Chinook 2020/21 Season Preview:

 Chinook 2020/21 Season Preview:

 Some positive signs coming during Calgary Chinook rebuild 

Led by new GM Eugene Yip, the Calgary Chinook will look to continue rebuilding, with a good crop of young guns set to become regular NHLers in the not so distant future. The results won't be pretty, but it's still an exciting time for Chinook fans. 

Last season, general manager Eugene Yip decided go into a full rebuild, parting ways with captain Mark Giordano and dealing Panarin, O’Reilly, Carlson, Letang, Pietriangelo, and Backlund before the trade deadline. Returning are young and promising players and prospects such as Matter Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, Nils Hoglander, Fiala, Mangiapane. 

With the hockey god at their side, they eventually turned one of the 1st round pick into this year draft top prize left winger Alexis Lafreniere. “Yeah, we got really lucky. “ Said GM Eugene “With Lafreniere in our system, I can say we are one or two years ahead of our rebuild. “ The Chinook also drafted Center Anton Lundell and Right Winger Tyson Foerster. They don’t stop there, with four more 1st round pick coming in the 2021 draft. The Calgary Chinook are filling the cupboard as fast as they can. 

“We are still looking to stay competitive this year, our main goal is to make the playoff and eventually win another Kehler cup for the city of Calgary.” Said GM Eugene. “Our first line (Barkov, Gaudreau and Pastrnak) is as lethal as any team’s first line. The Tkachuk brothers with Derek Ryan will be tough to play against nights in and nights out. 

With the addition of UFA signings such as Carl Hagelin, Core Perry, Patrick Marleau, Dan Hamuis, Jamie Oleksiak and PK Subban, these veterans will be mentors to some of our young stars in the team. 

The CCHL veterans are expected to bring experience to a fresh-faced lineup as well as help with toughness and scoring. 

"They've been in the league for awhile and they know what it takes already," Barkov said. "Whereas trying out young guys, you're not sure sometimes how they're going to pan out or if they're going to break into the league. It's nice having guys who've been there and done that." 

Calgary will kick off the season Wednesday when they battle the Portland Owls in Calgary.