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2020-21 WHL Season Review: Victoria Royals Prior to the Pandemic Having been in the mix for the B.C. Division lead at the halfway point of the 2019-20 campaign, the Royals elected to go all-in at the trade deadline as they acquired Anaheim Ducks first round pick Brayden Tracey from the Moose Jaw Warriors. Despite that move, the Royals ended up hovering around the .500 mark after the trade as they dealt with a number of injuries in the final two months. They were set to face the Vancouver Giants in an intriguing opening round matchup before COVID-19 brought everything to a halt. ....
The future arrived a lot earlier than expected for Austin Zemlak. He coined an apt term for it: “Pre-experience, and I think it will be huge for my development in getting it.” A raft of . . . ....
Vancouver has leaned well into the post-Bowen Byram era. Even without the Canadian world junior gold medallist, now a rookie blueliner in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche, the Giants returned a boat load of players and are 6-3 in the 24-game B.C. Division season. Veterans Alex Kannok Leipert, a Washington Capitals NHL draft pick, Tristan Nielsen and third-round Florida Panthers draft pick Justin Sourdif led Vancouver with a goal and assist each to snap a two-game losing skid and send Victoria to its fourth consecutive defeat. “Vancouver was more physical and I want our guys to take pride in being more physical going ahead,” said Victoria head coach Dan Price. ....
(Rookie Connor Martin faced the barrage in Friday’s game). The Royals have the youngest team in the WHL. That was further exacerbated by having four veterans out of the line-up. Victoria captain Tarun Fizer, import and Swiss junior national team forward Keanu Derungs, forward Riley Gannon and defenceman Noah Lamb were missing. Fizer, Derungs and Lamb are day-to-day. The Royals revealed Sunday that Gannon is out for the season after an injury in Friday’s game. The Royals could muster only 10 forwards to dress on Sunday, which was the team’s fourth game in six days. It didn’t help to be facing a potent Kamloops squad that features Calgary Flames first-round NHL draft pick Connor Zary and New York Rangers-goaltending prospect Dylan Garand of Langford, projected 2021 second- or third-round NHL draft pick Logan Stankoven and dangerous 20-year-old Orrin Centazzo. ....