BCJALL Season Preview: Victoria Shamrocks

VICTORIA SHAMROCKS

2018 RECORD: 13-7-1

2018 GOAL DIFFERENTIAL: +53

PROJECTED 2019 RECORD: 10-10-1

The Shamrocks looked like a prime darkhorse candidate towards the end of the 2018 regular season. Re-inserting Marshal King into what was already a potent offence that featured Braylon Lumb and Brad McCulley gave the Shamrocks that much more explosiveness and the defence and goaltending also found their bearings after a bit of a rough start to the season. 

Victoria lost to Coquitlam but was extremely competitive in every game, and could’ve pushed New West to the brink, but didn’t have enough time to vault the fading Saints for the third spot. 

Now, the key will be channeling that momentum into what will need to be a hot start in 2019. 

Victoria loses all three of those aforementioned players, but the pipeline is still stocked with talent. The B1 club is coming off a provincial championship and will graduate some offense to replace what was lost, particularly in Patrick Dodds and Casey Wilson, who put up a combined 172 regular season points. The ‘Rocks will also rely on some guys on the A club taking the next step, with Ben Preston (21 goals, 57 points) and Skyler Wilson (45 points) the likeliest candidates. 

It remains to be seen who will be tabbed to play in goal this season. Orangeville transfer Cam Dunkerley found his groove over the course of the season, logging a workhorse 1060 regular season minutes, and all but two minutes in the playoffs. If there is enough belief in trusting a young ‘tender, that option could be Adam Bland, who was named a Midget A1 provincial All-Star after he backstopped Juan de Fuca to a Bronze medal. Spencer Erwin also had promising numbers in limited time with the Jr. A club.