Both ends of the roster spectrum are giving the Victoria Royals plenty to think about this week.
The Western Hockey League club will lose six of its veteran players to NHL rookie camps starting today — Joe Hicketts is headed to the Detroit Red Wings, fellow-blue-liner Travis Brown to the Ottawa Senators, forward Axel Blomqvist to the Winnipeg Jets and defenceman Keegan Kanzig and forwards Austin Carroll and Brandon Magee to the Calgary Flames.
Only two of the players — Kanzig with the Flames and Blomqvist with the Jets — are signed to NHL entry-level contracts.
Expect all six of the players to return to play for the Royals this season, although when they return is up to the NHL clubs.
“It’s all part of their development. We hope it’s a good experience for all of them,” said Victoria GM Cam Hope.
It’s at the younger edge of the age bracket that the biggest decisions will have to be made soon.
Hope said 16-year-old rookies Ralph Jarratt, a defenceman, and forwards Dante Hannoun, Matthew Phillips and Jared Dmytriw have “put themselves in the battle” to make the team.
“We may have to decide if a veteran is going to have to play elsewhere [in the league] this season,” added Hope.
Dmytriw had a goal and an assist and Hannoun an assist Sunday as Victoria (1-2-2) won its first pre-season game by downing the Kelowna Rockets 4-1 at Sun God Arena in Delta.
Throw in the 17-year-old Royals rookies aspirants, such as forwards Matthew Campese and Regan Nagy, who have shown flashes of speed in the pre-season.
“A lot of decisions will be made … it’s crunch time this week,” said Hope.
“That’s why the next pre-season game [Thursday against the Vancouver Giants at 5 p.m. at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre] is so important.”
The process continued Monday with the Royals releasing forward Keith Anderson.
Meanwhile, the battle to win the back-up crease position behind incumbent Coleman Vollrath is also entering a crucial phase. Evan Smith of Colorado and Michael Herringer of Comox split the goaltending time against the Rockets on Sunday in Delta. Starter Smith stopped all 17 shots he faced, including a penalty shot, in 31:04 of playing time. Herringer made nine saves on 10 shots in 28:56 of playing time.
“All three goalies have been great,” said Hope.
Meanwhile, Victoria forwards Blomqvist and Braden Oleksyn also had a goal and assist each Sunday, while Hicketts added a goal.
Oleksyn, with only 17 games of WHL experience, can also be considered a rookie despite that he is 18 years old.
After going 0-17 in its previous two exhibition games, the Victoria power play awoke Sunday to go 3-12. The stingy Victoria penalty kill, in holding Kelowna to 0-4, has limited opponents to 0-10 over the last three games.
The Royals, who conclude the pre-season Saturday in Kelowna, open the 72-game WHL regular season Sept. 19 in Kamloops.
