This is the time in the Western Hockey League preseason in which rosters grow thinner, but for a reason that reflects well on the league. The exodus to National Hockey League rookie training camps has begun.
Although the once dominant Canadian major-junior hockey system has yielded its former commanding position, and now produces about a third of NHL draft picks to the other one-thirds coming from each of the U.S. collegiate NCAA and from Europe, major-junior still represents a significant factor.
Five Victoria Royals are among WHL players who are heading to NHL rookie camps this week either as draftees or free agents. The Royals’ blue-line anchors, Justin Kipkie and Nate Misskey, were drafted with Kipkie to be skating in the camp of Utah HC and Misskey with the San Jose Sharks rookies.
Meanwhile, persistence has paid off for undrafted fourth-year Royals forward Reggie Newman, who has received a free-agent invite from Utah HC. The same for undrafted off-season Royals acquisition Deagan McMillan, who will play with the Vancouver Canucks rookie skaters in the Young Stars Classic tournament running Friday to Monday in Penticton.
Centreman McMillan could prove a pivotal pick-up for Victoria this season, although the Royals had to give up blue-liner and 2020 top-10 WHL prospects draft pick Austin Zemlak to get him in a trade with the Tri-City Americans.
McMillan was also well regarded out of bantam and went 25th overall in the second round to the Americans in the 2020 WHL prospects draft. It is thought that new surroundings will help both McMillan and Zemlak realize their early promise.
McMillan was ranked No. 108 by Central Scouting for the 2023 NHL draft but not selected. He did, however, receive a free-agent invite to the Toronto Maple Leafs development camp last year and the Royals have high hopes he will flourish on Blanshard Street.
“We felt we needed to add to our top-six forward group, and to do so, we had to move a really good player and person in Austin [Zemlak],” Royals general manager Jake Heisinger said in a statement.
“Deagan [McMillan] can play both centre and wing and adds skill and grit to our lineup.”
The Canucks are willing to take a look at him.
“We are hoping McMillan can build on his scoring totals in Tri-City,” Victoria head coach James Patrick told the Times Colonist.
Skating against the Canucks’ McMillan in the Young Stars Classic in Penticton will be new Royals forward Markus Loponen of Oulu, Finland, for the Winnipeg rookies after being selected in the fifth round of this year’s NHL draft by the Jets. The Royals selected the Finnish U-18 and U-20 international in the first round of this year’s CHL import draft out of Kärpät U-20.
“Obviously, for him to be drafted [into the NHL], you expect him to be a good player,” said Patrick.
Laponen, in his media scrum in the Jets’ summer rookie development camp, described himself in Finland as a “two-way centre who creates a lot of scoring chances. But here [in NHL pro camp with the Jets over the summer] I don’t know yet. I’m just creating my player style and profile.”
The Royals, who opened the preseason last weekend with a 3-2 win and 5-3 loss against the Vancouver Giants in Port Coquitlam, completed their exhibition schedule with a 2-1 loss against the Seattle Thunderbirds on Wednesday night in Kent, Washington.
The Royals will open the 2024-25 WHL regular season Sept. 20-21 against the Tri-City Americans at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
ICE CHIPS: Fans can meet the Royals players and coaches on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Ship Point on the Inner Harbour. There will be player interactions along with booths and games.
