Spring Camp ... "Best Ever"

The Spruce Kings Spring Prospect Camp is now nothing more than a memory ... but a good memory for the powers that be with the team. From the scouts, coaches, staff, volunteers and fans ... everyone shares the same opinion that this was one of the best displays of young talent if not the best ever showcase of future potential.

At every camp there are always a few players whose rising star seems to shine a little brighter than others. This time around the bright lights looked like the Vegas strip and had the Coliseum a buzz with enthusiastic banter of the talent on display. The media in attendance was quick to spot a few of those players and the Prince George Citizen has already published an article on two future hopefuls of the club.

click here to read: McHaffie Twins Figure In (Spruce) Kings' Plans

Scott and Spencer McHaffie

Speaking about potential prospects that perform at a camp such as this isn't usually my thing because there are just too many variables, but in the case of the McHaffie twins ... there just seems to be too much consensus. The two played last season with the Surrey Thunder Midget Tier I team in their hometown capturing a Provincial Championship.

The pair were dominant in the round robin tournament and championship game picking up multiple points in each of the five games played. In the Spruce Kings Top Prospects Game played Sunday afternoon in the Coliseum, the twins combined for two goals and an assist. The game winning goal was a pretty little passing play with Scott setting up Spencer at 16:51 of the second period.

The two are identical twins with Scott being about thirty minutes older than his brother Spencer. The two have a youthful exuberance and seem to show the same kind of on-ice chemistry that has made other twins successful. Already finding themselves being compared to another set of twins that shone brightly in the BCHL, the McHaffie twins are looking to have the same impact with the Spruce Kings that Connor and Kellen Jones had with the Vernon Vipers.

The Spring Camp also showcased many other players that all had their chance to not just skate in front of the decision makers but also talk with the Spruce Kings hockey operations staff. From my perspective I saw an over abundance of potential bodies to fill some of the holes on the team's depth chart and - if I can use the cliche here - challenge some returning players for their spots too.

A number of those players have a local area code as well with the Top Prospects Game showing off the talents of 18 Prince George minor hockey players in all. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm very impressed and encouraged by the numbers and quality of the talent coming out of Prince George. To have these players throw on the Crown for the team's 40th season would bring back a sense of that pride that has flowed through the community for so many of those forty years for the community owned team.