A hint of grey shoulder stripes will adorn the Victoria Grizzlies jerseys this season, but there is nothing but blue-sky optimism for the sa国际传媒 Hockey League club which opens regular-season play tonight at 7 at The Q Centre.
Just turned 50-year-old general manager and coach Kent Lewis will lead the opposition as he brings the Powell River Kings to town before the Grizzlies play host to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Saturday for opening weekend.
Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon has plenty to be excited about as he leads a veteran-laden team onto the fresh ice at The Q, looking to make amends on a playoff-less and disappointing 2015-16 campaign.
At 24-30-4-0, the Grizzlies took a giant slide in the final two weeks to narrowly miss a post-season spot last season. They are nothing but bad memories now and the players are looking to establish themselves early in 2016-17.
鈥淚t was a roller-coaster of a ride last year, so many ups and down, at the beginning, the end and the middle. In the end, it left a weird feeling in my stomach, knowing we could have given more with games we could have had back,鈥� said captain Cody Van Lierop.
鈥淚t gave me a different outlook coming in here this year, knowing I don鈥檛 want that happening again. We want to put in full effort every game and not have any regrets.鈥�
After a solid 6-0 preseason, there are high expectations for the club, but they know exhibition games mean little.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 take too much from the preseason,鈥� said veteran Cole Pickup, who is lining up on left wing with Nathan Looysen on the right (his off-wing) and Tyler Welsh at centre. 鈥淚t鈥檚 better than going 0-5 or 1-5, but, again, some of the teams aren鈥檛 fully dressed and neither were we.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got more to come. We鈥檙e not playing our best hockey yet and I鈥檓 sure it will be a good test Friday,鈥� he said of facing the Kings.
Pickup, too, was not happy with last year鈥檚 outcome.
鈥淲ith the guys coming back we were eager to get back together on the ice and get back at it for the logo. It wasn鈥檛 a good feeling missing the playoffs,鈥� said Pickup, who will wear an A as assistant captain along with Welsh and blue-liners Jake Stevens and Brett Stirling. 鈥淭he Grizzlies aren鈥檛 an organization that misses that too often. It鈥檚 a season we want to turn around and be at the opposite end of the standings, for sure.鈥�
Pickup, Looysen and Welsh will be needed for offensive output, but the team has plenty of depth there, adding some talent in the likes of Justin Michaelian, Sage Englund and Jamie Rome. Keyvan Mokhtari and Nick Guiney are also back and Didmon has added other locals in Cam Thompson, Marty Westhaver and Cory Hatcher.
In goal the GM is more than comfortable with Matthew Galajda, who recently committed to Cornell University of the NCAA for the 2017-18 season, and Mitchel Benson, and the defence is loaded with experience in Van Lierop, Stevens, Stirling and Drayson Pears. Nico Somerville was an affiliated player last season and Didmon and the scouts have brought in Dayne Finnson and Carter Berger.
There is plenty of talk that this team could be among the top three in the league, but all 17 clubs start at 0-0.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honour if we are. It鈥檚 being talked about throughout the league, but we haven鈥檛 proven anything yet,鈥� added Pickup.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important for all the guys to have a good start going into that [BCHL] Showcase,鈥� said Welsh. 鈥淪chools definitely seem to look at teams that are having a good season.
鈥淟ast year was a struggle,鈥� he admitted of a poor start. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have many returning guys and it took the new guys some time to get a feel for the league and to adjust.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got a good core group of guys this year. We think we鈥檙e one of the stronger teams on the Island. Powell River will be good and Nanaimo will be as well.鈥�
They鈥檒l find out where they stand, starting tonight.
IN THE DEN: A tailgate party is set for 5:30 p.m. today with music and Judy鈥檚 Snack Shack. Fans can also Spin2Win on View Royal Casino鈥檚 big wheel.
