The Westshore Wolves lost a handful of key pieces to the puzzle with progressions to the Major Junior and Junior A levels, but co-owner and general manager Ken Carson still likes what he sees in his Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League club.
Carson and head coach Jackson Penney鈥檚 recruits open the 2016-17 season tonight at 7 against the visiting Kerry Park Islanders at Juan de Fuca Arena as the ice goes into The Q Centre.
Gone are Tanner Sidaway (Kootenay Ice), Cory Hatcher (Victoria Grizzlies), Nathan Gelsinger (Cowichan Valley Capitals), Cal Walker (Chilliwack Chiefs) and Tomba Huddlestan (Battleford of the SJHL), who all advanced to the next level.
鈥淭he league is getting recognition for being a good feeder system for a lot of the 17-year-olds and even some of the 16-year-olds. There have been a lot of guys moving on, so it鈥檚 been easy to recruit that way,鈥� said Carson.
鈥淚 like our team this year. It鈥檚 probably one of the better teams we鈥檝e put together since we鈥檝e been in the league with lots of local guys and some imports,鈥� added Carson, who has a half-dozen players back, much like the Islanders.
Carson also added to the puzzle with acquisitions, picking up defenceman Joe Gage from Campbell River for goalie Chris Smith.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been to the Cyclone Taylor Cup a couple of times and he鈥檚 got lots of character. He鈥檒l be our captain,鈥� Carson said of Gage, who will be 20 in February. 鈥淲e also acquired a 20-year-old defenceman, from Comox, in Tyler Graham, who is another big, strong D-man.鈥�
Jake Watson, who also turns 20 in February, was recruited as a defenceman from Calgary.
鈥淚f I can say one thing since we started is we鈥檝e had a weak link on defence so this year I was focused on shoring it up and I think we鈥檝e done that,鈥� said Carson, who is also impressed with young forwards Jordan Guiney, Tyler Carpendale (a 16-year-old late cut from Seattle of the WHL) and veteran Cam Coutre, who played with Salmon Arm of the BCHL last season.
Goaltending may be the Wolves鈥� question mark as they were hoping for Austin Roden, who was still in Nanaimo Clippers camp as of Tuesday, to join them. Westshore does have JDF product Jordan Spandli, who will carry the load early.
Once again, Carson expects the Victoria Cougars and Campbell River Storm as the front-runners.
鈥淭he way I look at it is, the measuring stick is Victoria and Campbell River and then there鈥檚 everybody else. 鈥� There are a few teams in the league in a rebuilding process with youth. As far as we go, I think we鈥檙e a top-third team in the league and we鈥檒l see how we compete with the Cougars and Storm,鈥� said Carson.
As for the Islanders, they are also in a rebuild.
鈥淟ots of new faces this year,鈥� said owner and GM Mark Osmond, who has six players back, including Caleb Franklin, who just returned from the Cowichan Valley Capitals. 鈥淲e鈥檙e expecting big things from Caleb this year.鈥�
Connor Bissett, Ty Berger, Chase Anderson, Parker Ellis and Tanner Tiel are the other returners.
Keenan Eddy, Leighton Williams and Dawson Haynes moved on to Junior A, the first two to Northern Ontario and Haynes to Drayton Valley of the AJHL.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had to recruit fairly heavily and we鈥檝e found some good players, I think. We鈥檒l see how they react to playing in this league,鈥� said Osmond.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very good dressing room and a good dynamic. A lot of these kids want to get to the next level and we鈥檝e been doing that every year since I have had them,鈥� added Osmond, who is starting his fourth season as owner.
Aaron Spotts is back as head coach and he has added Trevor Hynes as an assistant. The Islanders鈥� home opener is Saturday versus the Peninsula Panthers.
