Every training camp, the questions are the same for general managers across the Western Hockey League.
Which veterans have taken a jump compared to the previous season? Which newcomers look like they could push for a spot? And just how difficult will the decisions be when it comes to trimming down the roster?
For Moose Jaw Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger, the overall news was as good as can be -- the cadre of experienced returning players looked every bit like a crew chomping at the bit for a successful season, the rookies did all they could to unseat their older counterparts and the decisions were going to be tough, as expected.
“Overall, I think everyone came into camp in shape and there’s a lot of depth here, the young guys have been pushing the older guys so it’s been a competitive camp and that’s exactly what we were hoping for,” Ripplinger said during the Black White Game to close out 2022 training camp.
“It’s important, and it’s hats off to our organization how we push these guys and the way our culture is for these players when they come in. It’s not going to be easy to just come in and play and make the hockey club, they’re going to have to be prepared and work all summer.”
One of the main goals for veterans is to make that leap from one year to the next -- a 15-goal scorer becoming a 30-goal scorer, a 30-goal scorer cracking the 50-goal plateau. Ripplinger felt a handful of players could be capable of that jump if what they showed in camp translates into the season.
“Nathan Pilling has kind of taken a jump here, he’s come into camp in great shape and has shown a lot of flashes of being a highly skilled forward, so I’m really happy with his progress,” Ripplinger said. “Then Cosmo Wilson has looked really good and Matthew Gallant has looked good, those are guys who were here last year and are competing to move higher up in the defensive end of things.”
Of course, you also want to see your elite players maintain that status, and that was the case right from the first puck drop of camp. It also showed in the Black White Game -- as the clock wound down in regulation with Team Black trailing by a goal, Brayden Yager and Denton Mateychuk turned it up another gear, with their slick puck movement on the power play setting up Ben Riche with the tying goal with 16 seconds to play.
“(Jagger) Firkus, Yager, Mateychuk and (Max) Wanner -- who I think is one of the most underrated defencemen in our league -- all our guys like that came in and have looked great, and that’s exactly what we expected,” Ripplinger said. “They’re the skilled players we’ll be looking to lead our team to a highly successful season.”
As for the youngsters, 2021 Bantam Draft first-round pick Marek Howell and second-round pick Lyndon Lakovic have come as advertised, while 2022 first-round pick Connor Schmidt, second-round pick Max Finley and third-round selection Owen Berge all turned heads throughout the week.
“A lot of the signed players who came in have looked good and there are a lot of guys I could mention, but overall we’ve been happy with all the rookies,” Ripplinger said. “Some of the young guys have come in here and pushed hard. Lakovic and Howell are two highly touted players and they’ve come in and played really well. So as good as our young guys were last year and came in and pushed, these young kids are doing the same this year and once those older guys leave [for NHL camps] hopefully the depth won’t take too much of a hit.”
The Warriors will have no less than seven players they expect to be in their line-up this season heading off to NHL training camp, nine if you include overage signed players Ryder Korczak (New York Rangers) and Daemon Hunt (Minnesota).
Wanner (Edmonton), Cole Jordan (Calgary), Martin Rysavy (Columbus), Firkus (Seattle) and Mateychuk (Columbus) are all NHL drafted players, while Atley Calvert (Buffalo) and Eric Alarie (Los Angeles) will be heading into camps as invitees.
“That gives the young guys an opportunity to show their stuff,” Ripplinger said. “This is their opportunity to show they belong and there’s no guarantee that when players go to NHL camps that they’ll be back. You look at someone like Mateychuk, he’s signed, and you never know what happens at the next level. If he ended up staying, it hurts the organization but it also helps our organization in that we’re doing our part to develop players.”
As for the overage situation, the Warriors appear to have things well under control -- goaltender Connor Ungar has one of the slots locked down, with the Warriors hoping to see Jordan back as well. Korczak and Hunt, as signed overagers, can play in the AHL and will likely end up there if they don’t crack the big squad. That will likely leave a slot open, and a decision to be made down the road.
On a whole, the Warriors are without question aiming for a solid run this year, but Ripplinger isn’t going all-eggs-one-basket just yet.
“For me, I never look at it as this is ‘our year’,” he said. “I just try and build off of each season and see where it goes. Come trade deadline, we’ll see where our record is at and if there’s an opportunity to push, we’ll make the moves we need or we’ll stand pat, it’ll all depend on how things are going.”
The Warriors open their exhibition season on Friday night when they host the Swift Current Broncos. Game time is 7 p.m. at Moose Jaw Events Centre
