Nick McBride says he's never felt better heading into a WHL season.
He's been through junior hockey training camp four times as a goalie, three of those with the Prince Albert Raiders, who drafted him 23rd in the 2013 bantam draft, and once with the Cougars, who traded for him last November. This time, finally, his 19-year-old body is no longer sending him signals that something is not right.
"This is my first camp that I've been completely healthy for, I haven't had too many aches and pains and I've just been more relaxed, having more fun on the ice and that makes a big difference," said McBride, one of three remaining goaltenders in the Cats' camp. "I was essentially hurt from Week 1 (last year) but I sorted most of that stuff out over the summer. I'm really working hard before and after games and practices to make sure I don't end up in that position again."
McBride has looked great in the preseason, allowing just one goal in 30 minutes of playing time in games against Calgary and Tri-City,and he will be ready tonight if called upon when the Cougars wind up the exhibition season against the Kamloops Blazers (7 p.m. start, CN Centre).
In 28 games last year McBride compiled a 3.03 goals-against average, .904 save percentage and one shutout. Playing for an older team expected to challenge Kamloops and Victoria for top spot in the B.C. Division, his statistics this season should reflect that.
"We have a lot of 19-years-olds and I guess you could say this is our year," said McBride, a native of Maple Ridge "I think this is the year we've built up for and we have a great group of guys who can take us far in the playoffs. I like our depth and I like our top-end power right now. We have a bunch of guys going to (NHL) camps and I'd say it will take a lot to stop us."
Ty Edmonds has been the Cougars' workhorse in net the past three seasons. He played 55 of the 72 games as a WHL rookie in 2013-14, got involved in 55 games in 2014-15 and last year had 45 games to his credit, posting career-best season marks in goals-against average (2.75), save percentage .915) and shutouts (four).
As good as he was in the regular season, the Cougars got wiped out in the first round of playoffs in each of the last two years and that doesn't sit well with the 20-year-old, entering his last season of junior eligibility.
"I think I've improved over the course of camp each day and the team's been improving and we're looking good going into the season," said Edmonds. "For me, it's just about the team this year. I want to win in my last year. Obviously, personal accolades would be nice but I'd rather see the team succeed and all the guys have fun and come out on top. I think all the guys are connecting, we have a good group and lot of good chemistry heading into it."
McBride and Edmonds are friends away from the rink and room together on the road but neither of them wants to be sitting on the bench. Based on the numbers they posted last year, they could form one of the top goalie tandems in the league this season.
"It's always going to be a competition between us but it's a friendly competition and I think it makes us both play better," said McBride.
Watching Edmonds and McBride play, the contrast in styles is obvious. Edmonds is more of an athletic type and uses his flexibility and quick reflexes to stop pucks while McBride relies more on standup positioning, rarely leaving his feet to make a save. Edmonds is one of the best in the league at playing the puck behind the net and McBride is picking up on that, knowing how important that element of the job is for teams to retain puck possession.
"We're good friends on and off the ice and I know both of us want to play but we both want to win and see the team succeed, so either way, both of us are going to be happy," said Edmonds.
The Cougars are also giving 18-year-old Tavin Grant a long look. Grant, who now has three WHL camps behind him, played 12 games last season for the Kamloops Storm of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League after he got sent down by the Cougars. Although he's worked like a demon over the summer to get in the best shape of his life, it's unlikely Grant will dislodge Edmonds or McBride. But the six-foot-two,185-pound Burnaby native has played well enough to stick around this long and that should enhance his chances of cracking the roster if one of the two incumbents goes down with an injury.
"It's been a good camp, I went in with the attitude that I need to earn my spot this year and I've really put in the work and haven't taken any days off and I'm definitely playing a lot more confident than I was those past two years," said Grant, who has a 3.26 GAA and .889 save percentage in two preseason games.
The Cougars have hired Sean Murray of Vancouver as their goaltending coach, replacing Justin Cardinal, who was with the team for three seasons. McBride and Grant have both worked with Murray in past seasons.
"I'm just breaking down the game into small pieces instead of overthinking and the new goalie coach has really helped me with just calming down my game," said Grant. "Sean Murray was the coach the year I played for the (major midget) Northwest Giants and that was my most successful year as a goalie. Hopefully I can just carry that mental (preparation) to where I'm at now."
Both teams will be without most of their best players tonight while they attend NHL camps. The Cougars have eight players off to the pros, including F Jesse Gabrielle (Boston), F Kody McDonald (New York Islanders), D Sam Ruopp (Columbus), F Brad Morrison (New York Rangers), F Jansen Harkins (Winnipeg), D Tate Olson (Vancouver), F Brogan O'Brien (Colorado) and D Josh Anderson (Colorado).
Nine players from coach Don Hay's Blazers are trying impress their prospective NHL bosses, including G Connor Ingram (Tampa Bay), D Dawson Davidson (Pittsburgh), D Dallas Valentine (Edmonton), D Ondrej Vala (Dallas), F Deven Sideroff (Anaheim), F Rudopfs Balcers (San Jose), F Jeremaine Loewen (San Jose), F Garrett Pilon (Washington) and F Collin Shirley (Edmonton).
They're involved in various rookie tournaments in Canada and the U.S., which started today.
