Kootenay ICE Training Camp concludes today with a couple more scrimmages.
ICE management and scouting staff will have their exit meetings with all the players and be ready to move on to the preseason.
The club will host their Annual Intrasquad Game for the United Way Monday morning starting at 11.
The game will feature most of the returning veterans, prospects still battling for a spot on the team and younger prospects who will not make the team.
Based on history, the club will look to have around 30 players on their roster going into the exhibition season. 8 players will leave for NHL camps, leaving around 22 available for the 3 preseason games in Tri City next weekend.
Veterans - All showed up with great energy and realization of the great expectations of the season.
I don't think any is in danger of losing their spot on the roster.
Goalies - The battle for the #1 spot continues to be Todd Mathews and Nathan Lieuwen, but again with 3 over-age forwards (Boomer, Fraser, King), Mathews is also in an over-age battle to stay with the ICE.
The club may keep 2-3 prospects for their preseason games with Kevin Jacyna 17, Steven Myland 16, Mackenzie Skapski 16 and Brett Teskey 17 the options.
Defense - The club has 6 returning veterans and that leaves 1 spot open if the club continues it's tradition of having 7 on the final roster. The clubs' best 2 prospects, 17-year-olds Michael King (no show) and Dylan Schellenberg (injured til November), are unavailable. The options right now are one of the 2 18-year olds J.R. Krolic and John Neibrandt, or one of the 16-year-olds Austin Dick, Scott Gallaher, Jeff Hubic, Blake Ireland and Mike Simpson.
Simpson has played really physical and hasn't been shy to carry the puck. The big guy just needs to work on his skating and he'll be a solid player on the back end.
Gallaher and Hubic have stood out with their skating and puck moving abilities.
The club may keep 4-5 for the preseason games and be closer to a decision after seeing them in game action.
Forwards - 11 returning vets and the history of keeping 13 forwards leaves only 2 rosters spots available. Going into camp it seemed to be a battle between four 17-year-olds Ryan Bloom, Adam Rossignol, Eric Benoit and Jarett Zentner. Bloom, Benoit and Rossignol have shown their speed, skill and playmaking abilities and Zentner has used his size (6'5") to have good camps. 16-year-olds Colby Cave and Jared Iron are 2 solid younger propects but are in tough for a spot with so many older players available. Other 16-year-olds are Levi Cable, Mitchell Fyffe, Kurt Johnas, Sam Johnson, Cameron Rowat, Joey Santucci, Colton Sheen, Jaymes Veitch.
The club may keep 6-8 for the preseason.
15-year-olds - The club had 11 picks in 7 rounds, including 7 in the first 4 rounds and must be happy with their weekend.
Goalie - Wyatt Hoflin has a great camp and adds to the young depth in the netminder department.
Defense - Tanner Faith got better every day and looks to be an all-around blueliner.
Spencer Wand and Kyle Krabben also look to be solid in all 3 zones.
Cole DePape is injured and did not show up.
Forwards - Sam Reinhart stood out throughout the weekend and has all the makings of being on the club next year.
Luke Philp, Jaedon Descheneau, Jesse Wood-Schatz, Jonathan Martin and Jakson Elynuik all played better as the weekend progressed.
After the Intrasquad game on Monday I'll have comments from the ICE as to how they will proceed heading into the exhibition season.
I'll also post the updated roster.