The Greater Vancouver Canadians will finally get to play for real when they open up their B.C. Major Midget Hockey League regular season schedule Saturday against the defending champions.
Player selection for the regional rep team began back in early August. The Canadians then played a number of exhibition games before having a bye for the opening weekend of league play.
"It feels like it's been an extended training camp," said head coach Leland Mack. "Our guys are anxious to get going and we get a big test right out of the gate."
The Canadians will renew their rivalry with the perennial powerhouse Vancouver Northwest Giants. Game one of the weekend series slated for 4: 15 p.m. at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The teams will then square off again on Sunday morning at the Burnaby Winter Club.
Greater Vancouver's post-season hopes have ended in heartbreaking fashion the past four years to the Giants, including last spring's deciding game overtime loss. The Canadians are one of the few squads that have actually enjoyed regular season success against the defending champs with a 9-8-3 record over the last five years.
The teams squared off a number of times in the pre-season including a pair of games when both rosters had been finalized. The Canadians won the first game 6-5 and the Giants took the rematch 2-0.
The Giants opened their season by sweeping a pair of games from the South Island Royals, outscoring the Victoriabased team 11-3.
"I think we match-up fairly well with them but you might want to ask me again on Sunday night," laughed Mack. "I think this is a better and deeper team than we had a year ago and we'll see what happens."
The Canadians' roster features a trio of 15-year-old standouts who were all taken in the first round of the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft in May.
Seafair's Glenn Gawdin (Swift Current) and South Delta's Adam Musil (Red Deer) were selected fifth and sixth overall respectively and will centre the team's top two lines. Defenceman Ty Schultz went 16th overall to the Medicine Hat Tigers.
"Adam is a strong kid and a good passer who has a very high level of hockey sense," said Mack. "Glenn is like a typical power forward who is in the mold of a Joe Thornton with his passing ability and he sees the ice well. "Ty was originally going to sign with the Giants and ended up here so we're thrilled to have him."
The Canadians have also benefitted from a number of players who had the opportunity to play at the junior "B" level and opted for another season at Major Midget instead. Among them is Seafair defenceman and Vancouver Giant prospect Shaun Dosanjh who, along with Nick Patey, are the lone returnees on the blueline.
Up front, Mack is expected a big second-year from 16-year-old South Delta forward Mitch Walter who got a long look with the WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings before returning to the club two weeks ago.
Saskatoon Blades prospect Nathan Alalouf, who has been shortlisted as a candidate for Team Pacific, will be back in net along with newcomer Taz Burman.
In total, the Canadians will feature seven Richmond players in their line-up this season. Joining Gawdin and Dosanjh are: returning forwards Austin Adamson and Alec Dawydiak, along Alex Whitwham (Richmond Midget AAA) and Jacob Wozney Richmond Midget AAA), and defenceman Matt Wolthers (Seafair Midget A2).
