The summer break was too short.
That was the sentiment among some of the veteran players Wednesday at the Tri-City Americans training camp, but team captain Kruise Reddick put it in perspective.
"It's the shortest summer I've ever had," Reddick said. "But that means you are doing good. It's nice to be back and see the guys and meet the new faces. There's some great young talent challenging for spots."
The Americans return 15 players from last year's team that won its third straight U.S. Division title and its first Western Conference title en route to a spot in the WHL finals against Calgary.
Tri-City lost a 4-1 series to the Hitmen that took the season into the first week of May.
"You have to feel confident with 15 guys returning who made it to the finals last year," said overage defenseman Tyler Schmidt. "We have just as good, if not a better team, coming in this year."
Schmidt anchors a blue line that is very young after losing veterans Jarrett Toll and Brett Plouffe to graduation and Eric Mestery to retirement. Returning with Schmidt are Zach Yuen, who showed great promise as a rookie, and Drydn Dow and Brock Sutherland.
Promising newcomers include 6-foot-4, 200-pound Sam Grist, Riley Guenther, Justin Hamonic and Spencer Humphries.
Tri-City took two European defensemen in the CHL import draft -- Nikita Kardashev from Belarus, who is scheduled to arrive Sunday, and Nikita Nesterov of Russia, who is still waiting for a visa appointment. Both are 17 years old.
"We have a very young blue line, but a good young blue line," said Yuen, who said he was comfortable assuming a veteran's role this season. "Everyone is looking real good -- Sam Grist is looking real big and strong. We can't tell exactly what we have right now, but we'll find out as soon as the season starts."
One player making a splash was 2009 first-round pick Connor Rankin. The 6-foot, 180-pound forward from North Vancouver, British Columbia, caught Schmidt's attention Tuesday night during a team scrimmage.
"He had four goals -- against my team," Schmidt said. "He is a complete package at 16."
Reddick had the good fortune to be on Rankin's team.
"He looks really strong," Reddick said. "He is determined not only to make the squad, but make an impact in the league. He turned some heads during last year's preseason. He's right up there with (Brooks) Macek, (Patrick) Holland and (Jordan) Messier. There's no doubt he can play and make an impact."
Just what the Americans need to make another run deep in the playoffs.
"That's our goal," Reddick said. "We got a taste of what we need to do last year and we are determined to get back there again."
The Americans released Ross Baadsvik, Jay Hudon, Josh Cronan, Brett Pile and Mitch Owsley on Wednesday, and reassigned Lucas Nickles to his Jr. B team.
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Ams' blue line coming together
Ams' blue line coming together
KENNEWICK -- Quality defensemen always are in high demand in the Western Hockey League, and after losing Tyler Schmidt at the end of last season, Tri-City general manager Bob Tory was in search of a couple to bolster his blue line.
Tory orchestrated a trade with the Victoria Royals for Mitch Topping, picked up Michal Plut-nar in the CHL Import Draft and brought in a couple of young players to fill out the blue line that has five returning players.
"We are happy with the progress of the blue line," Tory said. "Getting Topping, and Michal in the CHL draft, who has come in and played better than we thought, gives us depth. Two of them (Brock Sutherland and Matt MacKenzie) are 20, and we are still in the process of making decisions, but the players have come back and raised their level of play."
Americans excited about newcomers
Americans excited about newcomers
KENNEWICK -- The Tri-City Americans have a good mix and veterans and fresh faces on the ice this season, and coach Jim Hiller will get a good look at the team as a whole this weekend at the Everett Tournament.
"This is always the most optimistic time of the year," Hiller said. "As a group of coaches, we are extremely pleased, not only with the veterans, but with the young guys who will come in and play an important role with the team."
Tri-City will play Everett at 7 p.m. today and Portland at 3 p.m. Saturday. All games are at Comcast Arena.
Ams send picks to Kootenay for Benning
Ams send picks to Kootenay for Benning
KENNEWICK -- While most of the Western Hockey League has been relatively quiet this summer, the Tri-City Americans have been wheeling and dealing.
Americans general manager Bob Tory pulled the trigger on his fourth transaction in the last three weeks Wednesday, trading conditional third- and sixth-round picks in the 2012 bantam draft to the Kootenay Ice for the rights to 17-year-old defenseman Matt Benning.
"This was a good opportunity to pick up a good young defenseman," Tory said. "Kootenay was very fair. It looked like Matt wouldn't report to them. To get young talent on your depth chart is difficult at times. We'd love to have him on our team. There is nothing to lose, but we could get a player who could play three or four years for us."
Ams add Victoria's Topping to blueline
Ams add Victoria's Topping to blueline
KENNEWICK -- You know hockey season is just around the corner when the trade routes open.
After trading veteran goaltender Drew Owsley to Prince George on Thursday, the Tri-City Americans were back on the trading floor Friday, sending a 2013 second-round bantam draft pick and prospect Justin Spagrud, 16, to the Victoria Royals for 18-year-old defenseman Mitch Topping.
"Mitch is a very good player and played major minutes for (Chilliwack) last year," Tri-City general manager Bob Tory said. "I'm familiar with him, and I know he is a quality kid. An area we needed to improve was our blue line, and he is a top-four defenseman in the league, which gives us depth."
Ams' Messier brothers carrying on family tradition
Ams' Messier brothers carrying on family tradition
When your last name is Messier, hockey is part of your DNA, and your first shoes are a pair of skates.
Brothers Jordan and Marcus Messier, cousins to Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier, fit that profile down to the last drop of sweat.
Donning skates at an early age, the Messier brothers were quick studies of the game, often playing up a level and filling the net with plenty of goals.
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