It has long been the lament of understudies everywhere, from sports to the theatre.
With Griffen Outhouse the undisputed No. 1 incumbent in the Victoria Royals crease, there wasn鈥檛 much room for advancement for returning backup Dylan Myskiw.
Myskiw was traded to his home province鈥檚 lone Western Hockey League club Thursday by the Royals for Hunter Arps in a swap of 18-year-old goaltenders. The Royals threw in a conditional seventh-round bantam draft pick to the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The Winnipeg-born Myskiw, whom the Royals drafted in the sixth round of the 2014 bantam draft, appeared in 17 games last season for Victoria with a 3-5-2 record, 3.26 goals-against average and .886 save percentage. He had a 3.92 goals-against average and .871 save percentage in two preseason appearances this month.
鈥淭his is a great opportunity for [Myskiw] to earn some good minutes close to home [Brandon],鈥� said Royals head coach Dan Price.
In return, the six-foot-three Arps brings size, but not WHL experience. The 2014 fifth-round bantam selection by the Wheat Kings was 18-6 with a 2.23 goal-against average and .913 save percentage in 25 regular-season games with the Moose Jaw Generals of the Saskatchewan Midget League. The native of Pleasantdale, Sask., was called up for five games by the Melfort Mustangs of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
鈥淪ize can be an advantage for a goaltender, especially if he is athletic, which is what we understand [Arps] to be,鈥� said Price.
The Victoria starter Outhouse, meanwhile, appeared in 63 of the 72 regular-season games last season, maintaining a 2.85 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. The resident of Williams Lake was overlooked in the 2017 NHL draft but invited to the development camp in July of the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Outhouse did not receive a callback to this month鈥檚 Golden Knights rookie camp.
The backup鈥檚 role in Victoria will be just an afterthought this year. But that player is also just one injury to Outhouse away from being elevated into a major story himself. The Royals backup will come from a group that includes Arps, Dean McNabb and Brock Gould.
The 17-year-old McNabb from the Midget Regina Pat Canadians, who is six-foot-two, has been highly regarded by the Royals since they took the native of Davidson, Sask., in the third round of the 2015 bantam draft. The battle to be Outhouse鈥檚 understudy will likely come down to McNabb or Arps. The two met last season in the Saskatchewan Midget League.
The Royals (1-1) conclude the preseason when they meet the Vancouver Giants and Prince George Cougars on Saturday and Sunday at the Langley Events Centre.
