The RBC Cup championship that saw division rival West Kelowna Warriors claim the national title only ended on Sunday, but the Penticton Vees have already begun the process of next season’s run for the title.
From May 26 to 29, the Vees will be holding their annual spring camp. Consisting mostly of scrimmages, the camp will have six full teams alternating on the ice all day from about 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m..
Vees coach and general manager Fred Harbinson said this is a very important part of the process of building the team, and he explained what he’s looking for from players.
“Whenever we build our teams, you’re looking for all kinds of different players,” Harbinson said. “You don’t want all the same type of player. We always tell the kids there’s a reason they’ve been invited, so we ask them just to play their game.”
Harbinson is expecting to have six to nine returning players on the Vees this coming season. Although those players haven’t definitively committed yet, that would be an increase over the four players that returned last year.
Spring camp is an opportunity for players to make an impression.
“There are opportunities to get an invite to our main camp in August,” Harbinson said. “But we’re really looking to build our affiliate list for next year. Over the past few years, probably 85 per cent of the players who have played for the Vees attended our spring camp.
“This is all part of the process, the end game is to find 22 players that are on the roster, and 19 players on the affiliate list. We’ll get there with some combination of ‘x’ players from spring camp, free agency and main camp. There’s no set goal.”
Having all of the players together for spring camp is not only critical for the players chances to make the team this year or in the future, but also for the coaches evaluation process.
“You watch players spread out from different leagues and teams, now you get them under your roof and get to meet them and see them face to face,” Harbinson said. “It’s important to see how guys perform in that pressure situation. There are guys you’re excited about and then they get to camp and don’t do as much, and there are guys who are the opposite, they come out of nowhere.”
The spring camp will begin on Thursday with fitness testing, before wrapping up the scrimmages Sunday around 1 p.m.
Warriors win
The Warriors defeated the tournament host Lloydminster Bobcats 4-0 to win the RBC Cup.