A look at the Battlefords North Stars forwards heading into the season

The three biggest losses for the North Stars up front are Anthony Campbell, Josh Knittig and Alessio Nardelli, who all aged out after last season.

While replacing those players is not easy, Logan hopes the players the team has developed over the years can step into the offensive leadership roles the graduating players filled.

“I don’t think you’re trying to replace those guys. I think that kind of happens naturally if you’re developing players in your program. I think guys will fill those lanes,” he said.

When it came to the players the North Stars brought in, Logan was looking for forwards he could plug in anywhere in the lineup.

“We were really looking for players that could play with different guys in our lineup, trying to find different guys that could align with the players that we had to give each line the best opportunity to be successful and to play the game that’s going to make them the most dangerous and give them the best opportunities,” Logan said.

The North Stars shuffled their forward lines a fair bit last season, but each line appears to have a more definitive identity this time around.

“We have a line that sort of plays low and heavy and hard on pucks, and that line has Williamson and Klippenstein. They really do a good job breaking people down, spreading people out, really winning the wall play,” he said.

“I think Geysen’s line can really be a mix of rush play and sort of that low style. Then you have Dewar’s line that really plays with a lot of speed and can really hurt you off the rush. Him and Leenders can really attack people one-on-one. Then you have Guiltner and Hodgins, and we got a few other guys there in the mix that can really, I think, play a well-rounded 200-foot game.”

A significant portion of the returning forward group is made up of players born in 2007 who made major offensive contributions last season. Logan expects them to take another step in their development.

“There’s no mincing words here. They’re not kids anymore. They have to go out there and produce and be high-end elite players for us. We’ve seen the urgency out of those guys. They want to be elite players in the league,” Logan said.

“Nelson established himself last year as a high-end guy. Now you have guys like Geysen, Hines and Dewar, who are really, we think, coming into their own in terms of their 200-foot game and their skill. We want to see that flourish.”

The North Stars will have their new-look forward corps on the ice Sept. 18 when they host the Kindersley Klippers in their home opener.

—

Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com

by Ryan Lambert

A look at the Battlefords North Stars forwards heading into the season

What's Trending