It isn’t often the Western Hockey League features a game in which the main spotlight falls directly on the men behind the benches, as it does tonight when the Victoria Royals open the 2014-15 season in Kamloops against the Blazers.
Royals head coach Dave Lowry must find a way to coax early-season results out of a lineup missing five veterans — Joe Hicketts, Brandon Magee, Keegan Kanzig, Austin Carroll and Axel Blomqvist — away at NHL camps. Don Hay, meanwhile, returns after a lengthy absence to a Blazers bench from which he guided Kamloops to two Memorial Cup championships in the 1990s.
“We need short, hard shifts. And those guys [Blazers] need to know they are going to get hit every time,” said Royals forward Brandon Fushimi.
“If our guys play Dave’s system, we have a great opportunity to win.”
It worked last season, when despite being short-staffed for several stretches because of injuries, the Royals still managed to put together franchise records for wins (48) and points (100) in a breakthrough campaign that also netted a first-ever playoff series victory for the franchise and Lowry WHL coach-of-the-year honours.
“We’re treating it [missing five veterans] like having injuries,” said Lowry.
“It creates opportunities for the other players.”
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Lowry hadn’t decided on his captain as the Royals prepared to leave for the Interior. Defenceman Hicketts and forward Logan Fisher shared the duties during the preseason. But Hicketts is away at Detroit Red Wings camp. Fisher did his part, sounding like a leader.
“We are short of players, so the players who are dressed have to be stepping up and playing big,” he said.
“Guys are getting opportunities. They need to make the most of it.”
Fushimi said it’s up to the veterans to lead.
“I’m going to make an example of myself by playing hard and playing physical,” he said.
While Hicketts is at the Red Wings’ camp, Blomqvist is at the Winnipeg Jets’ camp and Kanzig, Magee and Carroll are with the Calgary Flames. Magee is ineligible to play for Victoria for the first 12 WHL games, regardless, because of a suspension carrying over from last season’s playoffs.
The Royals got a break with the return this week of defenceman Travis Brown from the Ottawa Senators.
“Everyone has to step up and pitch in,” said Brown, of the manpower situation the Royals find themselves in.
“We need to keep it simple and play smart hockey.”
Victoria plays the Blazers in three of its first four games — tonight in Kamloops and the home openers next Friday and Saturday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. Interspersed is a game this Saturday in Vancouver against the Giants.
Kamloops has a long way to climb after a Western Conference-worst record of 14-53-5 last season. This is a homecoming the hard way for Kamloops-native Hay, who spent the last 10 seasons coaching the Giants.
Hay described it as an easy move because he still has a house in Kamloops and most of his family is there. If only the season prospects went down as easy.
“This is going to take time. It’s a work in progress,” said Hay, by phone from Kamloops.
“It’s a process and we’ve already seen improvement and growth. We’re excited about the year.”
Not that a coach as cagey as Hay doesn’t have an eye out to the other bench.
“Victoria is competitive and works hard,” said Hay.
“It has shown continued improvement over the years. It’s a real solid team.”
But missing a few key parts in the early going. So Kamloops may never have a better chance to get an early jump on its rebuild.
A rejuvenated Brown, however, will have something to say about that. Although disappointed not to stick through to the Senators’ main camp, the puck-moving 20-year-old Royals blue-liner said there was plenty to take away from Ottawa’s rookie camp.
“It was a great experience and I learned a lot,” said Brown. “I bring back professionalism and pace to Victoria. Being up there teaches that you have to be a lot quicker on the puck and make quicker decisions.”
The younger Royals would be smart to watch and learn.
“I’ll have no better opportunity and I have to take advantage of it,” said 16-year-old forward Jared Dmytriw, who had three goals in the preseason.
