PEI Rocket
2011-2012 Record - 68G-19W-43L-6OT-44P
Laplante-Duffy-Beran
Pépin-Messenger-Provencher
Marcotte-Yetman-Bursey
Chenier-Bent-Ottereyes
Mcgrath
Micallef-Oligny
Pavelka-Werthner
Graves-Phaneuf
ChenierAllard/Trickett
Lagacé
Bibeau
Top 5 scorers 2011-2012
Duffy 68G-34g-48a-82p
Beran 68G-22g-39a-61p
Currie 68G-30g-16a-46p
Bernard 55G-17g-27a-44p
Croteau 63G-15g-19a-34p
Euros- Matej Beran and Tomas Pavelka
Overagers - Ben Duffy, Alex Micallef and Owen Werthner
Additions- Owen Werthner
Losses- Jessyko Bernard, Alex Noël, Olivier Croteau, Pier-Antoine Dion, Marc-André Lévesque and Wes Herrett
The PEI Rocket walk into this year with things looking up. After a draft littered with high picks their system has been replenished and it would appear that this years' #2 overall pick Alexis Pépin is primed to make an immediate impact for the Rockets. However, these high picks came because of the Rockets' last place finish in 2011-2012 season where they only mustered a measly 44 points in 68 regular season games.
Over this off-season, the Rockets were rather quiet, sending a 9th round pick to Sherbrooke for overage defenseman Owen Werthner and trading away their 2 import picks for 3rd and 8th round picks in in the QMJHL draft. The Rockets have also just agreed to a deal in principle with the Blainsville-Boisbriand Armada for defenseman Alex Micallef for 2 2013 draft picks. Their real chance to improve arrived through the draft, where they selected 7 forwards, 5 defensemen and a goalie with their 13 picks. They stayed within the Maritimes as well selecting 6 prospects from Atlantic Canada. It is likely you will see 4 or 5 players make the team next year out of this years draft, which certainly indicates how little depth they had last season.
The Rockets lack star power outside of Ben Duffy and perhaps Matej Beran up front, but certainly have enough energy and talent in the bottom 9 to sustain pressure and hold their own. The top line of Laplante, Duffy and Beran will be leaned on for the bulk of the scoring, while the organization will hope a few depth forwards such as Matthew Bursey and Victor Provencher can break offensively to help share the load. The Rocket are hopeful Lac St. Louis player Neil Robinson will report instead of pursuing NCAA hockey, Robinson would be a helpful offensive addition for their forward core.
On the back end the Rockets actually have a pretty stable crew of top 4 defensemen in Tomas Pavelka, Jimmy Oligny, Owen Werthner and Alex Micallef. Micallef is an important addition for the powerplay and will likely be their #1 offensive guy on the point. Past the top 4, the Rockets have some solid youth on the bottom pairing in last years' first round pick Ryan Graves and free agent addition Dane Phaneuf (younger brother of Dion). Newly drafted Mark Trickett or Alexandre Chenier-Allard will round out their teams defence. This years defence will undoubtedly be better then last year with the additions of two top-4 defensemen in Werthner and Micallef.
In nets the Rockets are set with their starter from last year returning in Maxime Lagacé and backup Antoine Bibeau returning looking to improve upon last years rough statistical year. Both goalies had a GAA over 4 and a SV% under .900, mostly due to peppering they received with the leagues worst team in front of them. Both goalies are solid and with improved defense on the way look for Lagacé in particular to have a breakout year.
Though improvements have certainly been made over this off-season, The Rockets have a long way to go before being contenders. Gordie Dwyer and company have their work cut out for them to make the playoffs this year, even with the very forgiving playoff format.
Burning question - Will Duffy end his career on the island or will he be moved at the deadline to advance the rebuild?
Prediction: 5th in Maritime division, 15th in QMJHL.
Additions- Owen Werthner
Losses- Jessyko Bernard, Alex Noël, Olivier Croteau, Pier-Antoine Dion, Marc-André Lévesque and Wes Herrett
The PEI Rocket walk into this year with things looking up. After a draft littered with high picks their system has been replenished and it would appear that this years' #2 overall pick Alexis Pépin is primed to make an immediate impact for the Rockets. However, these high picks came because of the Rockets' last place finish in 2011-2012 season where they only mustered a measly 44 points in 68 regular season games.
Over this off-season, the Rockets were rather quiet, sending a 9th round pick to Sherbrooke for overage defenseman Owen Werthner and trading away their 2 import picks for 3rd and 8th round picks in in the QMJHL draft. The Rockets have also just agreed to a deal in principle with the Blainsville-Boisbriand Armada for defenseman Alex Micallef for 2 2013 draft picks. Their real chance to improve arrived through the draft, where they selected 7 forwards, 5 defensemen and a goalie with their 13 picks. They stayed within the Maritimes as well selecting 6 prospects from Atlantic Canada. It is likely you will see 4 or 5 players make the team next year out of this years draft, which certainly indicates how little depth they had last season.
The Rockets lack star power outside of Ben Duffy and perhaps Matej Beran up front, but certainly have enough energy and talent in the bottom 9 to sustain pressure and hold their own. The top line of Laplante, Duffy and Beran will be leaned on for the bulk of the scoring, while the organization will hope a few depth forwards such as Matthew Bursey and Victor Provencher can break offensively to help share the load. The Rocket are hopeful Lac St. Louis player Neil Robinson will report instead of pursuing NCAA hockey, Robinson would be a helpful offensive addition for their forward core.
On the back end the Rockets actually have a pretty stable crew of top 4 defensemen in Tomas Pavelka, Jimmy Oligny, Owen Werthner and Alex Micallef. Micallef is an important addition for the powerplay and will likely be their #1 offensive guy on the point. Past the top 4, the Rockets have some solid youth on the bottom pairing in last years' first round pick Ryan Graves and free agent addition Dane Phaneuf (younger brother of Dion). Newly drafted Mark Trickett or Alexandre Chenier-Allard will round out their teams defence. This years defence will undoubtedly be better then last year with the additions of two top-4 defensemen in Werthner and Micallef.
In nets the Rockets are set with their starter from last year returning in Maxime Lagacé and backup Antoine Bibeau returning looking to improve upon last years rough statistical year. Both goalies had a GAA over 4 and a SV% under .900, mostly due to peppering they received with the leagues worst team in front of them. Both goalies are solid and with improved defense on the way look for Lagacé in particular to have a breakout year.
Though improvements have certainly been made over this off-season, The Rockets have a long way to go before being contenders. Gordie Dwyer and company have their work cut out for them to make the playoffs this year, even with the very forgiving playoff format.
Burning question - Will Duffy end his career on the island or will he be moved at the deadline to advance the rebuild?
Prediction: 5th in Maritime division, 15th in QMJHL.
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