Rockets gearing up for season, awaiting return of NHL prospects
Special to The Okanagan Weekend
The Kelowna Rockets are less than a week away from their home and season opener, next Friday against the rival Kamloops Blazers.
The Rockets don’t have any more exhibition games — this is the final weekend of the WHL pre-season, with most teams in action around the league — so Kelowna’s coaching staff is spending its 13-day break focusing on systems and developing chemistry in practice.
“The time right now is used to work on new systems we’re trying to implement this season. We can also answer any questions that may come up and we can teach through repetition,” said assistant coach Kris Mallette, entering his fourth season on the staff and second under returning head coach Jason Smith.
“We also need to keep the compete level up so that our players are good to go come Friday,” added Mallette.
As of today, the Rockets still have 10 players away at NHL camps — though a few aren’t expected back and a couple more could be delayed in returning.
As a result, Kelowna will likely be down bodies on opening night.
That will mean more opportunity for some of the younger players and newcomers.
“We are preparing right now to play with who is here, and as players return we can make roster adjustments,” said Mallette. “We don’t know when the players will be returning until they basically show up.”
Kelowna is currently without the following players: RD Braydyn Chizen (Minnesota), C Dillon Dube (Calgary), RD Cal Foote (Tampa Bay), LD Lucas Johansen (Washington), RW Kole Lind (Vancouver), RW Nick Merkley (Arizona), F Tomas Soustal (Dallas, tryout), LD Devante Stephens (Buffalo), C Calvin Thurkauf (Columbus) and LW Carsen Twarynski (Philadelphia).
Johansen, Merkley and Thurkauf are almost certain to turn pro this fall, with Soustal, Stephens and Twarynski hoping to do the same.
Dube, Foote and Lind are likely to get into some NHL pre-season games this coming week as well, though they are expected to return at some point, along with Chizen.
The Rockets produced a 3-0-1-0 pre-season record, losing to Victoria 5-4 in overtime before scoring three straight wins over Kamloops 6-4, 1-0 and 4-3 in a shootout.
Kelowna and Kamloops face each other twice more to open the regular season — making it five games in a row — with the Rockets hosting the Blazers on Friday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m. at Prospera Place. Kamloops hosts the rematch on Saturday, Sept. 23.