Everett, Wash.
Published: Friday, August 22, 2008

Silvertips get a glimpse of what's to come

'Rookie camp' is more about making an impression for the future, than making this year's team

By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer

 EVERETT -- On Thursday the Everett Silvertips pulled out their crystal ball and took their first gaze into the future.

The Tips may have opened their rookie training camp in earnest Thursday, the first step in the preparations for the upcoming 2008-09 WHL season. However, "rookie camp" is something of a misnomer. "Futures camp" might be a more appropriate term as the players taking part are about Everett's future rather than the Tips' present.

"I'm not here to make the team," said 1993-born defenseman Ryan Murray, the Tips' first-round pick in this year's bantam draft who is too young to play for Everett this season. "I can't."

Thursday's on-ice sessions at Comcast Arena -- two scrimmages and two practices -- constituted the Tips' preseason first action. A total of 59 players are attending rookie camp in hopes of making an impression on Everett's scouts and coaching staff.

That group includes 10 of Everett's 11 picks from this year's bantam draft. The only absentee is 12th rounder Austin Wuthrich, an Alaskan forward who was a speculative selection.

"It's always exciting for us to see the draft picks because the coaches don't know them at all," Everett coach John Becanic said. "It's nice to see your early draft picks be as good as what people led you to believe. And I thought some of the kids we drafted last year showed they were a little bit better, a little bit stronger and a little more polished. So all in all, I thought it was a pretty good first day."

It was exciting for the players, too.

"First off, when I got here I was like, 'Wow,' because of the rink," said 15-year-old center Tyler Giebel, Everett's second-rounder this year. "It's unreal compared to down in the prairies where we live (in Balgonie, Saskatchewan). It's definitely something different, a good experience to get down here finally."

But Becanic is going to have to wait on these players because, like Murray, almost all of them were born in 1993, putting them a year away from WHL eligibility.

There are also several 1992-born players at rookie camp, players who can be 16-year-old rookies this season. But the 1992-born players with the best chance of making the roster, such as goaltender Kent Simpson and forwards Markus McCrea and Tyler Parker, advanced straight to main camp, as did all of Everett's 1991-born potential rookies.

Therefore, this week's camp is all about seeing who can help down the line.

"We're going to have so many young kids playing for us this year that I think it's important they're physically and mentally prepared to try and make the hockey team, as opposed to making it through rookie camp," Becanic explained. "You put the two camps together and you're talking about nine days in a row with two-a-days. That's too much for 15- and 16-year-old kids.

"It's weakened the pool at rookie camp a bit," Becanic continued. "But it just means some of these kids have the opportunity to show better because there's a little less competition for those high-end players."

One player who certainly showed well was Murray. The native of White City, Saskatchewan, who doesn't turn 15 until September, lived up to the billing of a player taken with the ninth-overall pick in the draft. Displaying maturity beyond his years, he showed just how a defenseman can facilitate the offense.

"You hear all the hype about him and hear the comparisons, and he plays with a lot of poise," an impressed Becanic said. "If there's an open pass he sees it and makes it. That's what's so special about him. Sometimes there's players open and people just don't see it. He looks to make plays and if it's not there he keeps it nice and simple. He's an active part of the offense, but he's not all over the ice. Hard to believe he's got that much poise as a 14-year-old."

Murray modestly described his own play as "not bad" as he led his Team Red to a 1-1 record in scrimmages. But overall he seemed satisfied with his first day on the ice as a Tip.

"It was pretty good," he said. "I got to know some of the coaches, some of the staff, got to meet some of the other drafted players.

"It's good to be in Everett finally and see the place."

Team Red, with two goals from Anthony Patt, beat Team White 6-4 in the morning scrimmage. Team Blue, with five different scorers, beat Team Red 5-3 in the afternoon scrimmage.

Rookie camp continues all day today and Saturday, then concludes with the Green vs. White game Sunday at 11 a.m.

Nick Patterson's Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA