With up to four roster spots up for grabs with the defending Fred Page Cup champions, the Penticton Vees, coach Fred Harbinson warned that players shouldn?t take anything for granted.
?That?s not for anyone to think there are spots guaranteed because, if you look at last year, we moved seven players after Oct. 15,? he said. ?It?s a work in progress.?
Among the 43 hopefuls attending camp in Osoyoos at the Sun Bowl arena, eight are returnees, three were acquired via trades and the rest were signed or invited. Between the pipes, Anthony Borelli, Sean Bonar and Andrew Walton are competing for the goaltending duties. The Vees have also mixed in some local flavour with Lars Hepso, Mitch Chapman, Bob Pond and Logan Johnston.
The two most recent acquisitions are
In Wilkins, who came over from the Merritt Centennials, the 6-4, 210 pound blueliner played 15 games last year and collected one assist. The Vees acquired him with hopes he would attend camp, but he intends to tryout for the Kamloops Blazers. The move was made after the WHL?s Chilliwack Bruins signed 17-year-old James Bettauer.
Andreassen was acquired on Aug. 12 for Matt Schmermund and Dustin Donaghy. With his arrival, the Vees get a player who has competed for the RBC Cup two years in a row.
?Here?s a guy that has experience,? said Harbinson. ?When we?re bringing in players to replace veterans from last year, we need as many guys that know how to win, want to win and understand what it takes to win.?
In 147 games with the Kodiaks, the six-foot, 205-pound forward notched 32 goals, 41 assists for 73 points and amassed 189 penalty minutes.
Harbinson received a call from Kodiaks coach-GM Boris Rybalka after Andreassen requested a trade because he wanted a change after playing in his hometown and desired to join a BCHL team. After speaking to former Vees player and teammate Eric Kroshus, Andreassen decided that?s where he wanted to go.
?He had a good series against us and obviously he?s a player that put up decent numbers,? added Harbinson. ?But he does a lot of other good things away from the puck.?
Along with Harbinson?s coaching staff, the Vees scouts will assist in evaluating the players. After losing nine players, the Vees will have a different identity.
?I think we?re going to have to rely on being a little more of a hardworking team than last year,? said Harbinson. ?I think we?ve done a good job of replenishing that talent, but I think we saw with the talent we had last year how difficult it was to get through this league. We?re going to have to try and find other ways of winning hockey games.?
Heading into the preseason, Harbinson will trim his camp from 43 players to a max of 30.
The Vees exhibition schedule will see them play back-to-back games against the Merritt Centennials and Westside Warriors. Against the Centennials, the games will be on Tuesday and Wednesday and against the Warriors the games are Friday and Saturday. The Wednesday and Saturday matches are at Memorial Arena and times for all games are 7 p.m.
After a summer of hardwork, Harbinson is ready to get started.
?Summer is over, let?s play hockey.?
