After hearing the news Monday morning that Sawyer Mick has left the Vipers, I was dissapointed. I for one liked Mick and thought the Vipers needed a kid that played his type of style. My guess is that Sawyer was promised to be a part of the Vipers this year and for several years to come, playing on a regular shift. After signing Vernon product David Robinson and then aquiring Sahir Gill at the BCHL trade deadline, Mick's roster spot was no sitting in the stands as a healthy scratch. Mick hasnt played in the teams last six games.
Mcik attended the Vipers training camp last summer and was one of if not the final cut. Mick joined the KIJHL's Chase Chiefs before being called up as an "AP" around Christmas by the BCHL's Salmon Arm Silverbacks before joining the WHL's Portland Winterhawks. Mick returned to Portland this season but was released and signed with the Vipers during the teams pre season schedule. Sawyer was on the teams fourth line on a regular shift before the BCHL's trade deadline.
My guess is Mick wasnt too happy going from the teams fourth line to sitting in the stands, for the remainder of the season or unless someone was to get sick or get injured. Can ya blame the kid? No not at all, him and the rest of the kids all want to play but due to the leagues 23 man roster, three kids on each team must sit out as a healthy scratch. This being Darrin Robak, Patrick McGillis and Sawyer Mick. My guess is Robak & McGillis were already told this after the Vipers training camp. McGillis was fortunate to get back into the lineup after Nick Amies & Drew George were sent to Cowichan Valley for Curtis Gedig. With George & Amies gone this leaving the Vipers short one player, wich ment McGillis was inserted into the teams lineup. When Kellen Jones went down with a broken jaw, this gave a chance for Darrin Robak to jump into the lineup. After the Vipers signed David Robinson, Robak was sent back to the stands as a healthy scratch, and now with the addition of Sahir Gill, McGillis and Mick both join him.
Mark Ferner has a very tough job, one that either he makes the right choice & everyone loves the guy, or two he makes the wrong choice & everyone hates the man. After the last years Vipers team, heading into this years season we all knew Vernon needed size and toughness. Mick brought a physical presence and played with an edge, something the Vipers needed and wanted from the Vernon product. Ferner now has a chance at bringing in a former Viper and local kid that has size, plays with an edge and is that big power forward the team needs, so he goes out and aquires Robinson. Now word gets out that former Viper Sahir Gill has left the USHL's Chicago Steel and wants to return to the Vipers.
Does Ferner say you blew it kid for leaving the first time or "A" give him a second chance and bring him back? Its pretty hard to say no to a player like Sahir Gill, other then he walked out on the Vipers during the off season. But I think when you have a chance to bring back a kid that "A" won the RBC Cup last year & "B" adds that experience and skill, you cant say no. This puts a kid like Mick in the stands. I dont think Mick is as good as either Robinson or Gill so Mick ends up being the odd man out. What does Mark Ferner do? Its a tough decision and one Im glad I never have to make.
After trading away Nick Amies & Drew George fans thought Ferner was crazy for making such a trade when the team had lost just a single game all season and were currently riding a 21 game winning streak. Since that trade the Vipers 21 game winning streak was stopped, one game shy of the teams 1999 22 game winning streak record. Vernon has gone 13-6. Dont forget Kellen Jones was out of the lineup with a broken jaw, wich ment new lines and new line combinations. Also remember that the Vipers had a pretty easy first half of the schedule to start the season, playing several of the leagues bottom teams. & now have faced or will face a much tougher test, playing against some very competative teams. People and fans are now saying with all these changes, trades, new lines, new faces & now Sawyer Mick leaving etc has this efected the teams chemistry? Well that us fans dont know, but I can tell you this, Mark Ferner and the Vipers coaching staff knows his team more then any of us, so I will let Ferner and the coaching staff do their best with the team they have and will see how far and how well they do in this years playoffs.
No official word has been said from the Vipers why Sawyer Mick left the team. In the end no matter why Mick left, I would like to thank Sawyer for his time in a Vipers uniform and wish him all the best in his hockey futures. I was looking forward to having you in a Vipers jersey for the next few seasons. Best of luck.
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