Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Heavily lifting needed by all

Rockets rely on team effort with key players at world juniors

Dec 13, 2024 | 7:00 AM

No team in the Western Hockey League is more impacted by the loss of players to the World Junior Hockey Championships than the Kelowna Rockets.

Some might say it’s a “good problem to have,” with four players—Caden Price and Andrew Cristall trying to earn spots on Team Canada, while Jakub Stancl and Marek Rocak vie for spots on Team Czechia.

“They are at those training camps for a reason,” Rockets head coach Kris Mallette told RocketFAN. “They have given themselves an opportunity to go represent their country, which means the most to these players. It means a lot to me as a coach, and so that is why I still do it.”

Of those four, only Stancl is familiar with the World Juniors, having played well in the 2023 tournament in Sweden, where the 19-year-old helped Czechia secure a bronze medal by scoring four goals and collecting six points in seven games.

“For these players to have the opportunity at 19 years old, they’ve earned it,” Mallette said. “Going into these camps, there are specific reasons as to why they are there. In Andrew Cristall’s case, he is a playmaker who sees the ice and can score goals. But the thing they want to see is him playing up and down the ice. They don’t want to see him slow the game down but instead utilize his hockey IQ and also defend. Now, can he do the little things away from the puck?”

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Cristall is arguably the best player in the WHL this season, having played fewer games than leading point producer Gavin McKenna of the Medicine Hat Tigers. Despite playing in nine fewer games, Cristall is nipping at McKenna’s heels in the league scoring race.

“For Caden Price, when he is on his game, he is a physical puck-moving defenseman,” Mallette added. “He defends first. He is hard to play against. It’s all about moving pucks, not transporting them. Playing really physical down low and defending are going to be the key to making the team.”

Team Canada plays the U Sports All-Stars again today, after beating them 5-2 in game one of a two-game series. Cuts are expected to be made after that.

“When it comes to Jakub Stancl, he has to be strong in the draws [face-offs], whether they have him at center or on the wing,” Mallette continued. “He has to utilize his shot. He is finding out how big he is and how strong he is, and that won’t waver in the competition in Ottawa.”

“With Marek Rocak, it’s just about playing a consistent game. We’ve seen him at his high, where he is similar to Caden [Price] in terms of defending. Hard, physical, and moving pucks quickly. It’s realizing your strengths and playing to them, trying not to be something you aren’t. Marek Rocak isn’t on that team to be a power-play juggernaut. Caden Price isn’t either. They are there to defend and defend hard.”

With those four players concentrating on earning a spot with their respective national teams, the Kelowna Rockets are left without their top four scorers heading into tonight’s road game (104-7 The Lizard pre-game show starts at 6:40 pm) against the Tri-City Americans.

“I look at it as an opportunity for our players that are here,” Mallette said without hesitation. “For us as coaches, it is our job to develop our players for moments like this. We knew this was something we were going to run into at Christmas time, and we are happy for the players that got called up, but now our younger players have a chance to step up.”

Captain Max Graham brings the most experience in the forward group, with 226 games of WHL experience, while Nate Corbet, acquired from the Medicine Hat Tigers this season, has the most games played on the defense corps with 82 career games under his belt.

“At the end of the day, we are only going to be as good as our older players that we have in our lineup,” Mallette said honestly. “Max Graham, Michael Cicek, and even looking on defense, Jackson Gellespie is a veteran now. Nate Corbet is a veteran. These are the guys that are going to have to rise to the occasion and show the guys the right way to play.”

With three games left before the Christmas break—including tonight’s road game in Tri-City, the Teddy Bear Toss game at home against visiting Wenatchee on Saturday, and closing out the first half of the season against the Prince George Cougars—all hands will need to be on deck to find success.

“Is it going to be as electric or as polished as it is when Cristall, Price, Rocak, and Stancl are here? Probably not,” Mallette admitted.

“One thing I do know is these guys are going to work their butts off, and we are going to win by committee.”