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Walk-on Roach now in hunt to make team; Pruden to face former team this weekend

Sep 5, 2014 | 7:03 AM

Curtis Roach reported for the Prince Albert Raiders rookie camp and an undrafted, free agent walk-on back on Aug. 22, but much has changed since then.

After being a standout at rookie camp, the 17-year-old Saskatoon-born defenceman moved on to the main camp and dazzled at the intrasquad game on Tuesday.

Now, Roach not only signed a WHL standard contract with the Raiders on Aug. 27, but is battling for a spot on a crowded defence core this preseason.

“I didn’t even really know what to think,” said Roach as he headed into camp. “I was just coming in, trying to do my best, obviously. I played really good in the intrasquad game, got an offer and I took it. It was great.

“Obviously, [signing] is an unbelievable feeling. With the regular season coming around, you’ve got to be going 110 per cent at every single practice and every game—just be giving that 110 every time.”

Roach was a 16-year-old rookie last season with his Saskatoon Contacts of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) last season. He had 28 points, leading the Contacts for scoring among defencemen, while ranking seventh in the league among SMAAAHL blueliners. Among his points, 26 of those were assists, ranking fourth among the league’s defencemen.

As he is from Saskatoon and grew up watching the Blades, Roach is very much looking forward to playing the Blades this weekend in a two-game set. The home-and-home series starts on Friday in Prince Albert, and will conclude Saturday in Saskatoon.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Roach, who had played in both of the Raiders’ preseason games thus far. “Hopefully I get to play both games, but even one would be great because I have a lot of family and friends coming to watch. It should be fun.

“It was a real eye-opener seeing how much faster it is in the WHL compared to midget. I’ve got a lot of work ahead of myself, but I’m willing to put in sometime to be a full-time starter in the WHL.”

Should Roach make the team, he’ll be the fourth Saskatoon Contacts alumni on the Raiders this year. He’d join forwards Reid Gardiner, Craig Leverton and goaltender Rylan Parenteau.

Another player who is particularly excited for the Blades home-and-home is Ryan Pruden, an 18-year-old forward who played the first three games of the year with the Blades—two against the Raiders.

He only lasted for those three games in WHL last year as he was forced to undergo wrist surgery to repair a fractured scaphoid (the bone between the hand and forearm, near the thumb), but it feels healthy and comfortable heading into this year.

“I’m ready to go,” said Pruden. “It was hard to get to it, but it’s a 100 per cent to go.

“It feels really good. I have a couple friends on Saskatoon so (the weekend) should be fun.”

Although Pruden did not return to the Blades last year, he was only sidelined for two months. He played 34 games in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with between the Steinbach Pistons and the OCN Blizzard and totaled three goals and five points between the two teams.

Although last year’s stint with the Blades was a short one, Pruden said that experience was valuable.

“It will help a lot,” said Pruden, who was drafted in the 13th round, 286th overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft. “When I was there, it taught me a lot of stuff I needed to know, that I didn’t know before.

“I’m ready for it.”

Single game tickets will go on sale on Friday starting at 9:30 a.m., and can be purchased at the Raiders’ office or their website.  

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea