And then there were 32.
More than 80 players arrived at Calgary Hitmen training camp a week ago. Since then, the management and coaching staff have trimmed the roster considerably, as they kickoff their exhibition season tomorrow in Red Deer when they take on the Rebels (7 p.m.) at the Enmax Centrium.
Thursday afternoon provided one final opportunity for the remaining Hitmen to be on the ice at the Flames Community Area as a unit before their first game. After a week of testing player’s skills and fundamentals, Thursday gave the coaching staff a second practice to install systems before taking on players in a different uniform for a change.
“Dallas (Ferguson) has done a real good job breaking practice into small details to touch on a few important things in team aspects. We have a lot of smart and skilled players here, so now it’s about encouraging them to make the plays and use their teammates, while stressing the development of good habits,” said second-year Hitmen assistant coach Trent Cassan.
Missing from today’s practice were the one-on-one drills, passing and skating drills. In their place, were five-on-five drills, using the length of the ice, practising breakout plays and defensive coverage, as the Hitmen team begins to take shape.
Forty-two players suited up in the annual Black versus White intrasquad game Monday night, with another seven healthy scratches observing from their street clothes at the Kyle Stewart Memorial Arena.
Of the 16 players released, the majority of them were 15-year-olds, who were not eligible for a full WHL season anyways.
From the most recent Bantam Draft, Sheldon Kwiatkoski (third round, 66th overall), Evan Toth (sixth round, 112th overall), Riley Fiddler-Schultz (seventh round, 148th overall) and Luc Benedictson (eighth round, 161st overall) were all sent home.
The two top picks from that draft, however, stayed around.
Both Luke Prokop (first round, seventh overall) and Ryder Korczak (second round, 29th overall) were on the ice Thursday and will both be in the lineup for the Hitmen’s exhibition opener tomorrow evening.
“It was an honour to get drafted by the Hitmen last May and it’s been an honour to still be here in camp. I am just trying to go out and do the best for my coaches and hopefully get some games in this season,” said Korczak.
Korczak is the second member of his family to be drafted by a WHL franchise. His brother, Kaedan, was the 11th overall selection by the Kelowna Rockets during the 2016 draft.
The two grew up in Yorkton, Sask., where they would watch the Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League games, which were run by a familiar face.
Cassan was the head coach and general manager for parts of seven seasons with the Terriers, highlighted by winning the RBC Cup in Vernon, B.C. in 2014.
“I watched a lot of bantam hockey when I was out in Yorkton and got to know Ryder, his brother and his family quite well,” said Cassan. “He has been on some successful teams and he thinks the game very well. He competes extremely hard for a skill guy and is able to find the open holes. We are excited to have him in camp still.”
Ryder will centre the fourth line, flanked by Murphy Stratton and 16-year-old Bryce Bader.
Bader is one of five 16-year-olds to remain in camp. Today, he skated alongside the other 2001s; Devan Klassen, Hunter Campbell, Jackson van de Leest and Cale Zimmerman.
For Campbell, it marked the second time he reached the Hitmen exhibition season. Last year, he was forced to return home prior to their first game because of age restrictions on American-born players.
Now ready for action, Campbell will join the second line tomorrow night, alongside Justyn Gurney and Jake Kryski, it what will almost be a dream come true.
“I grew up a big Everett Silvertips fan and wanting to play in this league all my life, so finally getting the chance to put a WHL jersey on for the first time tomorrow is going to be pretty exciting,” said Campbell, who is still getting used to the speed limit signs in kilometres, as he drives his F-150 around town.
Jackson Niedermayer (fifth round, 91st overall) was the highest pick from the 2016 draft to be released from the intrasquad game. Jackson Rider (sixth round, 124th overall) and Connor Brock (10th round, 215th overall) were other notable draft picks to be let go.
Stevenson Ranch, Calif. goaltender Tyler Shea (undrafted) was the other 16-year-old not brought back.
Shea’s release, along with the cutting of Brayden Peters, Trey Hirschfield and Cody Levesque, left three goaltenders in Hitmen camp; 20-year-old Nick Schneider, Connor Dochuk and Matthew Armitage.
Schneider and 18-year-old Dochuk have been named to the exhibition opener tomorrow night. Armitage will be a healthy scratch.
The Hitmen have decided to keep six 17-year-olds thus far. For a handful of them, these five exhibition games could go a long way in cracking a WHL roster for the first time.
Local product Andrew Viggars, 17, feels as if he is fitting in seamlessly at Hitmen camp.
“Now that we are out of training camp, the practices are more intense, quicker and everyone is a good player now. Everyone is up to speed and little bit faster, which is good because it pushes you a little more,” said the 6-foot-2 Viggars, who will be a healthy scratch for tomorrow night’s game. “We have a lot of right and left shots on the blue line here still and I have felt comfortable wherever they chose to put me.”
Of the remaining roster, the Hitmen are carrying eight 18-year-olds, four 19-year-olds and four 20-year-olds.
Ayden Roche-Setoguchi (cousin of former NHLer Devin Setoguchi) was the only 18-year-old released.
The team is slowly taking shape on the ice and as a collective unit. The conclusion of practice saw the four 20-year-olds sit at centre ice, while Ferguson asked the younger players what they have learnt about their veteran teammates so far, as a comradery building exercise.
But comradery can only get you so far, and the Hitmen will put their team to the test against real completion tomorrow night when they take on a Rebels (30-29-9-4) squad that finished three points higher than the Hitmen (30-32-8-2) last season.
The Hitmen will continue their preseason schedule Sept. 2 at the Enmax Centrium when they take on the Prince George Cougars at 3 p.m.
The Hitmen will host their lone preseason game Sept. 8, when they take on the Edmonton Oil Kings at WinSport Arena. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m.
The Calgary crew will close out the preseason with road games Sept. 10 in Edmonton against the Oil Kings and Sept. 16 at the Crowsnest Sports Complex in Coleman, against the Kootenay ICE.
Games will not be broadcast by Brad Curle, but the final box score will be available on the Hitmen’s website.
