Photo credit: RocketFAN
Notes, quotes and anecdotes
Things that make me go hmm…
Aug 27, 2024 | 9:00 AM
- The smiles are big. The excitement is palpable. A certain nervous tension is in the air. Oh, did we mention, the hair is on point for player photos? It must be the start of Kelowna Rockets training camp as the players converge on the city on Wednesday, which is the official end of summer for them. The proceedings start with registration, player photos, and a meeting where GM Bruce Hamilton will address both the players and the parents. They will then be given a tour of Kelowna Senior Secondary, the high school the players will attend this fall. It isn’t until Thursday that the 80 players officially gear up and skate for the first time at Prospera Place.
- When camp officially begins, not all veterans will be on the ice for day one. On that list is d-man Landon Cowper, who was injured last season. The 18-year-old is still recovering from a leg injury sustained March 2nd in Tri-City. Cowper missed the team’s final eight regular season games and watched from the press box during the teams 12 game playoff run in a series win over the Wenatchee Wild and a five-series defeat to the Prince George Cougars. Cowper told RocketFAN that he hasn’t skated, nor worked out all summer. The Whitehorse, Yukon products’ likely return is mid to late October at the earliest.
- With Cowper recovering, it paves the way for two rookie d-men to take full advantage. You would think Lachlan Staniforth will up his game, knowing he can earn a spot with a good showing. The 6th round prospects pick in 2022 made his WHL debut January 24th against the Everett Silvertips and dressed for one playoff game, March 30th in Wenatchee against the Wild. Watch carefully how defender Jacob (Jake) Henderson comes out of the gates too. He can make a strong impression early. Signing a WHL contract back in March, Henderson is the son of former Tacoma Rockets blueliner Burt Henderson.
- Eli Barrett was the Kelowna Rockets top pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft. Chosen in the second round, 26th overall, it will be interesting to watch him compete at training camp. Still just 16, with his birthdate April 11th, can he push for a roster spot and give a few veterans – on the bubble – a bit of a scare? “He is very skilled,” Rockets Director of Player Personnel Terry McFaul told RocketFAN. “He sees the ice well. He just needs to grow. His dad is a fairly big guy, so if Eli starts growing and gets to his dad’s size, he will be fine. I am not concerned with his hockey ability because he has tons of skill and is good with the puck. With him, it’s a size and strength thing.”
- While Jari Kykkanen returns as the team’s starting goaltender, it will be interesting to watch how rookie Nathan Kam push Jake Pilon for the backup spot. Kam, who turned 17 this summer, was the Rockets fifth round pick in 2022 and made his WHL debut October 9th against the Victoria Royals by coming into the game to relieve Pilon. Kykkanen was hurt at the time, so Kam was called in as an emergency backup. “He is high in our plans,” McFaul said when asked about Nathan Kam. “He is a good goalie. We have three guys in Kykkanen, Pilon and Kam, so we will have to see where the dust settles. It wouldn’t be bad for Kam to go back and play U18 with Yale Academy because he would be the main guy, but ideally, we would like to have him in Kelowna but it all depends on what fits where.”
- We haven’t spoken much about him, but we should. RocketFAN has its first live viewing of Owen Hayden, the teams first pick in May’s WHL Prospects Draft. Hayden was chosen 9th overall. Hayden is the teams first – first round selection since Andrew Cristall was chosen 8th overall in 2020. The 6’6 defender won’t turn 16 until January.
- RocketFAN wants to officially welcome Troy Durrell to the Kelowna Rockets. Durrell is the new director of communications for the hockey club. The pride of Cochrane, Alberta has previous experience with the Medicine Hat Tigers and takes over from Paige Bednorz, who is now with the Edmonton Oilers. Durrell has big shoes to fill, but has already been busy pumping out content on his first week and a half on the job.
- How good will the Kelowna Rockets be this season? “I think we are going to challenge,” Director of Player Personnel Terry McFaul said. “I think we are going to be young…a couple of lines will be young, but I think our skillset is a lot higher than we anticipated. Our backend [d-core] is going to younger, but they all have a bit of experience, and with the older guys coming back, I think we could be a really good team if we get off to a solid start.”
- In an attempt to ramp up the competitive flavour at training camp, the players have been split into four teams and will compete in scrimmages, starting Friday through Sunday, for a coveted trophy. The team names are alumni from the past. The 80 players will compete on one of four squads: Team (Brett) McLean, (Luke) Schenn, (Josh) Gorges and (Shea) Weber.
- Remember the Rockets play only four-pre-season games, so veterans and rookies alike have little time to prove they can play. Two games will be played against Kamloops with the other two against the Vancouver Giants. It all starts September 6th with exhibition game number one.
- If you missed it, Trevor Wong is going to be playing university hockey this fall. Traded by the Kelowna Rockets to the Saskatoon Blades in the Colton Dach deal, Wong will suit up with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
- “I think there will be some change this season the Western Conference,” Assistant General Manager Curtis Hamilton told RocketFAN. “Maybe not so much in the BC Division but in the US Division, there could be some changes in positioning there. I think Spokane is a team on the rise. I think Tri [City] could be an interesting team. Seattle was a young team last year, so we will see how they look this year. Prince George is obviously a good team for a few years now, and they are bringing back of lot of the same players. Vancouver should be good. Victoria should be good too. It will be competitive in the west, and we should be one of the teams competing.”
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