Knowing that 65 per cent of his players are new to the Powell River Kings roster this year does not phase Tyler Kuntz at all. The general manager and head coach of BC Hockey League team knew he would see a lot of player turnover this year.
“We had a great team last year, but it was also an older team, so I anticipated we’d have a lot of new faces on the ice this season,” said Kuntz. “Six of our eight defencemen are new to the team, as well as one of our two goalies and eight of our 13 forwards.”
Not all the players are completely new to the Kings’ organization, though.
“We signed seven of our affiliate players,” said Kuntz. “Some of them have been affiliates with us for two years, so they know the organization and have played with us before. They have some experience with us and we know what they can do, so that’s exciting.”
Affiliate players are younger players who are called up for a limited number of games for evaluation purposes. One of the affiliates who has joined the Kings as a regular player is 16-year-old forward Michael Abgrall, who is the youngest member of the team.
“Michael played five games with us last year and had two assists,” said Kuntz. “He was also on Team BC for the 2019 Canada Winter Games. He’s a smart player who is quick on his feet and has a great shot. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the team.”
Other new players include: Jack Brackett, who played for the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) Boston Bandits and had 37 points last season; Hunter McCoy, also out of the NCDC, who finished second in points last year; Davis Pennington, a defender from the North American Hockey League who ended the season with 20 points; and many others.
Kuntz and his staff have made some changes to the program to help players stay healthy.
“We’re putting a bit more focus on fitness and health, helping them pay attention to what they put in their bodies and how much water they drink, and other things to offset injuries and sickness,” said Kuntz. “We know that a healthy team will be key to our success through the regular season and the playoffs.”
In addition, Kuntz will continue the Kings’ history of helping team members improve their skills, both on and off the ice.
“We had lots of players last year who had a great season and really showed growth from the beginning to the end,” said Kuntz. “We help the boys grow as people and players, and that’s especially important when so many members of the team are new.”
Regular season play begins for the Kings on Friday, September 6, with a home game against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at Hap Parker Arena. Game time is 7 pm.
The two teams meet again the following night, also in Powell River, with a 5 pm start time.
