Forgive Luca Sbisa if he’s feeling a bit like Phil Connors right now. Connors, portrayed by Bill Murray in the film Groundhog Day, kept reliving the same day over and over and over. Well, Sbisa must be feeling a lot like the WBPH-TV9 meteorologist, as he has returned to the Lethbridge Hurricanes—yet again.
It has been a whirlwind year-and-a-half for the Italian-born hockey player. Two summers ago Sbisa was an NHL first round draft pick by the Philadelphia Flyers. Then, that September, he surprisingly made the club out of training camp. And it was more than a cup of coffee, as he suited up for 39 NHL games.
However, some veteran Flyers players returned from injury and Sbisa was returned to junior and the Hurricanes. He came back to the ‘Bridge and showed why he is so highly regarded, energizing the local lads and helping them upset Saskatoon in the first round of the WHL playoffs this past spring.
In 2009, it was another eventful summer for the Swiss National Junior Team Member, as he was a piece in the Chris Pronger trade between Philadelphia and Anaheim. As a result, Luca switched coasts, moving his focus from the City of Brotherly Love to So-Cal.
So Sbisa settled into California whole-heartedly, finding a place in Newport Beach and resolutely training with the Ducks for the entire summer. He then went to his second NHL training camp with Anaheim, had a strong preseason, and once again started the hockey season in The Show.
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And now we move ahead to the present, where for the second time in under 12 months, Sbisa has been returned to the WHL and the ‘Canes.
We shall see how this latest reunion will turn out. I know Sbisa is the kind of player that the Hurricanes have certainly lacked this season. A true number-one defenceman that can quarterback the powerplay and also help shut down the opposition’s top forwards.
The bigger question is: what is Sbisa’s state of mind as he returns to the Dub? There was some concern after the Ducks reassigned him because the Hurricanes could not confirm right away that he was in fact coming back.
However, all seems well now, as Luca reported to the ‘Bridge. Talking to him about his initial reaction about being sent back to the Dub, Sbisa said, “it was really tough, that’s why I took a couple of extra days to think about things, especially the second time (starting the year in the NHL only to be sent back to the WHL). And my goal this year was to clearly play in the NHL a full year.”
To be so close to one’s ultimate goal, and then being asked to wait for a year would be tough on anyone, never mind a teenager. Yet, Sbisa is a pretty grounded kid. When asked about the “adversity” he’s faced this past year and a bit he replied, “If somebody would have told me 3 years ago “you will go through all this stuff,” I would have said, “bring me the sheet, I’ll sign it right now.””
I believe Luca truly likes his Hurricanes teammates and is very close to his billet family. Let’s face it; the organization helped him grow from an almost unknown import player to an NHL first-round draft pick. As Sbisa explained, “I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for Lethbridge.”
The question lingers: how long will Luca’s stay be? As of now the Hurricanes are a team in transition. Thought to be a WHL championship contender as recently as last season, this year’s edition doesn’t boast most of the key players that once made the side so dangerous.
That’s not to say this year’s ‘Canes can’t come together and make some significant strides. In fact, with the season about a month-and-a-half in, it appears the Eastern Conference is pretty wide open. Yes, Calgary remains a very strong outfit, ranked #1 in the CHL for most of the current campaign. Behind the Hitmen are some pretty good East Division clubs: Saskatoon, Regina and Brandon, even if the Wheat Kings have yet to show they will be more than a Memorial Cup host—without the most.
So, it would not surprise me one bit, aided immensely by Sbisa, if the Hurricanes made a move in the Eastern Conference standings. And if they don’t, leading up to January’s WHL trade deadline, the d-man becomes an attractive addition for another team that has championship aspirations.
As for Luca, here's hoping his travels and travails this season make the journey going forward a better one. And for his seak, that he's somewhere that maeks him happy on February 2nd.
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