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It didn’t take long for the Kamloops Blazers to realize things were going to be mark-edly different with Don Hay at the helm.

“I’d say we noticed in the first practice,” said Matt Needham, the 19-year-old entering his second season as team captain.

Players, coaches and office staff alike were happy to have Hay on board, but his arrival also came with uncertainty.

The players knew he was a taskmaster, but wondered just how hard they would have to work and were intrigued to learn if life on the road would change.

Returning coaches needed to establish chemistry with the new man in charge and were unsure what that process would look like.

The office staff, a tight-knit group, had a new personality on the scene and were inter-ested to see how it would alter the feng shui on Mark Recchi Way.

With the feeling-out pro-cess well underway, all signs seem to be pointing to a smooth transition.

“The tempo of the prac-tices, the way he was in control of things, it was pretty evident that things were going to be different this year,” Needham said.

“It’s really teaching-orien-tated. A lot of our practices are a lot longer than they were in the past and the last hour of every practice is all teaching

directed at the younger guys.

“Personally, I like having him around.”

KTW spoke with more than a few players at training camp who said the work rate had risen since last season and practices were more difficult.

It seems Blazers’ associ-ate coach Mark Ferner and Hay share the same approach when it comes to hard work.

Ferner said the players need to realize elbow grease will be on tap this season.

“That’s the way it should be,” Ferner said.

Needham said there were moments on road trips in recent seasons when perhaps the team could have been more focused on hockey.

“There are times to have fun and bond and there’s times to focus and to concentrate and get prepared to play the game,” Hay said.

“The preparation starts at practice, No. 1, and you learn about work ethic and habits.

“Then you go on the road and the players have to under-stand it’s not like going on a holiday. It’s a business trip.”

“But, it’s important that it’s not all seriousness.”

Blazers’ trainer Colin (Toledo) Robinson is valued for the work he does medically and with equipment, but his role is bigger than that.

He is both a confidante and part-time comedian, often amusing with anecdotes over bus speakers on road trips.

It might seem trivial, but it’s an example of something that might have changed under Hay’s watch, likely to the dis-pleasure of the players.

The show, however, will go on.

“Toledo, his personality, he’s someone that the players really feel comfortable around and being comfortable helps them play well,” Hay said.

“The players have to be able to laugh and enjoy them-selves and the company of the coaches and the training staff and the support staff.”

In exhibition play, the Blazers discovered in short order they will be accountable for their mistakes when they return to the bench, with their new coach having no qualms about vocalizing his discontent.

Rarely does a teaching moment go begging, just ask 16-year-old forward Jermaine Loewen, who was on the receiving end of several pep talks, to put it mildly, during a game against the Prince George Cougars at Interior Savings Centre on Friday, Sept. 12.

Hay’s relationship with Ferner is a work in process.

“We’re learning about each other right now,” Hay said.

“All coaching staffs have to go through that, getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and what they feel comfortable doing.

“That’s an ongoing process. It doesn’t happen over three weeks.”

Blazers’ general manager Craig Bonner and Hay have already proven to be compat-ible, working in close concert for six years with the Giants in Vancouver before Bonner left for Kamloops in 2008.

Rounding out the hockey-operations staff this season are goaltending coach Dan De Palma, skills coach Mike Needham, video coach Tim O’Donovan, strength-and-conditioning coach Greg Kozoris and mental-perfor-mance coach Peter Soberlak.

Blazers adapting to new man in charge

Kamloops Blazers’ head coach Don Hay appears to be lighting a fire underneath forward Deven Sideroff in a pre-season tilt against the Vancouver Giants on Friday Aug. 29.

MARTY HASTINGS STAFF [email protected]

See ESTABLISHING, page E5

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

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Kamloops Blazers’ 2014-2015 WHL scheduleSEPTEMBER

Friday, Sept. 19Victoria @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 20Kamloops @ Kelowna, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 26Kamloops @ Victoria, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 27Kamloops @ Victoria, 7 p.m.

OCTOBERWednesday, Oct. 1Swift Current @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 3Kamloops @ Lethbridge, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 4Kamloops @ Medicine Hat,

6:30 p.m.Sunday, Oct. 5

Kamloops @ Edmonton, 3 p.m.Friday, Oct. 10

Lethbridge @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, Oct. 11

Everett @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Oct. 15

Kelowna @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, Oct. 17

Kamloops @ Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 18Kamloops @ Seattle, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 22Vancouver @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 24Brandon @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 25Kamloops @ Tri-City, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 29Everett @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

NOVEMBERSaturday, Nov. 1Kamloops @ Prince George, 7 p.m.Sunday, Nov. 2Kamloops @ Prince George, 2 p.m.Friday, Nov. 7

Kamloops @ Tri-City, 7 p.m.Saturday, Nov. 8

Kamloops @ Portland, 7 p.m.Friday, Nov. 14

Spokane @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, Nov. 15

Kamloops @ Everett, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Nov. 19

Portland @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, Nov. 21Prince George @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Sunday, Nov. 23

Kamloops @ Spokane, 5 p.m.Wednesday, Nov. 26

Kamloops @ Everett, 7 p.m.Friday, Nov. 28

Regina @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, Nov. 29

Victoria @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

DECEMBERTuesday, Dec. 2

Saskatoon @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, Dec. 5Prince Albert @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6Prince George @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Dec. 10

Kamloops @ Edmonton, 6 p.m.Thursday, Dec. 11

Kamloops @ Red Deer, 6 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 13

Kamloops @ Calgary, 6 p.m.Sunday, Dec. 14

Kamloops @ Lethbridge, 3 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 16

Kamloops @ Kootenay, 6 p.m.Wednesday, Dec. 17Kamloops @ Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 27Kamloops @ Kelowna, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 30Kamloops @ Vancouver, 7 p.m.

JANUARYFriday, Jan. 2

Kelowna@ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 3

Vancouver @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 9

Kelowna @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 10

Kamloops @ Spokane, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 14

Portland @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 17

Vancouver @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 21

Tri-City @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 23

Kamloops @ Victoria, 7 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 24

Kamloops @ Victoria, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 28

Seattle @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 30

Kamloops @ Portland, 7 p.m.Saturday Jan. 31

Kamloops @ Vancouver, 7 p.m.

FEBRUARYWednesday, Feb. 4

Red Deer @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, Feb. 6

Kamloops @ Kelowna, 7 p.m.Saturday, Feb. 7

Kelowna @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Monday, Feb. 9

Tri-City @ Kamloops, 2 p.m.Friday Feb. 13

Seattle @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday Feb. 14

Victoria @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Feb. 18

Kamloops @ Kelowna, 7 p.m.Friday, Feb. 20

Moose Jaw @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, Feb. 21

Kamloops @ Vancouver, 7 p.m.Friday, Feb. 27

Victoria @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, Feb. 28

Vancouver @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

MARCHTuesday, March 3

Calgary @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, March 6

Spokane @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, March 7

Kamloops @ Seattle, 7 p.m.Wednesday, March 11Prince George @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Friday, March 13

Kelowna @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.Saturday, March 14

Kamloops @ Kelowna, 7 p.m.Wednesday, March 18Kamloops @ Prince George, 7 p.m.Friday, March 20Kamloops @ Prince George, 7 p.m.Saturday, March 21

Prince George @ Kamloops, 7 p.m.

*All times listed are Pacific

The Don Hay Era is in its infancy and there is plenty of room for more team cohe-sion, but the apple cart seems to be on solid ground heading forward.

“That’s the one thing that’s been really nice, is it’s still a really good atmosphere,” Needham said. “He likes to

have fun, too.“When he needs to be

stern and we need to focus, he’s there to give us a guide-line on what we should be doing.

“There are just the little things off the ice, the work-outs, the recovery and all the little habits, breaking the old bad ones and creating new ones.”

From page E3

Establishing new habits Allen Douglas/KTW

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Competition continues for time in the crease

There’s a conundrum in the crease on Mark Recchi Way.

Kamloops Blazers’ general manager Craig Bonner has to choose which goaltenders he will roll with in the 2014-2015 campaign — and the deci-sion won’t be an easy one.

“They’ve all been good throughout the whole camp,” Bonner said of the three remaining netminders — Bolton Pouliot, Cole Kehler and Connor Ingram.

“It’s not going to be an easy deci-sion, but good for these guys.

“It bodes well for them now and in the future.”

Pouliot, 20, is the incumbent starter and seems a safe bet to start the sea-son as the No. 1 guy.

If Bonner were to pull the trigger on a deal that includes the overage goaltender from Calgary, he would have to be comfortable with a lack of experience in the crease or get an older goalie in return.

Kehler, whose late birthday has him turning 17 in December, appeared in 11 games for the Blazers last season, posting a 1-4 record and a save per-centage of .857.

“I want to make this team more than anything in the world right now,” Kehler told KTW.

“Words can’t describe how badly I want to be on this team.”

The Altona, Man., product was touted as the Blue and Orange’s goalie of the future at training camp in 2013, but now has company in Ingram and 15-year-old Dylan Ferguson, who had a strong training camp before he was cut.

Ingram, a 17-year-old from Saskatoon, had an excellent 2013-2014 campaign, leading the Prince Albert Mintos to victory at the Telus Cup, the national midget championship

“Everybody here is a good

goalie,” Ingram said.“Pouliot is a 20 and

Kehler has played here before and then there’s Ferguson.

“It’s their [Blazer management’s] choice. I want it quite badly.

“You can’t ask for a better place to play.”

In 23 regular-season games with the Mintos, Ingram posted a goals-against aver-age of 1.98 and a .928 save percentage.

Ferguson, a Lantzville product, spent last season with the midget AA Notre Dame Argos, recording a .896 save percentage in the regular season before stepping up in the playoffs, posting a .945 save percentage in six games.

He is still only 15, turning 16 on Sept. 20, but Ferguson boosted his stock in the Blazers’ Blue vs. White intrasquad game at Interior Savings Centre on Aug. 26, making 30 saves and posting a shutout in regulation.

“Coming into this camp, all I was telling myself is it’s hard for a young goalie to make a team like this, but I want to come in and beat everyone else,” Ferguson said.

Pouliot, Kehler and Ingram were also perfect that night, stopping every-thing that came their way. The goal-tenders combined to make 82 saves.

Ingram saw the most WHL pre-season action of the backstop trio, appearing in four games and posting a 4.29 GAA and a .842 save percentage.

His numbers don’t look great, but they’re inflated by one

game

— a 5-0 loss to Kelowna in which the Blazers put forth a dismal team effort.

Kehler played in three games, post-ing a 1.92 GAA and a .938 save per-centage. Pouliot saw action in three games, recording a 2.02 GAA and a .942 save percentage.

“I expected them to be good, but I don’t know if I expected them to be this good,” Bonner said.

“We’re going to play it by ear and see how they all perform.”

Pouliot proved himself to be a capable starter last season and Bonner knows what he can expect from the 20-year-old.

The risk of carrying

two 17-year-old goaltenders is obvious — they’re young, inexperienced and potentially fragile.

That doesn’t seem like the course of action Bonner will take, but he did not rule out a trade before the deadline in January.

“I have no idea what’s going to hap-pen,” Pouliot said.

“Whatever is best for the organiza-tion. If they want to go with two 17s, they go with two 17s. They’re in con-trol.

“I’m just going to keep working to make the decision hard.”

For now, it seems the most heated competition is for the No. 2 spot, with Ingram and Kehler going down to the

wire.


Connor Ingram is among the goaltenders jostling for position inside the Kamloops Blazers’ net.

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Chase Souto’s career in the Western Hockey League might be over.

The 19-year-old-forward is at home in California and it remains unclear if he will return to the Kamloops Blazers.

Souto has suffered multiple concussions in his career.

He reported to training camp, but expressed discomfort to train-er Colin (Toledo) Robinson and team doctors.

General manager Craig Bonner and Souto agreed it was best for

the longtime Blazer to be with his family.

“He’s on injured reserve and there’s no timetable for his return,” Bonner said.

“It’s just he wasn’t comfortable after about day three or four of training camp.

“Between myself, the doctors and Toledo, we decided it’s best for him to go home, be with his family and see where it goes from there.

“We’re just playing it by ear.”Souto, drafted by the Blazers in

2009, finished last season with 31 points, including 20 goals, in 47 games.


Souto’s return in doubtChase Souto has played with the Kamloops Blazers since 2010, but might not be back for his 20-year-old campaign.

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

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KAMLOOPS MINOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION

Family Restaurant

1771 E. Trans Canada Hwy250-372-2135

Family DiningSince 1961


JTBarnett23 JT

BarnettJTBarnett

JTBarnett 25 27CONNOR

CLOUSTONJOSHCONNOLLY

BRADYGAUDET 24RYAN

REHILL

JTBarnett30 JT

BarnettJTBarnett

JTBarnett 39 HCCONNOR

INGRAMDONHAYHead Coach

BOLTONPOULIOT 35COLE

KEHLER

The rosterThe Kamloops Blazers had 27 players on their roster as of

Tuesday, Sept. 16.Forwards: Jake Kryski, 16, Jesse Shynkaruk, 18, Matt

Revel, 18, Spencer Bast, 17, Chase Souto, 19, Eric Krienke, 18, Matt Needham, 19, Collin Shirley, 18, Nick Chyzowski, 17, Luke Harrison, 18, Jesse Zaharichuk, 17, Cole Ully, 19, Quinn Benjafield, 16, Jermaine Loewen, 16, Deven Sideroff, 17, and Mitch Friesen, 18.

Defencemen: Travis Verveda, 16, Cameron Reagan, 17, Brady Gaudet, 20, Ryan Rehill, 18, Connor Clouston, 18, Josh Connolly, 19, Michael Fora, 18, and Patrik Maier, 17.

Goaltenders: Bolton Pouliot, 20, Cole Kehler, 16, and Connor Ingram, 17.

Just you wait for this crop of 1998-born forwards, the future of the Kamloops Blazers.

The brass on Mark Recchi Way has been spreading that message and those 16-year-old prospects are fighting tooth and nail to crack the roster this season.

Jake Kryski, Quinn Benjafield and Jermaine Loewen are names likely familiar to the hardcore Blazer fan and Phillip Knies put his name on the map before being sent home.

