The firm of Soy and Reddekopp has put out its shingle and plans to be laying down the law on Blanshard Street for several years to come.
There isn’t much latitude on the veteran-laden Victoria Royals roster to accommodate 16-year-old rookies. But the Western Hockey League club is expected to find room for forward Tyler Soy and defenceman Chaz Reddekopp, the team’s two first-round 2012 bantam draft picks.
Victoria’s second first-round pick that year, which the club used to choose Reddekopp 13th overall after taking Soy eighth overall with its first selection, came from the Brandon Wheat Kings and was part of the return package in the trade for former Royals star forward Kevin Sundher.
There is a bit of hype attached to the two touted rookies but they are remarkably poised for 16-year-olds and aren’t letting it cloud their vision of the task at hand.
“I handle it [the pressure of expectation] by playing my game and keeping it simple. That helps me not get nervous,” said Reddekopp, who skated in practice Tuesday but won’t play in tonight’s intra-squad game because of a lower-body injury.
Rep players from around the province get to know each other through various camps, tournaments, B.C. teams and from playing against each other’s club teams. West Kelowna’s Reddekopp and Cloverdale’s Soy are good friends, becoming more so over the last year knowing they were destined to be Royals teammates — that despite playing on rival Okanagan-based Major Midget teams.
“It’s tough to cover Tyler [Soy],” said the six-foot-two, 200-pound Reddekopp, who tried doing just that last season whenever his Pursuit of Excellence team played Soy’s Okanagan Hockey Academy squad.
“He protects the puck so well and is hard to knock off it.”
Right back at you, said Soy.
“Chaz [Reddekopp] is a big, solid defenceman who plays physically but can also chip-in offensively,” said Soy.
The latter is evident by Reddekopp’s 51 points in 61 games last season for Pursuit of Excellence.
“I play both sides of the puck . . . I believe I play both zones well,” he said.
Both Reddekopp and Soy were invited to the Team Pacific summer camp in Calgary, from which the Team Pacific (B.C./Alberta) roster will be selected for the 2014 World Under-17 Challenge in late December/early January in Nova Scotia.
While Reddekopp was called up for one game last season by the Royals, his buddy Soy didn’t look out of place as a composed 15-year-old who appeared in seven WHL regular-season games for Victoria with a goal and assist, and all six playoff games with another goal and assist.
“The guys helped me feel comfortable,” said Soy, who in his Royals call-ups, more than hung tough against players up to five years older.
“I definitely noticed the speed difference and that the older guys were so much stronger,” added the five-foot-11 Soy.
“I’m not growing [taller] but I put on a few pounds over the summer and spent a lot of time on the track and in the gym and worked on my strength.”
And about being closely scrutinized?
“Being a first-round bantam pick brings with it a certain amount of pressure,” noted Soy, a crafty and elusive sniper who had 99 points in 52 games last season for Okanagan Hockey Academy.
“I’m going to stay focused and not think about it and just be the best I can be.”
Once he and Reddekopp are done on Blanshard, that could be pretty darn good.
ICE CHIPS: Tonight’s Blue vs. White intra-squad game starts at 7 p.m. and entrance is by donation, with proceeds going to the GoodLife Fitness Children’s Foundation … While the 2012 top bantam selection, Soy, will be on display tonight, Victoria’s 2013 first-round bantam pick, forward Dante Hannoun, won’t be. Hannoun took ill and has withdrawn from camp and gone home to Delta to fight it off. The club says it was a mutual decision in the interest of the player getting the proper rest needed … The Royals, meanwhile, announced the signing of their two 2013 second-round bantam draft picks, forward Matthew Phillips and blue-liner Ralph Jarratt. … The Royals first pre-season test will come Friday when they take on the Silvertips in Everett.
