By Jeff D'Andrea

Hunt brings fresh perspective, thoughts on Monty and Pavs

Sep 3, 2015 | 4:54 PM

When Curtis Hunt joined the Prince Albert Raiders as the team’s general manager on June 8, there was plenty of time to learn the players in the Raiders system before training camp started on Aug. 27.

But instead, Hunt decided he wanted a fresh look on all the players. He told the Raiders coaching and scouting staff to not give him too much information.

 “Deliberately, I said to the coaches earlier…, ‘I don’t want to know how you used guys and I don’t want to know how you rated them. I think it’s best for all of us if you give me a chance to watch the players and come up with my own evaluation,” said Hunt. “Then it’s a better start for us once we get halfway, three-quarters through the exhibition season to talk about where we are as a group.”

Hunt has seen Sean Montgomery, the 17-year-old sophomore forward participate in main camp and has a good first impression.

“Right away, I like the work ethic,” said Hunt. “I like the way he competes, the attention to detail and that he’s a 200-foot player.

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“I know as a 17-year-old coming back, there’s a certain amount of comfort for that player. He should be able to jump right in.”

That description is quite similar to the one that head coach Marc Habscheid has given on Montgomery. However, Habscheid has gone one step further by comparing Montgomery to Boston Bruins pivot Patrice Bergeron, who Habscheid has coached with the Bruins and Team Canada.

Although Hunt may not prefer to know, Montgomery was primarily used as the team’s fourth line centre with the occasional promotion. After registering four assists in his first 44 WHL games before his now infamous New Year’s resolution tweet, Montgomery started to heat up in the second half. In late January, Montgomery scored goals in three consecutive games and ended the year with six goals and eight points in his last 21 games.

Now that he’s had his rookie year under his belt and knowing what to expect all throughout the offseason, Montgomery is ready to show off his best.

“I’m definitely way more confident coming into this year than last year, coming in as a 16-year-old and playing against all the older guys,” said Montgomery, who is eligible for this year’s NHL draft. “It was definitely nerve wracking at the start, then I got used to it.

“Hopefully I’ll be counted on for a bigger role this winter, try and fill that and keep going.”

Paivarinta ready for the preseason

Hunt’s fresh perspective will likely benefit Cody Paivarinta, who last year was cut from the Nelson Leafs of the KIJHL (B.C. Junior B) for violating team rules before ending his season with the Richmond Sockeyes of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (another B.C. Junior B league).

But all Hunt sees is a 6’5, 185 pounds defenceman that he believes has a rare combination of extreme height and quickness.

“For a big man, he’s got tremendous ability and agility to get around the ice,” said Hunt. “I’ve seen him show some real good poise across the blueline, getting pucks by and into good, smart areas for our forwards to recover or rebound opportunities. I like him.

“That size is unbelievable with that ability. That’s pretty exciting for the blueline.”

Paivarinta worked all summer to improve his quickness and movements to cover as much as he could, while filling out his wiry frame.

“Everything to do with hockey comes around legs and core, so I was mainly focusing on that this summer and trying to put on as much weight as possible,” said Paivarinta. “It’s going to take hard work [to make the team], it always takes hard work.

“From there, you just got to make sure what you do right, listen, take everything in and execute it.”

Preseason is coming

The Raiders reassigned 19 players on Monday to go down to 27. They still have four goaltenders (Nick McBride, Rylan Parenteau, Curtis Meger and Ian Scott) and four 20 year olds (Jesse Lees, Hunter Warner, Jordan Tkatch and Craig Leverton). When the Raiders shed down to two goaltenders and three overagers, they’ll be down to 24.

Both Montgomery and Paivarinta will participate in the Raiders two-game exhibition games in Regina, Friday against the Pats and Saturday against the Calgary Hitmen.

Check out the action for both games on 900 CKBI.

jdandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea