European player breaks his silence

Higher Mathematics: With the new WHL season comprised of no more than 50 games, it will be interesting to see how the season unfolds as teams play within their respective division. The Kelowna Rockets will play games against Kamloops, Victoria, Prince George and Vancouver. Dividing 4 into 50, we could be seeing some teams - 12 times. That would mean 6 games at home and 6 games on the road in some instances, that's if we play a full 50 games. With the pandemic expected to ramp up in January, February and March and the possibility of games being cancelled, maybe we only play 35 games. Would it be too much to play, let's say Kamloops 12 times during the season? Before you answer yes, back in 1996-1997, the two teams met 14 times - 7 at home and 7 on the road. Why did they meet so many times back then? Remember, the league had fewer teams. Vancouver was granted a franchise in 2001 while Victoria was brought into the fold in 2011 when the Chilliwack Bruins re-located there. 

Demolition Crew: Liam Kindree was a one man wrecking crew. The 20 year-old spent the summer in Kelowna working in construction and dropping more than 20 pounds in the process. "It is physical labour; I would have to credit some of that to my weight loss as well. It keeps you busy. I am carrying around things. Breaking things. Tiding up the place and working on my vacuuming skills as well." Has anyone lost more man-games due to injury than Kindree? The answer is no. "Physically getting hurt, it hurts. Mentally is probably the hardest part". A broken collarbone, a broken ankle and a broken nose. Thankfully the adversity hasn't broken Kindree's spirit. "I am just hoping the pain I feel when I get injured is the strength I will be able to feel tomorrow". This is Kindree's final season in the WHL and wants to make the most of it. "To get back 100% and put up some good numbers and just be a good teammate for all of the guys in the room. I want to bring my experience to the younger guys and I am looking forward to it." Kindree is one of 5 players vying for three overage spots, which means he will have to beat out the likes of teammate Sean Comrie, Dillon Hamaliuk, Devin Steffler and newly acquired David Kope. 

Who has the last laugh? You could hear the chuckles. WHL fans were snickering. When the 2019-2020 season was put to bed, many across the league had a good giggle at the Kelowna Rockets misfortune. The team was forced to give up assets in an effort to ice a solid team as the host of the 2020 Memorial Cup. Sure, first round bantam drafts were paid out for virtually no return as COVID-19 kicked the WHL and the Kia Memorial Cup to the curb. But who is laughing now? How would you like to be a fan of a team who is in the up-cycle of its development? The team that is able to win now. The team that, if you were betting a significant amount of money from your bank account, you would be all-in believing that it had all the elements to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Well, things have changed. We may play. We may not. If the regular season goes ahead as planned, will we see the playoffs again or will it dissolve like it did last March? It's scary to ponder. It was easy to say, 'it serves them right' last May, but if your team isn't in a rebuild right now under this world wide pandemic, I'd be squirming a bit. The shoe doesn't feel so good does it when its on the other foot?               

Masked Man: A few weeks back I told you about the time I had the privilege of playing goal at a

Kelowna Rockets practice in Stewart Valley, Saskatchewan while the team made it's way through it's bi-annual prairie road swing. The mask, pictured to the right, is what I wore that day as the players fired pucks at me in the loosely described workout. The mask was manufactured by a company in Swift Current called Krubunko. This one was Dennis Sproxton's old mask that he wore with the PA Raiders before he was acquired by the Swift Current Broncos. He ended up selling the mask to me and I had the decals changed. I remember European forward Tomas Oravec, who didn't speak to me once during his short time with the team, opened his mouth gingerly in the dressing room as I put it on, and in broken English he said, "Star Trek". That's what my mask reminded him of. It got a chuckle from the guys within ear-shot.           

Radio Resurgence: Will we have fans in the stands when the Western Hockey League season begins January 8th?  If not, what is abundantly clear is radio, yes poor old radio, will become a more coveted property than ever before. Often pushed aside in favour of TV, radio will be the message carrier between teams and its fans. That's music to the ears of broadcasters, but it should also resonate with advertisers whose ads will be heard by more hockey fans at the other end of the radio. Our job, as announcers, is to make sure we are able to make the listener feel like they are there even though they are sitting at home or listening to the game in their vehicle. 

Changes off the Ice: When the new season starts, health regulations will force several game night personal to change locations from where they are typically situated. As an example, in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the public address announcer, if sitting in the time keeper's box, has been moved to the press box in an effort to social distance from the penalty box gate attendees. In Kelowna that doesn't mean much of a change, where long time public address announcer Bill Barnes has always been stationed up in the press box. But in Kamloops, Bill O'Donavon, who does a great job, sits right in the time keeper's area with no less than two other men within spitting distance. With social distancing, there is no way 6 feet can be adhered to at Sandman Centre. 

Phone calls well made: With players spread out across Western Canada during a delay in the start of the season, I have reached out to most of them, via phone, to see what they have been doing to stay in decent shape during the shutdown. To be honest, it's been neat to be able to touch base with the players individually and find out how they are coping under the 'new normal'. In fact, this is the first time - ever -  I have been afforded this luxury prior to the season starting and it's been interesting to see how all of them are doing as they await for the puck to drop in early January.

Truth Hurts: For the record, I didn't watch a second of the NLCS or ALCS. The NBA finals? Same. 

Cravings: It is hard to imagine not going over the border this year to places like Portland, Everett, Kent, Kennewick and Spokane. My favourite post game meal has to be at the ShoWare Centre. Ya, in the arena. It's weird. I don't know what she is doing, but the lady provides a wicked post game meal in a small room typically used as the scouts room. I've complimented her several times for what she does. I can only assume her catering business has taken a huge hit with a lack of business with the WHL season pushed back three times, from early October to December 4th and now to January 8th.  

Feist foraging for food: Hunting down opponents who are taking liberties on teammates is one of Tyson Feist's greatest assets. But the Kelowna Rockets d-man also used a delay in the start of the WHL season to take advantage of the fall hunting season. With a 60 pound backpack, Feist headed up north, on a five day trip with his dad and brother to hunt Stone Sheep. "The whole process of finding the animal, stalking it and the adrenaline of going after the animal is something I have always enjoyed". Feist, as his name implies, does some of his best work with his gloves off. Could the day come where fighting it isn't allowed in the WHL? Some junior leagues are considering it. "I think it is a big part of the game. It keeps some guys safe if you have some guys running around and you are not allowed to talk to them and let them know that they can't be doing that to your teammates". When it comes to a late season coaching change, Feist says a new voice behind the bench doesn't change his approach. "My attitude isn't going to change going into the season with different coaches. Mally (Kris Mallette) is an awesome coach and I have learned a lot from him. I am going to continue to work hard and he is going to lead the team and it's going to be awesome." Acquired in a trade with the Regina Pats last January, the pride of Dawson Creek is looking for big things in his 19 year-old season.     

A well timed text

It will be a Kelowna Rockets reunion at Minnesota Wild training camp, if and when that happens.

Forward Pavel Novak was drafted by the Wild on Wednesday, much to the delight of Wild assistant coach Brett McLean.

"I sent him a text message this morning to welcome him to the Wild organization. He sent me a nice text message back. I just said I look forward to meeting him and welcome to the organization and that is very much true. I can't wait to work with him". 

McLean says he has an instant bond with a player he has never met.

"I introduced myself as a proud Kelowna Rockets alumni, so absolutely, I will being doing anything I can to help Pavel make the next step", McLean added.      

The 42 year-old is regarded as one of the best players ever to wear a Kelowna Rockets uniform, scoring over 40 goals - twice - and representing Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships.  

McLean was named an assistant coach to Dean Evason's coaching staff in Minnesota in late August.   

  

You can't cry over spilled milk.

That's how former Kelowna Rockets forward Matthew Wedman looks at the 2020 Memorial Cup being cancelled in May. 

"I am lucky enough to get the chance to play in it (Memorial Cup) when I was 17. It definitely would have been a great experience being able to be a go-to-guy on the team at the Memorial Cup".               

Wedman believes they would have done well. 

"I think we could have won that tournament. We were just starting to put the pieces together and get the systems in place that we needed to. Guys were starting to get healthy and we were looking like a scary team towards the end of the year, so we definitely had things to be excited about".

It was a tough way for Wedman to end his major junior career:

"You want that chance to thank the fans for the final time and you want that chance to say goodbye to all your teammates and go out on the terms you want to go out with."

Wedman was named the Rockets most valuable player in 2019-2020, an impress feat considering the 21 year-old dressed in just 35 games after being acquired in a December trade with the Seattle Thunderbirds.  

A world wide pandemic wasn't all bad news for Kelowna Rockets forward Trevor Wong. 

With no hockey to be played and so much down time, it was chance for the personable 17 year-old to work on his golf game. 

Wong would shoot a personal best - 76 - at the Riverway Golf Club in Burnaby. 

When it comes to his first love - hockey - it was tough to see the season end the way it did.

""We were going in the right direction towards the end of the season, I thought. Our older guys were awesome. It sucks because it is every CHL guys dream to play in the Memorial Cup. I felt especially bad for 'Topper' (Kyle Topping). He was injured the majority of the year, yet he had a great comeback, so it really sucks to see."        

The first round bantam pick in 2018 dressed in 58 games, scoring 6 times and collecting 14 points.

"Coming into the league as a rookie, you are not expecting to play first line minutes or power play-one or anything like that, but you aspire to be there and you try to work your way up as the season goes along. You have to look up to the guys who do play those minutes and who are getting out there in the final minutes of the game. Working hard in practice is a huge thing and you will eventually get there".  

What does he miss most in early October?

"I am really, really missing the guys in the room and really missing Kelowna. I just want to get back there and start playing again and being on the ice with the guys. I think, as a team, we have a bright future ahead of us."     

Heading into his sophomore season, Wong is eyeing next June's NHL draft and hopefully a chance to play for a Memorial Cup when he is 19 when the WHL hosts the tournament in 2023. 

Acquired in April in a trade with the Edmonton Oil Kings, David Kope is itching to join his new team.

The Kelowna Rockets 20 year-old forward is coming off a career season with 37 points in 59 games.

"I was fairly happy (team and personal success) with the season being short and I missed a couple of games. I am hopeful to improving on my goals and points this year. I was on a pretty good team and was put into some pretty good opportunities, but I hope to build on that this year."       

When training camp starts in mid-November, Kope will be one of five overage players battling for only three spots.

"For sure, time goes by fast. Honestly, it feels like yesterday I got drafted to the WHL. I am excited to be a 20 year-old and be a leader this year and hopefully we can have a good year."

While Kope told me he knows very few of his new teammates, he grew up playing hockey in Edmonton with defenceman Sean Comrie.      

Kelowna Rockets forward Jake Poole handed in his hockey stick for a baseball glove when the season was cancelled due to COVID-19.

While celebrating his 18th birthday in the height of the pandemic, he joined a senior baseball team in Elkhorn, Manitoba where was a pitcher and shortstop.

Coming off his rookie season in the WHL, things didn't come easy.

"The speed and skill of everyone. The goalies are so much better than midget hockey too. I didn't find I could score like I did in midget. There are some things you can't do in the WHL, different moves and stuff, so that took me a while to get used too."       

Scoring 4 goals in 59 games has Poole working on all aspects of his game.

"I think skating and being quicker to loose pucks, 50/50 pucks and being more efficient with my stride and not tiring out when guys are taking four strides and I am taking 10."  

Poole knows he has discrepancies and is using assistant coach Vernon Fiddler as a valuable resource.

"I like playing in the corners and protecting pucks. Vern has showed me clips of how to protect pucks. Getting closer to the end of the year I was getting a lot better at it, holding pucks down low. That really improved quite a bit", Poole added.    

Poole is getting set for a new season by skating 4 times a week in Brandon, which is a 90 minute drive down the road.   

A new custom set of golf clubs was on Kaedan Korczak's radar when the season was cut short due to COVID-19.

"I had some old ones that I got when I was in middle school or high school, so they were pretty old.  I decided I wanted a new pair, so I got suited up with those and I have probably gone one hundred rounds I'd say".     

If you play that many times, the scores card has to look a whole lot better?

"I would say I am average. I am not excellent but I am not terrible. When I had my old clubs I would slice pretty hard so, now that I have my new ones I can hit it pretty straight".  

Born in Yorkton Saskatchewan, Korczak has spent the last four summers in Calgary, where he took part in June's Team Canada virtual training camp.

Of course the goal this year is to play for his country at the World Junior Hockey Championships at Christmas.

"Obviously last year I wanted to make the team. It is a 19 year-old tournament and hopefully I can crack it this year," Korczak added.  

Calling them his second mom and dad, Korczak and his younger brother Ryder have a good thing going in Calgary ---  a set of uncles and aunts feed the two as they skate, train and play golf.

Here's an interesting fact. The 19 year-old hasn't missed a single game, over his WHL career, with an injury. 'Korzy' has 200 healthy games under his belt.