FILE PHOTO
Image Credit: Kelowna Rockets
September 01, 2016 - 11:35 AM
KELOWNA - The Kelowna Rockets training camp is continuing this week at Prospera Place as the team prepares to open the WHL exhibition season this coming Saturday night.
The Rockets are down to close to 40 players after two days of main training camp this weekend, releasing several of its 2016 bantam draft players back to their home towns on the weekend.
The team will continue to hold practices and scrimmages Monday through Wednesday before closing out its 2016 training camp.
Players have been on ice twice a day since Saturday morning at the main training camp, which began once the Rockets rookie camp closed on Friday.
Head coach Jason Smith has been running practices during main camp while assistant’s Kris Mallette and Travis Crickard have been on the benches during games.
“The work ethic has been what we have been looking for," said Smith. "We just have to continue to push and pay attention to detail with the systems and structures that we are trying to implement. The intensity and the quality of the play will continue to get better and better, the closer we get to the start of the season.”
The Rockets open the WHL exhibition season this Saturday night when they host the Victoria Royals at Prospera Place, kicking off a five game exhibition schedule. Kelowna will host Kamloops on Sept. 9 and Vancouver on Sept. 16 in its two other home exhibition games while playing in Kamloops Sept. 4 and 10.
Kelowna will play Kamloops in a home and home series to start the WHL regular season, playing in Kamloops Sept. 23 and in Kelowna on Sept. 24.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016