ROYALS
SEND SIX PLAYERS TO NHL ROOKIE CAMPS
Victoria’s
Hicketts, Walker, Reddekopp, Soy, Smith and Chase all off to pursue NHL dreams.
For
Immediate Release
Thursday,
September 10, 2015
Victoria,
BC- The Victoria
Royals Hockey Club today announced that forwards Jack Walker, Tyler Soy and
Greg Chase as well as defencemen Joe Hicketts and Chaz Reddekopp, along with
goaltender Evan Smith will all attend National Hockey League (NHL) rookie camps
this week.
Joe Hicketts
Hicketts will compete in the 2015 NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, MI with the Detroit Red Wings. The tournament is held from September 11th-15th and will feature top prospects from the Red Wings, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks.
Earlier this summer, the native of Kamloops, B.C. took part in the Red Wings’ 2015 Development Camp. The 5-8, 177 lb defenceman has played in 166 games for Victoria and has recorded 112 points (24g-88a) and 105 minutes in penalties. Hicketts has collected eight assists in 25 career post-season contests with the Royals.
Hicketts was signed by the Red Wings as undrafted free agent in September 2014.
Jack Walker
Walker will also skate in the 2015 NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, MI but as an invitee for the Minnesota Wild. The Edina, MN product was also invited to the Wild’s 2015 Development Camp in July of this year.
The 5-11, 179 lb forward has skated in 176 contests for the Royals over the past three seasons and has put up 92 points (34g-58a) and 109 penalty minutes over that span. In 23 WHL post-season games, Walker has registered 11 points (4g-7a) and 20 penalty minutes.
Chaz Reddekopp
Reddekopp will attend the Los Angeles Kings Rookie Camp. The camp will begin on September 11th-16th and will include a pair of contests against the Arizona Coyotes on September 15th and 16th at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, CA.
The West Kelowna, BC native participated in the Kings’ 2015 Development Camp earlier this summer. Over the past two seasons with the Royals, Reddekopp has appeared in 113 regular season games and has posted 30 points (6g-24a) to go along with 86 penalty minutes. In 12 career playoff games with Victoria, Reddekopp has notched two assists and 12 minutes in penalties.
The 6-3, 220 lb defender was drafted by the Kings in the seventh round, 187th overall in this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
Tyler Soy
Soy will skate for the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 Young Stars Classic from September 11th – 14th as an invitee as part of the club’s rookie camp. The annual Young Stars Classic is a round-robin tournament held in Penticton, BC that features prospects from the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames.
The Cloverdale, BC native heads to the Okanagan after he attended the Oilers Development Camp in July. The 5-11, 172 lb centre has spent parts of three seasons with Victoria for a total of 141 games with 44 goals, 51 assists and 44 penalty minutes. Soy has also played in 25 career post-season games where he has put up 12 points (5g-7a) to go with 18 minutes in penalties.
Evan Smith
Smith will compete for the Nashville Predators in a four-team rookie tournament at the Germain Arena in Estero, FL. The camp will begin on September 12th and conclude on September 15th with prospects from the Predators, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals.
The 6-6,
172 lb netminder split last season between the Royals and the Austin Bruins of
the North American Hockey League (NAHL).
Smith
appeared in four games for Victoria and posted a 1-1-0-0 record to go along
with a 4.20 goals against average (GAA) and .864 save percentage (SV%). In 15
games with the Bruins, Smith collected a 12-1-2-0 record with a 1.73 GAA, a
.923 SV% and one shutout.
The Parker, CO native was
selected in the seventh round, 205th overall, by the Predators in
the 2015 NHL Draft.Greg Chase
Chase will also skate for the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 Young Stars Classic from September 11th – 14th in Penticton, BC.
The 6-0, 186 lb winger participated in the Oilers’ 2015 Development Camp earlier this summer. Chase who joined the Royals in November of 2014 skated in 46 games for Victoria and tallied 44 points (18g-26a) as well as 39 penalty minutes. The native of Sherwood Park, AB collected seven goals and four assists along with six minutes in penalties in 10 playoff games with the Royals.
Chase was selected by the Oilers in the seventh round, 188th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Victoria
continues their pre-season schedule with a match-up against the Vancouver
Giants on Saturday at the Ladner Leisure Centre in Delta, BC at 4:00 p.m.
The Royals’
lone home contest of the pre-season is set for this Sunday, when they host the
Vancouver Giants. Puck drop is set for 2:05 p.m. at Save-On-Foods Memorial
Centre.
Be
a part of the action this year and guarantee the best seats available by
purchasing a season ticket or a mini-pack. Call 250-220-7889 or visit the
Select Your Tickets Box-Office to pick your seats today.
