Whether 22 games is a fair sample size in the Western Hockey League can be debated. But a season is a season in some sense. The Victoria Royals (1-13-1), unless they turn their fortunes, are on target to have among the worst winning percentages in WHL and Canadian Hockey League history, although the Red Deer Rebels (2-15-2 heading into Thursday) are giving them a good run for that dubious mantle. But it will obviously come with an asterisk due to the pandemic-reduced season.
It can be legitimately argued it’s grossly unfair to compare these Royals to the 1989-90 Victoria Cougars (5-65-2), whose CHL record for futility was broken by the 1995-96 London Knights (3-60-3) of the OHL. Given a full 68-game season, this Royals team has shown it almost certainly would have won more than three or five games, despite its youthfulness.
“There is a level of irritability among the players with not getting the results because they know they could have won some of the close games,” said Royal GM and head coach Dan Price.
“But the room is positive and focused. There are no feelings of being down on themselves. There is zero of that. Because we know we can compete.”
Much has been made about the Royals’ 12 rookies as the club, which could return only three of the ten 19-year-olds from last season, began a major rebuild. But tonight’s opponent, the Prince George Cougars (6-7-2), has 10 rookies and the Kelowna Rockets (7-2) have 12 rookies after going all-in with a veteran roster to host the 2020 Memorial Cup that was eventually cancelled. The Prince George edge can be attributed to the number of top-five U-15 picks from recent drafts because of the Cougars’ lowly showing in recent seasons. But what’s up with the Kelowna rookie advantage?
Pundits can’t just look at the number of rookies on a WHL team this season, Price counters, because they can be either 2004-born 16-year-olds or 2003-born 17-years-old. The Royals have by far more of the former than any team in the division. One year makes a big difference in hockey development at that stage. Victoria is the youngest team in the WHL with an average age on the roster of 17.64 years.
“Our number of 2004-born rookies is unparalleled,” said Price.
In the last Victoria-Kelowna game, the Royals dressed eight 2004-born players and the Rockets only two 2004-borns and six 2003-borns. Yet, all were listed as rookies.
“This sets up our future well,” said Price. “I believe we have a great group for the next one to four years.”
The Royals-Cougars game tonight will be played in Kamloops. The Royals meet the Vancouver Giants (9-7) on Saturday in Kelowna.
