CALGARY — Text messages were exchanged between some members of the Windsor Spitfires and Calgary Hitmen ahead of the Memorial Cup.
Nothing too inflammatory. Just an acknowledgment between Canadian junior teammates that they’ll face each other for the Canadian Hockey League championship starting Friday in Brandon, Man.
“Just ’See you at the Memorial Cup’ and that’s about it,” Hitmen goaltender Martin Jones said. “We’ll save the pleasantries for after the tournament.”
Calgary plays their first game of the tournament Saturday against the Moncton Wildcats (Rogers Sportsnet, 3 p.m. ET). The host Brandon Wheat Kings and the OHL champion Windsor Spitfires open the tournament Friday (Rogers Sportsnet, 8 p.m. ET).
Jones and Hitmen forward Brandon Kozun played alongside Windsor defenceman Ryan Ellis and forwards Taylor Hall, Adam Henrique and Greg Nemicz at this year’s world junior championship in Saskatoon. Canada lost the gold 6-5 in overtime to the U.S. on Jan. 5.
Wheat Kings forward Brayden Schenn and defenceman Travis Hamonic, and Wildcats forward Gabriel Bourque, will also be part of the Canadian team reunion.
“I’ll probably talk to them a little bit when we’re there,” Kozun said. “It’ll be fun to play against them.”
The Hitmen head to the Memorial Cup for the second time in franchise history. In Kelly Kisio’s first season as general manager of the team, the Hitmen lost 7-6 in overtime in the 1999 final to the host Ottawa 67’s.
One of the many reasons that tournament is memorable for Kisio was the soaring springtime temperatures that turned the Ottawa Civic Centre into an oven. Player had to put a lot of mustard on the puck just to pass it.
“The ice was soft. That lower side of the Ottawa building, it was a sauna,” Kisio recalled. “I remember that year a great deal. I guess it’s been a while, but I still remember a lot of things we did and didn’t do.
“I’ll be calling other general managers who have been there in recent years, because I know it’s probably changed a great deal, and gets some hints from them.”
The Hitmen, owned by the NHL’s Calgary Flames, have consistently been a contending team in the WHL over the years, but also have a history of falling short of the pinnacle.
They’ve reached the Eastern Conference final the last four seasons. The Hitmen had the best record in the WHL last season, but were upset in the final series by Kelowna.
Mike Williamson was hired to coach the team last summer when Dave Lowry took a job as an assistant coach with the Flames.
The Hitmen found the elusive ingredient to finish the job this year. They beat the Tri-City Americans 4-1 in the WHL final series.
“I think it’s resiliency,” Kisio says. “They find a way to win where some teams we had found a way to lose.”
The Hitmen are built around three key players: Kozun and Jones, both drafted and signed by the Los Angeles Kings, as well as Phoenix Coyotes prospect Michael Stone on defence.
Kozun won the WHL’s scoring title with 32 goals and 75 assists in 65 games. No hockey player wants to talk about his injuries at this time of year, but Kozun couldn’t hide the heavy brace on his right foot earlier this week.
“It’s just to make sure I don’t move it so it heals up faster,” Kozun said. “It’s just precautionary. I don’t think it will be a major issue.”
Jones was the WHL’s goaltender of the year and playoff MVP. Stone was the top-scoring defenceman in the playoffs with five goals and 15 assists in 18 games.
Calgary does everything well with a balanced offence, disciplined defence and an elite player in net. Their power play was 25 per cent successful in the playoffs and their penalty-kill pace was a solid 84 per cent.
“This year we’ve got a bunch of great forwards,” Kisio says. “We’re solid on the back end and obviously very good in net. A lot of times, a good goalie will make you look very smart and I think that’s happened this year.”
Jones, a North Vancouver native whose father Harvey is general manager of Vancouver’s GM Place, will be the pivotal player in Calgary’s fortunes at the Memorial Cup.
The six-foot-four, 193-pound goalie has been in high-pressure situations before. With Canada trailing 5-3 in the world junior final, Martin replaced Jake Allen at 16:43 of the third period.
Jones stopped all shots he faced in regulation time as Canada tied the game, but John Carlson of the U.S. scored on him in overtime.
“I’m glad I got a chance to play,” Jones said. “Obviously I would liked to have won, but that’s something you dream about as a kid, getting to play in the finals.
“You learn a lot being around that kind of atmosphere for sure.”
Kisio’s moves to complete this championship team include acquiring burly centre Joel Broda from Moose Jaw last season and defenceman Giffen Nyren from Kamloops in November.
He swung another multi-player deal with the Blazers at the January trade deadline to bring winger Tyler Shattock, centre Jimmy Bubnick and defenceman Zak Stebner into the fold. Shattock and Bubnick gave the Hitmen more depth up front, while Nyren and Stebner made the team’s back end more experienced.
Nyren, a Calgary native and overage player at 21, will get his one and only shot at winning a Memorial Cup for his hometown.
“My first trip to the Memorial Cup and my last,” Nyren said. “Hopefully we can put a couple of wins together and give ourselves a chance to get into the championship game.”