As far as schedules go, the 2016-17 sa国际传媒 Hockey League campaign seems much more user friendly for the Victoria Grizzlies than last year鈥檚 difficult battle.
The Grizzlies 鈥� who missed the playoffs in 2015-16 鈥� open the 2016-17 season on the Sept. 9-10 weekend with Powell River and Alberni Valley travelling to The Q Centre, and play four of their first five at home, with the one road game just in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
Then it鈥檚 the annual Showcase in Chilliwack on Sept. 24-25, the only two games off the Island of nine slated for the month of September.
鈥淚t鈥檒l be great to start at home. That set us back last year,鈥� Grizzlies head coach and general manager Craig Didmon said of a disastrous start in which the first four games were all on the road.
The Grizzlies didn鈥檛 play their first at The Q Centre until 20 days after their league-opener and by then they were 1-4 with two one-goal losses and a two-goal defeat that included an empty-netter. They had played three on the road (all losses) before last year鈥檚 BCHL Showcase, which they split.
Of course, the Mann Cup took place at The Q Centre, which pushed the start back.
October features five games each at home and on the road and November includes six at The Q Centre and just three away as the campaign is front-loaded for what could be a good start. December gets tougher with three at home and six away, but there is the Christmas break with 11 days off after a home date to Prince George on Dec. 18.
The toughest stretch comes Jan. 4-8 with stops in Nanaimo, Langley, Wenatchee and Surrey in a span of five days. And one to circle on the calendar is Jan. 27 when the defending RBC Cup-champion West Kelowna Warriors pay a visit to The Q Centre.
Didmon is planning for a quick start, however, with camp starting Aug. 22.
鈥淲e can afford to have a camp where guys are coming and they鈥檒l be battling for spots. The way I鈥檝e aligned it, Day 3, 4, 5 and 6 we鈥檒l play exhibition games and by Game 6 we should be down to our final cuts. It鈥檚 going to be a competitive camp,鈥� he insisted.
The regular season will end Feb. 25 at home to Nanaimo.
As for off the ice, the team suggests it is more than prepared for fans.
鈥淲e have a very strong team and, as far as advertising is concerned, it鈥檒l be sold out 鈥� the first time in seven years,鈥� added team governor Lance Black, who is soon expected to take over as president. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a very good reception in the community, a good vibe.
鈥淲e鈥檙e so much further ahead than last year because we didn鈥檛 have the lease with the building.鈥�
Black said he had five people on the ground selling advertising for parts of this off-season.
鈥淭hey like what they see. They like the organization. They like the kids and the people involved. All the boxes [private suites] on the main floor are sold and by Sept. 1, I will have all the boxes up top sold.鈥�
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
