Sunday 31 August 2014

Ghostriders Main Camp Report

The Fernie Ghostriders Main Camp is over, although there were only two teams at the camp the talent level was pretty good considering that about 15 players didn't show up because they are still in junior "A" camps.

The surprise of the camp to me was the sheer number of good 16 year old players trying out for the Ghost. From the Elk Valley alone there were six. Dalton Bouvier, Kyle Haugo, Evan Pumphrey, Evan Traverse, Jacen Richards and  Trevor Broad. If these guys play midget this year and work hard there will be a glut of KIJHL ready seventeen year olds next year. And these weren't the only 16's, there were more, but to this writer two of them seem to be a bit ahead of the others. Cavin Tilsley (Delta BC) and Liam Murphy (Cranbrook BC) both players were fun to watch.

If the other teams in the province have this many 98's it will be a good year for hockey next year. (Junior teams can only have two 98 born players.

Coach Mohr signed two players out of camp. D-man Ty Rebelato 1995- Calgary AB and forward David Kelly 1996 also from Calgary. Mohr also is expecting goaltender Jeff Orser from the Calgary Mustangs here next week as well.

Listen to Coach Mohr talk about his camp here 



Saturday 30 August 2014

Camp

It was a pretty good first day at the Rider camp Friday and the talent level was pretty good considering several players are not here because they are in junior "A" camps.
From last season's team we saw these guys last night.
Travis Thomsen
Dylan Robertson
Randy Teeple
Joel Burgess
Kale Johnson
Aidan Geiger
Spencer Bender
Aaron Neufeld
Colby Burns
Austin Wells

Many of the Calgary and area players were in the mix and there were several 16 year old players who are going to make picking just two of them a nice  problem for the coaches. Hockey Canada says only two 98's.

We'll have some more names as they get signed. Scrimmages today at 10AM and 5 PM then a final game tomorrow at 10 AM

Friday 29 August 2014

New revised Main Camp Schedule

THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME COME ON OUT

MAIN CAMP

AUG 29 FRIDAY

REGISTRATION – 3:00 PM
GAME ONE – Gold vs Red  5:00 pm – 6:45 pm

AUG 30 SATURDAY
GAME Two – 10 AM-11:45
GAME Three - 5 PM - 6:45

AUG 31 SUNDAY
GAME Four –  10 AM- 11: 45

Thursday 28 August 2014

Twenty Year Old Update

Twenty Year Old Update

The Ghostriders were a comparatively old team last year with eight nineteen-year-old players on the roster. Then earlier this summer new Rider Coach Craig Mohr made a deal with Castlegar and acquired Cranbrook born Derek Georgopoulos who will turn twenty in October .

So the problem is in the KIJHL you can only have 5 twenty year olds. Anyway, here is what has happened with the 94’s so far. 

Anthony Gilbert- defense- was traded to Cold Lake Alberta, they are hosting the Keystone Cup next spring.

Cole Weber – defense- is going to school. This big strong shot blocker will leave a hole on the blue line.

Phoenix Logan Hill- goalie- has joined the Navy. Had some pretty good games but battled injuries all season.

Austin Hirano- forward- has decided to go to school. Hirano was always a bit of a fan favourite.

Matt McDonald traded to Nelson

So that leaves the Ghostriders with :

1/ Dylan Robertson- center- now in his fourth full season with the Riders. Robertson was named Captain earlier in the summer and he will be a huge part of the team this year.

2/Aaron Nufeld- forward- led the team in scoring with 18 goals and 42 points. This will be his third year with the Riders.

3/Joel Burgess- forward 24 goals 41 points last year. Power forward has taken big steps every year and is now in his third full season. Expect a big things from this guy in his last year.

4/ Derek Georgopoulos –forward- played two seasons with the Riders then was traded to Castlegar last year. Georgopoulos has shown that he can score and that is why he was re-acquired from the Rebels, he was pretty good on the PK as well a couple of years ago.


So the Ghostriders are left with four twenty’s and have room for one more . When I talked to coach Mohr this AM he said he wasn’t worried about bringing in another 94.  But as we all know… if a JJ Beitel type of player ever falls out of some junior A tree....

Saturday 23 August 2014

Conditioning Camp this week then Main Camp on the weekend

Conditioning Camp for Bantam and up
August 24-28
Times are : 7:15-8:30


MAIN CAMP

AUG 29 FRIDAY
REGISTRATION – 3:00 PM
GAME ONE – Team A vs Team B   5:00 pm – 6:15 pm
GAME TWO – Team C vs Team D  6:30 pm – 7:45 pm

AUG 30 SATURDAY
GAME THREE – Team A vs Team C   10:00 am – 11:15 am
GAME FOUR -  Team B vs Team D    11:30 am – 12:45 pm
GAME FIVE – Team A vs Team D       5:00 pm – 6:15 pm
GAME SIX -    Team B vs Team C        6:30 pm – 7:45 pm

AUG 31  SUNDAY
GAME SEVEN – 3rd Place vs 4th Place   10:00 am – 11:15 am
GAME EIGHT -   1st Place vs 2nd Place    12:00 pm -  1:15 pm      

In other news, several years ago when the Crows Nest Pass had an AJHL team
I had a column in the Pass Herald so was in touch with their coaches every week.
In the second year Dan Olsen was the head coach and GM. Dan was very easy to deal 
with and very honest about his player evaluations. Olsen has worked all over the 
place as a player and coach and was just hired as SAIT's Head Coach taking
over from Ken Babbey who was there for 27 years. Good luck at SAIT Dan
Read the full story here