Rockets get their feet wet

It's going to be a much different looking Kelowna Rockets team that steps on the ice for the start of the Western Hockey League season later this month.

The team expects to be without eight players who were key members of last year's team that reached the Western Conference final.

Included in that list are overage forwards Nick Merkley, Calvin Thurkauf and Tomas Soustal along with defencemen Lucas Johansen and Devante Stephens.

All but Soustal has signed with an NHL club. All are expected to get every chance to at least earn a spot with their club's AHL affiliate.

Those departures open the door for players who had lesser roles last year to make the next step.

"The guys who were our third and fourth line guys last year we think have come out of the summer real well," said Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton during a practice Friday.

"Erik Gardiner looks great. (Leif) Mattson, (Kyle) Topping, these guys that were somewhat role players last year are going to have to graduate into significant roles this year. We're excited to see what they can do once we shoot for real."

Hamilton also singled out Liam Kindree and Kaeden Korczak as having very strong camps.

"That's the cycle of junior hockey. We go through this every year when people say they're in trouble, but we find a way to be competitive.

"That's the process of how much the coaches play those guys the previous year. We're confident we're going to have a good group this year and our team will be very competitive this year."

The process of seeing what those youngsters can do begins tonight when they Rockets host Victoria in the first of just four pre season games.

Hamilton says the biggest battles through the four pre season games will be on defence and in goal.

He says they have nine defencemen they think can play at this level. Determining which ones to keep will be a challenge according to Hamilton.

The Rocket also have to settle on a backup goaltender.

"Goaltending is an area we have some concern. We have Broden Salmond coming back, and we'll see who can fight out for the other spots and who's going to get the playing time."