Training camp is over and done with and now the players trying to impress the Dauphin Kings coaching staff will have four opportunities to show what they can do in game situations this week.
Camp ended with Team White scoring a 4-3 win over Team navy in the annual JoFo Cup intrasquad game, Sunday afternoon.
Madden Murray scored twice to lead Team White to the victory. Tyson Pauze and Anthony Tudino had the other goals, while Keaton Woolsey and Kristjan Johnson combined to make 39 saves in goal.
Nolan Wickham, Ethan Williment and Aiden Brook had the goals for Team Navy. Cole Sheffield and Nathan Braun teamed up to make 18 saves in goal.
Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley liked what he saw throughout the weekend.
“The guys that we brought in, we knew they were good. I think we’ve got some decent speed. Our backend is mobile,” he said.
The Kings will embark on a busy week with four preseason games in six days, beginning tonight in Swan Valley against the Stampeders at 7 p.m.
On Wednesday, Dauphin plays its only home game of the preseason when they host the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s Wisconsin Lumberjacks at 7:30 p.m.
The Kings will then head west for a pair of tilts against Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League opponents in Melville, first against the Melville Millionaires on Saturday at 6 p.m., followed by a Sunday contest against the Yorkton Terriers at 2:30 p.m. These four games, Hedley said, will be key for a lot of players, noting there is competition for every spot on the roster.
“It’s going to be a good battle. I’m looking forward to some good intensity, good compete in practice and games this week,” he said.
Hedley felt each of the three teams had a really good work ethic and compete level in their practices.
“The speed that they had and the compete in the drills was very good. I think there have been times in the games where they got a little bit tired. But at the same time, overall, I think the compete and the speed and the intensity has been okay,” he said.
Hedley hopes to see a willingness to battle in the preseason games and play within a structure.
“We’re going to do some teaching this week and, hopefully, we can get guys buying in. The sooner we do that, the better we’re going to be,” he said.
Last season, the Kings relied on scoring by committee and this season will be no different.
“There are guys here that we think have potential to be some top end guys as far as scoring. But until we get the combinations together and get the right guys in the right places, it’s probably going to be scoring by committee,” Hedley said.
Like last year, Hedley expects the blueline to lead the way when it comes to producing offence.
“I think our backend is going to be one of our major driving forces again, with guys like (Nicholas) Hatton and (Anthony) Bax that can jump in the play. And (Rhys) Maksimow, (Ryan) Kieber and those kinds of kids that can jump in the play and create some until we get our feet under us up front and try to spread out,” he said. “But I think the biggest thing is probably our depth. The fact that we can throw speed out on every line. We might not be top scorers, but we’ve got guys that work by committee and hopefully, will score the same way.”
Dauphin opens the season, Sept. 16, when they host the Neepawa Titans at 7:30 p.m.
