Facing a Western Hockey League road trip with a depleted corps of forwards, the Victoria Royals will soon learn a thing or two about their depth up front.
Anaheim Ducks draft pick Tyler Soy left Saturday’s 3-1 home loss to the Kamloops Blazers in the first period and did not return. Ryan Peckford, ranked 87th among North American skaters for the 2017 NHL draft, was injured last week against Seattle.
Neither Soy nor Peckford were on the Royals team bus when it pulled out of the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre parking lot for games Wednesday in Medicine Hat against the Tigers, on Friday in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes and on Saturday in Cranbrook against the Kootenay Ice.
A prolonged absence would be especially unfortunate for Peckford since he was having a breakout season before also missing an earlier stretch to injury.
“In these kinds of situations, with guys playing with new linemates or out of position, it’s a matter of finding chemistry again,” Royals general manager Cam Hope said.
“I like where we are [31-22-4], but it would be nicer to be healthier. In my time in the WHL, this is the most competitive Western Conference I’ve seen.”
This could be a moment to step up for such Royals rookie forwards as Eric Florchuk and Kaid Oliver.
“Whenever something like this happens, it gives someone else a chance,” Hope said.
Further stressing Victoria’s lines is a possible suspension to Royals forward Jared Dmytriw, who incurred a major and game misconduct for a hit-to-the-head penalty against Deven Sideroff of Kamloops on Saturday.
The league is reviewing the incident and should have a ruling today regarding any possible suspension to Dmytriw.
“They [Dmytriw and Sideroff] hit helmets. It’s unfortunate. Other than that, it was a clean hit,” Hope said.
Hope allowed that players must be in control of their positioning and are responsible for each other’s safety on the ice.
The league will take that into consideration in making its decision.
The league is also looking at Czech-import defenceman Ondrej Vala of the Blazers for possible “supplemental discipline” for his contact with Soy in Saturday’s game, which netted Vala a minor penalty for cross checking.
