There are not many openings on a deep Victoria Royals roster that features numerous returning veterans.
The most glaring are in goal, where European-pro-bound Patrik Polivka must be replaced, and at forward, where Americans Ben Walker and Logan Nelson have graduated and Florida Panthers-signed Steven Hodges’ Western Hockey League rights were dealt to Tri-City.
Two notable open spots, however, are also available on the blue-line where the Royals lost captain Jordan Fransoo to graduation and traded 20-year-old Brett Cote to the Red Deer Rebels.
Someone will have to step in to fill those holes on the Victoria defence, with many eyes in rookie camp turning to Ralph Jarratt, a country-music-loving farm boy from Fort St. John.
The 16-year-old has certainly bulked up for the potential move up to the WHL, going from 170 pounds when selected 37th overall in the second round of the 2013 bantam draft to 200 pounds now in Royals rookie camp taking place at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
“It’s about getting bigger and faster,” said Jarratt, the six-foot-one rearguard, who had six goals, 17 points and 86 penalty minutes in 43 games last season for the Okanagan-based Pursuit of Excellence Under-18 Prep Team team.
“I wanted to fill out more, physically.”
He knows he needs to get tougher mentally, too.
“I want to fill one of those [open blue-line spots], so there’s a lot more pressure in camp this year than last year when I couldn’t make the team, regardless [15-year-olds are limited to five regular-season games in the WHL].”
History is on Jarratt’s side. The Royals have kept a touted rookie blue-liner every season they have played in Victoria — Keegan Kanzig in 2011-12, Joe Hicketts in 2012-13 and Chaz Reddekopp in 2013-14.
Those three were all first-round bantam draft picks but Jarratt’s pedigree isn’t far off as a second-rounder. Jarratt also attended the Hockey Canada U-17 summer development camp earlier this month in Calgary, part of the selection process for the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. So he’s on a lot of radars.
“I just have to play my game,” said Jarratt.
That involves a lot of movement.
“I like to move the puck and play a two-way defensive role.”
Only now, if he makes the Royals, the opposing WHL players will be 18, 19 and even 20.
“It’s going to be faster and I have to adjust, but I’m excited for it.”
A blue-line slot looks to be Jarratt’s to lose, even if Victoria enters the trade market to fill the other.
“I like Ralph. He’s a big, mobile guy and seems to have an understanding of the game offensively,” said Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
“But with young guys, the biggest thing [to learn] is consistency … you have to do it every day.”
Royals rookie camp continues today and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. at the Memorial Centre, with the top-performing rookies advancing to the opening of main camp Monday.
