Vees set for spring camp
Harbinson hoping to secure commitments from more top prospects
How important is the Penticton Vees’ spring camp? Consider about 80 per cent of the players on the Vees’ roster in the last decade attended the camp at one time or another.
This year’s edition of the camp runs Thursday to Sunday at the South Okanagan Events Centre, with 150 players from B.C. and numerous other areas from all over Canada and the U.S. attending.
The players range in age from 16-18, with a handful already recruited by the Vees for 2018-19 and several more to earn invites to main camp in August based on their play this weekend.
“It’s going to be another highly competitive camp,” said Vees president, GM and head coach Fred Harbinson.
The coach said the camp, which concludes with exit interviews for each of the 150 players, will essentially finalize the Vees’ recruiting for the 2018-19 team.
“Once the camp is over, we should have a good understanding of where we’re at in every position,” said Harbinson. “We’re definitely ahead of the game going into next season.”
Harbinson said the Vees will also form their list of affiliated players from those who attend the camp. BCHL teams can sign as many as 19 APs for the season.
“It’s a real significant camp not just for this season, but down the road,” said Harbinson. “So many of our high-end guys have attended this camp over the years.”
The camp starts Thursday with fitness testing, a facility tour and a coaches’ talk.
The group is divided up into eight teams for a series of scrimmage games starting Friday with eight games, beginning at 8:30 a.m. with the last one at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s slate also includes eight games, starting at 9 a.m.
There will be four more games Sunday at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m., 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., with exit interviews following each game.
All games will be 40 minutes (two 20-minute stoptime periods). Former long-time NHL official Brad Lazarowich will be putting on a referees’ development camp at the same time and his group will officiate the scrimmage games.
Harbinson, meanwhile, congratulated the Chilliwack Chiefs on winning the RBC Cup national championship and doing a terrific job of hosting the event May 12-20.
The Chiefs were barely a .500 team in the B.C. Hockey League regular season and lost to Prince George in the first round of the playoffs, but bounced back after a two-month hiatus (and with a new head coach) to beat Wellington, Ont., Dukes 4-2 in the final.
Harbinson said he “felt bad” for the Wenatchee Wild, who won the BCHL title playing in the “toughest division in the country”, beat Spruce Grove to win the Doyle Cup and went unbeaten in the round-robin at the RBC, only to run into a scorching hot goaltender in a 2-1 semifinal loss to Wellington on Saturday.
“We’ve had a few heartbreaks in the (RBC semifinals) ourselves,” said Harbinson.
The BCHL is committed to playing in the RBC Cup next May in Brooks, Alta., but Harbinson said there will be some discussion as to whether it may be better to simply end the season with the BCHL championship and opt out of both the Doyle and RBC events.
“You have a lot of different rules in leagues across the country that come into play at the (RBC),” said Harbinson. “You have four best-of-7s — five if you count the Doyle Cup — just to get there. We’re a developmental league and maybe it’s better to stretch out our own playoffs instead of playing three in four nights and things like that. It’s something that will be addressed long-term.”
Harbinson said if the BCHL does commit indefinitely to the RBC Cup, the Vees “would certainly have to take a look” at bidding to host the event.