"Gritty" Winger Off to Swedan: Sisca signs with Västerås

[hockey123]

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=24656


Brown did a nice job getting a second rounder and Dylan Wood for Sisca. Even though Wood never worked out, 1 year of Sisca for a second rounder is a steal.

[AlphaDog]

He'll have to tone down that grit if he goes over there. They don't play as rough I hear :)

'Still... 35 goals last season. Not bad.

[three dog night]

best of luck in sweeden Matt

[notl1733]

The guy scores 35 goals and is still a -8. His gritty play will fit right in over there.

[hockey123]

Sisca returns to the Storm
Tony Saxon/Guelph Mercury


GUELPH — Matt Sisca is back with the Guelph Storm. Now someone has to go.

The 19-year-old overage centre rejoined the team Friday after failing to earn a spot on a team in the Swedish second division.

“I went down there (Vasteras) for two months and thought I played great, but it just wasn’t there for me and the team had other decisions to make,” Sisca said Monday as he regained his old stall in the Storm locker room.

“Obviously when they called me into that room and told me I was being sent home the confidence went down a little bit, but I got home, spent a few days talking with my family and now I’m happy to be here and looking ahead.”

Sisca said he led the Vasteras squad in scoring during the pre-season, but the team told him he was too young and too inexperienced.

“If I had played this season I would have been the youngest player in the league,” said Sisca, who also regained his number 9 from Riley Sonnenburg, who switches to 27.

Sisca is taking that approach that as one door closes, another one opens. The 5-foot-9 Woodbridge native finds inspiration in players like former Kitchener Ranger Justin Azevedo and Niagara IceDog Michael Swift: undersized forwards that went undrafted who are now making a living in the American Hockey League.

“I know there’s a lot of pressure on my back to put up over 80 or 100 points this season, but the number one thing is to win an OHL championship,” Sisca said.

His return leaves the team with four overage players: Sisca, Sam Lofquist, Tyler Carroll and Chris Van Laren. While teams are allowed to carry four, only three can dress for games.

“Obviously at some point we have to make a decision on one of them,” Brooks said of the crowded overage spot. “We have no immediate plan in place. We’ve thought about which way we might go, but no decision has been made.”

Brooks said it is likely that Sisca, who finished with 65 points last season despite a brutal first half to the campaign, will be kept.

“I think we’re going to assess that, but at this time you’ve got to think we’re going to keep him,” Brooks said.

Sisca immediately addresses one of the team’s needs — that of a second-line playmaking centre with power play experience and success.

Brooks said Sisca’s return certainly offers the coaching staff more flexibility with the forward group.

The man making the decisions did say that it would be in everyone’s best interest to move one of the overagers as soon as possible.

“You want to do it sooner rather than later. You don’t want a 20-year-old sitting in the stands,” Brooks said. “It’s not their fault. They’ve done nothing wrong. Now it’s just a numbers game.”

The Storm opens its season Friday at home against the Owen Sound Attack.

[B-Rad]

Maybe we can resign Van Laren now? hahaha

[AlphaDog]

Poor Matt... the Swedes out-gritted him out of a spot on the team. :blink: