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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Tips on ice Here’s the schedule for Everett Silvertips rookie training camp. All sessions are at Comcast Arena and open to the public: TODAY Red vs. White scrimmage, 9 a.m. Blue on-ice testing/practice, 10:45 a.m. White practice, 2 p.m. Red vs. Blue scrimmage, 3:15 p.m. FRIDAY White vs. Blue scrimmage, 9 a.m. Red on-ice testing/practice, 10:45 a.m. Blue practice, 2 p.m. Red vs. White scrimmage, 3:15 p.m. SATURDAY Red vs. Blue scrimmage, 9 a.m. White on-ice testing/practice, 10:45 a.m. Red practice, 2 p.m. White vs. Blue scrimmage, 3:15 p.m. SUNDAY Rookie Green vs. White game, 11 a.m. For live updates from today’s opening day of Silvertips rookie training camp, visit Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, August 21, 2008 Questions abound as Silvertips take ice Team needs to replace some key veterans as campaign gets underway with rookie camp By Nick Patterson Herald Writer EVERETT -- A new era of Everett Silvertips hockey is here. With many of the players who have been Everett stalwarts the past three seasons having moved on, the Silvertips will have a new look this season. And the first step in determining that new look begins today with the opening of rookie training camp. "There's a little bit of a changing of the guard, I guess you could say," Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said. The past three seasons, the likes of goaltender Leland Irving, center Zach Hamill and defenseman Jonathan Harty helped form the nucleus of Everett's team. Irving and Hamill have moved on to the professional ranks and Harty chose to start his college experience a year early. So, Everett is heading into the 2008-09 WHL season with more questions than usual and tempered expectations. "It's a little bit of a different year for us," Soetaert said. "We're trying to instill as many young players as possible, but still be as competitive as possible. There will be some growing pains, but it doesn't matter what year we're operating here, we want to be competitive and we want to win hockey games. Some years you're going to win more than others, we'll just have to see where this one works out." The first step in that process is rookie camp. Approximately 60 players are taking part, with off-ice testing having taken place Wednesday night. The group consists of players born in 1992 or 1993, including players from Everett's 50-player protected list as well as invited hopefuls looking to catch the eye of the Tips' scouting staff. The players were split into three different teams, and each day of rookie camp consists of two scrimmages and two practices -- all taking place at Comcast Arena. The first on-ice session begins at 9 a.m. today, with camp concluding Sunday with the annual rookie Green vs. White game at 11 a.m. Though it's designated Everett's rookie camp, most of the players who have a chance of being rookies on this year's team won't be participating. The majority of this season's likely rookies are 1991-born 17-year-olds and therefore won't take the ice until main training camp, which opens Sunday following the Green vs. White game. In addition, several of Everett's top 16-year-olds -- including goaltender Kent Simpson, forwards Markus McCrea, Tyler Parker and D.Jay McGrath, and defenseman Gabriel Minville -- are also advancing straight to main camp. Another top prospect, forward Justin Waskewitch, will not take part in either training camp because of a shoulder injury. "Guys we think have a legit chance of making our team, we're not going to bring them to rookie camp," Soetaert explained. "We want them to be fresh for main camp." That means the rookie camp spotlight will fall on Everett's 15-year-old prospect who the Tips selected in this year's bantam draft, players who are too young to play for the Tips this season. Soetaert said that all 11 of Everett's selections are expected to attend. The biggest names among those 1993-born players are defenseman Ryan Murray and center Tyler Giebel. Murray, taken ninth overall, and Giebel, whom the Tips traded up to snag in the second round, were teammates last season on the bantam Balgonie (Saskatchewan) Praire Storm. "I'm excited about taking a look at some of the kids," Soetaert said. "I think we did a good job of drafting last year. Ryan Murray I'm really looking forward to seeing, he's a pretty talented young man. Same thing with Giebel, we think he has some huge upside to him. "This whole rookie camp thing is to get the 93s in so they can get accustomed to who we are," Soetaert added. "None of them can play for us other than five games (the maximum allowed for 15-year-olds), but it gets them in the building, gets them into the city. We get a chance to see them under our roof, and they kind of get acclimated to the Everett Silvertips and what we're all about." Nick Patterson's Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog

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