen year old Darren McLachlan, who should leave his "mark" on several opponents this year. Touted as a future heavyweight as a fifteen year old, Darren left no doubt after his rookie season he'll be a force to reckon with. Matt Spiller showed a lot of jam as another sixteen year old rookie last year and he should be a solid tag team partner with McLachlan this season. The Birds are also blessed with a number of solid middleweights who can go and leading the charge are Greg Black and Craig Olynick, both guys can toss 'em. Add in Paul Hurd, Tim Preston, Keegan McAvoy and David Morisset and the T-Birds will be yet another feisty west division contender. Look for Seattle to possibly add another big, tough veteran who can scrap as many think this is the year of the Thunderbirds and management will likely go out of their way to ensure the skill guys have some room to operate......I said to look for them to upgrade their toughness and they did just that, acquiring big, tough Jeremy Yablonski from the Kootenay Ice. All of the above will have their work cut out for them since the ever annoying , P.I.T.A. "Shon "snapping turtle" Jones-Parry has also joined the ranks. |
Mathew "Blood" Spiller D...6'4"...200lbs...02/07/83 A big defenceman who surprised a few folks last year with a willingness
to fight. Long reach and little fear are assets this guy brings to the
rink every night. Look for this guy to be punishing opponents with big
hits and big punches this year.
Feisty little defenceman who doesn't mind getting a head start in his fights or squaring off, but you'd better be ready when he's on the ice. Hard puncher who can go marathon distances in his fights. Craig should be seen on the dance floor quite often this year.
This guy entered our top ten rankings last year and has found a home there ever since. Unless he changes his style of play or has a career ending injury that's where you'll find him for at least the reaminder of this season. See "The Mayon Event", west division. |
David "Not Alaniss" Morisset RW...6'2"...195lbs...04/06/81 Yappy guy who is solidly built, but doesn't drop the gloves all
that often. He'll get his share of invites this year and will need to show
more than witty comebacks. This guy can also score but with his often reckless
style of play the fights will come.
Surprising little guy can toss 'em and punch hard. Gritty guy
who also likes to throw his body around and should be heard from this season.
At only 195lbs and 6'0" tall this guy plays with reckless abandon.
Doesn't back down from anyone and as long as he sticks to his own weight
class should help the Birds when the going gets tough.
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The T-Birds have the tools, they just have to figure out where they
fit in the box. With Darren McLachlan suffering from a serious back
injury the load now lands on the shoulders of 20 yr old Dion Lassu and
the ever fiesty Keegan McAvoy. Lassu is an asset on the ice and fortunately
for the T-Birds he seems to realize this and picks his spots wisely.
McAvoy has slowed down a little of late and doesn't seem to want to drop
'em like he was earlier in the season. With a back up cast of Spiller,
Black, Heisten, Beatch and Metcalf the T-Birds are quite capable of handling
the situation even without a healthy McLachlan. Things haven't been
going the T-Birds way this season but there's still plenty of season
left however, if things don't start to fall into place soon for the Birds
from a skilled point of view, they may just have to start playing it a
little more physical. They'd be a whole different team with a healthy
Darren McLachlan.
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