Goaltenders:
Brendan Barry "97" (Returning from last season)
Defence:
Chris Jandric "98" (Recruited-Committed)
Carter Stephenson "98" (Recruited-Committed)
Mitchell Oliver "97" (Returning from last season)
Callum Volpe "98" (Returning from last season)
Darren Rizzolo "98" (Returning from last season)
Forwards:
Niko Karamanis "98" (Recruited-Committed)
Brett Stapley "99" (Returning from last season)
Colton McCarthy "96" (Returning from last season)
Jagger Williamson "98" (Returning from last season)
Riley Brandt "96" (Returning from last season)
Christian Cakebread "97" (Returning from last season)
Nicholas Rasovic "96" (Returning from last season)
Hunter Zandee "96" (Returning from last season)
Jimmy Lambert "97" (Returning from last season)
Steven Jandric "97" (Returning from last season)
*The Vipers are holding a Camp in Michigan July 29th-July 31st before holding their Training Camp in Vernon August 22nd The Vipers will open the pre-season August 25th vs the Penticton Vees.
*The BCHL made a press release on May 3rd 2016 saying Colton McCarthy had accepted an offer to play for the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology this coming season. McCarthy is still currently listed on the Vipers roster for this coming season.
2 comments:
Rugged d core.Lots of scoring up front.Add this to Ferners superior recruiting and voila basement feeders this year.
After a very disappointing season last year, the Vipers better put together a very competitive team this coming season, as long time fans are getting frustrated with the lack luster teams-performances the past four or five years. After going to three straight Royal Bank Cups the Vipers missed the playoffs in back to back years before failing to win the RBC Cup at home in 2014. In 2015 Mark Ferner returned to the Vipers two games into the season, with a team that was recruited-picked by Jason Williamson. Ferner guided the Vipers into 2nd place fell short in the Interior Division Final after a 2-0 loss in Game 7 to the Penticton Vees. That season Ferner and the Vipers were very exciting to watch, were very competitive and competed game in and game out. The following season wich was last year Ferner and the Vipers knew they would be losing a good chunk of key veterans, most of their defence core and goaltenders. With not a lot of high skilled, talented kids at Training Camp last season and no real leadership, the Vipers struggled out of the gates and through out the season. Several trades, signings and roster moves were made through out the year, but in the end, ended up with the same results. A few trades-roster moves made me wonder what were these guys thinking? Vernon struggled to compete with the top teams and had troubles beating teams even with them or even below them in the standings. The Vipers were forced to win the final regular season game in Trail just to make the playoffs before an early season exit in five games to Penticton. The Vipers never improved from the start of the season, until the end of the season. This team looked and played the same game after game. The Vipers attendance has dropped over the past five-six years and several long time fans quit coming to games after struggling teams year after year.
I look at this list of players that are possible to return and it dosnt look very exciting. The Vipers wont win many games with Brendan Barry in goal, the former Penticton Vees netminder struggled in almost every game he played last season, needed atleast four or five games before he picked up his first with the Vipers. Barry has played a total of 28 games in the BCHL, has no experience and I don't think is the guy you can count on for wins. The defence looks small and again not a lot of experience on the backend other then Mitchell Oliver. I like Oliver and think the kids improved every year, Callum Volpe and Darren Rizzolo are returning for a second season but don't have the size or mobility. Volpe impressed me more then a few times last season but can he show me that for a full season this year? Both Volpe and Rizzolo had troubles moving bigger guys out from the front of the net last season. Carter Stephenson showed signs he can play in this league after being called up for a few games last year, but coming out of Midget is he ready for the challenge in Junior A? Scoring.... The Vipers had troubles finding the back of the net last year, who is going to score goals this season? Looking at the returning players from last season, there isn't much for skill-scoring up front. Jagger Williamson had a strong rookie season but was pretty quiet last season. Can he return to form and score some goals for the Vipers this year? Hunter Zandee, Jimmy Lambert, & Steven Jandric have the possibility to put some goals in the back of the net, but can they get you 15-20 goals this year?
The Vipers coaches, scouts and management better be busy this off season, recruiting, scouting and putting together a much more competitive team that can compete with the Pentictons, West Kelowna's, Salmon Arm's, Chilliwack's, Nanaimo's and Wenatchee's or its going to be another long season for Vipers fans. I sure hope the Vipers can scoop up some kids-talent from this camp in Michigan this weekend.
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