The present overshadowed the future.
On a day when the Victoria Royals signed their first-round selection in the 2019 Western Hockey League bantam draft 鈥� homegrown Victoria defenceman Jason Spizawka along with twin brother Ryan Spizawka selected in the seventh round 鈥� it was the 20-year-old situation that was of more immediate concern for next season.
The Spizawkas can鈥檛 play regularly in the WHL until the following season in 2020-21 and are limited to five games each this coming season as 15-year-olds.
But if over-age defenceman Scott Walford returns, the Royals鈥� season prospects for 2019-20 improve considerably. That became more of a possibility when the Montreal Canadiens, who selected Walford in the third round of the 2017 NHL draft, passed on signing him. That means the Coquitlam product will re-enter the NHL draft his month in Vancouver.
鈥淚 got a call from Montreal. They didn鈥檛 elaborate. They made their choice. It鈥檚 not personal. It鈥檚 a business,鈥� said Walford.
鈥淚t鈥檚 motivating on my part to earn a contract next year. I鈥檓 taking it one month at a time.鈥�
Each WHL team is allowed three over-age 20-year-olds.
As of now, Walford appears headed back to Victoria. But that will depend on whether he is drafted by an NHL team this month. Even if he isn鈥檛, he could receive a free-agent tryout to an NHL training camp. If signed, that NHL team could either assign him back to junior with Victoria or to a minor-pro affiliate in the ECHL or AHL.
鈥淭he 2019 draft is out of my control,鈥� said Walford. 鈥淭here is no one way to the NHL. Not every path to the NHL is the same.鈥�
If it means a return to the Royals, Walford will make the best of it.
鈥淟ook at last season鈥檚 20-year-olds 鈥� Joachim Blichfeld of Portland led the WHL in scoring and [former Royals with Prince Albert] Noah Gregor and Dante Hannoun made it to the Memorial Cup,鈥� he said.
Unlike the start of last season, when the Royals had a plethora of over-agers to deal with and some tough decisions to make, the 20-year-old cupboard is a lot emptier for this upcoming season. The Royals recently traded for 20-year-old goaltender Shane Farkas from the Portland Winterhawks to replace graduating Griffen Outhouse in the crease.
鈥淲e put our cards on the table with that move,鈥� admitted Royals GM Cam Hope.
鈥淚f Scott Walford returns, that would make two 20-year-olds.鈥�
And what mentorship Walford could provide for 16-year-old rookie blue-liner Nolan Bentham, the Royals鈥� hometown Victoria selection in the first round of the 2018 WHL bantam draft. Bentham said he grew up in Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre admiring Walford鈥檚 play.
The third 20-year-old slot would then go to another traded-in player, or perhaps to forward Tanner Sidaway, a hometown product who provided valuable depth, energy and forechecking for the Royals last season.
鈥淵our 20-year-olds have to be impact players,鈥� said Hope.
Rarely do WHL over-agers go on to the NHL. But they tend to dominate in their 20-year-old season against 16- and 17-year-olds. They may be the three most important players on a WHL roster, even more so than heralded 18-year-olds touted for the NHL draft.
Meanwhile, Hope addressed the signing of the Spizawka twins.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unique in that we took a Victoria player [Bentham] in the first round last year and again this year [Jason Spizawka] and later in the draft doubled up with his brother [Ryan Spizawka],鈥� he said.
鈥淲e might have to take triplets next year.鈥�
The signing was just a formality and Hope looked ahead.
鈥淛ason Spizawka is an elite player who sees the ice in all zones. At 14, his upside is so high.鈥�
