U.S. Division

Daily Dose of the Dub: Tri-City announces camp roster; Willms out; Woodside a Pat; Smith signs with Devils

Written by Brandon Rivers on

Tri-City announces camp roster

The Tri-City Americans were the next team to make their training camp roster official and there were quite a few interesting names on and off the list.

First of all, their first round CHL Import draft pick Krystof Hrabik is on the camp roster. The Americans have not announced that the 1999-born forward has signed with the club, but his inclusion on the roster and the lack of a third import on the list has to mean that the singing is imminent. Hrabik is a six-foot-four, 209 pound center from Praha, Czech Republic. He played in the Czech2 League last year with HC Benatky nad Jizerou and had 15 points in 32 games.

He also played for the Czechs at the 2018 World Juniors.

Riley Bruce was another name on the roster that stuck out to me. The 1999-born blue liner was originally a fifth round pick by the Regina Pats in 2014. He played 20 games over two seasons in Regina before he was moved to the Everett Silvertips for a conditional pick. The six-foot-two, 201 pound d-man played just five games in Everett last year though before finishing his 2017-18 campaign in the MJHL with the OCN Blizzard. He will be vying for a spot on a blue line that looks to be losing a lot in Tri-City.

Tri-City star center Michael Rasmussen was not on the camp roster but he could always join the team later.

All 12 draft picks from their 2018 WHL Bantam Draft are on the camp roster. The only 2017 WHL Bantam pick not on the roster is fifth round pick Riley Stuart, who hails from Phoenix, Arizona. There are 52 total players.

Willms out for the 2018-19 season

The Moose Jaw Warriors confirmed that starting netminder Brody Willms will miss the 2018-19 season with a hip injury. The 1998-born goalie played 54 games last year in the regular season and 14 in the playoffs. He set the Warriors single season record with 37 wins, while posting a 3.00 GAA and 0.898 save percentage. In the playoffs he put up 3.13 GAA and 0.891 save percentage.

In total he played in 120 regular season and 15 playoff games for the Warriors.

His absence creates an interesting overage situation for Moose Jaw. He would have been the odds-on favorite in the group to be among the three 20-year-olds. Forwards Tristin Langan and Barrett Sheen, defenseman Brandon Schuldhaus and goalie Ryan Kubic are the four remaining 20-year-olds who have not signed professional contracts.

Woodside’s rights acquired by Regina

The Regina Pats announced that they had acquired the rights to 2001-born goalie from the Kootenay ICE for a conditional eighth round WHL Bantam Draft pick.

Woodside played last year in the SMHL with with the Prince Albert Mintos, posting a 2.53 GAA and a 0.900 save percentage. He also got into one game in the SJHL with the Humboldt Broncos.

He was originally drafted by the ICE in the sixth round of the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.

Ty Smith signs with New Jersey

The first WHL player picked in the 2018 NHL Draft was the first to sign as the New Jersey Devils inked Spokane Chiefs defenseman Ty Smith to an entry-level contract.

With a strong performance at the World Juniors Summer Showcase, Smith made the decision to sing him an easy one for the Devils. The puck-ming blue liner is set up for a big year with the Spokane Chiefs. Considering he put up 73 points in 69 games, that is saying something. Smith could miss some time while playing with Canada at the 2019 World Juniors, but still should put up even more points this season.

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