Huge roster puts through paces

The massive practices the Brandon Wheat Kings held on Wednesday and Thursday are another sign of the changing times in the Western Hockey League.

The Wheat Kings had four goalies, 11 defencemen and 19 forwards on the ice both days, which is at least six more players than they would traditionally have in camp as the pre-season approached. But with the NCAA’s decision to allow major junior players, it’s no longer a requirement to have signed a WHL contract to play in the exhibition games because the players have no college eligibility to burn.

Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray said as a result, auditions around the league are longer and involve more players.

“The whole landscape is changing,” Murray said after practice at Assiniboine Credit Union Place. “We’re probably one of the lighter teams in the league: when I looked around, there were a few teams with over 40 (players).

“It’s a lot of bodies, so you have to be a little creative in practice.”

Brandon opens its pre-season tonight against the Regina Pats at Brandt Centre.

The coaching staff actually discussed doing two smaller sessions instead of one but ultimately decided they wanted to work on some systems and needed everyone exactly on the same page.

The congestion will clear shortly when nine players leave. The three 2010-born players, goalie Joffrey Chan, forward Levi Ellingsen, and defenceman Cruz Jim, are ineligible for full-time work with the Wheat Kings and will be heading home soon to join their teams.

In addition, Brandon has six players headed to professional camps, including recent National Hockey League draftees Carter Klippenstein (Minnesota Wild) and Brady Turko (Anaheim Ducks), plus free agents Caleb Hadland (New Jersey Devils), Jayden Kraus (Colorado Avalanche), Luke Mistelbacher (Minnesota), and Grayson Burzynski (Boston Bruins).

That immediately drops them to 25 players, with none of the pro campers expected to play this weekend unless the numbers dictate they need somebody.

“We have eight forwards up front who are looking to showcase their skills themselves, and those guys will play two games, with some veterans spotted in,” Murray said. “It will be a good opportunity for everybody. It will be the same on the back end, we’ll play our young guys. We want to get Jim into a couple of games this weekend before he heads off.”

The Wheat Kings have three pre-season games left after tonight, with the Pats visiting on Saturday at 6 p.m. Brandon finishes up by hosting Swift Current at Assiniboine Credit Union Place on Friday, Sept. 12, and heads to Virden a night later for the rematch.

Training camp started last Thursday with intrasquad practices and ended with the annual Black and Gold game on Monday. After a team-building day at the Clear Lake Golf Course on Tuesday, the Wheat Kings hit the practice ice for the first time as a team on Wednesday.

Early season practices can be entertaining to watch because the drills are new to the youngsters, which can create some confusion. Murray said that’s another way the older players can lead.

“The veterans always go to the front of the line and try to incorporate the new ones,” Murray said. “The veterans have a pretty good idea of what we’re doing. That’s one of their responsibilities, to ask questions. They’re almost like extra coaches out on the ice right now.”

Before they know it, the action begins for real. Brandon opens the 68-game regular season with a home-and-home series against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, Sept. 19.

“Every phase is kind of fun,” Murray said. “It’s getting to town, and then it’s the golf tournament, and then it’s getting to camp, and then it’s cutting down numbers and practices, and then the next thing is the games, and that’s the fun part.

“It’s a quick turnaround for us. We had our first practice as a group (on Wednesday), so there will be some things we have to teach during the game, which you expect to do, and I’m sure Regina will do the same thing.

“It’s just fun to get back into game situations because I’m sure these guys are a little sick of battling against each other day in and day out like they have for the last week.”

ICINGS: In a deal on Thursday, the Swift Current Broncos acquired 2006-born hometown forward Hudson Darby from the Portland Winterhawks for 2010-born defenceman Easton Dozark, a product of Sioux Falls, S.D. … Wheat Kings broadcaster Rob Mahon begins his third season with the call of tonight’s pre-season game on Q Country 91.5 and 880 CKLQ.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com