The Kelowna Rockets will kick off their 2022 preseason campaign with a busy weekend that features a home and home series with the Kamloops Blazers.
Kelowna will kick off their exhibition schedule on Friday night at 7:00 pm at the Sandman Centre, the two will shift back to Prospera Place the next night for a 7:05 pm rematch. No online stream or radio broadcast will be available for either game.
Kelowna announced on Thursday they had reduced their roster down to 32 players, including four (4) goaltenders, nine (9) defencemen and 19 forwards.
Michael Cicek, Hiroki Gojsic and Tij Iginla, who were all acquired over the summer, are expected to play for the Rockets this weekend.
A pair of 2008-born players are expected to also see ice time this season, 15-year-old forwards Kanjyu Gojsic and Owen Folstrom remain at camp. Upon being returned to their team following camp, fifteen-year-old skaters are permitted to appear in five regular-season WHL games until their respective club’s season has come to an end.
Of the 32 skaters, only three 16-year-olds remain on the roster. Defencemen Jackson Gillespie, Lachlan Staniforth and goaltender Nathan Kam. Gillespie, a right shot, was selected 17th overall by the Rockets in the 2022 US Priority Draft and signed a WHL Scholarship & Development Agreement with Kelowna last September. Staniforth (6th round) and Kam (5th round) were picked by Kelowna in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and both signed WHL Scholarship & Development Agreements this week.
Seventeen-year-olds Kayden Longley and Landon Cowper are pushing for full-time spots with the Rockets this season after being affiliate players for the Rockets last season.
The remaining players eligible to dress for Kelowna this weekend were full-time roster players last season.