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Older players need to shape up or they will be shipped out

"You either move up or you move out and we’ve got some guys right now that if they don’t start playing better pretty soon they are going to be moving out.” 
HarlandvsColtsspring2016
Battalion forward Steve Harland in action during the playoffs last spring. Stan Butler hopes Harland finds his form when the Battalion hits the ice Friday night against Kitchener. Photo by Tom Martineau.

Stan Butler was very blunt about his team’s effort in their 3-1 home opener loss at the hands of the visiting Niagara IceDogs.   

In that contest Butler graded his team’s performance an “F”.  

"The first thing you've got to do in hockey is compete. I'm not concerned about our young guys,” noted the Battalion head coach during the post game press conference last Friday. 

“At this level, until Christmas time, they're not going to make or break your hockey team. Our older guys tonight were disgusting,"

In particular, Butler called out overage forwards Brett Hargrave and Steve Harland, who are both expected to be key contributors to the Battalion offence.   

Both players realize they need to be better when the team hits the ice on Friday against the visiting Kitchener Rangers.   

Harland admitted he was frustrated that he didn’t bury the puck on a couple opportunities against the visiting IceDogs. 

“You obviously have to play harder than that, the first game didn’t go as we planned but I think it’s sort of a wake-up call for us, the over-ager’s - me and Hargrave - as we didn’t play as Stan wanted us to,” admitted Harland who netted 12 goals and 28 assists for 40 points in his rookie season in the OHL last year.  

“I think next game we have to come out harder and show we can compete.”

Hargrave knows he can be better too.  

“I think we just need to get back to our game plan, put in some more effort and I think we will be alright,” said Hargrave who set a career high point total with 10 goals and 12 assists in 2015-16.  

“It was definitely a rough way to start the year but we can build off of that and be ready for the rest.” 

The Battalion will have reinforcements up front in the form of Brett McKenzie and Justin Brazeau who have both returned from their respective NHL camps this week.   

Butler reminded the players at practice this week that they must have an OHL level work ethic.  

“There are guys in there fighting for their lives,” said Butler.   

“You know 24 players is not where we are going to stand for the year, 15 forwards is not where we are going to be - our ideal number is 13.  So there’s guys in that room that aren’t going to be here much longer and I’ve always had an adage with our players, you either move up or you move out and we’ve got some guys right now that if they don’t start playing better pretty soon they are going to be moving out.” 


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Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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