Cam Hope quipped his greatest failing this season as Victoria Royals GM is that he wasn鈥檛 able to schedule all four games against the Seattle Thunderbirds during the first month of the season.
Welcome to the Mathew Barzal watch, which hangs over the WHL Western Conference like a razor-edged hockey stick of Damocles. The starry 19-year-old forward is still with the New York Islanders of the NHL. If the Canadian junior team international is returned to the WHL, the Thunderbirds become the consensus favourites to win the Western Conference this season. If he sticks in the big time with the Islanders, the Thunderbirds revert back to the pack.
It is not an insignificant long-term question in the Western Conference as the Royals (2-3) prepare to meet the Thunderbirds (1-2) tonight at the Showare Center in Kent, Washington.
鈥淚f Barzal comes back, then Seattle is the favourite in the West,鈥� said Hope, without hesitation.
鈥淗e makes an awfully big difference.鈥�
The Thunderbirds have some good players to support Barzal, as well.
鈥淭hey are going to be a strong team, no matter what,鈥� noted Hope.
鈥淓specially when they get Keegan Kolesar back [the injured NHL Columbus Blue Jackets prospect is out until mid-November following hernia surgery].鈥�
Barzal has four points, on a goal and three assists, for the Islanders in seven NHL exhibition games. As a 19-year-old, he can鈥檛 play minor pro this season. If he plays pro this season, it must be in the NHL. That particular 19-year-old rule was brought in to protect junior hockey.
The Islanders can play Barzal for nine NHL games and still return him to the Thunderbirds. If he plays 10 games with the Islanders, he must stay in the NHL this season. You can bet the Thunderbirds, and their WHL rivals, will be counting each and every one of those games.
Without Barzal and Kolesar, the Thunderbirds power play has gone 0-11 this season. Now is the time you want to be playing Seattle, but perhaps not in March.
The Royals, meanwhile, only solved their own power-play woes (1-27) with a goal in Wednesday night鈥檚 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Giants in Langley.
鈥淚 like that we are getting better with each game,鈥� said Hope.
Victoria continues its six-game road swing in Seattle tonight, Spokane on Saturday, Medicine Hat on Tuesday, Lethbridge on Wednesday and Edmonton next Friday.
