Viggars ready to take the next step with Hitmen
Defenceman’s off-season work pays off with top spot in two fitness-testing areas
Hard work in the off-season has paid dividends for Calgary Hitmen prospect Andrew Viggars.
Calgary’s eighth-round pick, 134th overall, in the 2015 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft showed up to training camp in great shape.
“This is my third year here, so I feel a lot more comfortable,” said Viggars, 17, who was the top performer in a pair of fitness-testing categories (bench press and standing broad jump) to kick off training camp on Thursday. “I put in a lot of work over the summer, so I was pretty happy to do that.”
The 6-foot-3, 197-pound defenceman also had a pair of assists during a scrimmage on Saturday at Calgary’s Don Hartman North East Sportsplex and then survived the first round of cuts on Sunday to earn a spot to play at the annual Hitmen intra-squad game at the Kyle Stuart Memorial Arena at Edge School on Monday night.
“This is a really big game,” said Viggars, who had a goal and seven assists in 30 games for the Calgary Midget AAA Buffaloes last season. “It’s kind of your last opportunity before they make the decision for pre-season, so you’ve got to make sure you make a big impact out here and not leave them a choice.”
Although his Team White dropped a 4-3 decision to Team Black on Monday, Viggars impressed the Hitmen brass enough to earn a spot on the roster heading into Calgary’s first two exhibition games this coming weekend in Red Deer, against the host Rebels on Friday and against the Prince George Cougars the next night.
“He’s put a lot of work in this summer and has improved his skating,” said Hitmen director of player personnel Dallas Thompson. “He’s a big, strong physical player, so he will move on with us to the next phase of camp. He put the work in. That’s what you want to see, so good for him.”
Viggars got his first taste of playing junior hockey last season when he was called up to play one game with the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Although he could still return to play another season with the Buffaloes or crack the lineup of another AJHL squad, Viggars has set his sights on earning a spot to play with the Hitmen.
“It’s something I really want,” he said. “It’d be awesome to play in my home town and in the Western Hockey League.”
Hitmen forward Tristen Nielsen, who had three goals and four assists in 49 games in his rookie WHL season last year, said he’s also been impressed by the progress Viggars has shown so far through training camp.
“Vigs is a good buddy of mine,” said Nielsen, who was selected in the first round, 20th overall, by the Hitmen the same year as Viggars. “He looks good. He signed with us, which is amazing. I really think he’s got a shot. He’s got to keep working hard. Everybody’s trying to battle for a position, so the best of the best is going to take it.”
In addition to Viggars, Thompson said he was impressed with a host of other players including forwards Andrei Grishakov and Matt Dorsey. Grishakov led the Team Black attack with a goal and an assist on Monday, while Dorsey scored once and set up another for Team White.
“The kids we drafted last year are playing very well and the kids the year before are playing very well and the veterans are the veterans, so we’ve been very happy,” said Thompson, while adding that new Calgary head coach Dallas Ferguson and his staff will get a better indication of where his team stands when the Hitmen start playing other teams. “We’re going to get it pared down to 32 and then it starts next weekend when the team heads to Red Deer.
“These games are great, but when you’re playing against yourself, it’s not the same.”
Justyn Gurney, Zach Huber and Ayden Roche-Setoguchi also scored for Team Black. Hunter Lamb and Luke Coleman replied for Team White, while Andrew Fyten added two assists.
Six different goalies saw action in the game. Connor Dochuk stopped all 13 shots he faced in the first period for Team White, while Team Black netminder Tyler Shea turned aside all seven shots fired his way in the final frame.