Matt Caria will be missing in action this week as the Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team opened training camp to start their 10th anniversary season.
But the Sault Ste. Marie native has the full blessing of team officials. Caria, who scored eight goals and added 14 assists in just 12 second-half games in 2009-10, caught the attention of the Carolina Hurricanes and earned an invite to their rookie training camp in Traverse City, Mich.
Lakehead coach Joel Scherban said he’s thrilled Caria is getting an NHL look-see after just half a season in a Thunderwolves uniform.
Scherban isn’t sure when – or if – Caria will be back in the Bay.
“We expect he’ll probably get a main camp invite too,” Scherban said, as the team’s open practice and scrimmage got under way Tuesday at the Tournament Centre. “He’s looking for an NHL contract right now. We speak every couple of days. If he doesn’t get an NHL contract, then he’ll be back at Lakehead sometime in September.”
Traverse City is the same camp where last year former Wolves netminder Chris Whitley a tryout with the Detroit Red Wings organization. He eventually landed in Allen, Texas in the Central Hockey League, spending one game in the American Hockey League.
Scherban isn’t counting on Caria’s return, though he is crossing his fingers.
“You never know. He’s an extremely skilled player. He was fourth in the OHL in scoring a few years ago; but saying that, education is extremely important to him and his family. All his siblings are well-educated. He tells me every day how excited he is coming back this season. He’s already registered in his classes and he has a place to stay already,” Scherban said. “So I think he probably plans on coming back to Lakehead, but obviously he’d love to get an NHL contract, and we’d love to see one of our players get one.”
Wolves assistant captain Brock McPherson, entering his final season of eligibility in the CIS, said if he goes, Caria will be missed.
“Obviously he leaves a bit of a hole down the middle with him (possibly) leaving. We hope to get him back, but we wish him best of luck if he does stay,” McPherson said.
Caria wasn’t the only familiar face absent as training camp opened. Gone are graduates Dan Speer, Shandor Alphonso, Scott Dobben and four-year veteran Mark Soares, and Matt Dias, who like Caria joined the Wolves at the Christmas break last season, only to sign a pro-deal in Italy this summer.
Together with defenceman Ryan Baird, who graduates after the first semester and decided not to commit to another season with the Wolves, Lakehead has lost 61 of the 138 OUA goals it scored last season, 44 per cent of the team’s total offence.
That’s about two goals a game, but Scherban is confident there’s plenty of untapped talent on his squad just waiting for the opportunity to shine.
“We had a lot of depth last year,” said Scherban, with 19 returnees in camp. “We had some players out of the lineup at the end of the year that probably deserved to be in the lineup. We’re confident they’re going to step up and fill some of those roles.”
Scherban name-dropped a pair of players in particular, singling out Swedish sophomore Victor Anilane and homegrown Adam Sergerie, both of whom neared point-a-game status last year and are expected to lift their games in 2010-11 to fill some of the offensive gap.
Sergerie said he’s ready for the challenge.
“There’s no pressure. It’s something I grew up with. I haven’t had much of an opportunity here the first few years. Granted we’ve had deep roster. But you know, I’ve been waiting for this and if this is the year, then I’m happy that I get the chance and I’ll make the best of it.”
Claw marks: The Wolves added just two players in the offseason. Sudbury forward Jadren Baljo scored 69 goals in his final two OHL season, can’t play until January after spending 16 games in the ECHL last season. