Troy Mick would rather be talking about his team’s forechecking and power play but the tasks occupying his time right now represent positives for the Salmon Arm SilverBacks in other ways that are less visible to fans.
Good news has rolled in since the season ended including forward Landon Smith being named winner of the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy as BCHL most valuable player, Smith taking a share of the Brett Hull Trophy as top scorer and robust season-ticket sales for the 2014-15 campaign.
With preparations for three separate spring camps scheduled for May, Shaw Centre lease talks ongoing with the City of Salmon Arm, recruiting efforts as well as getting caught up with family time, there is certainly enough to do for a highly anticipated season ahead.
“This is a big year for our franchise,” said Mick. “Now we’re looking forward to seeing where we need to go as a franchise and having the team here.”
On that topic, he’s encouraged by the response of fans to the team’s reduced price for season tickets. They’ve already outsold for 2014-15 the number they got for the season that just finished. Fans should be pleased to see several returning players as well as some key imports that are billed as difference-makers on the ice.
“We’ve got 12 guys that are due to come back,” said Mick, pointing out Cole McCaskill, Andrew Farny, Bryden Marsh, Connor Brown-Maloski, Taylor Maruya and Thomas Plese are in that mix. “Everybody loved the experience (being on the SilverBacks).
“We just couldn’t overcome the guys that were hurt; you can only go on emotion for so long. We would have finished third in any of the other (BCHL) divisions with our record but we’re in a tough division.”
The success of Landon Smith is a major shot in the arm for the team in terms of recruiting, especially in Smith’s home state of Colorado.
“He’s a guy that played in the (United States Hockey League) for a couple years and maybe didn’t have the success he wanted,” said Mick. “He comes here and couldn’t have asked for better so he’s a real cheerleader for Salmon Arm. It’s just amazing the notoriety of the BCHL brand. Every day we get phone calls from kids that want to come here.”
A pair that have already committed to the SilverBacks for next season are defenceman Chase Priskie of South Kent prep in Connecticut and centre Sam Lafferty of Deerfield Academy in Masschusetts.
Off the ice, Mick has had talks with the city about the lease deal on Shaw Centre which expires after next season. He notes the team’s local spring camp, May 2 to 4, is another major economic impact for Salmon Arm with about 150 players and their families staying in town.
Also, Mick has enjoyed spending time with his family again including watching his son Logan play for the Vernon Vipers in their series against West Kelowna.
“Just being a family, being in this hockey business, you don’t get to do that a whole lot,” said Mick. “Family has got to come first and it’s kind of nice to just be a dad.”
