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Competition heats up for Raider roster spots

Aug 30, 2011 | 1:58 PM

The Raiders head into the preseason after the most competitve training camp in years. The two games this week against Saskatoon will determine in many cases who stays and who goes.

There is a battle at every position. Cole Holowenko earned a good long look in goal after a strong finish to the intersquad game while fellow 18 year old netminder Luc Lee-Knight has been solid since day one. Incumbant Eric Williams rounds out the three candidates in the puck stopping category. The quality of the goaltending was such that 17 year old Brendan Fiebelkorn was released before the intersquad game and he was expected to battle for the back up spot to Williams.

The 11 remaining defensemen include 20 year old James Bettauer, arguably the best blue liner in camp as well as 16 year old's Josh Morrissey and Arvin Atwal. Morrissey's spot was never in doubt from the second he stepped on to the ice last Thursday. He will see a lot of ice time this season. Atwal surprised everyone last year as a 15 year old 8th round pick out of Vancouver. He has raised his game to the WHL level after a summer of intense training and don't let his tender age fool you, Atwal is physically and intellectually mature beyond his years.

17 year old Import Kristaps Bazevics is a big mobile rookie destined to wear a Raider uniform as a rookie. Fellow 17 year old Sawyer Lange is another serious challenger after a stellar season with the Mintos. The Prince Albert product has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt he is much more than just a token pick in the 4th round of the 2009 Bantam Draft.

Matt Wasylenko has been one of the steadiest defensemen since camp opened. The 18 year old is big and skates well leaving us with the impression he too is WHL ready. Most other seasons any one of these players would be no brainers to make the team. The reality is there are another four veterans in addition to Bettauer battling for the eight available spots on defense.

Most other years a player with the size, ability and grit of 18 year old winger Dustin Skilliter would have at least made it to the preseason, but he too was a victim of the quality and quantity on the training camp front line. I can't remember another year where four 17 year old free agent wingers would make it this far. However, Joey Santucci, Jesse Knowler, Chance Braid and Carson Perreaux have been impressive.

The Raiders eventually have to trim three 20 year old's and the two 15 year old's, Reid Gardiner and Tim Vanstone have to be sent back to their Midget AAA teams, but that still leaves 30 players slugging it out for 24 roster spots. The intense competition at each position will make the next two preseason games intense and challenging for the players and fun for the rest of us to watch.

The rookies who emerge with name bars on the backs of their jerseys and name plates above their own stalls in the Raider dressing room will have earned them and perhaps are an indication this franchise will continue to take steps toward contention in the WHL.

dwilson@rawlco.com