As defending champions of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, the Peninsula Panthers will have a special mark on their back as they start the 2022-2023 season.
But owner and general manager Pete Zubersky said his team is ready to handle that challenge. B次元官网网址淲e have as good a chance as anybody this year and I think the experience of being a champion is going to pay off in big dividends when it counts.B次元官网网址�
The Panthers won the title in April against the Oceanside Generals with a thrilling, come-from-behind-overtime victory in Game 6 with Logan Speirs scoring the tying, then winning goals to complete a championship season forever associated with the death of player Grant Gilbertson.
So how will this history shape the teamB次元官网网址檚 mindset and emotional makeup?
B次元官网网址淣othing can make it better except time,B次元官网网址� Zubersky said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nine months behind us now. While itB次元官网网址檚 not forgotten, itB次元官网网址檚 not right on the surface anymore.B次元官网网址�
Looking to the future, the Panthers enter the season without Speirs last yearB次元官网网址檚 VIJHL most valuable player and top scorer Riley Braun. Both have aged out. But 14 players from last yearB次元官网网址檚 team are back, including Matthew Seale B次元官网网址� last yearB次元官网网址檚 VIJHL top defender and this yearB次元官网网址檚 team captain B次元官网网址� and forward Payton Braun B次元官网网址� last yearB次元官网网址檚 VIJHL rookie of the year.
Zubersky said the Panthers had a busy off-season rounding out the roster.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not going to say that we were a one-line team (with Speirs centering the Braun brothers), but nobody could shut that line down,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hen times were tough, those guys stood out. So this year is going to be different. I said to the team (Tuesday) that I like this yearB次元官网网址檚 version better than last yearB次元官网网址檚 version. We are really balanced. We are big. We are fast. We are skilled and this is going to be by committee. Everybody is going to be chipping in.B次元官网网址�
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The Panthers will also have a different face sending them over the boards, as Zubersky will focus on off-ice duties with Chris Driebergen taking over as a head coach.
B次元官网网址淗e is 180-degree different than I am B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 a much more demanding and in-your-face bench boss,B次元官网网址� said Zubersky. B次元官网网址淗e is a soft-spoken, quiet guy. He really knows the game and for the players, itB次元官网网址檚 a nice switch.B次元官网网址�
Another interesting dynamic is the teamB次元官网网址檚 goaltending situation, with twin Mason Kelly joining his brother Brady Kelly, who played with the Panthers last year.
While British Columbian hockey fans are more than familiar with twins on the same team B次元官网网址� the Sedins, for example B次元官网网址� it is rather unusual, if not unprecedented to see twins competing for playing time between the pipes.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be a healthy competition,B次元官网网址� said Zubersky. B次元官网网址淭hey both want to start. They want to be in goal but they are super supportive (of each other). ItB次元官网网址檚 one of the most unique stories in junior hockey.B次元官网网址�
Equally unique could be the future career of defender Seth Fryer, who finds himself on the PanthersB次元官网网址� roster as a 16-year-old currently listed at 6B次元官网网址�6B次元官网网址� weighing 195 pounds with room to grow. B次元官网网址淗e has got bit of an edge to him,B次元官网网址� said Zubersky in drawing comparisons to Ryan OB次元官网网址橞yrne, who played in the NHL for Montreal, Colorado and Toronto. B次元官网网址淭his kid (Fryer) has every bit as much potential.B次元官网网址�
Somebody of FryerB次元官网网址檚 size and potential does not go unnoticed and he found himself in the Victoria RoyalsB次元官网网址� training camp earlier this month.
B次元官网网址淗e is going to stick with us for the year, but he is going to be practicing with the Royals and playing some games for the Royals.B次元官网网址�
Overall, Zubersky expects a normal season with each of the 11 teams playing 48 rather than the 52 games seen last year under a schedule that doubles the games against teams from the North division to four.
The puck drops at the Panorama Recreation Centre at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 9 for the PantersB次元官网网址� home opener.
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