The Nickel Report – Evaluating the 2020-21 Sudbury Miners: Volume 3

 CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

 

Up to games ending on November 8, 2020

Miners 5-Game (Nickel) Record:  3 wins, 2 losses, 0 OT loss.

Miners League Standing:  11 wins, 5 losses, 2 OT Loss = 24 points total.  Currently sit in 3rd place in the Canosa Conference, 8th overall in the CCHL.

Miners Special Teams:  Power Play – 19.5% (11th); Penalty Kill – 80.8% (12th)

Miners Scoring Leader:  Defenceman Roman Josi (4G – 18A = 22 pts; 19th Overall in the CCHL)

 

If recent activity is any indication, then it appears that the Miners are all in for the next couple of years.

In acquiring both winger Nikita Kucherov and defenceman Ryan Ellis, Miners management sent a message to both the team and their fans, that they are in a win-now mode.

“We paid a price no question to acquire both of these players”, stated General Manager Terry James.  “But, we feel these two additions can compliment our group and give us a push in a very tight Canosa Conference.  We owed it to the team and our fans to try and put our best foot forward”.

However, initial results have not been good.   The Miners have failed to register a point since both players arrived and their special teams, that once sat in the top 5, have dipped to middle of the pack.   Both Miners management and fans are hopeful that the right chemistry can be found quickly, and get back in the win column soon.

 

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK:  Bo Horvat

Simply put, Horvat an excellent two-way player.  He skates well, has very good hockey sense and is a sound positional player most of the time.   He has a knack for coming up big in clutch situations. Horvat is good on face-offs and plays with plenty of grit.  He may never be a big point producer in the CCHL, but he is a better all-around player given his defensive ability.

 

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Peyton Krebs

Scouts agree that Krebs is a talented, versatile playmaker with upside.  He is an extremely fast skater with great burst and the ability to be quick with the puck on his blade.  He is not a liability when he does not have the puck and is good at working the defensive side of the game for a player of this age.   At times, he may be guilty of passing the puck when he should be shooting it.  He can play both wing and center, which adds to his overall value.  Expected CCHL arrival:  2023-24.