Key injuries leave Canes searching for answers

By Lethbridge Herald on February 21, 2025.

Herald photo by JUSTIN SEWARD Lethbridge Hurricanes Brayden Edwards attempts an extra poke at the puck under Saskatoon Blades goalie Ethan McCallum during WHL action at VisitLethbridge.com Arena on Wednesday night. Edwards feels the older guys have to show the way while the team deals with injuries.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

While injuries are a part of any team throughout the season, the Lethbridge Hurricanes are searching for answers in terms of production and who will step up in these players absences.

The Hurricanes are currently without  the services of key players Logan Wormald, Miguel Marques, Leo Braillard and Jordan Gustafson who are all out with upper body injuries.

“I think our group needs to be better,” Ryan Aasman, Canes assistant coach.

“I think as a group we gotta look from within a little bit more and demand a little bit more to guys but guys have to demand a little more of themselves moving forward here.”

Aasman said it trickles everywhere, when asked how the impact is felt with the injured players being out.

“You’re looking at guys that make huge impacts and are game changing guys,” said Aasman.

The coaching staff are pushing other players hard to find another gear.

“We gotta find some ways to score goals. And those are the type of guys that have to, the guys that have been here for a while,” said Aasman.

“The Gizowski’s, the Cozens, the Andresen’s, they gotta step up and make the most of a good opportunity for them to be … players that they want to be as well.”

The team is trying different things to help out Brayden Edwards and Brayden Yager.

“It’s almost who can prove to play up there and then who can make the most of that opportunity,” said Aasman.”

 “It’s kind of earn your keep to have an opportunity to play with two really good centremen.”

The team was in a three-game slump going into Friday’s game and Edwards feels the team is not very happy with their performance as of late.

“We think our older guys really gotta lead the way and set the tone a little more and contribute more and show the young guys the way because we’re missing a lot of bodies,” said Edwards.

“So just showing them really what it takes to play bigger minutes and make a bigger impact on the ice.”

For Edwards, it hasn’t made a difference for him in who plays with his normal linemates of Wormald and Marques being out.

“It doesn’t really change my game,” said Edwards.

“I just stick to it, do what I can and then obviously (we) gotta a lot of skill up front. So it helps me personally as well.”

Andresen thinks the chemistry has been alright with the absentees.

“I think at the same time we got more to give here and we gotta dig in a little bit more and get back to our game,” said Andresen.

Andresen sees this as a good opportunity for him.

“I get a chance on the powerplay and move up in the line-up,” said Andresen.

“I think I gotta start taken a little bit more of (an) advantage of that.”