Things That Make Me Go Hmm...

• I thought it was interesting that Colin Long was playing along side Kyle St. Denis in Saturday's 6-3 win over Vancouver. Was it just a lack of bodies in the Rockets lineup that had the two shifty forwards penciled together, or do the coaching staff see Long and St. Denis making some magic offensively this season? Both have extremely soft hands, yet who is going to step up as the play maker, and who is the trigger man? My guess is Long will do the feeding while St. Denis' responsibility will be the finisher. The coaching staff simply don't care who plays what role, as long as the two find some chemistry and put some points on the board.
• Luke Schenn returns to the Rockets this week following the Canada-Russia Super Series. Schenn is expected to get a few days off by the team following the 8 game showdown, meaning the Rockets number one defenseman may see action in one of the Rockets final two pre-season games.
• What will Schenn's mindset be heading back to the Rockets? Will he experience an emotional letdown? Is he excited to return? How tired will he be? Will he come back to Kelowna a more confident player?
• I mentioned that three Rockets, two alumni and a current member of the team participated in the Edmonton Oilers rookie camp in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Troy Bodie, Tyler Spurgeon and Milan Kytnar were there, but so was former Rockets Athletic Therapist Scott Hoyer. Hoyer is a member of Oilers training staff.
• I had a good chat Saturday with Gavin Hamilton. Hamilton tells me the Rockets have sold 53 hundred and 50 season tickets this season, with a waiting list which stands at about a thousand. That translates into 26 hundred seat requests. Wow. Not bad for a team that won 22 games last season and missed the playoffs.
• It's the first of it's kind in the WHL, and the Kelowna Rockets organization is leading the way. The Rockets are going green by no longer offering game programs at home games. Instead fans can now obtain them on-line on the Rockets new website. The hockey club is encouraging fans to print them off at home and bring them to the game. The saving on printing costs and paper is significant. Program sales league wide have plummeted over the years, and the same holds true in Kelowna. The environmentally friendly move may take some getting used too, but hockey fans attending games this season will still be able to get a lineup for both teams at the rink.
• While the Rockets 6 goal outburst against the Giants Saturday was impressive, the Rockets accomplished the feat twice last season. The Rockets scored 6 times in wins over Spokane and Portland.
• The Rockets better get ready for a long ceremony when they visit the Vancouver Giants in the teams 4th game of the season September 29th. It will be the Giants home opener, which means the raising of the teams Memorial Cup banner and a video looking back to the Giants sensational season. It will be a special night for the Giants organization, and the extended pre-game antics won't bother me a bit. Usually they do, but when you've accomplished what the Giants have in such a short period of time, you deserve to take some time out and toot your own horn.