My Thoughts On The Recent Viper Moves:

For the first time ever, well as long as I can remember in all of my years watching Junior hockey here in Vernon, I dont ever recall the Lakers, Rockets or Vipers have a fire sale at the BCHL trade deadline. 

This past Thursday was hard to watch the Vipers unload three of their top players and start to rebuilding for next season.  With just 19 games remaining at the deadline with or without Hadley, Tambellini & Eviston were the Vipers going to make the playoffs this season.  Lets face it, it would have been a long shot making the playoffs the way the Vipers have been playing as of late and all season for that matter.  With the way Salmon Arm & Trail have improved I didnt think the Vipers would have a chance at catching either of those two teams so what the Vipers did at the trade deadline I saw coming.

I actually thought we would have seen more trades other then just the three that took place Thursday.  Lets face it with the playoffs out of the question I was expecting other players who wernt going to return next season to be unloaded as well.  (Brett Corkey, Marc Hetnik & Geoff Crisfield).  With no playoffs why not unload these three and get even more players for next season with future considerations.  Now us fans dont know what goes on behind the scene, maybe the Vipers tried trading others but the returning players wasnt good enough or some players like Corkey refused a trade.

I personally thought the Vipers waited too long to make these trades.  Maybe not the same players to the same teams etc but the way the Vipers have struggled and been very uncosistant all season I thought this team needed a big change earlier when they still had a shot at the playoffs.  I thought back in early to mid November when the team still had lots of cards to play with and still in the playoff hunt thats when they needed a big blockbuster deal done to shake up the team.  I also thought they needed to do more changes before the December 1st card deadline.

It will be very interesting to see who the Vipers get back in return for these three trades.  I know in past years any trades regarding "future considerations" cant be named until after the Royal Bank Cup.  Dont forget the Vipers also have future considerations (A player to be named later) from the Dauphin Kings-Mitch Van Teeling trade earlier this season.  I would hope the Vipers will be getting a handfull of veteran players that can be used to upgrade the Vipers current roster and make next years RBC Cup Vipers team a strong contender.  Nobody wants to see the Vipers miss the playoffs or go out early come playoffs and get in to the National Championship just because they are hosting it.

This is my biggest concern.  After being awarded the 2014 RBC Cup last season the Vipers had two seasons to build-put together a strong-contending team for the 2014 Royal Bank Cup.  After missing the playoffs last season and it looks like they will miss the playoffs again this season, what kind of a team will Vernon represent the city-RBC Cup with next season?  Looking at this years current roster and the kids returning for next season, I dont see alot of veteran presence-leadership or true goal scorers.  Alot of first year players making just their second season of Junior hockey.  Sure they have a few veteran players returning, but alot of young second year players.  If you look at past RBC Cup hosts they usally have a pretty stacked roster full of veteran older players with lots of Jr hockey experience.  Now depending on who the Vipers get in return from all these trades, will the Vipers roster be able to compete next season against the top teams in Canada at the RBC Cup?  It looks like the Vipers are going to have to go out and make or sign some big name veteran players-goal scorers for next season. 

Lets take a look at the possible players returning for next season,

Defence:

Ryan Renz (93)
Michael Statchuk (94)
Bryce Eviston (94)
Jason Bird (93)

Forwards:

Liam Board (93)
Mason Blacklock (94)
TJ Dumonceaux (94)
Dexter Dancs (95)
Colton Sparrow (93)
Craig Martin (95)
Logan Mick (96)
Brendan Persley (93)
Michael Roberts (95)
Braeden Russell (93)
Mitch McAllister (94)

Goaltenders:

Austin Smith (93)
Danny Todosychuk (94)