Kamloops Blazers
300 Lorne St
Kamloops, BC
V2C 1W1
250-828-1144
2001-2002 Season Preview
Losses to:
Overage: Konstantine Panov, Jonathan Hobson, Shon Jones-Parry.
Expansion Draft: Pat Brandreth.
Goal: Davis Parley '82, Steve Belanger '83, *Jordan McLaughlin '84, *Ryley Creasy '85.
Can the Blazers keep Parley and Belanger happy this year as both would like the number one job. Mike Moore would like to keep both; however if McLaughlin or Creasy come in and show they are ready to play, Moore may be able to acquire the rugged, stay at home defenceman he needs by dealing one of the veterans.
Defense: Tyler Sloan '81 (?), Aaron Gionet '82, Shaone Morrisonn '82, Nikita Korovkin '83, Conlan Seder '84, Tyler Boldt '84, *David Hale '81 (?), *Jason Platt '81 (?), *Cam McCaffery '83, *Kyle Hood '84, *Josh Pokol '85.
The only real weakness the Blazers appear to have coming into the new season is if Tyler Sloan doesn't come back the Blazers will be very thin on the back end. Korovkin needs to be able to play a regular shift every night, and Tyler Boldt needs to gain confidence in his offensive abilities as he could partner with Morrisonn for a solid pairing on the pp. The Blazers need a rugged d-man who can clear the front of the net and punish opponents along the wall. Josh Pokol will take one of the 5 or 6 open spots on the Blazer roster for sure; and if McCaffery can keep up at this level he could be the rugged d-man they need. If, as the rumour goes, the "Comrie" rule is gone, the Blazers would be able to shore up their defense in one move, convincing David Hale to leave college and don a Blazer jersey.
Forwards: Jared Aulin '82 (?), Ryan Annesley '82, Colton Orr '82, Derek Krestanovich '83, Scottie Upshall '83, Mark Rooneem '83, Erik Christensen '83, Jack Redlick '83, Paul Brown '84, Josh Bonar '84, Jarret Lukin '84, *Cam Cunning '85, *Robin Bolding '85, * Tim Wallace '84.
Jared Aulin could possibly stick with L.A. However, even if he doesn't, he may not return until November if L.A. decides to let him play his 9 games and then return him. All does not rest on his return, but Aulin will be a big piece of the puzzle for this year. Look for a big year from Upshall, who should improve his point production and take fewer penalties. Erik Christensen will score, no doubt, but this kid could be even better if he would add some sandpaper to his game. Both Rooneem and Krestanovich are key to the Blazers' success in the next year or two. If both guys can step forward and produce at the level their talents point to, the Blazers' depth could be scary. Look for Paul Brown and Jarret Lukin to improve on their rookie point production while continuing to play with determination, and for Josh Bonar to improve if he stays healthy. Rookies who will get a long look are Cam Cunning, Robin Bolding and Tim Wallace. The Blazers will start with one of their toughest and grittiest forward lineups in about 6 years as Orr, Redlick, Brown, Annesley, Krestanovich and Lukin bring varying degrees of mettle to the rink. Robin Bolding could add to that list if the 16 yr old rookie claims one of the open spots.
Europeans: Look for the Blazers to throw caution to the wind at the Euro draft and take an impact player, likely one who is already drafted or goes in this year's NHL draft. The Blazers will be scary on offense if they acquire this type of player in the Euro draft, or we may even see an older Euro defenceman taken.
Overagers: The Blazers will have at least 2, possibly 3, 20 yr olds when the season starts with Tyler Sloan likely to stick in the Columbus system. It's an area where the Blazers could possibly fill their needs on d; however proven overage defenceman are difficult to acquire. Veteran leadership is another area to address; and might Vancouver part with either Nick Marach or Scott Henkleman, both can score and bring grit and leadership.
In Kamloops, autumn is signified not by a new school year or the turning colours of leaves, but by the Blazers hitting the ice. Few major junior franchises enjoy the fan support the Blazers have had since their inception in 1984. The Interior B.C. city relies on its resources for economic survival - the Weyerhaeuser Canada pulp mill and Highland Valley Copper employ a significant portion of the city's 80,000 population - but it thrives on sporting events. The WHL club is the top draw in the Tournament Capital of B.C., and the constant sell-outs at Riverside Coliseum prove it.
The Blazers are a community-owned franchise. Indeed, citizens feel like part-owners of the team, with winter talk in the coffeeshops and on the street turning often to the team's fortunes.
But junior hockey may not have remained in Kamloops past the 1983-84 season. Then, the Junior Oilers were owned by the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, and word broke during the WHL playoffs that the parent club wanted to sell to a group based in Swift Current, Sask. If not for Dean Evason's magical goal with seconds left in Game 6 of the WHL final against the Regina Pats - a goal that tied the game and gave the Junior Oilers a boost to win in overtime and take the title with Game 7 - many believe the community may never have gotten behind the team and purchased it from Edmonton.
As hockey circles go, Evason has now returned to his roots as the team's rookie head coach, taking over from his successful predecessors Ken Hitchcock, Tom Renney, Don Hay, Ed Dempsey and Marc Habscheid.
The Blazers have had seven 50-victory seasons, won six WHL championships, and have brought the Memorial Cup home in 1992 and again back-to-back in 1994 and 1995.
The 1998-1999 Blazers were the Western Conference Champions, but lost a dramatic five-game series to the Calgary Hitmen, including a turning-point triple-overtime heartbreaker.
This season is not so much about rebuilding a contender as it is about reloading, as a talented and hungry group of forwards, led by offensive young guns Jared Aulin, Paul Deniset, Jonathan Hobson and Kyle Ladobruk, are expected to join a solid corps of returning defencemen. Look for run-and-gun hockey in Kamloops this year.