Troy Mick has chosen his final 22.
Although the SilverBacks’ head coach and GM would have preferred a couple more exhibition games to watch his returning players, he’s pleased with his new squad.
“I think it’s very exciting first and foremost; we’ve brought in a whole new attitude and a whole new commitment level...,” he said Monday morning after finalizing the team’s roster over the weekend. “The toughest thing, I would have liked to play one or two more exhibition games to get an eye on the returning guys. I don’t know what they can and cannot do.”
The biggest thing now will be getting the line combinations set.
“I decided to go with a few extra forwards – I have a few questions – to make sure I get the right group of guys up there. There’s the ‘want’ factor. They have to show me how badly they want it.”
He said although the process hasn’t been harder than he expected, it will take a little longer than if he had known the team previously. Usually, he said, it would be a matter of adding to the lineup.
As of Monday, the team had played three games – the first, Sunday, Aug. 26 versus the Wenatchee Wild, which they lost 3-2. Then, in a home-and-home series versus rival Vernon Vipers, Vernon tied it up in the last 15 seconds Friday for a 2-2 score. On Saturday in Vernon, the SilverBacks fell 3-1 to the Vipers.
Mick said the games were more of an evaluation, because the whole roster wasn’t dressed. While the Wenatchee team was an older, more experienced squad, he said the SilverBacks should have won the tie game versus Vernon.
“I was disappointed with the 3-1 loss, but we were playing against a perennial powerhouse...” he said, pleased that it was a close contest.
“I was happy, but definitely not content. I like to win.”
He points out that molding the team is a process, particularly given that he’s taking over a team that had only 16 wins the previous season.
“We’re very excited to turn the fortunes.”
It will be necessary to give the players the “benefit of the doubt,” he said, by giving them time to prove themselves.
“It’s not a matter of winning every game, but you have to compete every game.”
The new roster looks like this:
• Goalies - returnee Adam Clark and import Colin Dzijacky;
• Defencemen - rookie Dylan Bowen, returnee and assistant captain Brendan Kennedy, returnee and new captain Bennett Hambrook, returnee and assistant captain Sean Flanagan, returnee Shane Hanna and import Brayden Sherbinin;
• Forwards - affiliate/import Michael Klonarakis, import Brandon Mistal, returnee and assistant captain Jeff Kennedy, rookie Josh Bowes, rookie Ryan Simpson, rookie Carter Lukenda, returnee Alex Gillies, rookie Bryden Marsh, rookie Troy Petrick, rookie Anthony Croston, returnee Travis Stephens, rookie Josh Ellis, rookie Ryan Schwalbe and returnee Garrett Hendrickson.
The roster includes two Salmon Arm players – Shane Hanna and Bryden Marsh – and Mick says a couple of local guys will be affiliates (AP) this season.
With the new relationship being developed between the Junior A franchise and Salmon Arm Minor Hockey, he expects there will be more local players in the future.
“Come on out and cheer the guys on,” he says to fans. “They’ll be working hard for you, that’s one thing you can count on.”
The ‘Backs open the regular season at the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 against West Kelowna, before taking on Nanaimo on Sunday at 11 a.m. Then the season starts in earnest with another home-and-home series versus Vernon on Friday, Sept. 14 at the Shaw Centre followed by a Saturday contest in Vernon. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Mick’s son Logan plays for the Vernon Vipers. Asked how it was losing to Vernon – now his son’s team, he admits it wasn’t easy.
“It was tough. It was not too bad the first game (that ended in a tie), but when we lost 3-1, there was that big smile when I got home at midnight. I didn’t think I could smack it off him,” he laughs. “That wouldn’t be allowed.”