“The decision is going to be very tough,” said Matt Recchi, the Blazers’ director of player personnel.

“All of them have devel-oped and we expect them to push to make the team.”

Kryski, picked 13th overall by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2013 WHL bantam draft, was traded to Kamloops in July of 2013 in a deal that saw over-age netminder Cole Cheveldave go the other way.

Already a blue-chip pros-pect when the transaction was made, the five-foot-11, 170-pound centre from Vancouver improved his standing last season play-ing as a 15-year-old for the Okanagan Rockets in the B.C. Major Midget League.

Kryski, who was never keen on reporting to Prince Albert, had six goals and 11 points in seven post-season games with the Rockets, including the game- and championship-winning marker in a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver NW Giants in Game 2 of the best-of-three league final.

He recorded two goals and four points in seven games at the Telus Cup, the national midget champion-ship, held in April in Moose Jaw, Sask.

“He’s a very skilled young man, but probably his best skillset is his work ethic,” Recchi said.

“He competes hard every shift. He knows how to work and that’s what’s made him successful so far.”

KTW caught up with Kryski at Blazers’ training camp.

“Right now, this is every-thing I’ve been looking for-ward to so far,” said Kryski, who had 16 goals and 48 points in 37 regular-season games last season with the Rockets.

“Making the team is all I’ve got my hopes up for and hopefully I can make that happen.”

Kryski’s name will be on the opening-day roster sheet and he will likely stick around all season. He had two goals and four points in pre-season play.

“It’s definitely a little hard, being buds with them off the ice and then having to fight for a spot on the ice,” Kryski said.

“You just do your best and see what happens.”

Don Hay has never been afraid to roll with the young-sters — see Shane Doan in 1992-1993 and Jarome Iginla in 1993-1994, among many others.

“I’ve had up to five 16-year-olds on a team,” Hay told KTW.

“You want them to play and to contribute. The role they play kind of depends on them, how much they can handle and how much they can produce.

“You don’t want to put too much pressure on a young guy too early.”

Benjafield, a 6-foot-1, 181-pound right-winger from North Vancouver, racked up 19 goals and 47 points last season with the Vancouver NW Giants, losing to Kryski and the Rockets in the league final.

“He’s got a great all-around game and super-soft hands,” Recchi said of Benjafield.

“He’s a very committed player. He’s added weight, which he needed to do this summer, which shows us he was willing to put in the work.”


Kamloops Blazers’ forward Quinn Benjafield: “It’s been my dream to play here. I don’t really want to go back to Vancouver.”

The future up front

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

See LOEWEN, page E10

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS!1

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JTBarnettGMCRAIGBONNERGeneral Manager

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JTBarnettGCDAN DE PALMAGoaltender Coach

There is no doubt where Benjafield wants to be on Sept. 19, when the Blazers open the 2014-2015 campaign against Victoria at ISC.

“I want to make the team more than ever,” said Benjafield, picked by the Blue and Orange 19th overall in the 2013 bantam draft.

“It’s been my dream to play here. I don’t really want to go back to Vancouver.”

Loewen, who’s aiming to become the second Jamaican-born player to suit up in the NHL, spent the summer work-ing out in Kelowna, endeavouring to improve his skating and strength.

“I really want to make it,” said

Loewen, a six-foot-three left-winger who tips the scales at 201 pounds.

“I would be really disappointed in myself if I didn’t make the team.

“I’m just thinking about how I can

play the best I can play and be a team player and see what happens.”

Loewen played last season with the Interlake Lightning of the Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey League, compiling 16 goals and 30 points in 41 games.

The power forward’s skating came into question at camp last year.

“His skating is a non-issue. He’s got a big strong stride and he knows how to use it,” Recchi said of Loewen, selected by Kamloops in Round 3 at the 2013 bantam draft.

“He gets better every day he’s been here.”

Knies, a Scottsdale, Ariz., product who the Blazers picked in the fourth round in 2013, missed camp last August

due to injury, but he made up for lost time this year.

He will play this season with the midget AAA Colorado Thunderbirds.

Garrett Pilon of Kindersley, Sask., drafted by the Blazers in Round 7 in 2013, was also cut, but the son of former NHLer Rich Pilon had a strong camp.

“We have some very talented 16-year-old players coming up that have a great deal of skill,” Hay said.

“They have to show to the coaches and their teammates that they are responsible enough to play in critical situations.

“How many of them will make the team or how many are going to stick will depend on them.”

Jamaican-born forward Jermaine Loewen is chasing a roster spot with the Kamloops Blazers.

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

From page E9

Loewen among talented 16s aiming to stick with Blazers

Shop online at www.SunPeaksResort.com or visit us in Sahali Mall starting September 13.

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Kamloops This Week Meet the Blazers

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