He may not have to next season. This Royals era always looked to be built to crest for the 2017-18 season, with depth and talent among the returnees that will certainly make Victoria highly regarded for next season in the WHL while teams built for this year like Seattle, Regina, and Prince George will be receding.
But that was small consolation on Tuesday afternoon. Especially for the graduating 20-year-old Royals players Jack Walker, Ryan Gagnon and Carter Folk; and four of the seven 19-year-old Royals, only three who can return as 20-year-olds.
There is an arc in every sports season, from those anticipatory first steps in training camp to the almost-always melancholic locker-clearout day, the latter which occurred for the Royals two days after their elimination Sunday in the longest game played in WHL and CHL history.
鈥淚 grew up here,鈥� said 20-year-old graduating fifth-year Royals forward Jack Walker.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long ride with so many games. It will be weird not coming back,鈥� added the native of Edina, Minnestoa.
Walker is a draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Folk, a native of Regina, will play U Sports Canadian university hockey next season and Quesnel鈥檚 Gagnon is mulling over U Sports or minor pro in the AHL/ECHL.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about becoming a man,鈥� said Gagnon, who like Walker, also spent five seasons with the Royals from age 16 to 20.
鈥淰ictoria is a part of me and always will be. It will probably take to the end of the summer to process this. But it鈥檚 a new chapter.鈥�
Hope said Royals head coach Dave Lowry is wanted back for a sixth season with the club. But every summer brings with it some degree of uncertainty with a coach the calibre of Lowry, who admits his goal is to get back to a pro bench.
鈥淚鈥檓 not in a hurry to go anywhere. But like anybody, I like to explore opportunities. If one came up, I would have to look at it,鈥� said Lowry, a former Calgary Flames assistant coach.
鈥淚 aspire to the next level. At some point, I would like to get back to the NHL. I can鈥檛 know if that鈥檚 going to happen. It鈥檚 something beyond my control. There are a lot of great coaches out there in the AHL, ECHL and across the CHL.鈥�
Said Hope: 鈥淚t鈥檚 overdue for Dave to be at a higher level. So far each summer, we have dodged a bullet.鈥�
Meanwhile, the Royals鈥� 19-year-olds are Chaz Reddekopp, Tyler Soy, Regan Nagy, Ethan Price, Vladimir Bobylev, Marsel Ibragimov and Loch Morrison.
Reddekopp and Soy are NHL draft picks but do not yet look pro-ready. The persistent veteran forechecker Nagy is a valuable asset up front. Those appear to be the Royals鈥� three allowable 20-year-olds for next season.
鈥淚 want to play pro but I would not be mad about coming back next season as a 20-year-old if it better helps with my development,鈥� said Reddekopp.
鈥淚t looks to be a good group here next year.鈥�
That would leave four very able left-over 20-year-old players who Hope can use as trading chips to stock up on younger players.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see how it shakes out,鈥� said the Victoria GM. 鈥淭hese things tend to sort themselves out.鈥�
After this injury-compromised Royals season, one that never really seemed to ignite, Hope has his sights set on what could be an explosive 2017-18 with the likes of Matthew Phillips and Dante Hannoun entering their 19-year-old seasons.
鈥淭his was a challenging season . . . we鈥檒l put it in the [rear-view] mirror,鈥� said Hope.
鈥淲e are excited about next season. We have a solid core of players born in 1998-1999.鈥�
And they know all about dramatic exits and are just itching to finally rewrite the script.
