EVERETT, WA - OCTOBER 12: during a game between the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, WA. (Photo by Christopher Mast/Icon Sportswire)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Reece's Pieces

Vitelli couldn’t wait to be a part of the Raiders

Oct 17, 2019 | 2:00 PM

When Reece Vitelli knew he’d be a Prince Albert Raider after the team’s blockbuster trade with the Everett Silvertips on Sunday, it would have been way easier on him had he stayed in Everett and waited for his new team to pick him up. After all, the Raiders’ next scheduled game was in Everett against Vitelli’s old Silvertips on Saturday.

But Vitelli didn’t want to have the Raiders responsible for driving his car from Everett all the way to Prince Albert. So he drove it himself, knowing full-well that he’d immediately have to make that exact distance back with the Raiders on their team bus.

As a result, Vitelli drove from Everett, Wash., to Medicine Hat, Alta on Monday, and off to Prince Albert on Tuesday. Then first thing on Wednesday morning, Vitelli hopped on the bus and travelled with the team to Kamloops, B.C., before going from Kamloops to Everett on Thursday.

“I just didn’t want anyone to deal with my car. I thought I might as well just drive it, it’s not that bad of a trip,” Vitelli said. “It’s pretty far, but I listened to some podcasts, Spittin’ Chiclets, that gets the time moving so it wasn’t that bad.”

On Sunday morning, ‘Tips general manager Garry Davidson gave Vitelli the news. He’s had time since to process the news, thinking about the memories in Everett and the opportunity in Prince Albert.

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“I was super excited to come to Prince Albert,” Vitelli said. “Everett treated me super well. I have a lot of good buddies from when I was 16 all the way until now. I have a lot of memories of them.

“I’m ready to move on in my career, I’m ready for Prince Albert. I had a final dinner with my billets for Thanksgiving, that was nice. Heading on out to here in Prince Albert on Tuesday and have been here ever since.”

Vitelli was a fourth-round pick in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft by the Silvertips. He made the team as a 16-year-old to begin the 2017-18 season and it was a good thing he did.

That year, the Silvertips got to the WHL Championships Finals. They beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, Portland Winterhawks and Tri-City Americans before falling to the Swift Current Broncos in six games in the finals.

“At 16 I came in, not knowing if I was going to make the team. I just tried to work as hard as I could to make it. I stuck and I played a lot of minutes when I was 16,” said Vitelli, the 18-year-old centre from Winnipeg. “We made it to the finals against Swift Current. That was a great experience, one I’ll never forget. That group of guys, they’ll be family with me for the rest of my life. Going to the finals, losing unfortunately but that was an experience of a lifetime.

“I have nothing bad to say about Everett. Fans are great, facility is great. I’d play there again if I had to.”

Vitelli will have that chance on Saturday. His first ever game with the Raiders will be against the team he played all his previous 144 career games with.

“It’ll definitely be a little different, to be on the other side of the bench and seeing my old teammates,” Vitelli said.

Early on his career, Vitelli was counted on to be a defensive-minded centreman. He scored two goals and 10 points in 70 games with the ‘Tips in his rookie year, then 11 goals and 27 points in 66 games last year. This year, Vitelli had three assists in eight games before the trade.

“I’m definitely ready to help Prince Albert win games,” Vitelli said. “I think my 200-foot game is really key, my speed, defensive awareness and offensive awareness to the Prince Albert Raiders will definitely help. I have a lot of speed, that will gel right in with the Prince Albert Raiders’ style of play. That will help the team and myself as well.”

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW