听
With a handful of his key players about to set out into the National Lacrosse League playoffs, Victoria Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes will wear his patience cap for the start of training camp on Monday.
Captain Corey Small, star scorer Rhys Duch, defender Jon Harnett and highly touted rookie Evan Messenger all toil with the Vancouver Stealth. They will face Shamrocks offensive player Chris Wardle and the Colorado Mammoth in opening NLL post-season play.
鈥淚鈥檒l probably be cheering for no one to get hurt,鈥� said a laughing Heyes, who will put his players through their paces on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Q Centre in preparation for the Shamrocks鈥� league and home-opener on May 19.
鈥淲e go through this every year. We know our key players have a possibility of going deep into the [NLL] playoffs. Do I cheer for the Stealth? I want the best for our players 鈥� to get the best possible experience because it鈥檚 valuable down the road.
鈥淏ut the more they play high-end games, the more chance there is for injuries. I guess it鈥檚 a double-edged sword for coaches. Do you want them to have that full experience because it means a lot? Sure you do.鈥�
Injuries do become a concern and Heyes will already have two veterans out to start the year as Greg Harnett and Tyler Burton battle injuries from their NLL campaigns in Calgary.
Camp is about who is here, however, and Heyes is looking forward to seeing what his veterans and newcomers bring.
Veterans Ben McCullough, Matt Yager, Ethan Garland, Paul Brebber and Cody Hagedorn were all signed on Thursday. Victoria picked up local product Casey Jackson in the off-season.
鈥淭hese six guys add so much quality to our overall depth,鈥� said Shamrocks general manager Chris Welch. 鈥淭his is a group of men who work hard during the day and then come to the rink and battle hard each and every time they go out on the floor. If you want to win, you need guys like this on your team.鈥�
The team is expected to announce other key signings. Reports have six-foot-five, 235-pounder Steve Priollo returning to Victoria, where he won the Mann Cup two seasons ago.
Six-foot-eight, 245-pound Mike Triolo (who played with Oshawa in the Arena Lacrosse League), is also said to be heading west.
There are rumblings that Victoria, with the Mann Cup back in the West this season, will also make a play for goalie Aaron Bold, who was instrumental in its national title in 2015.
For now, Heyes will have Hagedorn and Adam Shute back, and Senior B product Cody Cook in goal to start camp.
Heyes is probably most excited at seeing Messenger, the team鈥檚 first-round draft pick, in action.
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e watched of him and just talking with him, I think the kid 鈥� I don鈥檛 want to say he was the steal of the draft, but we were very fortunate to pick him up at No. 7. He鈥檚 going to step right in the lineup and fit in,鈥� Heyes said.
鈥淭here are going to be some new bodies, which will be interesting. I鈥檓 interested in seeing what our offence is going to be this year, that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 most interested in,鈥� Heyes said. 鈥淢essenger is a key guy who I want to see.鈥�
There will also be some names missing, of course, including Jeff Shattler, who will not be back, and talk out of Vancouver is Cory Conway will not be returning to the Shamrocks.
Twitter/tc_vicsports
