QUEBEC CITY P.Q. — Mid-August for junior hockey fans is often the signal to return to the arena to see their favorites. For QMJHL teams’ coaching staff it’s also time to step on the ice for the beginning of training camp. For the players, aged 16 and 17, it’s time to impress their coaches and prove they have what it takes to stay with the team.
For 18 and 19-year olds and veteran players (aged 20) it means they still have to work, whether to keep their place on the team or prove they can be the veteran leader needed to help the team through tough times and help the youngsters to integrate into the team.
In Quebec, Remparts General Manager and head coach Patrick Roy welcomed forty-eight players last Sunday for the traditional medical with first training session on the ice on Monday.
After four days of intra-squad games, the head coach announced first cuts. Two goaltenders Jeremy Robitaille and Eric Bourdon (who will get a chance to find another team) were returned home or to their Midget team. On defense, with 17 defensemen at their training camp, four saw their journey ended after day number four. Marc-Antoine Bonneville, Alexandre Labbe, Ugo Fontaine-Lefebre and Ken Savaria left.
Some rookies seemed to earn points in Quebec head coach eyes.
“I have to tell you a player like Axel Rioux played really well today. When he is on the ice something happened. Another right winger Vincent Montreuil played well since the beginning of the training camp, he’s got great abilities. What we look for in Montreuil is more consistency in each presence on the ice,” said Roy.
“In fact, the line of Montreuil (Vincent), Jeremy Vigneault-Belanger and Mirko Hoefflin played very well this afternoon,” Roy said after three days of training camp.
When you look position by position in goal, Louis Domingue (Phoenix Coyotes fifth round pick in 2010) will be the main guy in goal for Quebec, the battle for backup goaltender will be between Jimmy Appleby (second round pick 35th overall in 2009) and Derek Clavet (fifth round pick 80th overall in 2010). Another goaltender still at camp Thomas Bolland a tenth round pick in 2010 but should be a long-shot to win the backup job.
Defense is surely the strongest position in Quebec for 2010. With Alex Wall, Mikael Tam, Martin Lefebvre Vincent Barnard Patrick Dore, Etienne St-Germain and Danick Malouin the battle promise to be very interesting between Young Brandon Duke, Philippe Archambault, Jordan Murray, and Ryan Culkin.
At forwards veteran Ryan Bourque, Olivier Hinse, John Audy-Marchessault, Matthew Brown, Maxime Gravel, Frederick Roy will possibly form the first two lines. After these players Dominic Beauchemin, Charles Power, Jeremy Vigneault-Belanger, Jason Rajotte, Nicholas Samoluk and Benjamin Martin will have to work hard to keep their jobs. Last but certainly not least of group rookies who will work very hard to prove they have what it takes to be part of Quebec Remparts.
For players like Patrick Walsh ( 2010 first selection 14th overall), European Mirko Hoefflin, Tomas Filippi, Vincent Montreuil, Mitchell Jones, Simon Rochette, Axel Rioux, Kyle Campbell, Mathieu Lavalle, William Breton, Alex Carvalho and Alex Dufour, they will rely on exhibition games to prove their talents.
As always lots were called but few are elected. Pre-season games will help decide who will stay and who will have to leave.
The first pre-season games for Quebec will be on August 20 and 22 against arch-rival Chicoutimi Sagueneens. The first game will be in Quebec and the second will be Sunday in Chicoutimi.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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