Justin Michaelian, Sage Englund and Bret Parker have all caught the eye of general manager and head coach Craig Didmon as the Grizzlies prepare for the 2016-17 B.C. Hockey League season.
“Michaelian and Englund are two 1997-born forwards who have come and made an impression right away, giving us the possibility that they can walk in and be top-six players,” said Didmon. “Certainly the skill-set is there, it’s going to be how they handle exhibition games, especially as those games ramp up and get closer to what a BCHL game is really like.
“They’ve come in, they have good size, good speed, they’ve shown good physicality and they’ve been putting the puck in the net,” added Didmon. “Coming in, we were hopeful that they would have a good start to camp and they certainly have.”
Didmon is looking for offence up front and the trio could be options.
“They can add some offence. Englund is a nice playmaker who can move the puck as well on his backhand as his forehand. Michaelian is a big body who can shoot the puck and find those small spaces,” said Didmon.
Michaelian hails from Michigan and Englund from Arizona. Parker is from the Boston area.
“Parker has also shown that he can be a fast player in this league. For a smaller player he’s been quite physical, and he’s been shooting the puck,” Didmon said of the five-foot-nine, 165-pounder.
Unlike the other two, who Didmon recruited, Parker took the risk to come north and west, attending a Grizzlies’ camp in Whistler where he caught the organization’s eye.
“Englund is a natural centreman. Michaelian is a right-hander who likes the right side and Parker is left-handed and likes the wing,” explained Didmon. “They make a pretty good line. Whether they stick together, I don’t know, but leading into exhibition, I’m curious to see what they can get done.”
The Grizzlies were back at it on Friday night at Juan de Fuca Arena where they faced the Cowichan Valley Capitals for a second straight evening, and Michaelian and Englund were front and centre. Michaelian had two goals and two assists, while Englund added a goal and two assists to lead the Grizzlies to a 9-2 victory.
Victoria will head to Port Alberni tonight to face the Bulldogs before ending the preseason with a pair against the Nanaimo Clippers next Friday up Island and a week from tonight in Sooke.
“As each game goes, the competition gets tougher,” said Didmon.
