As the Interior Division of the British Columbia Hockey League continues to get log jammed with teams who all seem to be very close or near the top of the standings, I'm beginning to wonder which team(s) are really going to make a run for the Royal Bank Cup. To make that run, some teams will make some serious moves to insure themselves on becoming a serious contender come playoff time. Some of the hockey pundits will tell you that it doesn't matter what you do in December, but rather what you do come March that really matters. In reality and in my opinion, the teams that will have the jam to make the necessary roster moves will undoubtedly be the ones who give themselves the greater chance at playoff success come March and April. Now having said this, teams have to be very careful when they enter and exit players into their locker rooms as one can never tell what these players will bring to the team and how they will interact and what they will do to the ever important team chemistry.

If in doubt, just ask the Westside Warriors if the trade they completed with the Cowichan Valley Capitals to acquire Clinton Pettapiece at last years BCHL trade deadline was in the end, really worth the eventual price they paid. Pettapiece was a points producer for the Warriors and also helped the Warriors finish just three points behind the Interior Champion Penticton Vees, however many close to that situation have debated on whether he was really the right fit for the Warriors. In acquiring Clinton, the Warriors gave up some pretty good players in Chris Zaires, Alex Gellart and Westside's own Kevin Walrod. Walrod and Zaires are currently one two in Capitals scoring this season in the BCHL. On the flip side, the Vees acquired a few different players, including WHL cast-off Nic Knudsen at the deadline. Knudsen, instantly became a hit in the Vees locker room and come playoff time it was Knudsen that was the glue that held the well oiled Vees machine together and was a player that was a main (underrated mind you) cog that helped the Vees claim the BCHL Championship trophy. The Vees would eventually lose to the Camrose Kodiaks for a berth into last years Royal Bank Cup (National Junior A Hockey Champions).

Although Knudsen only played in a total of 37 games including playoffs for the Vees, he turned out to be the real deal and was involved in a trade that the Vees brass can now look back on and say that its was the transaction that turned last years team on their way to the path of success. Although the Vees had the big name power players like Zac Dalpe, Brett Hextall, Mike Guzzo, it was Knudsen who keep that winning Vees team in check and an insured that the group of players left no stone un turned to get to where they had so badly wanted to get for many of the previous seasons. Unlike the Pettapiece deal the Warriors pulled the trigger on, the Vees didn't have to give up any future key components (i.e. Zaires,Walrod, Gellart) to acquire his services.

The beauty of junior hockey continues to be, watching the teams who are willing to bring in players and make moves to better the current teams they currently have. Some as I've just indicated do a much better job at this than others and some continue to struggle finding the right potion for success. As I look at many of the current BCHL rosters, many teams have already done some tinkering with their rosters from the start of this season while some teams have made very few moves. The question remains though, does it do your team more harm to keep tinkering or stay on the path with that you've selected at the early stages in training camp.

With only twelve points separating first place from fifth place in the Interior Division, and the January 10th deadline fast approaching, it’s going to be a fun time and I'm quite sure some really good games will be played in the New Year.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy 2009!