A Weekly Look at the 2019-20 Sudbury Miners: Volume 1

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 2 wins, 2 losses, 0 OT loss.
Miners League Standing: 2 wins, 2 losses, 0 OT Loss = 4 points total. Currently sitting in 6th place in the Canosa Conference, 13th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams: Power Play – 22.6% (6th); Penalty Kill – 73.9% (18th)
Miners Scoring Leader: Center Nicklas Backstrom (3G – 2A = 5 pts; 33rd Overall in the CCHL)

The weather is quickly becoming a little more like true hockey weather as the calendar turns to
mid-October. And with it, the CCHL season is now in full swing. And for the Sudbury Miners, they are looking to build on last season’s surprise playoff berth.

The opening week of the CCHL season saw them split their 4 games, with consecutive wins to start the season versus Georgetown and Victoria, before a pair of losses dropped their record back to .500.
“We are still trying to shake off some of that summer rust and figure some things out”, stated
Miners defenseman Aaron Ekblad. “We just need to continue to work our asses off, and the wins will
follow”. 

But the news was not good this week for the Miners, as they learned they will be without top-6
forward Sean Monahan for the next 3 months due to a left leg injury. A loss of a top player like this will challenge the Miners depth and will make things just a lit bit harder in the tough Canosa Conference.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Nicklas Backstrom

A cerebral, creative playmaker, Backstrom has had a long career due to his elite imagination
distribution skills. He is very poised in-tight control and has the ability to make long passes or subtle touch passes in traffic. Simply put, he had top-notch vision. If there is one complaint about Backstrom is his underutilized shooting array. He often looks to pass rather than take the shot, but that is only a small complaint, as he has scored over 20 goals in fourth straight seasons. He will be a good, veteran presence to this young Miners club.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW: Kirby Dach

The Miner's first pick of the 2019 draft, Dach is projected to be a true game-breaker down the
middle of the ice. Few centers bring the combination of size, speed, and skill that he provides. He has the ability to make plays in open ice, beat guys one on one or make a pass that can open up defenses. He carries the puck through the neutral zone well and always plays with his head up. He can protect the puck down low and can make passes from anywhere on the ice. He is a very good shooter, too, but make no mistake his game revolves around his passing ability and ability to hold onto the puck. His defensive game is good for a player of his age, as he uses his long reach to strip pucks and on the backcheck can quickly turn the play around with his physical dominance. Expected CCHL arrival: 2020-21.