A new season - Who\'s in, Who\'s out?

It took until deep into August for 18-year-old Shota Yamamoto to decide what his future would look like over the next year, and in the end he would not return to the Peninsula Panthers.  Yamamoto was one of the most feared defencemen in the VIJHL last year.  As a 17-year-old he attended the Spring Camp in Port Alberni with the Bulldogs of the BCHL and although he received a shot at main camp, it was less than the commitment he was looking for.  The stocky rearguard also had offers to attend camps in the AJHL and really had a shot to make play at the "A" level one Province away but in the end decided to head East to Queens University where he will attend post-secondary school.

"I think he was really torn in the end," explained Pete Zubersky.  "He went golfing with Brad, Jason Fletcher and me at the Larry Orr Invitational in July and he was just not certain what his next step would be.  I actually thought he might come back to the Panthers and he used the term 'Us' and 'We' throughout the day. He had a lot of options and I believe that the Panthers were a strong consideration.  He is a really good young fellow and he will find success no matter where the path takes him."

Ty Hermsen was the only 20-year-old on the team last season and so by rule it was his last season.  And Nolan Lee and Gavin Yee decided once again to join the Chinese hockey program which is located in China on the Russian boarder.

Marshall Brown was moved to the Victoria Cougars in favour of 6'4" defenceman Alex Benger, a move which should help spruce up the Panthers power play.  Benger has the hardest shot from the point in the VIJHL and undoubtedly Tippett will take advantage of this skill.  Brendan Martin was moved to the Kerry Park Islanders in a cash transaction at his request.  Martin was looking for additional playing time and felt that this could be achieved in a location other than on the Peninsula.

Matt Lawrence decided late in the summer that he was going to stay at home in Winnipeg and is attending the University of Manitoba there.  The big right winger took a bit of time to get used to playing away from home last season but had a great 2nd half and the Club was clearly disappointed that he was not back in the fold.

Bailey Ross is attending Camosun College at this point and he advised the staff just before the season was set to go that he would not be returning.  And Tristan Ernst who, seemed to show much improvement from when he began the season last year with the Club, was released just before the Panthers' first game.

There were also some big additions both in size and skill to the back end of the roster.  In addition to the 6'4" Benger, the Panthers purchased the playing rights of 6'4" defenceman Scott Arbuckle from the Comox Valley Glacier Kings and then welcomed back their only 20-year-old in 6'2", 205 lbs. defenceman Zack Evans.  The Club also brought in three rookies to complete the back end in 16-year-old Hunter Jensen from the Victoria Royals Major Midget program as well as two 18-year-olds, both from the Peninsula Midget Eagles in Brendan McTavish and Stefan Grunert.  

The Club held the status quo between the pipes, however up front also saw a myriad of additions.  Sixteen-year-old David Edgar was added from the Pacific Coast Hockey Academy after being an affiliate player with the Club last season.  Two 17-year-olds were inked; Fraser Auchterlonie who played last year in Ottawa but fell into the Panthers' lap when his father was transferred back to the Victoria area, and Jonah Ragsdale who played his minor hockey on the Peninsula and also played the last two seasons in Major Midget simply worked his way up the depth chart throughout the summer to find a spot on the roster.  The 'Cats' picked up some size and grit in the form of 6'4" 18-year-old Jake Gajda from Comox and also added speed and skill when they signed 18-year-old Garett Gilbertson out of Spring Camp in April.

"We lost some really important pieces, there is no question about that," mused Zubersky.  "But we also added some really solid pieces and Brad has truly re-made almost the entire defensive corps.  Last night at practice, he worked a lot with that group and it is undoubtedly a work in progress.  But once that group finds some cohesiveness it will probably be as strong as any.  Add returning veterans Thomas Spink and Skyler Diamond-Burchuk into that mix and you have arguably as good a group as there is in the league.  I thought their lack of playing time in our first two games showed.

The Panthers hit the ice at home Friday night when they host North Island foes in the Oceanside Generals.