3 Key Points for the Royals to Consider This Season

After watching a telling preseason skirmish against the Vancouver Giants, here are 3 key topics that I believe the Royals should look to find an answer to this year.

1. Goaltending

Throughout the Royals' relatively short time here, Victoria has been treated to some exceptional goaltending, with names like Griffin Outhouse, Braden Holt, and Tyler Palmer coming to mind (among others). This season, however, there is no superstar goalie to bail out defensive breakdowns. While Jayden Kraus is continuing to develop his ability, there seems to be no obvious choice for a starting goalie. This means it will be imperative that the Royals can provide a strong defensive effort to attempt to cut down on dangerous chances, and avoid being outshot game after game, like we've seen in previous years.

2. Discipline

This seems like a topic that's brought up time and time again with just about every hockey team out there, but it is truly important to consider. With a league as rough and physical as the WHL, a team can gain a huge advantage by staying out of the box. The Royals thrive on a fast-paced, end-to-end game where they can avoid being held in their defensive zone for long periods of time. September 8's preseason game was a prime example of how excessive penalties can really hurt a team's chances of success. Keeping a level head and focusing aggression on the puck can help to minimize the amount of penalties taken, and in turn take pressure off of the penalty kill and create more opportunities for offence.

3. Teamwork

Individual effort alone won't win hockey games. As every coach in hockey history repeats time and time again, it's a team game. With a young team filled with less experienced players who are new to the group, the Royals will need to make an effort to build team chemistry on and off the ice, as well as looking to veterans like Tanner Scott, Reggie Newman, and Justin Kipkie to lead by example. This can also often lead to strengthening special teams, which is another improvement the Royals will be looking to make after last year's troubles. In today's dynamic game of hockey, teamwork is everything.