The ever-changing landscape of minor hockey in B.C. has given major midget coaches even more to ponder when determining their opening day roster.
The B.C. Major Midget Hockey League remains the premier destination for the province's top 15-year-olds (1998 born) who are still a year away from being eligible to play at the junior level. Up until last season, players who couldn't land a spot on the regional rep teams typically returned to play Midget AAA for their home association.
Some chose to play exclusively for their school academy team which has become an even more viable option with B.C. programs now part of the Canadian Sports School Hockey League (CSSHL). South Delta, Burnaby Winter Club and Yale (Abbotsford) will ice teams in the Elite 15 Division that will also feature five other academy programs and play a 30-to-36 game regular season schedule.
When the Greater Vancouver Canadians held their first round of open tryouts earlier this month at the Richmond Olympic Oval, a number of prospects were already pencilled in to play for their academy team. With school starting next week and the major midget roster deadline set for Sept. 15 it meant decisions on some 15-year-olds had to be made sooner rather than later.
First-year Canadians head coach Phil Alalouf has named 13 players to his 2013-14 team and the final roster spots will be determined when training camp resumes this week.
"With the kids who are in the academy programs, you are having to make those decisions quicker," said Alalouf. "If there is a guy who we have ranked sixth for two spots, we are not going to put him through the stress of not knowing where he is going to be playing (this season).
"We're getting closer to knowing what our final roster is going to look like."
When all is said and done, Alalouf says the Canadians could be carrying as many as eight 15-year-olds which is a typical number. Among them is Richmond's own Owen Seidel who was selected in the seventh round of last spring's Western Hockey League draft by the Swift Current Broncos. Seidel came through the Burnaby Winter Club rep program.
The rookie class includes forward Dante Hannoun, selected 11th overall in the draft by the Victoria Royals.
Blueliner Ryan Jones has also secured a spot. He went undrafted but was quickly listed by the Vancouver Giants and showed well enough to be invited to their main camp. He is the younger brother of former Richmond Sockeye Mitch Jones.
Alalouf will have some experience to lean on including 1996-born blueliners Phoenix Worth and Scott Munro who will be counted on for their leadership as well. They are joined by veteran fowards Josh Murphy and Sean Gillespie. More could be back depending on their status at the junior level.
Local product Ryan Vorster, who played for Richmond Minor's Midget A1 team last season, has also earned a roster spot, while 15-year-old Vancouver Giants draft pick Tyler Shugrue will be one of the team's two goalies.
"Right now we have three guys in contention for one dman spot. Six guys for two forward positions and three or four goalies trying to earn the other job," added Alalouf whose team will play the Northeast Chiefs on Thursday night in Coquitlam.
