That’s what you call an audition.
Defenceman Jordan Wharrie had an assist in a plus-2 outing for the Silvertips in their 5-4 Western Hockey League pre-season victory against the Victoria Royals on Friday in Everett, Washington.
He is now a Royal.
Victoria GM Cam Hope seems to have swung a good deal in acquiring the 18-year-old defenceman, who skated last season in the WHL, in a trade for 17-year-old blue-liner Carter Stephenson, who has yet to play in the league.
“Wharrie is an experienced guy who will give us veteran minutes on our young blue-line,” said Hope.
The six-foot-two, 180-pound Wharrie played 50 regular-season WHL games last season for the Silvertips with two goals and four points and 39 penalty minutes and also 11 playoff games with a goal and two points and eight penalty minutes. In exchange for the native of Port Moody, the Royals transferred the rights to the unsigned Stephenson, who played last season in the B.C. Major Midget League on the Lower Mainland.
Victoria’s blue-line this season will likely include 16-year-old rookies Scott Walford and Brayden Pachal along with 17-year-old sophomore Ralph Jarratt. Compounding the situation, at least in the short term, is that Victoria defencemen Joe Hicketts and Chaz Reddekopp are headed this week to the NHL rookie camps of the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings, respectively, and could be there for extended trials into main camp.
“That puts a lot of pressure on our young defencemen,” said Hope.
It means veteran stability on the blue-line suddenly becomes a valuable commodity in Royals camp.
“[Wharrie] is a smart defenceman and very reliable,” said Hope.
“He got caught in the numbers game in Everett. This will be a fresh start for him. We have watched him over the years and believe he has something to offer.”
Victoria’s eight defencemen are Wharrie, Hicketts, Reddekopp, Jarratt, Walford, Pachal and returnees Ryan Gagnon and Russian import Marsel Ibragimov.
“I’m really excited [about the move]. My goal is to fit into whatever role the Royals give me and to get drafted this season,” said Wharrie, who also knows his way around a golf course with a nine handicap.
“I’m a puck-moving defenceman with a bit of an edge to my game.”
Which makes Wharrie believe he’s found the right team to play on, saying his games in ’Tips green against the Royals last season were tough, grinding affairs.
“As the opposition, Victoria was hard-nosed and hard to play against and it was physical and always a battle,” said Wharrie.
Wharrie will join the Royals (1-2) as they continue the WHL pre-season with a weekend set against the Vancouver Giants, beginning Saturday in Ladner with the second leg on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
