With just seven returning players, it will surely be a fresh start to the 2015-16 sa国际传媒 Hockey League season for the Victoria Grizzlies.
Just Kevin Massy, Cody Van Lierop (both on defence), Mitchell Barker, Cole Pickup, Nick Guiney, P.J. Conlon and Spencer Hunter are returning veterans, but general manager and head coach Craig Didmon likes the group he has assembled as training camp registration opens today and on-ice sessions begin Saturday at Juan de Fuca Arena.
He also has veteran Brayden Gelsinger (picked up in a trade for Garrett Forster) and goaltender Matthew Galajda (who had a good camp for the Grizzlies last year) coming in to reinforce the troops, along with several recruits he announced last season.
鈥淲e鈥檝e worked hard,鈥� stressed Didmon. 鈥淲e鈥檝e spent, since last December really, finding the free agents who can step in. I think we鈥檝e done a good job of bringing in mature players, still eligible, but have good experience.鈥�
鈥淲e have four 1996s coming in as first-year players in our league and a good crop of 鈥�97s. I think there are going to be some good battles for spots. I feel confident that after a few weeks in the league that you鈥檒l see a skilled group.鈥�
Tyler Welsh, who won provincial and Western sa国际传媒 Junior B titles with Campbell River last season, is also expected at camp. The slick, diminutive player did have a goal in one game played as an affiliate last year.
鈥淓xperience [in the BCHL] is the only thing we don鈥檛 have, but as far as players go, we have big, strong guys. We鈥檒l be relying on Massy and Van Lierop on the back end,鈥� said Didmon. 鈥淧.J. Conlon will be good up front, along with Cole Pickup, a third-year guy.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e our experience, but at the same time in this league, if you鈥檙e running a good program you鈥檙e losing half your guys to the NCAA and other leagues. I expect us to be right where we left off last year as a top team.鈥�
Victoria was 29-18-1-10 last season, fifth overall.
Didmon did lose some big shoes in the likes of Brett Gruber, who opted to play the USHL this season, and captain Shawn McBride who moved on to American International College at Springfield, Mass.
鈥淕ruber got drafted by his hometown USHL team. He had a scholarship already, so it made sense for him to play at home this year and Shawn鈥檚 gone off to AIC,鈥� said Didmon. 鈥淏ut we鈥檝e got a guy like Corey Iapalucci, who had a good season in the Western States Hockey League. He鈥檚 a 1996 and he鈥檚 crafty; so I think he can come in and be a top-six forward for us.鈥�
Iapalucci had 53 points in 41 games played with the Ogden Mustangs of the WSHL.
鈥淭he move we made to get Gelsinger (56 points in 56 games in Cowichan Valley and West Kelowna) really gives us that No. 1 centremen as well,鈥� added Didmon, who also expects to rely on two 1996-born defencemen in American Jake Stevens and Aurora, Ont., product Brett Stirling.
Massy, in his third year with the Grizzlies, is equally as excited.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like Christmas. I鈥檓 super pumped. It鈥檚 finally here and we鈥檙e going to make the most of it,鈥� said the six-foot-four, 205-pounder. 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 a lot of guys back, but we have some new guys coming in that we鈥檙e pretty confident about.
鈥淚t should be a good camp, really competitive and fun. I don鈥檛 think it will take a while to gel. We鈥檙e all familiar with each other, we鈥檙e all hockey players so we鈥檙e the same guys. It鈥檚 easy to get along with everyone.
鈥淥bviously, there have been changes, but that鈥檚 just going to make the organization better. It will make it more exciting and I鈥檓 looking forward to another good year.鈥�
Players check in tonight with ice sessions from 2:30-11 p.m. on Saturday.
The team will open the preseason on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals and the same two teams will meet Aug. 30 at 2 p.m. at Juan de Fuca.
