Ice sports are probably the last thing on most people鈥檚 minds in mid-August. Don鈥檛 look now, however, but Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League training camps open this week.
They do so with more of a youth movement this year.
With eight 20-year-olds allowed in Junior B, the temptation is to go that route to win. When it comes to men versus boys in the rinks or on the fields, the men usually win, no matter how talented the upcoming youngsters might be because there is a world of difference physically, mentally and emotionally between a 20-year-old and 16-year-old athlete.
Victoria Cougars head coach Suneil Karod, however, wants the VIJHL to be more of a development feeder league to Junior A and sees a different approach emerging.
鈥淚t is going to be a younger league this year,鈥� said Karod.
The talent level born in 2000 and 2001 is very skilled right now. You can鈥檛 pass up on these kids. They are ready now and can鈥檛 wait. Even if they play one year at our level, and then go up to Junior A, that鈥檚 good because that is what we want. We want to be known as a development league.鈥�
Three of last season鈥檚 Cougars are heading to Junior A in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and another four to U.S. collegiate hockey in the ACHA.
鈥淲e have three guys from last going up to Junior A, and potentially five this season,鈥� added Karod.
鈥淚f we can get three to five a season graduating up to Junior A, I think that鈥檚 a good developmental model for our league.鈥�
But every VIJHL team will still need to surround the younger talent with older, veteran players who have been around the league and know the ropes.
鈥淵ou need a good mix,鈥� said Karod.
The Cougars are surrounding their promising young recruits, such as defenceman Trevor Johnson from Michigan and forward Darwin Lakoduk from Alberta, with 20-year-old veterans such as Kyle Wade, Liam Kinsella and Akila Sato-Gaudreau.
鈥淸Kinsella] has been skating with us since he was 14 and he bleeds Cougar colours,鈥� said Karod.
The Campbell River Storm outlasted the Cougars over four overtimes in the deciding Game 7 of last year鈥檚 VIJHL playoff final.
鈥淧eople everywhere heard of that game, and when I went recruiting throughout the province, people would always bring up the four-overtime Game 7,鈥� said Karod.
It was the third consecutive year the Cougars and Storm met in the league final, with Victoria winning in six games in 2016, and the Storm in four games in 2015 en route to both the Cyclone Taylor Cup sa国际传媒 championship and Keystone Cup Western Canadian title.
Last year, the Storm went on to lose in the 2017 Cyclone Taylor Cup sa国际传媒 championship game to the Kootenay-champion Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
It should again come down to the Storm and Cougars, with Karod picking the Comox Valley Glacier Kings and Nanaimo Buccaneers as teams to also watch for in the North and Westshore Wolves in the South, with the Saanich Braves and Peninsula Panthers also lurking and looking to make an impact.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of parity heading into this season, and it鈥檚 going to be a lot tighter than last season,鈥� predicted Karod.
The Cougars open the exhibition season Aug. 28 against the Braves at Archie Browning Sports Centre and Aug. 29 against the Kerry Park Islanders, also at Archie Browning.
The 2017-18 regular season opens with the defending league champion Storm against the visiting Oceanside Generals on Sept. 1 at Rod Brind鈥橝mour Arena. The Storm will also be in action the next day as they travel to Comox Valley to meet the Glacier Kings.
The South Division opens the regular season Sept. 6 when Kerry Park comes into The Q Centre to take on the Wolves. The Cougars open their season on Sept. 7 when they host the Glacier Kings at Archie Browning.
The regular season concludes Feb. 17.
The VIJHL top-prospects game will be played Jan. 7 at Rod Brind鈥橝mour Arena.
