From the Times: Cambridge quiet at deadline
Cambridge quiet at deadline
There wasn’t a deadline deal by the Cambridge Winter Hawks to land the veteran defenceman they were looking for.
No matter, according to general manager Ken Jeysman, as the team is in a better position by standing pat at that Jan. 10 Ontario Hockey Association trade deadline.
“There was nothing that fit,” Jeysman said.
“The thing with us is that we’re so young and they were just asking for too much for a rental player.”
As the Christmas break approached and the Winter Hawks added Brock Campbell from the Kitchener Dutchmen, Jeysman’s wish list for players was down to a scoring forward and a veteran blue-liner.
Snagging free agent Brett Gibson on Jan. 3 fit the scoring bill, as he had 39 points (15 goals, 24 assists) in 50 games with the Kitchener Dutchmen and Waterloo Siskins.
But when it came to a defenceman, Jeysman said he wasn’t going to sell the farm for a defenceman that he’d probably only have this season. Especially when the Winter Hawks only lose three players to overage at the end of this campaign.
“I didn’t think it was worth it, giving up too much for one player. Especially since we have so many players coming back (next season).”
He added that the current lineup showed what they could do on Saturday when they lost 3-2 to Elmira in a shootout.
“We played Elmira’s full team, missing three of our players, and we stood up pretty well. Systematically, we stacked up very well,” he said.
“I think we are where we are, which isn’t a bad thing. That’s probably one of the tightest rooms I’ve ever seen. These boys go to wall for each other and they like their coach.”
The Winter Hawks have one card left and two deadlines to go. The import free agent signing date of Jan. 25 means nothing to the team as they don’t have any import cards remaining, but the signing deadline for local free agents is Feb. 10.
The pickings are usually pretty slim and historically, the Winter Hawks have done little at that point of the season.
“Odds are, this is pretty well it, unless something magically pops up. But I doubt.”
There is a wildcard in the scenario as defenceman Dexter Weber, who was sent down to midget to free up a card in case they could land a veteran rearguard, is in the Winter Hawks plans this season. He can AP as a midget and join the team once his midget season is over. He has size and speed, and never looked out of place in Junior B.
He was one of the reasons Jeysman didn’t feel the need to pull the trigger on Jan. 10 unless a deal was too good to refuse.
“I looked at it as looking at pieces of a puzzle and everything has to fit. I think what some teams have done this year is just gone out and looked for the best player possible and I don’t know if it’s going to work when it’s all said and done.”
“We are where we are and that’s it. We just want everybody healthy and that’s the key.”
Courtesy of Bill Doucet at the Cambridge Times. Read the original article here.
