HAWK NOTES: Captain Ehrhardt sees need for players to bond

Meanwhile, Oct. 15 looms as big day for team

By Jason Vondersmith

The Portland Tribune, Oct 7, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

Goalie Kurtis Mucha, recently returned from the Phoenix Coyotes' NHL camp, says the Winter Hawks are playing better defense than they have in recent years.

COURTESY OF PORTLAND WINTER HAWKS

The Portland Winter Hawks named defenseman Travis Ehrhardt captain, and tabbed defensemen Scott Gabriel and Ryan Kerr and forward Matt Schmermund alternates.

Ehrhardt, 19, has some thoughts on leadership:

"We just gotta keep these young guys' confidence high. You can't get down after games. Forget about it, move on to the next game. Keep our practices intense, get guys going, give them some helpful criticism."

Ehrhardt lives with a billet in Sherwood, but he understands the need to be a build a bond with teammates who live all over the Portland area. It's unlike many of the small-city Western Hockey League clubs, where players might live five or 10 minutes from each other.

"We just have to make an effort to have days reserved, where everybody has to go out, go to movies and such," he says.

A vote of teammates determined the captain and alternate captains.

• Ehrhardt will wear the "C" for the first time Oct. 10, when the Winter Hawks play Spokane in the Memorial Coliseum. The Hawks play at Vancouver on Saturday, but Ehrhardt will be serving the second of a two-game suspension for a hit and elbow major/game misconduct penalties against Everett last weekend.

"He hit a guy square, and they called it elbowing," says coach Rich Kromm, who disagreed with the penalty/suspension. "If anything, it should have been interference (penalty). The video was not conclusive; if anything his shoulder caught the kid's chin."

• The Winter Hawks released defenseman Lee Morrow on Thursday, and took him off the team's 50-player protected list. When Gabriel (concussion) gets back, the Hawks will have 11 defensemen.

And, the Hawks needed room on the roster for forward Joel Ridgeway, acquired from Tri-City this week.

"We would have ideally liked to find another place for him to play," Kromm says, of Morrow. "Hopefully he'll be able to find a team; he's able to work his own deal now."

• On Ridgeway, Kromm says: "A quick skater. He has good skill level and good zone. I don't think he had a huge amount of (offensive) opportunity with Tri-City. This will be an opportunity to play a little more."

Ridgeway appeared in 46 games for the Americans in 2007-08, scoring two goals and adding three assists. He also had one assist in 10 playoff games for Tri-City last year.

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