The Victoria Royals will open their main training camp — and the Western Hockey League regular season — without their captain.
Gannon Laroque’s off-season lower-body issue is expected to linger past the season openers against the Spokane Chiefs on Sept. 23-24.
“Gannon is still recovering and is doubtful to start the season. Realistically, it will be some point after that, but we don’t know how long,” said Royals general manager and head coach Dan Price.
That is tough news, for not only the Royals but Laroque personally, because he is among the 14 blueliners being considered for Canada’s team to the 2023 world junior hockey championship beginning Boxing Day in Halifax and Moncton, N.B.
“That has been a big driver for him,” Price said of Laroque’s ambition to make the Canadian team.
But he had to miss the Canadian team summer selection camp in July and now his adverse health situation is seeping into the fall portion of the WHL season.
Instead of Laroque as captain with three assistants, Price said the Royals will start the season with four assistant captains.
Without Laroque, who is signed to the San Jose Sharks, the spotlight will be on a pair of emerging defencemen.
Austin Zemlak, selected ninth overall in the first round of the 2020 WHL prospects draft by the Royals, was injured for most of last year but, based on the limited exposure he got late last season, looks primed for a breakout.
“Having Austin for a full season will be a huge add,” said Price. “He is so athletic and mobile and has a cannon of a shot from the point.”
Meanwhile, previously little-known but consistently improving Royals defenceman Kalem Parker came into his own last season and was named to the Canadian team for the IIHF Under-18 World Championship in Germany.
“Most people think of Kalem as an offensive defenceman and overlook what a great defender he is,” said Price.
“He is a tremendous contributor in both ways. Being picked for the Canadian U-18 team was a big confidence boost because he realized his play got noticed, not to mention that playing alongside those top players elevated his game.”
The Royals completed their 60-player rookie camp over the weekend. The best of the newcomers will be invited to join the returning players in the 60-player main camp starting Monday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre with Team Phillips playing Team Hicketts at 2 p.m., Team Outhouse versus Team Hicketts at 3:45 p.m. and Team Outhouse meeting Team Phillips at 5:30 p.m.
The scrimmage sessions are at the same times Tuesday. The intra-squad game is Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.
The main-camp scrimmage team names are in honour of former Royals — quicksilver forward Matthew Phillips, a Calgary Flames draft pick who has spent his career to date in the AHL with one NHL game; mobile blueliner Joe Hicketts, who was with the Iowa Wild of the AHL last season and won gold with Canada at the 2015 world juniors and has played 22 NHL games; and goaltender Griffen Outhouse, now in U Sports with the University of New Brunswick Reds.
The Royals begin the WHL pre-season Saturday against the Prince George Cougars at Jon Baillie Arena in Port Coquitlam and continue next Sunday against the Vancouver Giants at the Langley Events Centre, Sept. 13 against the Rockets at Prospera Place in Kelowna and conclude Sept. 14 at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops against the Blazers.
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
