No changes on the Good Ship Leafs as the club prepares for three-game KIJHL weekend
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Trail Smoke Eaters of the B.C. Hockey League released former Beaver Valley Nitehawks netminder Mike Vlanich earlier this week.
Vlanich most likely wasn’t the only former Kootenay International Junior Hockey League player let go as junior A clubs reduced rosters on the eve of the start of the regular season.
However, none of the junior A cuts have made their way to the Nelson Leafs hockey club just yet.
Head coach and GM Frank Maida wishes to play the waiting game instead of making any rash decisions.
“We’re going to wait things out,” Maida said Wednesday prior to practice at the NDCC Arena.
“We’ve got six D(efence) and one injury D-man (Blake Arcuri) coming back in three weeks time so we’re going to wait things out.”
Maida said last week he was waiting on the junior A leagues before filling out his roster.
With a rash of 17 year olds on the team, the rookie Leaf skipper was hoping to land one or two experienced players to fill out the roster.
“Right now I don’t expect any changes (from the roster fans saw during opening weekend),” Maida confessed.
“We only have one player (from last year’s team) still in camp and that’s E.J. Moir who’s in Langley.”
What Maida does know for sure is the Leafs need to be better disciplined on the ice.
During Saturday’s 6-3 loss to Castlegar, the Leafs gave the Rebels too many changes to work on their power play.
“I was happy with our effort but disappointed we lost Saturday,” he said. “But I know we’ve learned that discipline is an important part of the game at this level.”
Nelson returns to the ice Friday when the club plays host to Kelowna Chiefs at 7 p.m. in the NDCC Arena.
Saturday begins a two-game-home-and-home series against Spokane Braves with game one in the Lilac City.
Sunday the teams return back north of the 49th parallel for a 2 p.m. contest.
“I feel we should be better prepared with our power play and penalty kill,” said Maida. “We didn’t have any time to work on them and now we’re had a full week of practice.”
BLUELINES: The Leafs will see a familiar face across the ice Friday after the Fernie Ghostriders traded the rights of defenceman Braeden Hikichi to the Chiefs. The deal was reported on the KIJHL website Monday. Hikichi was dealt by the Leafs to Fernie in exchange for goalie Andrew Walton during the summer. . . .Two former Leaf players, goalie Matt Larose and winger Gus Correale, were in Canmore, Alta., compete for spots on the Canada West squad that will compete in the 2011 World Junior A Challenge. The tournament is set for November 7-13. Larose now plays for Trail of the BCHL while Correale is with the Grande Prairie of he Alberta Junior Hockey League. Castlegar’s Aaron Hadley and Ryan Renz and Travis St. Denis of Trail were also at the camp.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
