With a plethora of new players set to wear Rockets jerseys this season, Kelowna is ready to start the year Saturday on a new slate.
After last season91裸聊视频檚 tie-breaker loss to the Kamloops Blazers that knocked Kelowna out of the playoffs, the Rockets91裸聊视频� added new coaching and nearly 10 new players to the roster this year. With the Memorial Cup ahead, the Rockets are starting the year on a fresh page.
91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 even talk about last year with our group,91裸聊视频� said head coach Adam Foote.
91裸聊视频淲e have quite a few new faces, we91裸聊视频檝e instilled a new culture for this season. It was a long break, and we have a fresh start, it91裸聊视频檚 going to be a long season. We talk about developing and moving forward.91裸聊视频�
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For the first time in eight years, the Rockets will open up the season against a team other than the Blazers. Kelowna hosts the Spokane Chiefs in their home-opener Saturday night for the first time since 1996.
Starting the season with a change seems to be fitting for the Rockets as they embrace the year with multiple changes in their roster which started at the WHL Bantam Draft in May.
In the near five months of the off-season, the Rockets added defenceman Jake Lee, Carson Sass and Sean Comrie, forwards Dillon Hamaliuk, Jake Poole, Deegan Mofford and Pavel Novak as well as goalie Cole Schwebius. Meanwhile, Trevor Wong and Elias Carmichael, two young players, have cracked the opening night roster for the Rockets.
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Kelowna got a good look at the young players and new faces during training camps and with a large chunk of the Rockets91裸聊视频� core away at NHL camps. But ahead of Saturday91裸聊视频檚 puck-drop, the Rockets will start the season minus just Nolan Foote.
91裸聊视频淭raining camp is an interesting dynamic where you have younger lineups to start. For us we had a young lineup, we had seven guys away at NHL camps. Some of them we91裸聊视频檙e gone for a while, and we haven91裸聊视频檛 had our full lineup yet, it91裸聊视频檚 nice to have almost everyone back,91裸聊视频� said Foote.
Newly-acquired Rockets player Dillon Hamaliuk will make his debut Saturday night. The left-winger was traded to Kelowna at the draft and had a busy off-season after being drafted 55th overall at June91裸聊视频檚 NHL draft and playing for the San Jose Sharks rookie camps.
91裸聊视频淧laying with the Rockets has been a long time coming, I91裸聊视频檝e been waiting for this moment since May,91裸聊视频� said Hamaliuk.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e found that everyone here is super accepting, it has helped me get adjusted. Spokane is a hard-working team, I think we should be able to dominate them if we play our game.91裸聊视频�
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A tailgate party in downtown Kelowna will lead into Saturday night91裸聊视频檚 puck-drop.
The Rockets start the season at 7 p.m. at Prospera Place.
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