Some might say it’s too early to make the comparison. But is Jake Poole set to become the Bailey Peach of the 2022-23 Victoria Royals season? Peach was the off-the-waiver-wire steal from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League who seemed to come out of nowhere in the Atlantic mist to lead the Royals in scoring last season with 37 goals and 78 points.
Now, also as a 20-year-old addition in his final season of junior, Poole has broken out with the Royals and has seven goals and 11 points in 11 WHL games since being traded to Victoria from Kelowna almost as an afterthought by the Rockets in exchange for an eighth-round pick in the 2024 WHL prospects draft. Throw in his goal and assist with Kelowna in two games before the trade and Poole is actually on eight goals and 13 points in 13 games.
The point-a-game pace would get the six-foot-two, 200-pound winger to 68 points, which a team like the Royals that struggles on offence, would gladly take. The most impressive statistic, however, might be that Poole is plus-4 on a Victoria team that is only 3-10-2 and has been outscored 62-38.
Royals head coach and GM Dan Price is tempering any comparisons by the media to the graduated Peach, saying: “We need to be careful about making huge comparisons like that.”
But there is no denying this trade is turning out to be a good one for Victoria.
“Jake Poole is very process driven and does it the right way and is very prepared,” said Price. “He does the hard things like going to the net.”
Meanwhile, another Royals trade in the opposite direction appears to be working out for six-foot-three defenceman Nolan Bentham. He came as a touted hometown Victoria product to the Royals as the 13th overall selection in the first round of the 2018 WHL prospects draft.
It didn’t work out for him on Blanshard Street and the Racquet Club product was traded in 2021 to the Hurricanes, who the Royals face Tuesday night in Lethbridge, for a second-round selection in the 2024 WHL prospects draft and seventh- and eighth-round picks this year. Bentham had five goals and 20 points last season in Lethbridge, while also taking care of his own end, and has a goal and three points in 14 games this season.
“Nolan is doing well with the Hurricanes (6-8) and rightfully so,” said Price.
“It is a good fit for him.”
Tuesday night’s game in Lethbridge is the fourth of Victoria’s six-game road swing through the Eastern Conference Central Division, its first such trip since before the pandemic. It began with respective 6-2 and 6-1 losses last week in Red Deer against the Rebels and in Swift Current against the Broncos and a 4-3 overtime victory Saturday in Medicine Hat against the Tigers. Following Lethbridge tonight, it concludes in NHL rinks Wednesday in Calgary against the Hitmen and Friday in Edmonton against the defending WHL champions but now last-place Oil Kings.
