聽Few players enter the 2017-18 Western Hockey League season for the Victoria Royals with more to prove than third-year forward Ryan Peckford.
The native of Stony Plain, Alta., was ranked 86th among North American skaters for the 2017 NHL draft, but was overlooked after missing much of the latter part of last season to injury.
鈥淚 was disappointed not to be picked. But I will use that as motivation,鈥� said Peckford as the Royals continued training camp at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. 鈥淚t was understandable because I didn鈥檛 play many games late in the season and didn鈥檛 receive as much exposure.鈥�
Peckford returned for Victoria鈥檚 first-round exit in the playoffs, but the lingering effects of the upper-body injury were still evident, and he was largely ineffective in going pointless in six games.
鈥淚鈥檓 all healed up now and good to go ... 100 per cent,鈥� he said.
He has also bulked up with noticeable upper-body muscle. The six-foot winger, who had 13 goals and 34 points in 45 regular-season games, went into last season listed as 185 pounds. He now weighs 195 and hopes to be harder to knock off the puck. That adds another piece to his hockey toolkit, which already includes speed.
鈥淚鈥檓 not putting any expectations on myself this season in terms of number of points. I鈥檓 just going to play my game,鈥� he said.
If Peckford was one of the biggest droppers in the 2017 NHL draft, Royals defenceman Scott Walford was one of the biggest climbers when the Montreal Canadiens surprised many by taking the projected sixth or seventh rounder in the third round.
The Canadiens, however, have sent all their unsigned 2017 draft picks back to their junior clubs and Walford returned from Montreal鈥檚 rookie camp this week. The leaves three Royals players 鈥� forwards Tyler Soy (Anaheim Ducks), Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames) and blueliner Chaz Reddekopp (L.A. Kings) 鈥� still in their respective NHL rookie camps.
鈥淚 wish I could have stayed longer. But it was amazing. As a kid, you dream of this growing up. To put on a Habs jersey was a dream come true,鈥� said the 18-year-old Walford.
鈥淭he step up to playing against 25-year-olds is a big one. But I thought I played well and held my own.鈥�
While Walford returned this week to Blanshard Street, 16-year-olds Remy Aquilon, Tyus Gent and goaltender Brock Gould were returned to Midget. That leaves the Royals with 24 players on the roster, including the three players remaining in NHL rookie camps, and three goaltenders.
The group is older than most WHL teams and deep with a core of returnees. Even most of the Royals鈥� trade and free-agent acquisitions are veterans of the WHL.
鈥淲e should have a good, strong team,鈥� predicted Peckford.
Walford concurred: 鈥淲e have such veteran experience. I think it鈥檚 going to be a really good year.鈥�
Yet it鈥檚 a strange pre-season, as the rest of the WHL teams keep playing through this week, while the Royals鈥� exhibition campaign is over at 1-2-1. That has left a two-week gap between the final exhibition game last Sunday and first regular-season contest Sept. 22 against the Vancouver Giants at the Memorial Centre.
鈥淲e have a high level of competition, and reps in practice, so it feels game-like,鈥� said Victoria head coach Dan Price.
The Royals will take advantage of their lengthy break by engaging in non-hockey team-building exercises next weekend.
