fightstrap50
09-14-2006, 10:13 PM
http://whl.ca/en/members/action/viewArticle/id/4860
DaSilva Ready For 2006-07 Season With Kootenay
By Jesse Watts, whl.ca
While the 2006 summer off-season may have seemed short to some hockey players, it was far too long for Steven DaSilva.
The 19-year-old centre and his Kootenay Ice teammates were eliminated from the 2006 WHL playoffs in the first round, making for a much longer off-season than DaSilva would have liked.
"It was good, but it was too long," DaSilva said of his summer break. "Going out in the first round of the playoffs makes for a really long summer."
While it may have been a long off-season for the Saskatoon, SK, product, he made sure it didn't go to waste. Instead of just sitting around and watching the long summer days drift by, DaSilva worked hard on getting himself ready.
"I spent a lot of time working out," he said. "There's a really good three-on-three league in Saskatoon that a lot of pros come and play in during the summer, so I played in that league and was able to get out on the ice once or twice a week.
"I also spent time away from the rink to get my mind off it so I can be fresh when training camp starts," he added.
Now, with training camp well underway, and the 2006-07 season fast approaching, DaSilva is chomping at the bit to make sure the 2007 off-season isn't quite so prolonged.
Indeed, if DaSilva wants to see his next off-season shortened with a lengthy WHL playoff run, he'll need to be one of Kootenay's key performers.
Last season, the Ice skated to their second consecutive 45-win campaign under the veteran leadership of players such as Adam Cracknell, Dale Mahovsky and Casey Lee.
However, the graduation of the aforementioned players has meant the primary offensive and leadership roles will be on the shoulders of DaSilva and other returning players like Ryan Russell, Ben Maxwell and Curtis Billsten.
"We're losing three very good hockey players, and now we're pretty young up front," said DaSilva, who netted 21 goals and 45 points last season - his second in the WHL. "A guy like myself, who is 19, has to take on a bigger responsibility with the team.
"But, we've got a lot of character guys, and a lot of really good young players up front who all have the chance to step up and help fill the holes left by those three guys," he said.
Despite the departure of three of their better offensive players from last season, the Ice should be able to generate plenty of scoring. In addition to DaSilva, the team returns three other players - Russell, Maxwell and Billsten - who tallied 20 or more goals last season, and several younger players who, entering their sophomore seasons, should be able to make a greater impact night in and night out.
"Guys like Andrew Bailey and Dustin Sylvester both played last year and produced a bit, so we're expecting big things from them," he said. "They'll have more ice time, and be expected to contribute more offensively and to continue to take care of things in the defensive zone."
While the Ice did lose some of their front-line staff from last year, they do have the luxury of returning the bulk of their defense corps, which, says DaSilva, should be a strong point for the team this season.
"Being able to bring all seven of your defensemen back is always good," he said. "Obviously, there could be some changes on the back end as things move along, but right now we're pretty solid with what we have.
"Even in goal, with both (Taylor) Dakers and (Kris) Lazaruk coming back, it's going to be a good year for us on the back end," he added.
Perhaps the biggest change the Ice will go through this year won't have anything to do with their roster card, but who they'll be playing against.
With the addition of the expansion Chilliwack Bruins to the Western Conference's B.C. Division for the 2006-07 season, the Ice have been moved to the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
Moving to the Eastern Conference will mean less games against B.C. and U.S. Division opponents, and more games against East and Central Division teams.
DaSilva says he and the team are excited about the move for a number of reasons.
"It's good because, even though we were in the B.C. Division for the last several years, we played Central Division teams more often, and we built up some good rivalries and had some good games," said DaSilva.
"Now, to be able to play these teams seven or eight times, it might increase fan interest and attendance.
"It also will help cut back on our travel time, which will be a big thing for us," he said.
DaSilva Ready For 2006-07 Season With Kootenay
By Jesse Watts, whl.ca
While the 2006 summer off-season may have seemed short to some hockey players, it was far too long for Steven DaSilva.
The 19-year-old centre and his Kootenay Ice teammates were eliminated from the 2006 WHL playoffs in the first round, making for a much longer off-season than DaSilva would have liked.
"It was good, but it was too long," DaSilva said of his summer break. "Going out in the first round of the playoffs makes for a really long summer."
While it may have been a long off-season for the Saskatoon, SK, product, he made sure it didn't go to waste. Instead of just sitting around and watching the long summer days drift by, DaSilva worked hard on getting himself ready.
"I spent a lot of time working out," he said. "There's a really good three-on-three league in Saskatoon that a lot of pros come and play in during the summer, so I played in that league and was able to get out on the ice once or twice a week.
"I also spent time away from the rink to get my mind off it so I can be fresh when training camp starts," he added.
Now, with training camp well underway, and the 2006-07 season fast approaching, DaSilva is chomping at the bit to make sure the 2007 off-season isn't quite so prolonged.
Indeed, if DaSilva wants to see his next off-season shortened with a lengthy WHL playoff run, he'll need to be one of Kootenay's key performers.
Last season, the Ice skated to their second consecutive 45-win campaign under the veteran leadership of players such as Adam Cracknell, Dale Mahovsky and Casey Lee.
However, the graduation of the aforementioned players has meant the primary offensive and leadership roles will be on the shoulders of DaSilva and other returning players like Ryan Russell, Ben Maxwell and Curtis Billsten.
"We're losing three very good hockey players, and now we're pretty young up front," said DaSilva, who netted 21 goals and 45 points last season - his second in the WHL. "A guy like myself, who is 19, has to take on a bigger responsibility with the team.
"But, we've got a lot of character guys, and a lot of really good young players up front who all have the chance to step up and help fill the holes left by those three guys," he said.
Despite the departure of three of their better offensive players from last season, the Ice should be able to generate plenty of scoring. In addition to DaSilva, the team returns three other players - Russell, Maxwell and Billsten - who tallied 20 or more goals last season, and several younger players who, entering their sophomore seasons, should be able to make a greater impact night in and night out.
"Guys like Andrew Bailey and Dustin Sylvester both played last year and produced a bit, so we're expecting big things from them," he said. "They'll have more ice time, and be expected to contribute more offensively and to continue to take care of things in the defensive zone."
While the Ice did lose some of their front-line staff from last year, they do have the luxury of returning the bulk of their defense corps, which, says DaSilva, should be a strong point for the team this season.
"Being able to bring all seven of your defensemen back is always good," he said. "Obviously, there could be some changes on the back end as things move along, but right now we're pretty solid with what we have.
"Even in goal, with both (Taylor) Dakers and (Kris) Lazaruk coming back, it's going to be a good year for us on the back end," he added.
Perhaps the biggest change the Ice will go through this year won't have anything to do with their roster card, but who they'll be playing against.
With the addition of the expansion Chilliwack Bruins to the Western Conference's B.C. Division for the 2006-07 season, the Ice have been moved to the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
Moving to the Eastern Conference will mean less games against B.C. and U.S. Division opponents, and more games against East and Central Division teams.
DaSilva says he and the team are excited about the move for a number of reasons.
"It's good because, even though we were in the B.C. Division for the last several years, we played Central Division teams more often, and we built up some good rivalries and had some good games," said DaSilva.
"Now, to be able to play these teams seven or eight times, it might increase fan interest and attendance.
"It also will help cut back on our travel time, which will be a big thing for us," he said.