With a bright young squad that is already ranked in the Canadian Hockey League top-10 poll among WHL clubs at No. 6 this week, the Victoria Royals鈥� future appears set for at least the next three to four seasons.
The Royals believe Dino Kambeitz of Parker, Colorado, will be a big part of that, as they signed the 16-year-old forward Wednesday to the club鈥檚 50-player protected list. Don鈥檛 let Kambeitz鈥檚 fifth-round selection in the 2015 WHL bantam draft fool you, said Royals GM Cam Hope. He would have gone much higher but teams were wary Kambeitz was also considering the U.S. collegiate NCAA. The all-rounder was also good enough to be recruited as an NCAA Div. 1 field-lacrosse player.
The signing brings a historical angle as Dino鈥檚 dad, now Denver chiropractor Jim Kambeitz, played for the Victoria Cougars in a five-season WHL career that also included stops in Medicine Hat, Moose Jaw and Kamloops.
鈥淥bviously, being a U.S. kid, I was very influenced by the NCAA route. But since my dad played in the WHL, that helped me decide,鈥� said the six-foot, 185-pound Dino Kambeitz, by phone from Alberta, where he has 17 goals and 55 points in 45 games this season in Midget with the Edge Hockey Academy of Calgary.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool to have a chance to play where my dad played. Especially with Victoria being one of the best destinations, with one of the best young teams, in the WHL. I hope to crack the lineup next season.鈥�
Kambeitz said his family grew up with hockey and lacrosse sticks in their hands. Brother Dimitri is also a hockey and lacrosse player who skated in Royals camp last fall. Kambeitz鈥檚 cousin, Alex Demopoulos, is the all-time assists leader and No. 3 in all-time points in University of Denver lacrosse history, while cousin Stefan Demopoulos won the 2015 NCAA hockey championship with the Providence Friars.
Kambeitz will skate in practice this week with the Royals, who commence a three-game Alberta road trip Friday in Calgary.
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