Chaz Reddekopp and Markus Daly couldn't be much more different.
Reddekopp is a sixfootthree, 200-pound defenceman who can provide that physical element as well as offence from the back end, while Daly is a five-foot-11, 175-pound netminder.
But both share the common goal - to be future Victoria Royals.
"It would be amazing to wear the Royal Blue," said Daly, who became the first Victoria product to be drafted by the Western Hockey League's Royals this spring when they selected him 93rd overall in the fifth round. "I was wanting to play here, so it was incredible watching the draft [online] and seeing my name beside the Victoria Royals."
The Victoria Racquet Club netminder will move up to the South Island Royals of the sa国际传媒 Major Midget League this season, working under head coach Geoff Grimwood, who also doubles as an assistant with the WHL club.
Daly's status is somewhat different than Reddekopp's in that he's well aware of his surroundings.
"I'm pretty comfortable because I knew all the people here [in the Royals' organization]," said Daly, a Grade 10 student who attends Spectrum. "It is a big change, though, with all the players here."
All 10 of the Royals' 2012 selections are on the ice at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for draft camp, which ends today with a 10 a.m. session. The entire crew will move on to rookie camp, which begins Thursday, and will all likely advance to main camp.
Reddekopp, the team's 13th overall selection (just five slots after Victoria chose Tyler Soy), stood out on the ice Monday with good agility and tremendous size for a 15-year-old.
"It's been great, a real fun experience," he said of his start to the camp. " I'm getting to know the rest of the boys, looking around the facility a bit, as well as the city.
"I wasn't too nervous coming in. I just came in thinking I have to work hard. That's not going to change wherever you go. There's always a few nerves getting out there, but you shake them off nicely."
Reddekopp, too, has some ties to Victoria. Playing at the Pursuit of Excellence program in Kelowna, he was a teammate of Tanner Browne, the son of former Victoria Salmon Kings sniper Ryan Wade.
Wade will be Reddekopp's coach at POE this upcoming season and Reddekopp is currently staying with Wade's parents during Royals' camp.
Both prospects will play a part of the Royals' future and are coming off good seasons.
Reddekopp collected 18 goals and 41 assists to go with 72 penalty minutes with the POE Bantam Tier 1 team and added two goals and five assists in nine games with the POE Midget Tier 3 team.
"I'm a big guy so I like to play physical, but I can also jump up and provide a bit of offence. That's a fun part of it, everyone likes to score and grab their points," said Reddekopp, who was born in Abbotsford but moved to Kelowna in Grade 4.
As for Daly, his junior future would involve remaining in his home town.
"It's nice because I get to stay at home and mom [Birgitta] will cook me some meals," he said with a laugh.
"It was a good experience," he said of his 2011-12 season with the Racquet Club, where he particularly shone at the Rick Lapointe Memorial tournament, posting a 1.73 goals-against average, 2-1 record and was named the team's MVP at the event. "The year before I was playing Tier 4 hockey, so I went from single-A all the way to triple-A. It was a great year."
NOTES FROM THE THRONE: Prospects are also taking in the sights and sounds of Victoria, including a whale-watching excursion on Sunday and the Royal sa国际传媒 Museum on Monday.
"One rolled up right under the boat, which was pretty cool. I'd never seen one before," Reddekopp said of spotting orcas. . . . Thirdround draft pick Matthew Campese is the son of Prince Albert Raiders' GM Bruno Campese, who is in Victoria and joined Royals' GM Cam Hope in the team's offices Monday for a league-wide conference call. The younger Campese showed tremendous skill on the ice with deft moves and nice hands.
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