Five Royals’ Players Heading To NHL Camps
Victoria, BC -The Victoria Royals are pleased to announce that five players have been invited by NHL clubs to participate in pre-season events.
Justin Kipkie (Arizona Coyotes), Reggie Newman (Arizona Coyotes), Nate Misskey (Edmonton Oilers), Kalem Parker (Minnesota Wild) and Gannon Laroque (San Jose Sharks) will represent the Royals starting next week.
Defenceman Gannon Laroque (Edmonton, AB) was selected 103rd overall by the San Jose Sharks in the fourth-round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Laroque has played a total of 91 games for the Royals throughout his WHL career in which he has recorded 13 goals and added 51 assists for 64 points.
Laroque also suited up in three professional games for the Sharks direct affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) during the 2021-22 campaign.
He will join the Sharks at the 2023 Rookie Faceoff (September 15-18) in Las Vegas, NV.
Justin Kipkie (Calgary, AB) was the first Royal taken in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft as the Arizona Coyotes used the 161st overall selection in the fifth round to nab the defenceman.
Kipkie played 67 games during the 2022-23 season in which he recorded eight goals and 25 assists for 33 points. His point total was the most among WHL rookie defenceman. He was originally drafted 126th overall by the Royals in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft.
Kipkie will be joined by his teammate Reggie Newman (Kamloops, BC) with the Coyotes.The 18-year-old stands at 6’2” and 194 lbs. Newman will be entering his third season with the Royals after being selected 72nd overall by Victoria in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft. He has accumulated 12 goals and 27 assists for 39 points in 108 games with the Royals.
Kipkie and Newman will also take part in the 2023 Rookie Faceoff (September 15-18) in Las Vegas, NV., with the Coyotes.
Kalem Parker (Clavet, SK) will join the Minnesota Wild for their showcase event after being selected 181st overall in the sixth-round of the 2023 NHL Entry draft.
He was named the Royals 2022-23 Top Defenceman for his steady play throughout the season. The 18-year-old blueliner suited up in all 68 games this past season where he scored six goals and added 32 assists for 38 points. Parker led all Royals defencemen in scoring during the 2022-23 campaign.
Parker and the Wild will take part in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase (September 15-18) in St. Paul, MN.
Defencemen Nate Misskey (Melfort, SK) will join the Edmonton Oilers at the 2023 Young Stars Classic in Penticton, BC (September 15-18).
Misskey impressed in his first full season with the Royals during the 2022-23 campaign as he suited up in 65 games where he registered five goals and added nine assists for 14 points.
The blueliner received the invitation after a strong showing at the Oilers development camp earlier this summer.
The Royals open the pre-season on Saturday, September 9 on the road as they take on the Prince George Cougars before closing out the weekend on Sunday, September 10 against the Vancouver Giants.
Victoria wraps up the pre-season with a pair of games in the interior as they are slated to take on the Kamloops Blazers on Friday, September 15 before traveling down Highway 97 to take on the Kelowna Rockets on Saturday, September 16.
The Royals open up the 2023-2024 WHL Regular Season on Friday, September 22 against the Vancouver Giants on the road before traveling south of the border to take on the Everett Silvertips on Saturday, September 24.
About the Victoria Royals Hockey Club
The Royals are Victoria’s Hockey Club, playing in the WHL (a member of the CHL, the highest level of junior hockey in Canada) out of the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre since 2011. The Club is owned and operated by GSL Group, and the franchise is known for its strong values and inclusive approach to game day experiences. The Royals are committed to growing the sport of hockey and are active in their community through The Victoria Royals Foundation. The Royals won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as WHL Regular Season Champions in 2016, and each year the organization develops many skilled players who go on to professional hockey careers in the NHL and around the world. The Royals strive to provide the best sports entertainment experience on the Island. For more information, visit victoriaroyals.com.
About Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (SOFMC) is designed, constructed, developed and operated by GSL Group. SOFMC is Victoria’s premier entertainment facility and the largest arena in British Columbia outside Vancouver. The state-of-the-art 7,000 seat facility is home to the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League and regularly hosts large-scale concerts and other special events such as figure skating, curling, plays, trade shows and conferences. SOFMC also features a fine dining Lion’s Den Restaurant, as well as retail and meeting space.
