It鈥檚 the same question every September. Pundits look at the Victoria Royals鈥� roster and ask: 鈥淲here are the goals going to come from?鈥�
Every season, the Royals seem to find an answer of some kind among their usual group of diligent two-way forwards who ply their trade in the club鈥檚 team-first approach. Even if last season鈥檚 team leading scorer 鈥� Kaid Oliver 鈥� didn鈥檛 reach 50 points.
This year鈥檚 group of scorers is again a well-balanced lot. The seamless playmaker Brayden Tracey, an NHL first-round draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks, has three goals and 13 points in 14 games since coming to the Royals in a trade. Combined with his Moose Jaw Warriors numbers, Tracey leads the Royals in points with 51, of which 18 are goals.
Tarun Fizer is on 16 goals and 47 points, Gary Haden 21 goals and 43 points and Oliver 16 goals and 37 points. Carson Miller, captain Phillip Schultz and rookie Keanu Derungs have also shown abilities on offence.
But nobody has been hotter on the Royals than Brandon Cutler, who has seven goals in the past four games to bump his season totals to 13 goals and 28 points.
Cutler scored the winner against the Kamloops Blazers in the 5-4 victory on Saturday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. In the previous trio of games, Cutler became the first Victoria player to score two goals in three consecutive games since the Royals moved to the Island in 2011-12, and only the second in franchise history along with Ryan Howse if the five seasons in Chilliwack are counted.
鈥淚 was not happy with my season until after Christmas,鈥� said Cutler, about his torrid stretch.
鈥淚 am surrounded by good players who have been setting me up. And lately, I have been getting open for them.鈥�
Cutler certainly has that sniper鈥檚 lethal touch. The Royals (28-18-5) will be looking for it again tonight when they host the Red Deer Rebels (18-28-5) at the Memorial Centre.
鈥淢y game has always been based on the skill side since rep hockey days [in Spruce Grove, Alta.],鈥� said Cutler.
But you have to adapt to the Royals way if you are to be successful with Victoria鈥檚 Western Hockey League club.
Cutler said his musical tastes run from hip hop to country. That鈥檚 a good analogy for what it takes to be a Royals forward under head coach Dan Price 鈥� you have to have a wide range.
鈥淭he biggest difference is I鈥檝e been better in our defensive zone and am using the whole ice now,鈥� said Cutler.
鈥淭he key to our success is listening and staying with Dan鈥檚 system.鈥�
鈥淲e have such varied depth on our forward corps with guys who can get it done in different ways. That鈥檚 very important in the playoffs.
The Royals鈥� season has been one of surges and dips. A poor start was followed by a strong mid-section. An 8-1-1 stretch was followed by a 1-3-2 road trip through the East Division. Victoria regrouped and now has earned points in four consecutive games, the last three have been wins.
鈥淭hat road slump made us think and we learned from it,鈥� said Cutler.
That has been evident the past four games.
Tonight pits Cutler against the Rebels organization, which selected him in the ninth round of the 2015 WHL bantam draft. The Rebels traded Cutler to the Royals before the 2018-19 season in exchange for former Victoria forward prospect Dallon Melin, who turns 18 next month, and has seven goals and 15 points in 51 games this season for the Rebels. Cutler, meanwhile, played two seasons in Red Deer and is now in his second season with Victoria.
鈥淥bviously, there are things in the back of the mind, but I鈥檓 treating it like just another game,鈥� Cutler said.
Cutler turned 20 last month. Like every player reaching that age in the WHL, he is weighing his future in the game. Although undrafted, he is hoping for a pro career beginning possibly in the AHL/ECHL or Europe. Because of his early birthday, Cutler is still considered a 19-year-old for the purposes of the WHL, and so has the option of returning to the WHL next season as one of three allowable 20-year-olds per team.
鈥淚t all depends on factors,鈥� said Cutler.
鈥淏ut that鈥檚 next season.鈥�
