Kings see a promising team unfold

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

Wheatland Kings head coach Joel Robinson could not have written a better script coming out of main camp this past week, as the boys went undefeated through the first three games of exhibition season.
The team carried 30 players through camp and now is down to 25 with the season right around the corner.
“We’re getting down to a little bit closer where we want to be,” said Robinson.
“In regards to how the team is playing, it’s a different mentality. Everyone’s coming to the rink with a big smile on their face. Guys are respecting the amount of ice time they’re getting, whether it’d be they’re playing as a first line guy or a fourth line guy. Everybody is accepting that role which is a lot different than the situation we had last year.”
He thinks the team has been fortunate with the players that have navigated towards their program and have helped on the team discipline, which has allowed players to fill the net.
“I think last year we sat in the (penalty) box a lot,” he said. “In Friday night’s game, before we dropped the puck, I went into the room and told the boys ‘that was our mentality last year but this year let’s fill the net,’ and get a reputation when we’re up on a team and just keep putting our foot on the gas. I’d much rather have a team that takes abuse from the league because we just run teams out of the rink, as in the scoreboard, than known as that team that’s just a goon squad.”
There were players that showed up to camp that the club did not anticipate being here, but the players came in and played their way onto the roster and have given the coaches tough decisions.
“My job is just as hard as the guys making our team,” he said. “I make some hard decisions. When it comes down to it, I had some kids that came to camp this year that we weren’t expecting to be on our roster, which completely changed that ideology with the way they played, or their dedication to the rink or whatever it might be.”
Robinson did not hesitate to say that the decisions will only get tougher as they will be actively pursuing midget AAA and junior cuts while there are still two to three players that weren’t in camp that could come in and fill a role.
The roster will have to be down to 23 in the next week.