There should be some interesting conversations going on around senior hockey camps with the player draft for the new Central-West Senior Hockey League scheduled for tonight.
Who will the Corner Brook Royals manage to lure out of a draft pool of some 40-odd players who have their names in the mix for a berth on one of the four teams hitting the ice?
Former CeeBee Stars stalwarts Mike Dyke and Doug O’Brien lead a list of defenceman up for grabs when league president Neil Norcott conducts the player draft via teleconference with general managers and brass from all four teams.
Will O’Brien return to the Royals, where he previously played one season? Could Dyke be interested in the west coast, where a lot of his buddies have played over the years?
Maybe CeeBee Stars forward Ray Dalton — a fan favourite in Deer Lake for years when the town was heavily engaged in senior hockey circles — will find his way back to the west coast.
The Gander Flyers will have the first pick in the draft, based on order of standings in last year’s now-defunct provincial senior hockey league. The Royals will have the second pick, the Clarenville Caribous hold down third pick and the defending Herder champion Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts pick last.
Royals president Ross Coates has a number of players he’s interesting in adding to the roster if they’re available. He knows every team is looking for basically the same things to improve their team and he feels that should be accomplished with a deep talent pool to choose from.
He expects every team will want anywhere from three to six players to strengthen their existing crop of talent.
Fans of the Royals will get a sneak peek at who will be wearing the jersey when training camp gets underway in the city next month.
