The roster is set and Victoria Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon is ready to press forward toward the sa国际传媒 Hockey League season.
Didmon made his final cuts on Thursday morning, paring down to 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goaltenders.
The team will head to Port Alberni tonight to continue pre-season play against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 7 p.m., with the two teams returning to Langford on Saturday for a 7 p.m. date at Westhills Arena to wrap up the Grizzlies鈥� exhibition play.
鈥淭here were certainly some great kids who were looking forward to being on the hockey team this year. There were some tough cuts, for sure, and it was a tough day on that part,鈥� said Didmon. 鈥淚 know the guys we went with all have great attitudes, and they鈥檙e all very coachable, and there is a great skill set.
鈥淚t seems like good chemistry amongst the guys we have. We have two games left in preseason and being a team that鈥檚 going to have about 16 new faces in the lineup, first-year guys, we want to get those six periods under our belt before our first regular-season game.鈥�
That season opener goes Sept. 11 in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals. The Grizzlies will not be at home until Oct. 1 against Coquitlam.
Victoria鈥檚 forwards will include Cole Pickup, Brayden Gelsinger, P.J. Conlon, Mitchell Barker, Nick Guiney, Alex Peck, Corey Iapalucci, J.D. Falconer, Joey Visconti, Tyler Welsh, Spencer Hunter, Sage Fleming and Keyvan Mokhatari.
Kevin Massy and Cody Van Lierop are the only returnees on defence, joined by newcomers Jake Stevens, Brett Stirling, Mark Krabben, Cal Walker and Drayson Pears.
In goal are Matthew Galajda and Mitchell Benson.
Among the toughest cuts was 1999-born defenceman Nico Sommerville, who will join the Victoria Cougars for the 2015-16 Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League season.
鈥淔or a 鈥�99 defenceman he had great composure and in both games he played for us, he was solid,鈥� said Didmon. 鈥淭he best thing for him is to be in a position where he鈥檚 going to get ice every night and get that opportunity on special teams. He鈥檚 certainly a guy we see cracking the lineup next year.鈥�
The Grizzlies are carrying just three 20-year-olds in a league where six are allowed. Conlon and Gelsinger are two of them, on a line with three-year veteran Pickup. Massy is the other 20-year-old.
