Last season: 24-38-5-5, fifth in B.C. Division, missed playoffs
General manager: Mark Lamb (first season)
Head coach: Richard Matvichuk (third season); Associate coach: Steve O'Rourke (third season); Goaltender coach: Taylor Dakers (first season).
Key losses: F Jared Bethune (Queens University), F Brogan O'Brien (Carleton University), F Aaron Boyd (Carleton University), G Tavin Grant.
The 20-year-olds: D Joel Lakusta (fourth WHL season), F Josh Curtis (third season), F Mike MacLean (second season).
The imports: Belarusian F Vladislav Mikhalchuk, 19, and Czech F Matej Toman, 17.
New faces: Toman (picked fifth overall inn 2018 import draft), MacLean (acquired in a trade Sept. 10 from Seattle), F Tyson Upper, F Connor Bowie.
Key returnees: Curtis, Lakusta, LW Josh Maser, LW Jackson Leppard, C Max Kryski, C Ilijah Colina, D Ryan Schoettler, G Taylor Gauthier.
Watch for: Goalie Gauthier to become one of the WHL's best. With three seasons of junior eligibility ahead of him he's already a solid bet to nail down wins the Cougars don't deserve.
Noteworthy: The Cougars are heading into Year 25 since the franchise shifted from Victoria. Since 1993-94 the Cats have never made the WHL final. They missed the playoffs 10 times, were eliminated in the first round 10 times, were bounced in the second round once and made the conference final three times (1997, 2000, 2007).
Did you know: MacLean is a six-foot-seven, 234-pound giant. Five former Cats who stood six-foot-five or taller without skates became NHL'ers - Zdeno Chara 6'9" (Boston); Dustin Byfuglien 6'5" (Winnipeg); Derek Boogaard 6'7" (Minnesota, New York Rangers), Vladimir Mihalik 6'7" (Tampa Bay) and David Koci 6'7" (Chicago, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Colorado).
Final thoughts: This is a team on the rise, loaded with young talent at every position. Former GM Todd Harkins did extremely well acquiring high draft picks and promising youngsters in the January fire sale. Lamb as GM adds a former AHL head coach to the fold who had a major hand in building a WHL champion in Swift Current as Broncos' coach/GM for seven seasons. These Cats are good enough to make the playoffs and could even pull off a first-round upset if Gauthier remains on Hockey Canada's radar.
-- CLARKE, Citizen staff
