The dream started somewhere.
The Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League, along with the Island Division of the B.C. Hockey League, are represented as the puck dropped on the 2018-19 NHL season this week.
Former Royals ball-of-energy defenceman Joe Hicketts, sent to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on Tuesday, was recalled Wednesday to the Detroit Red Wings’ injury-depleted blueline and is expected in the lineup when Detroit opens tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Jamie Benn, a hallmark player in the NHL, captains the Dallas Stars while brother and fellow BCHL Victoria Grizzlies product Jordie Benn patrols the blueline for the Montreal Canadiens.
Grizzlies alumnus Tyler Bozak took his offence-oriented skill set from the Toronto Maple Leafs and plays his first game with the St. Louis Blues tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. Facing Bozak’s shots could be Port Alberni native and Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit, out of the Cowichan Valley Capitals, via the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL.
The Nanaimo Clippers are represented in the Show with veteran defencemen Matt Irwin suiting up again for the Nashville Predators and Jason Garrison attempting to shore up the Edmonton Oilers’ suspect blueline at age 33.
Meanwhile, last season’s dynamic Royals captain Matthew Phillips starts in the AHL with the Calgary Flames’ affiliate in Stockton, California. The Flames could return the 20-year-old Phillips to junior, which would greatly alter the trajectory of the Royals’ season, not to mention send shudders through the rest of the B.C. Division.
