Saturday, May 28, 2011

Vipers Skinny On The Blueline:

The Vernon Vipers will be looking at filling in some key spots on the backend over the summer before the start of the 2011-12 season. With the losses to veteran defencemen, Adam Thompson (Assistant Captain), Steve Weinstein (Assistant Captain), Malcolm Lyles & maybe Ryan Renz (depending if he goes to school or returns for another season) the Vipers only have three returning d-men from this past season's club. Max Mowat, Phillip Patenaude and Brett Corkey. Will both Mowat and Patenaude be back in Vernon? Mowat who tried out for the WHL Kamloops Blazers last year, may give the WHL another shot this coming season. Is Patenaude worth keeping as a twenty year old this coming season? The Vipers with four twenty year olds this coming season... still have room for two more. Will they keep Patenaude who didnt see alot of icetime this past season as a 19 yr old.

On Tuesday it was announced that Catholic Memorial Senior Defenseman Marc Hetnik has committed to play in Vernon this coming season before heading off to Boston University the following year. Hetnik, who was CM’s captain and tallied four goals and 16 assists this season, earned Boston Globe All Scholastic, Boston Herald Dream Team and ESPN Boston First Team All Star honors. Hetnik sounds like a real good pick-up for the Vipers and will hopefully bolster the Vernon blueline.

It will be interesting to see if Mark Ferner tried to aquire a veteran defenceman or two over the off season to help fill in the backend.

Welcome to Vernon Marc and all the best this coming season with the Vipers!

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