CdnSailor
09-01-2011, 03:49 PM
Victoria, BC - The Victoria Royals are pleased to announce the club has signed their 2011 first round bantam draft pick, defenceman Joe Hicketts, to a Western Hockey League Standard Players' Agreement.
The Kamloops, BC, native just completed Royals' draft, rookie and main camp over the last 10 days, and will accompany the team on the road to Kamloops this weekend.
"Signing Joe is a big step for him as well as our organization," General Manager and Head Coach Marc Habscheid said. "He has performed very well at camp, and we are excited to move into the future with Joe as a part of our team. From an organizational standpoint we are ecstatic to have signed our first ever draft pick."
The Royals selected Hicketts 12th overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft this past May. Last season he played for the Kamloops Jardine Bantam Blazers, recording 59 points (18g-41a), while adding 54 penalty minutes. Hicketts also had a rating of +98 and topped his team with 300 hits and 33 shot blocks. As team captain, Hicketts led the Bantam Blazers to the Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association (OMAHA) regular season and playoff titles in 2010-11.
The 5'6", 170lb Hicketts is one of 34 players to be short-listed for the 2011 BC Under-16 team. There will be 20 players selected to play for BC at the U16 Western Branch Challenge, presented by the WHL, scheduled for Oct. 27-30 in Moose Jaw, SK.
Hicketts also was one of 42 players selected to take part in the first ever National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp this past August in Mississauga, ON. The five day camp gave invitees an exclusive chance to be mentored by NHL players on the importance of fitness, nutrition, mental conditioning and other life skills.
In April, Hicketts led all defencemen in scoring at the 2011 Under-16 BC Cup with five points (1g-4a).
Joe Hicketts will be available post practice at 1:00 p.m. today, and General Manager and Head Coach Marc Habscheid will be available at 12:45 p.m.
The Kamloops, BC, native just completed Royals' draft, rookie and main camp over the last 10 days, and will accompany the team on the road to Kamloops this weekend.
"Signing Joe is a big step for him as well as our organization," General Manager and Head Coach Marc Habscheid said. "He has performed very well at camp, and we are excited to move into the future with Joe as a part of our team. From an organizational standpoint we are ecstatic to have signed our first ever draft pick."
The Royals selected Hicketts 12th overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft this past May. Last season he played for the Kamloops Jardine Bantam Blazers, recording 59 points (18g-41a), while adding 54 penalty minutes. Hicketts also had a rating of +98 and topped his team with 300 hits and 33 shot blocks. As team captain, Hicketts led the Bantam Blazers to the Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association (OMAHA) regular season and playoff titles in 2010-11.
The 5'6", 170lb Hicketts is one of 34 players to be short-listed for the 2011 BC Under-16 team. There will be 20 players selected to play for BC at the U16 Western Branch Challenge, presented by the WHL, scheduled for Oct. 27-30 in Moose Jaw, SK.
Hicketts also was one of 42 players selected to take part in the first ever National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp this past August in Mississauga, ON. The five day camp gave invitees an exclusive chance to be mentored by NHL players on the importance of fitness, nutrition, mental conditioning and other life skills.
In April, Hicketts led all defencemen in scoring at the 2011 Under-16 BC Cup with five points (1g-4a).
Joe Hicketts will be available post practice at 1:00 p.m. today, and General Manager and Head Coach Marc Habscheid will be available at 12:45 p.m.