Things That Make Me Go Hmm...

• It appears Dylan Tait and Adam Brown will get another chance to show the coaching staff if they are worthy of backing up veteran goaltender Torrie Jung this season. It was first believed that a decision on the two would be made following the Rockets exhibition games against Vancouver on the weekend, but now the about to be 17 year-olds will get another look this weekend when the Rockets face the Spokane Chiefs to round-out the pre-season.
• The Rockets will start losing players this week as NHL training camps kick into high gear. Is it just me, or were the majority of the players attending those camps often times going through the motions during the intra-squad game and pre-season? Do you blame them? The last thing you want to do is get hurt before getting a chance to show what your really made of when you take to the ice against the 'big boys'.
• The biggest hurdle the Rockets coaching staff may have to overcome in the early stages of the season is getting those players attending NHL training camps to again buy in to what they are preaching. Often times veteran players attending pro camps return to junior with a bit of a 'attitude' after playing with elite competition. Often times those players find the transition back to junior hockey hard to handle. Not only is the pace slower, the players weaker, but the passes simply are not as crisp or on the tape. Mentally these players often struggle for the first few games. It's the coaches jobs to make sure that hang-over doesn't last too long.
• By my count the Kelowna Rockets will have the most players attending NHL training camps this year. The Rockets have 9 players attending a camp, either because they were drafted or were granted a tryout. The Rockets nine are just two better than several teams like the Vancouver Giants, who have 7, if you include Spencer Machacek who won't play for the G-Men this season. The Lethbridge Hurricanes also have 7 players attended pro camps.
• Spencer Main may want to talk to Cody Almond before the season is through. Why? Cody Almond was a 16 year-old on a extremely talented team back in 2005-2006. The Rockets top end forwards that season were Troy Bodie, Justin Keller, Blake Comeau, Tyler Spurgeon, Lauris Darzins and Chris Ray. Almond dressed for just 23 games that rookie season, one where he learned more by watching and practicing with the elite group. My gut feeling is Main may following down a similar path.
• Kirt Hill is wondering where he will play this season. The former Kelowna Rockets forward, who was released by the Regina Pats, is uncertain if he will play with another WHL team this season. Hill says he'd prefer to stay in the league, but isn't ruling out playing in the Ontario Hockey League if no one claims his playing rights in the WHL. Hill admits he's been contacted by several teams in tier two, wanting to join them for his final season of junior eligibility.
• You can't rule out the Vancouver Giants for again fighting for first place in the BC Division this season. Don Hay's group simply works hard. Pressure hockey can create a lot of headaches, and Hay's team probably does it the better than anyone out West. With Jonathon Blum and Tyson Sexsmith able to return, count on the Giants to challenge the best in the West this season.