The Victoria Royals have the youngest team in the Western Hockey League but this week is about the graduating veterans as the Royals close out their 22-game pandemic-abbreviated season tonight in the Kamloops hub against the Vancouver Giants and Wednesday against the Rockets in Kelowna.
“I told the guys to play for the 20-year-olds,” said GM and head coach Dan Price.
The bulk of this team will be together the next four years. But not all of the players, of course.
“In the cycle of junior hockey, no group is the same year to year,” said Price.
“This exact group will never be together again after this week. This is the last chance to make memories to look back on and be enjoyed in the years ahead.”
The graduating over-agers are defenceman Matthew Smith, a reliable four-season Royals defenceman drafted by the club out of bantam, third-year forward Brandon Cutler and goaltender Adam Evanoff, acquired through a trade last season.
“Matthew [Smith] has been an exemplary leader,” said Price.
“Brandon [Cutler] really evolved in this time here into more of a complete player and Adam [Evanoff] prepares like a pro and is heading into a very interesting summer.”
Evanoff is under pro contract to Stockton of the AHL. Smith is headed to U Sports with the UBC Thunderbirds. Cutler is considering his minor-pro and U Sports options.
At the other end of the age scale, this season and its lowly record (3-15-2) is perhaps something this rookie-laden Royals team was inevitably going to have to endure in its development. That it happened in a season that doesn’t really count is a sort of blessing for the Royals. This unusual campaign may have been short but crucial.
“This season has been absolutely invaluable and will be looked back on as a huge piece of our puzzle as we move forward,” said Price.
ICE CHIPS: Royals captain Tarun Fizer was named to the sa国际传媒 Division team of the week for his two goals and four points in three games.
