Only a month into his first full season as a head coach in the Pacific Junior Hockey League and Derek Chichak has already had to deal with plenty of adversity.
For starters, how about actually getting to play a home game?
The Delta Ice Hawks have been on the road since last February's playoffs when an exterior facade collapsed at the Ladner Leisure Centre. The building was initially scheduled to re-open for spectators in late September but construction delays have pushed back the completion date until later this month. In the meantime the Hawks have split their "home" games between Sungod Arena and the South Delta Recreation Centre.
Chichak has also had to go without two young snipers who were initially pencilled in on his top line. The Hawks were hoping to get at least one productive season out of Colton Kroeker and Colin Grannary who were outstanding as frequent call-ups last season from the South Delta Hockey Academy. However, the 17-year-olds have made the significant leap to the top levels of junior hockey. Kroeker has cracked the roster of the Western Hockey League's Regina Pats and already has a goal and assist in six games. Grannary is with the B.C. Hockey League's Merritt Centennials.
Their absence has meant Delta has had to speed up the development of a number of rookie forwards and hope for more production from some veterans known more for their grit.
It has all added up to a rather predictable up-and-down 6-5-0-0 start to the season, including Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the last place Port Moody Panthers.
It was a rare night off for goaltender Jacob Latrace who had been spectacular up until last week's 9-6 loss to Langley. The 17-year-old was expected back between the pipes for yesterday's road tilt in Richmond.
"Certainly a lot of our success has had to do with riding the coattails of Jacob," said Chichak. "He has been outstanding for us. Overall, we've been inconsistent and I guess it's what you can expect from a young team."
Veteran Brent Chreptyk carried the early season scoring load and Evan Grannery is coming off a big week where he managed six goals in three games to match his entire output of last season. However, for the Hawks to compete with the league's top teams they will need steady progress from first-year 17-year-olds Andreas Siagris and Jake Fletcher.
The pair have been teamed up with recently required Stephen Hawco it what has the makings of being a productive line. Siagris and Fletcher have 11 and 10 points respectively while Hawco has three points in two games.
Chichak is also counting on more offence from 16-year-olds Blake Hayward and Charles Meng as the season unfolds, along with crash-and-bang forwards Spencer Schoen, Quinten Wideski and Mark Trotman.
Even 16-year-old academy affiliate Nicholas Wicks was seeing plenty of ice time, including on the power play unit, Tuesday night.
"Believe me, I think we have tried about every line combination that is imaginable," laughed Chichak. "Right now, we going to have a tough time outscoring anyone. For us to be successful we need to be playing good defensive hockey and grinding out those 2-1 or 3-2 type wins."
Even the Hawks solid depth on the blueline has taken a temporary hit. Veteran Ryan Liskowsky has yet to play after fracturing his wrist and impressive rookies Greg Scott and Jeremy White are both currently sidelined with concussions.
Delta hosts Abbotsford on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.) at the South Delta Recreation Centre.
