Victoria Royals general manager Cam Hope joked that heB次元官网网址檇 rather be B次元官网网址渁nywhere but hereB次元官网网址� as he conducted season-end interviews outside the teamB次元官网网址檚 dressing room at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
B次元官网网址淚 think it always feels the same this time of year, for all but the champion your seasonB次元官网网址檚 going to end in disappointment,B次元官网网址� said Hope, whose Western Hockey League team was packing up after losing four straight in the Western Conference semifinal to Tri City. B次元官网网址淏ut this year in particular I thought we had a team that was really going to be able to do something special and we were defanged toward the end and not able climb that last hill.B次元官网网址�
The Americans closed out the series last Wednesday at home with a 5-3 win. Tri CityB次元官网网址檚 other victory margins were 7-0, 4-1 and 6-5.
The timing of injuries to key players, forwards Tyler Soy and Tanner Kaspick and defenceman Scott Walford for the entire Tri City series, not to mention other assorted games lost to injuries, didnB次元官网网址檛 help as the Royals attempted to match up with the powerful Americans.
While admitting that having Soy, Kaspick and Walford in the lineup would have changed the complexion of the games, first-year head coach Dan Price said he was proud of how the players who were in the lineup stepped up and gave it their all right up until the end.
He called the past season of working with the players, fellow coaches and other staff probably the B次元官网网址渂est year of my life.B次元官网网址� Price spoke of how close the team is and the message the staff had for them after the game 4 loss and at FridayB次元官网网址檚 clearing out day.
B次元官网网址淲e told them itB次元官网网址檚 worth it at the end of the day. There are many, many people that would trade places with us even though itB次元官网网址檚 disappointing that we arenB次元官网网址檛 still playing,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a real special place here and a real special group and the fact that we went through all of those things, the good things and the tough times, they were very much worth it because we got to do it together.B次元官网网址�
Hope was asked how tough a job it will be to replace upwards of half the roster next season.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 junior hockey, the rosters turn over somewhere between a third and half every year anyway. That process has already started,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he bantam draft is two and a half weeks away now, weB次元官网网址檙e focused on that, and the import draft and all those things that are coming up. The rebuild starts.B次元官网网址�
WHL rules only allow teams to carry three 20-year-olds B次元官网网址� for next season thatB次元官网网址檚 1998-born players, of which the Royals had 10 to finish this year.
B次元官网网址淭hese things tend to take care of themselves,B次元官网网址� Hope said, noting that seven Royals are drafted and/or signed with NHL clubs already and might not be in the picture for next season anyway.
Speaking about the job his rookie head coach did this season, Hope said he expects that Price will be moving up the coaching ladder before long.
That wasnB次元官网网址檛 exactly evident when Price was asked if heB次元官网网址檇 like to come back.
B次元官网网址淚 love it here, thereB次元官网网址檚 nowhere else IB次元官网网址檇 rather be.B次元官网网址�
