Blazers preparing for the season-opener at a Thursday afternoon practice (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

BLAZERS HOME OPENER

Blazers lowering expectations for season-opener with veterans missing at NHL camps

Sep 23, 2022 | 12:10 PM

KAMLOOPS — If you’re tuning in to the Blazers’ season-opener Friday night (Sept. 23), be sure to temper your expectations. Yes, it is a Memorial Cup year, but don’t panic with what you might see.

The Blazers will be missing six of their best players who have been invited to NHL main camps. Logan Stankoven and Matthew Seminoff have been invited to Dallas Stars main camp. Stankoven will likely play a couple of preseason games there. Fraser Minten, the 38th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft for the Maple Leafs, is expected to play in a preseason game on Saturday. Daylan Kuefler is with the Islanders, and defenseman Kyle Masters and forward Caeden Bankier are with Minnesota.

Their absence means there will be a young line-up on Friday.

“It’s next man up,” said Clouston. “We’ve got enough guys, I think. I believe we’ll dress a full line-up. We haven’t been able to dress a full line-up. We got Drew [Englot] back. We’ve got seven D available. We’ve got 11 forwards available, which will give us 18, plus two goaltenders. It is what it is. We’re in a pretty enviable spot that there’s that many guys, six of the eight guys that went to camp are still in camp.”

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The lack of available players means 15-year-old Nathan Behm, the Blazers’ first-round pick, 13th overall, in this year’s WHL Prospects Draft will dress for the opener — a rare sight on opening night to see a 15-year-old prospect suit up.

“Yeah, I’m pretty excited. It’ll be a great opportunity. We’ve got a great group this year, and I think if we stick to our game plan we’ll be fine. I’m excited,” he said.

List of the six Blazers to miss the season-opener on Friday vs. Portland (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

Meanwhile, veterans used to third-line minutes last season will be slotted into top-six roles on Friday. Twenty-year-old Drew Englot will be on the top line with Connor Levis and Dylan Sydor.

“Younger guys just have an opportunity. Everyone just gets bumped up in the line-up,” said Englot. “During the camp, I’ve seen the younger guys. They’ve been awesome, really good. They’ve improved tremendously from camp to now. I was practicing yesterday and I thought they were really good. With those guys, I think they’re going to step up. I believe in them.”

The second line will be centred by Ethan Rowland with wingers Emmitt Finnie and newcomer Ashton Ferster, recently picked up in a trade with Medicine Hat.

With a younger line-up, it means being more disciplined if you want to have a chance to beat Portland.

“Make sure we keep our shifts short. It’s tough when you’re fresh. It gets extra hard to handle a fast-paced team like Portland when you’re tired, so we want to make sure our line changes are efficient,” he said.

Clouston knows with guys filling unfamiliar roles, the expectations won’t be the same.

“We’re not there tomorrow night where we believe, ‘Hey if we play our game, we’re going to win.’ We’re going to have to play our game, do a lot of things really well, and I think that gives us an opportunity.”

Dylan Ernst will start in goal to open what is an exciting season ahead for the Kamloops Blazers.