Now that training camp is over a chance to take a closer look at the ICE as they prepare for four preseason games.
Overagers
All clubs are allowed to have 3 overagers and the ICE have one. Pretty good one in forward Dustin Sylvester who has already been made Captain. He was unstoppable at camp.
With the 2 openings for overagers, the ICE can fill some voids, whether it’s goaltending, defensemen and/or a forward. The exhibition season will go a long way into showing what their biggest needs are.
Goalies
The ICE have 3 goalies on the roster going into the preseason.
Todd Mathews is 19-years-old and joined the club midway through last year and although unorthadox, he helped get the club into the post season. He has earned a chance to be a starter. Fundamentally he looks all over the map and the question is can he good enough to be the #1.
Nathan Lieuwen is 18 and has battled 2 years of injuries. If he can find his game he has the potential to be one of the top goalies in the WHL. But how much longer can the ICE wait? He looked solid in camp.
Dylan Tait is 18 and is former 5th round pick of Kelowna. Played in Kimberley last year and was an emergency back-up for the ICE a few times last season. Probably not a challenger to be the #1, but if he shows he can stay in the WHL it gives the ICE more options.
Defense
Right now they have 9 on the roster.
The club has 5 returning players on the blueline, 4 of them are 18-years-old in Brayden McNabb, Hayden Rintoul, James Martin and Cason Machacek. Plus 17-year-old Tyler Vanscort.
Because of the youth and 2 overage openings, the predictions are the ICE will acquire a 20-year-old defenseman.
But if they do it creates a real log jam as they also have 17-year-old Joey Leach who joined the club at the end of season and also added 18-year-old Petr Senkerik in the Import draft.
The other new faces are 17-year-old Luke Paulsen who had a strong camp both offensively and defensively and 17-year-old John Niebrandt who is lanky at 6’4” but showed a good physical game.
That’s 9 defensemen, plus the potential to trade for another one. That would make 10. Usually the club keeps 7 in the regular season. At this point it’s not obvious who those final 3 cuts would be.
Forwards
Right now there are 19 on the roster including 11 returnees. Dustin Sylvester, Kevin King, Steele Boomer, Matt Fraser, Dominik Pacovsky, Joe Antilla, Jesse Ismond, Michael Cassivi, Drew Czerwonka, Max Reinhart and Christian Magnus.
Simon Skrudland is 18-years-old and is a smaller player but has great hockey sense and never seems to lose a face-off.
Jordan Bauer is 18 and played 6 games with the ICE last year.
Elgin Pearce is 17 and has a good offensive game.
Brock Montgomery is 17, and of the new forwards, he may have had the best camp. Has size, speed, skill and plays physical. Can he continue?
Brendan Hurley is 16 and is former 1st round pick. Potential is there to be a power forward.
Bryton Mills is 17 and is willing to play physical.
The others are 16-years-old in Ryan Bloom and Adam Rossignol and both have great futures but are they ready for this year?
Usually the ICE keep 13 forwards in the regular season, that means 6 more cuts.