The Victoria Royals became one of the rare Western Hockey League teams to go through a season without a captain.
The Royals took the theme of ruling by committee to an extreme. Maybe they were awaiting a decision by the Calgary Flames, who decided to keep last year鈥檚 Victoria captain and eligible-to-return 20-year-old Matthew Phillips in the pro American Hockey League with Stockton.
Whatever the reason, it seems to have worked out, as the captain-less Royals have clinched second place in the sa国际传媒 Division and home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a testament to our leadership group that it managed to keep everyone on a level and even keel this season,鈥� Victoria head coach Dan Price said.
鈥淲e found that many voices speaking as one worked best for us.鈥�
Hockey teams wouldn鈥檛 go without a captain every season, of course, and the Royals are unlikely to do it again in future years. But the committee approach seemed to fit perfectly with this Victoria club鈥檚 ethic. With few pro prospects, the Royals were given little credit, or chance, at the beginning of the season by pundits across the league. The Royals have defied their skeptics to fashion a solid season through hard work, balance, depth, sheer will and an unselfish team approach.
鈥淲e felt guys like [assistant captains] Ralph Jarratt, Kody McDonald and Scott Walford operated best as leaders together,鈥� said Price, of the decision not to name a captain.
Forwards Kaid Oliver, Dino Kambeitz, Igor Martynov and Dante Hannoun (before being traded) and defencemen Mitchell Prowse and Murray Jameson have also worn the 鈥楢鈥� this season for Victoria.
The Royals (33-28-4) have known since last week that they will start the playoffs on March 22 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. There are three regular-season games remaining for Victoria, so the Royals are pretty much playing out the string in a mostly meaningless stretch drive into the post-season, which included 6-3 and 2-1 losses, respectively, this week in Tri-City and Seattle. The Royals have had up to seven scratches in those games as they have rested not only injured players, but also healthy ones.
Victoria was in Spokane on Saturday night to face a Chiefs team (37-20-7) that has clinched a playoff berth in the U.S. Division.
Spokane won 6-1, with Brandon Cutler scoring the lone goal for Victoria.
The Royals will close out the regular season with a game Wednesday in Kamloops and the annual back-to-back year-ending set against the Silvertips on Friday on Blanshard Street and next Saturday in Everett.
