Oil Kings camp is well underway and some big storylines have emerged in a fairly short amount of time. With the Black/White game set to take place this Wednesday, Oil King hopefuls will need to ramp up their performances if they want a chance to compete in this weekend’s four team tournament down in Red Deer. Camp continues with games Tuesday beginning at 6 p.m.
Andrew Koep
There were rumours surrounding Koep about the chance he may be moving on, and that was made official on Saturday as players began to return for main camp. Koep will be attending the University of Saskatchewan and continue his hockey career.
Chance Patterson
Given the state of the team, Chance did not return for his third season as an Oil King. The Kings are likely to go with a much younger, more versatile defensive corps, meaning more ’98s–’00s on the back end.
The Rookies
Rookie camp came to a close this past Sunday and there were a handful of players brought over to the big show. Ethan Cap and Wyatt McLeod (’00s) were two of the strongest defenders on the ice. Liam Keeler showed why Randy Hansch was so bullish at the end of the first round, trading up to get the SSAC centre, as he showed signs of dominance in both rookie and main camp. He’s going to be a massive part of the Kings offence moving forward. Matthew Robertson established himself as the Oil Kings’ top prospect with a dominant performance throughout rookie camp. Nick Bowman, a power forward with an excellent release on his shot, had a very strong performance, as did Jayden Platz and Carter Souch.
In terms of undrafted rookies, there were five or six kids who put on impressive performances they were able to build on in the first day of main camp. Tyson Upper (’01) put on a goal-scoring clinic, notching a hat trick in less than half a game during Saturday’s performance. The Edge product is likely to land a contract in the near future given the lack of prospective goal-scoring forwards. The most impressive rookie performance came from Rocky Mountain Raiders blueliner Ryan Conroy (’01), who by all means exceeded expectations. The somehow undrafted D-man plays an extremely intelligent, offence-first style of game. If he doesn’t get signed soon there should be considerable interest from other hockey clubs. Aside from those two, Zafir Rawji (’01, SSAC), Keith McMullen (’00, Leduc) and Cole Wyatt (’00, NAE) were very impressive in rookie camp and the beginning of main camp.
Overage Situation
It was unclear whether or not Alec Dillon would return after a disastrous 2015–16 campaign, but he did report, so either he or veteran forward Tyler Robertson will be on the move in the next few weeks. Given the departure of Koep, it would be seem that Robertson would be a lock for the second line centre spot, however that may not be the case. We know the Oil Kings are going to get younger this season, so we may in fact see more rookie forwards than in years past. And since Boston Bilous (’01, Delta) is still a year away from being a full-time roster player, we’re likely to see a veteran goalie tandem this season.
Forward Corps
We’re not too far into camp yet, but it’s pretty clear Tyson Gruninger and Kobe Mohr are ready for more than just a fourth-line checking role. Both forwards play an edgy style, and have the offensive tools to be difference makers in the O zone. Depending on their performances through this weekend’s tournament, management may be comfortable enough to ship off Robertson instead of Dillon.
Adam Berg came out strong in his first public skate, and it’s clear he’s here to make a statement. The former Regina Pat scored minutes into his first intrasquad game, and did so with authority, running over the rookie defender and sniping one top-right. He’s the most likely candidate to replace Flames prospect Brett Pollock on the top line alongside Lane Bauer.
Defence
The defensive corps will remain a mystery until puck drop on opening night. With a plethora of young defencemen looking to make the jump, coupled with the ’98s taking a step up, it will be an extremely tough call for management. Will Warm (’99, NW Giants) appears to be ready for WHL action and will likely grab a roster spot. Ethan Cap, who was the 11th overall pick in 2015, will also likely snag a spot given both his high profile and impressive performance at camp.
Projected Defence
Gorda – Irving
Elizarov – Warm
Dawson – Yewchuk
Cap – XXX
That leaves one spot open on the back end, so it will likely be a tight battle between Wyatt McLeod and Jayden Platz. Both of these ’00 defencemen have shown promising signs, however McLeod appears to be a more well-rounded blueliner, with Platz being more of a defensive defenceman. It will be a tough call moving forward.
Aaron Irving
Entering his fourth full season as an Oil King, it is expected that the former Nashville Predators draft pick will be named captain in the near future. Irving is looking to build off a strong bounce-back season during which he was able to contribute 40 points.
Thanks for reading part two of the Oil Kings camp blog. Be sure to follow me on twitter at @DraftGeekHockey for updates.
