The mood was melancholy, as it usually is on locker clearout day for every team except the eventual league champion.
Graduating 20-year-olds Jamie Crooks, Tyler Stahl and Alex Gogolev 鈥� the latter two who finished the Western Hockey League season on the injury list 鈥� contemplated their futures as the Victoria Royals said their goodbyes Tuesday after being eliminated the night before in the first round of the playoffs by the Kamloops Blazers.
Just as unsettled were the futures next season of the Royals鈥� five current 19-year-olds 鈥� forwards Ben Walker, Logan Nelson, Mitch Deacon, Tim Traber and defenceman Jordan Fransoo 鈥� since WHL teams can carry only three 20-year-olds.
鈥淎s an incoming 20-year-old [for next season],鈥� you鈥檙e always worried about what鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� admitted the often-explosive Walker.
鈥淚鈥檒l work hard over the summer [at home in Minnesota] and hope for the best.鈥�
Said the pile-driving Traber: 鈥淚t鈥檚 always in the back of your head in this situation, but things tend to narrow down because of developments over the summer like pro contracts.鈥�
Among those questions is what the Buffalo Sabres plan to do with fifth-round draft pick Nelson.
鈥淭his team [Royals] is my focus and I plan to be back in camp here [in September],鈥� said Nelson.
But he will also attend Sabres prospects camp.
鈥淚t depends on the summer I have. It comes down to me.鈥�
Fransoo, who ended the season as captain in Stahl鈥檚 absence, said: 鈥淚 would love to be back. It鈥檚 definitely in the cards. We took a good step this year and are growing a winning culture here.鈥�
At the other end of the age spectrum are the club鈥檚 four 16-year-old regulars, who will be 17-year-olds with experience next season, with a new batch of incoming 16-year-olds such as forward Tyler Soy and defenceman Chaz Reddekopp joining what will still be a very young team.
Earning strong reviews for their work are Royals GM Cam Hope and head coach Dave Lowry, who in their first seasons with a youthful and injury-compromised club improved by two games over last year鈥檚 4-0 opening-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Blazers and by 11 victories in the regular season to establish a franchise-record 35 wins.
鈥淲e took one of the best teams in the country [Blazers] to six games and with any luck would have knocked them off,鈥� said Hope, former assistant GM of the New York Rangers, who said he is with the Royals for the long run.
鈥淒ave [Lowry] was able to get these players going. He set the tone for them . . . he set the culture.鈥�
Right back at you, said Lowry.
鈥淲e had two minds come together with similar philosophies,鈥� said 19-season NHLer Lowry of his Royals partnership with Hope.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a process. We want to build a winner and we鈥檙e taking steps in the right direction. Stay patient and things will fall into place.鈥�
Hope and Lowry replaced the previous GM/head coach Marc Habscheid last summer.
鈥淭his season was much better than last year,鈥� said Royals owner Graham Lee.
鈥淚t was a huge improvement in how the players played together. That鈥檚 a tribute to the coaching/management staff.鈥�
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