Ice Time

Players have been arriving in Prince George steadily from points both near and far in preparation for the main camp on Friday. The guys have all been working and training hard over the summer months ... and it shows. Watching the guys scrimmaging these past couple of days has been a treat with both new and returning players showing off some of their new found skills.

As well as the players that will be competing in the main camp, there is also at least one other player that is already pushing the players hard. Ronald Petrovicky has been out everyday skating with the Spruce Kings in advance of heading to the Vancouver Canucks training camp in early September. Petro has been playing with an edge and as much fun as it is watching Petrovicky, it is equally interesting watching how the different guys play with and against the big guy.

The returning players from last year look like they have found a higher gear over the summer. Muchalla has been working out with Gibby Chasse and Mike Webber at X-Conditioning with a training schedule that included ice time on alternating days. I'm hearing from many of the players that they have all been working out and training both on and off the ice.

The player that has travelled the farthest did so by car, Joe Becker spent over twenty five hours on the road driving from Minnesota. It was a decision that Becker says was an easy one to make citing the scenery and the luxury of having a vehicle through the season.

Whether they are driving or flying in for the training camp, it is clear to see that these players already have their game face on. The Spruce Kings training camp starts with registration at noon on Friday in the Coliseum and then shifts almost immediately to the ice with practices and scrimmages. Saturday will be another full day of scrimmages and fitness testing conducted by the trainers from X-Conditioning. Sunday marks the final day of the main camp with one last scrimmage before the annual Intra Squad game at 3:00.

A full camp schedule can be found on the Spruce Kings website.