Crease Dives – Training Camp Day 1

Crease Dives – Training Camp Day 1

By Mike Hancock

Small Numbers, Big Competition

It was clear on the first day of camp on Saturday that by the numbers, this wasn’t a big camp.  However, the level of competition might be higher than ever.  Due to injuries, just 26 players were on the floor as the Rock opened camp.  Make no mistake, battles for jobs are well underway.  The Rock roster that will begin the season will be made up of 20 players on the active roster and 4 players on the practice roster. 

Lintner Impresses

Acquired in the Rock’s biggest off-season move, rookie Dan Lintner looked like he fit right in during his first training camp session with the Rock.  Lintner was a prolific goal scorer in Junior A and may develop into one of the most exciting players on this roster one day.  His maturation process will be a fun one to watch.

Shooter is Shooter

Josh Sanderson, the legend, back on the floor for a 19^th season and coming off an amazing 102-point season.  He set a league record (along with Shawn Evans) with 83 assists last year.  Just when some people thought there was nothing left in the tank, he delivered one of the best seasons of his career.  Here we go again, #19 looks dialed in for another great campaign.

Good Vibes On Day One

There was a really positive feeling around the room as head coach John Lovell addressed the players before training camp got started on Saturday.  You could look around the room and see the focus on every player’s face.  This group is anxious to get going, but it’s also a well-educated group when it comes to knowing the long road that lies ahead.