Image credit: CFJC Today

By Marty Hastings

STORM WATCH

Kamloops Storm, galvanized by a 1977 soft rock hit, trumpeting promise ahead of new season

Sep 18, 2024 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Storm head coach Jan Ludvig was in a musical mood on Wednesday (Sept. 18) at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre when he spoke to CFJC Today.

“I tell the boys it’s like a band,” Ludvig said. “You can’t have just solo guitar players or fiddlers. You need some drummers and bass guitar players. Then I ask them, ‘What else?’ and they say, ‘Triangle!’ Very good. We need all kinds of people to make it go.”

Ryan Larsen is more lead guitar than triangle, an overage forward who led the club in scoring last season with 45 points in 39 games.

The Kamloops product is feeling a tad nostalgic heading into opening weekend of the Junior A Tier 2 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League campaign, with the Storm scheduled to play the Heat in Chase on Friday before the rematch takes place on Saturday, a 7:00 p.m. start in the North Shore barn.

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“We want to see it packed,” Larsen said. “It’s a little different. We just finished our media day and just knowing that’s my last time doing that and knowing there are going to be a whole bunch of other lasts, it’s kind of scary and sad, but at the same time very happy.”

The league added three teams in time for the 2024-2025 campaign – the Quesnel River Rush, Williams Lake Mustangs and Merritt Centennials.

Kamloops remains part of the Doug Birks Division, which includes Chase, Williams Lake, Quesnel and the 100 Mile House Wranglers.

“We would obviously rather have Merritt in our division and Merritt would rather be in our division,” Storm general manager Matt Kolle said. “We think there is a lot of good rivalry that can come out of that and we can really have fun with it. Next year, I think there will be another realigning of sorts depending on which teams actually go to Junior A Tier 1.”

The Storm have been ousted from the playoffs in five of the past six seasons by the Revelstoke Grizzlies, who swept Kamloops in Round 2 last year.

Revelstoke has been moved from the Birks Division into the Bill Ohlhausen Division, which also includes Merritt, Kelowna, Princeton, Osoyoos and Sicamous.

“We have some high hopes, starting with me,” Ludvig said. “I’m running out of excuses. It’s my third year. It’s time to deliver. We have a good group. I really feel like we have good things coming our way.”

Kamloops posted a 5-and-0 record in pre-season action, paced by a veteran forward group and goaltending tandem – Dawson Holitzki and Brenner Fyfe – that may need to stand tall while a green defensive corps finds its legs.

“I want to know what the guys bring every day,” Ludvig said. “The worst thing for a coach is when you have to guess who is going to show up for that particular game. I think I’ve got a pretty good idea who is who now.”

Ludvig’s knowledge of his team does not extend to its taste in music.

The Storm’s theme song of the year was released in 1977: ‘Baby Come Back’ by Player.

“Pretty sure it’s a pretty old song,” Larsen said. “I don’t know how it came to be, but it’s our song and we’re just rolling with it.”