Young hopefuls will be making their case as the Swift Current Broncos and Moose Jaw Warriors drop the puck on the WHL pre-season schedule tonight at Mosaic Place.
Rookie Broncos goalie Landon Bow is battling for one of two open spots in between the pipes.
Interview with Landon Bow
"The guys here... are really tough," Bow said. "For me to break through that wall I'm going to have to do it myself. I'm not going to be given anything. I'm going to have to work hard from day one until the end of the year to get that spot."
Bow had a 2.47 goals against average and .911 save percentage for the Midget AAA St. Albert Raiders last season. The 2010 bantam draft pick is confident he can have success if he keeps his mental game sharp.
"I've just got to play my game," Bow said. "Stay focused and mentally ready. When I'm on the top of my game nothing can go by me and that's what I need."
Denis Bosc is one of six rookie forwards left after recent cuts competing for only a few openings.
Interview with Denis Bosc
"Basically it's just going out there and giving it your all ever shift," Bosc said. "You've just gotta show that you can compete. Mostly what they look for is effort. If you've got effort, going out there and giving 110%, than that's the best you can do."
Bosc played both forward and defence for Steinbach of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League last season. He scored 21 points in 52 games as a 16-year-old in Junior A and made the Western U17 team.
"I've got good speed and can drive the puck wide pretty well," Bosc said. "Even mucking it out, I like to throw the body around a little bit even though I'm a smaller guy."
Size isn't an issue for the roster in general, but it could be a factor for the rookie hopefuls up front. Of the eligible rookies only Stewart Valley's Jordan Wittman weights over 161lbs. Meanwhile, the three rookies on the blue line all have good size but bring different things to the table. Brycen Martin and Zack Gonek were both first round bantam draft picks in 2011. Bobby Zinkan was a fourth round pick in 2010 and started last season with the Broncos before finishing the season in Midget AAA.
Tonight's game will also be the pre-season debuts for 2012 draft picks Glenn Gawdin, Travis Child and Max Lajoie.
Click here for Coach/GM Mark Lamb's take on the current roster
Click here for the Moose Jaw perspective on tonight's game
Thu, Apr 25, 6:00 AM
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