It鈥檚 been a long journey back for Victoria Royals defenceman Scott Walford, who has returned from Montreal Canadiens training camp, and is expected to skate Friday when the Royals open a two-game Western Hockey League set against the Kamloops Blazers at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
The check Walford absorbed behind the Silvertips net in the second-to-last game of the regular season last spring in Everett was hard, yet also innocuous in that it鈥檚 the kind of hit that occurs often in the run of a hockey game without anybody thinking any more of it. But this one required shoulder surgery and kept Walford out of the playoffs. That, along with injuries to other top-tier players Tanner Kaspick and Tyler Soy, affected the trajectory of the Royals鈥� 2018 post-season. It kept Walford on the shelf through much of the summer.
The six-foot-two Coquitlam product was finally cleared for contact drills during camp this month with the Habs, who selected him 68th overall in the third round of the 2107 National Hockey League draft.
Royals GM Cam Hope said it鈥檚 鈥渉ighly likely鈥� the 19-year-old will play this weekend to commence his fourth season in Victoria.
鈥淏ut that鈥檚 yet up to our doctors and training staff,鈥� added Hope.
As per team policy of not letting injured players speak to the media until they are officially cleared to play, Walford was not available for comment Monday. He will skate in his first Royals practice today.
Walford adds experience to a young Royals defence that held the Prince George Cougars to just two goals in the 2-1 shootout and 5-1 victories to open the 2018-19 regular season over the weekend at the Memorial Centre.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 just the two-goals against in two games that I liked, it鈥檚 that our defence limited Prince George鈥檚 chances,鈥� said Hope.
鈥淎nd both teams, actually, blocked a lot of shots.鈥�
Walford is best known for reliably taking care of his own end, but has also displayed his offensive range by reaching the 30-point plateau in each of the past two seasons.
鈥淎dding one of the best defencemen in the WHL would help any team,鈥� said Hope.
