Sometimes in life when a door is closed, a window opens.
Such is the case for Salmon Arm SilverBacks head coach Tim Kehler and several of his players. They were eliminated from the BCHL playoffs last weekend but, as their schedule is now freed up, they are available to go to Russia as part of a BCHL select team that will represent Canada in a four-team tournament.
“I hadn’t heard anything about it (until recently),” said Kehler. “I got a call from (team general manager) Ronnie Paterson… and I said if it comes to pass that I’m available, I would be interested but I didn’t expect to be available.”
As it happens, he is and so are a number of his players who will be joining him for the trip to Podolsk, Russia. SilverBacks Kris Moore, Jayson Reardon, Josh Manson, David Killip, Bryce Gervais, Jarryd Ten Vaanholt, Mike Hammond, Brett Knowles and recently traded Devin Gannon are on the roster. Associate coach Colin O’Hara will also be on the bench with Kehler.
They’ll play the Russian National Junior team, a Russian select team and the Slovakian National Junior team.
Games are slated for April 15, 16 and 17, though it is not known yet which teams will provide the opposition on which dates.
“It hasn’t really become tangible yet,” said Kehler, still unwinding from a tough series loss to the Vernon Vipers in the conference finals.
“There’s still some uncertainty as to the nature of the event in terms of the when and where, but we’re enthusiastic and it grows by the hour; it’s been a whirlwind couple of days.”
The team won’t have a lot of time with each other before they leave Canada. There is one practice scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, April 7 in Surrey. They will get more ice time in Russia and likely play some exhibition games against local clubs before the event kicks off.
It is the first time the BCHL has represented Canada in this invitational tournament. Kehler is pleased to have a number of familiar faces along for the journey.
“I’m really happy that we’re going to have a strong contingent of Salmon Arm kids making this trek,” he said.
The team leaves on April 8 and will return April 19.
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