Links - timestranscriptcom Wildcats sign towering America - North River Minor Hockey Association

timestranscriptcom Wildcats sign towering American free agent By NEIL HODGE Breaking News New Brunswick CanadaCanadaEastcom TelegraphJournal Times & Transcript The Daily Gleaner Ltoile Log In Register Search Subscribe Write the Editor Contact Bathurst Campbellton Fredericton Grand Falls Miramichi Moncton Rothesay Saint John Sussex Woodstock here CareerBeaconcom Classifieds HOME FEATURES NEWS NEWSTODAY YOUR BUSINESS SPORTS OPINION LIFE & TIMES METRO WHATEVER TRAVEL & LEISURE HOME & GARDEN WHEELS Wildcats sign towering American free agentPublished Tuesday December 15th 2009 Tyler Howe makes his QMJHL debut tonightB1By NEIL HODGETIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFFStumble UpondeliciousDiggFacebookPrintEmailSpeak UpThe Moncton Wildcats have added size and toughnessEnlarge Photo Tyler Howe 6foot6 and 230 pounds will make his Wildcats debut when they face the Halifax Mooseheads in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action tonight at 7 pm at the Moncton ColiseumThe 18yearold native of Falmouth Mass had four assists and 118 penalty minutes in 30 games this season as a rookie defenceman for the Melville Millionaires of the Saskatchewan Junior A Hockey League He ranked third in the league in penalty minutesHes a big strong kid who has pretty good skill level and a pretty good understanding of the game said Moncton head coach and director of hockey operations Danny Flynn after signing Howe as a free agent yesterdayHes a classic late bloomer He played midget AAA in the Boston area last season I think the longterm goal down the road is to use him as a defenceman He can make opponents pay the price For now the plan is to play him both as a defenceman and forward and bring him along slowlyI think hell bring a (physical) presence to our team but I also think hes got real good upside if we can work with him to keep developing his overall skill level Hes a physical guy and we think we can round him into a player who can help our teamHowe is expected to assume the role of heavyweight fighter when neededI understand that dimension of his game is there but I liked his hockey sense and his understanding of the game when I went to see him play said Flynn I went on a fourday scouting trip last month and it was productiveI went to Saskatchewan to watch Tyler Howe play and also to watch three or four Notre Dame kids who are potential firstround picks (in the 2010 QMJHL draft) I also went to see (goaltender) Shane Owen in OntarioMoncton 201012 is tied for second in the Atlantic Division and its riding a seasonhigh sixgame winning streakWeve had some good games along the way but for consistency this has certainly been a good run for us said Flynn Shane Owen has quietly come in and given us real steady goaltending Hes got a 71 record and his arrival coincided with us taking offHes got e...