Trail’s Cominco Arena will be buzzing this weekend as 85 prospective Smoke Eaters hit the ice for the annual I-D camp.
Head Coach and General Manager Tim Fragle says several players who took part last season made the team in the fall, including a dark horse free agent who impressed staff after coming to camp with no guarantees, other than the chance to prove himself.
“The one that sticks out the most would be Josh Evaschesen,” stated Fragle.
“He kind of worked his way on to this team, forced his way on, came to camp, earned a main camp opportunity, out of main camp made the team'”
Fragle says Cade De St. Hubert took the exact same path from their I-D camp last summer in Minnesota.
Four players signed throughout last season will be in action this weekend.
Trail boy Chayse Johnson will tend goal after making his Smoke Eaters debut at the end of the regular season.
Forwards Brayden Rotach of Castlegar and Tucker Robertson are also I-D campers who made the regular season ending trip to Vernon and West Kelowna.
Dylan Danyluk comes back to I-D camp with contract in hand.
The tall forward from Saskatchewan was impressive in camp and signed with the team in mid-season.
However, Fragle points out De St. Hubert and Evaschesen knocked some signed players out of roster contention last fall, so having a contract is no guarantee.
“A commitment is good but you have to prove your worth every day and I think those two players are examples of coming to camp and earning your way on to our roster.”
Fragle was recently signed to a two-year contract extension and is a finalist for BCHL Coach Of the Year.
But after a season that included a franchise record 14-game winning streak, while guiding one of the highest scoring teams during the regular season, losing the six-game opening round series against Cranbrook was a big disappointment and learning experience.
He says the pivotal final two games were out of character for the Trail troupe.
“To say we’re only going to get two goals in games five and six (in total), is just not our group, we weren’t sharp, we weren’t finishing off plays,” said Fragle.
“We had some chances in both games, when you reflect back, the first four games, it’s even, in games five and six we didn’t raise to the challenge,”
The Smokies will also have an I-D camp this June in the Seattle area.
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