Free Agent Freak Out

The annual Free Agency Frenzy in the HBMHL has come and gone for another year and the Portland Platoon were again busy trying to find a couple of the missing pieces to complete the puzzle of their 2017 - 2018 line up.

Signing with Portland is speedy right-winger Sam Gagne who, according to GM Morrison, is penciled in as a 3rd line right winger and back up at the center ice position. "Of course we leave the line up combinations to Coach Gunny, but we identified a weakness on the right side and we think Sam can contribute to our success there.  He is fast and smart with the puck. He thinks the game well and can possibly help us on the Power Play too. We'll see how that plays out"

Also choosing to sign with Portland is goaltender Anders Nilsson who brings his .923 save % with him.  Anders will compete for the starting goal position with hold-overs Eddie Lack and Jacob Markstrom, as well as 2017 rookie Aaron Dell. "We are once again "Platooning" our goal-tending position until one of our players steps up to the crease and grabs the starting position. The job is wide open. Let's see who wants it the most and wrestles it away from the others. He who plays best, plays most."

When asked if Portland had interest in other UFAs, Morrison had this to say, "We had our eyes on a few guys and had some offers out there, but it became pretty clear that we aren't in a position to compete for some of the higher profile Free Agents out there. Personally, I think some guys were way over-paid, but some teams landed some pretty good players at or below market value. But at the high end, it was ludicrous! My fellow GMs once again succumbed to the madness of Free Agent Frenzy. Apparently there is no cure for the affliction. I had a touch of it myself but I'm feeling better now."

When asked if if Portland was finished with line up additions/changes, GM Morrison said this, "Well, we haven't even played a pre-season game yet, so it is a bit early to say, but we'll see how we match up in pre-season and give Gunny some time to settle in with line combinations he likes and go from there.  I don't think we are in a position yet to truly contend for the Cup, so we will always be looking at ways to improve the club any way we can until we become a perennial contender. That's our goal."

According to Morrison, this is the year where the other teams in the Canada West Division will need to keep checking "over their shoulders" as Portland plans to push from underneath with the intention of "climbing out of the basement" this year. Time will tell.