One of the Okanagan’s top hockey minds is back in the coaching game.
This week, Troy Mick was announced as part owner, general manager and head coach of the Cold Lake, Alta., Wings.
The Wings are a junior team, and will play in the newly-created West Division of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL).
The division was created earlier this year, and features four teams: Cold Lake, Enoch, Alta., Tomahawks, Rosetown, Sask., Red Wings and Slave Lake, Alta., Icedogs.
The league also features players 16 to 21 years of age, up from junior hockey’s normal 20-year-age limit.
Mick, who hails from Vernon, has years of hockey experience: from playing junior, to being drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins and playing in the minors, to coaching in a variety of leagues.
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“We are excited to have Troy join the GMHL West Division,” GMHL West chief administrative officer Bryan Keller said in a press release.
“He is a quality person and brings with him a wealth of successful WHL and junior-A general manager and coach experience, as well a former standout junior and pro player.”
Mick, whose last coaching gig was two years ago, said he’s excited to be behind the bench again. He plans on arriving in Cold Lake on Monday.
Cold Lake is about a 3.5-hour drive northeast of Edmonton and has a population of approximately 15,000. The arena, called Imperial Oil Place, seats 1,800.
Kelowna Rockets open main training camp
Tryouts have officially started for the Kelowna Rockets, with the team opening its main training camp doors on Saturday.
The Rockets, who will host the 2020 Memorial Cup in May, say 61 players are attending camp. The seven-day camp will feature daily practices and scrimmages amongst three teams.
Training camp will run until Thursday, Aug. 29. Kelowna’s first preseason game will take place Friday, Aug. 30, 7:05 p.m. against Victoria at Prospera Place.
The Rockets will play six preseason games, three at home and three on the road, with the last game taking place on Saturday, Sept. 14 at home to Kamloops.
Two Rockets added to Carolina’s prospects roster
Earlier this week, Kyle Topping and Leif Mattson were added to the Carolina Hurricanes’ roster for the 2019 NHL Prospects Showcase, Sept. 7-10 in Nashville.
Topping, a centre, led the Kelowna Rockets in assists and points last season. The 5-foot-11 forward had 23 goals and 46 assists for 69 points in 68 games.
“It’s super exciting,” Topping, 19, said of the news. “Anytime that you get the chance to go to a tournament like that, it’s an honour. It’s going to be fun going with Leif, it will be a good experience for both of us.”
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Mattson, a winger, tied for second in team scoring. He had 22 goals and 41 assists in 63 games played.
“It’s an experience that I’ll cherish for sure,” said Mattson, 20. “I just need to go in and show them what I can do. It’s pretty cool having both Kyle and I go together.”
Notably, Nolan Foote of the Rockets will also be in attendance at that tournament, albeit with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Further west, Kelowna’s Jake Lee and Dillon Hamaliuk will be playing for San Jose in Anaheim’s Rookie Tournament, Sept. 7-10 in Irvine, Calif., while Kaedan Korczak will play for Las Vegas.
Rockets sign 2019 CHL import pick
Continuing on with Kelowna, the Rockets announced on Saturday that they had signed forward Pavel Novak, whom they had selected 13th overall in the CHL’s 2019 import draft in June.
From the Czech Republic, Novak tallied 29 goals and 16 assists for 45 points in 31 games with an under-19 team last season. He played in 20 games with Budejovice in the Czech2 league, collecting three assists.
At the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup earlier this month, and playing for his country, Novak had two goals and one assist, including the overtime winner against the United States to secure a fifth-place finish.
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“We’re very excited to have Pavel sign with us,” said Rockets president and GM Bruce Hamilton. “He had an excellent Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He’s 17 years old, so he is heading into his draft year.
“I think that he’s going to fit into our top nine; we’re excited for him to arrive here in Kelowna.”
The Rockets expect Novak to join them next week.
B.C. Hockey League exhibition schedule
Friday’s results:
- Salmon Arm 2, West Kelowna 1
- Grande Prairie 3, Vernon 2
- Penticton 3, Merritt 1
Saturday’s games
- Penticton at Merritt, 7 p.m.
- West Kelowna at Salmon Arm, 7 p.m.
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