Royals wrap up unimpressive preseason with overtime loss to Cougars

The Victoria Royals finished the Western Hockey League preseason 1-2-1, but is there anything more meaningless than a junior hockey exhibition record?

When asked if any eventual WHL champion remembers its pre-season record, Royals GM Cam Hope answered, with a chuckle: “I doubt if there’s any correlation between the two.”

That’s because the top WHL players are away in NHL rookie camps during much of the WHL preseason.

The Royals were missing all four of their NHL-drafted players in Sunday’s final preseason tilt, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Prince George Cougars in Langley.

Forwards Tyler Soy (Anaheim Ducks) and Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames) and blue-liners Reddekopp (L.A. Kings) and Scott Walford (Montreal Canadiens) were in their respective pro rookie camps.

“All the WHL teams are in the same boat, playing many of their younger players,” said Hope.

Asked to describe the WHL preseason, Hope had one word: “Choppy.”

That will begin to change and that process has already started. The Canadiens are returning 18-year-old defenceman Walford, a 2017 third-round draft pick, to the Royals this week.

Hope expects Soy, 20, and Phillips, 19, will be longer in returning from Anaheim and Calgary, respectively.

“They are older players and will probably get longer looks,” said Hope.

Neither Soy, Phillips nor Walford are signed by the NHL clubs that drafted them. Reddekopp, 20, has been signed by Los Angeles and remains the biggest preseason question on the Royals’ agenda. The Kings can either return him to the Royals for another season in junior or assign him to their minor-pro system.

Igor Martynov of Belarus scored twice Sunday in the overtime loss to Prince George, while Jared Legien had the other Victoria goal. Russian Yan Khomenko added two assists.

“Both [Martynov and Khomenko] are getting used to being here,” said Hope of his two allowable import players.

Victoria hosts the Vancouver Giants on Sept. 22 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre to open the 2017-18 WHL regular season.