Grambart should add some offensive punch after being inked by Panthers

September 29, 2020
North Saanich, B.C.

Back in July the Peninsula Panthers held their Identification Camp in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre and one of the wingers looking to gain a spot on the opening day roster was 17-year-old Ryan Grambart.  Management of the Panthers were well aware of the potential that Grambart has, especially his upside on the offensive side of the puck.  But the Club was deep at the wing and Grambart had another year of Midget left, and so it appeared that he just might be on the outside looking in as the Camp opened on the Friday evening.

Grambart struggled on the first ice session, somthing that happens to a lot of players coming fresh into a camp.  But the Panthers Management expected that he would show better as the Camp moved along and that he did.  On the Saturday, Grambart started scoring goals and on more than one occasion, Pete Zubersky and Head Coach Brad Tippett looked at each other in approval.  By the end of the Camp on Sunday, Grambart had earned the right to at least stick with the Club for a protracted look.  Over the month of August he continued to put the puck in the net and clicked nicely with Tanner Banks, a forward with whom he had played on the same line in a very successful season of Midget the previous year.  

"The kid really surprised me," explained Zubersky.  "Some players see nothing but the Goaltender when they come in on the attack and some see nothing but net.  I think Ryan is the latter.  He has some real offensive talent and sometimes that is something that simply cannot be taught.  I think of offence the same as I think of dancing; some guys can do it and some guys can't.  The defensive end of the game is the same as a guy digging a ditch.  It's all about the will to do the job.  Anybody can do it but a lot just won't.  I think that Ryan can really dance and I think that he will dig the ditch as well."

Tippett on Grambart:
"Ryan first came on our radar at the spring camp in 2019. He had a great year with the Victoria Admirals but we thought he might be a year away. In August, his camp started with a session he would likely want to forget. The second day was the opposite and we started to see some real high-end skill – and he just kept getting better. When the main camp started I said to Pete – “Watch Grambart – I think he is going to have bad day” –and he did. On the second day I said “Watch Grambart – he is going to have a great day today” – and he did. Ryan forced us to make room for him and bumped out a couple of guys we had penciled in. He had played with Tanner Banks before and we have signed him as well. They have been put on a line with Garrett Gilbertson to form a rookie line that doesn’t play like all rookies.  

The Panthers open up the Regular Season in Esquimalt at the Archie Browning Arena against the Victoria Cougars on Thursday evening and will be back to the confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre on Friday night against that same Cougars Club.  Tickets for the General Public WILL NOT be available for the two games due to protocols put in place by Vancouver Island Health Authority.