No offense to the 麻豆精选 Rockets, but Nick Merkley and Dillon Dube hope 奥别诲苍别蝉诲补测鈥檚 game against the Seattle Thunderbirds will be their last with the Western Hockey League club until the new year.
The two Rockets forwards are headed for Blainville, QC this weekend for the Canadian junior 迟别补尘鈥檚 final selection camp.
It will be 惭别谤办濒别测鈥檚 second attempt at cracking Hockey 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 U20 squad for the world junior hockey championship.
The Calgary native made it to Finland for a series of pre-tournament exhibition games last year, before being sent home as one of Hockey 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 last cuts.
鈥泪鈥檓 looking to do more than I did last year and hopefully I can make that team this 迟颈尘别,鈥� said Merkley, 19.
鈥泪 think the biggest thing for me is just focusing on the next game, not thinking too far ahead about making the team and just being in the 尘辞尘别苍迟.鈥�
After suffering a serious knee injury last season, Merkley has been challenged in getting back up to full speed this season.
Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton said the skilled forward will likely have to adjust to a somewhat unfamiliar role to make 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 final roster.
鈥淗别鈥檚 going to get a good chance, but I think he has to pick up his 驳补尘别,鈥� said Hamilton, who worked on Hockey 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 management team for the 2015 world juniors in Toronto where Team Canada won the gold medal.
鈥淗别鈥檒濒 likely have to fill a role (Team Canada) needs, one 丑别鈥檚 not used to, playing against some of the other 迟别补尘鈥檚 better 辫濒补测别谤蝉鈥 more defensive role.
鈥淭丑别 severe kind of injury Nick had, 颈迟鈥檚 a long process coming 产补肠办,鈥� Hamilton added. 鈥淗辞辫别蹿耻濒濒测, 丑别鈥檒濒 be back at the top of his game 蝉辞辞苍.鈥�
Dube will be making his first appearance at the national junior 辫谤辞驳谤补尘鈥檚 final selection camp.
As an 18-year-old, the Cochrane, AB native faces a bigger challenge in making the final roster, which is generally comprised mostly of older players.
The Rockets will very likely be without forwards Calvin Thurkauf and Tomas Soustal for a significant stretch of hockey over the Christmas season.
Thurkauf is expected to play for Switzerland and Soustal for his native Czech Republic at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Montreal and Toronto. The European duo will leave the club Dec. 12.
With at least two and quite possibly more key forwards out the picture for an extended period, the Rockets will be bringing in a number of reinforcements throughout December.
Recently acquired in a trade with the Regina Pats, forward Erik Gardiner, 17, will join the Rockets Dec. 13 in Medicine Hat.
Forwards Liam Kindree, who is second in the BCMML in scoring this season with the Vancouver Northwest Giants, and Ted Brennan, from the junior B Saanich Braves, will also be added to the roster.
After Christmas, the Rockets will bring in defenseman Kaeden Korczak, 15, (Yorkton midget AAA) and Colum McGauley, 16, from the junior B Nelson Leafs.
Rocket 厂丑辞迟蝉鈥�
The Rockets (16-11-1-0) play their final home game before Christmas tonight against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Face-off at Prospera Place is 7:05 辫.尘.鈥别濒辞飞苍补 kicks off a seven-game, 11-day road trip Friday night in Kennewick, WA against the Tri-City 础尘别谤颈肠补苍蝉鈥丑别 搁辞肠办别迟蝉鈥� first home action after the break is Tuesday, Dec. 27 against the Kamloops Blazers.
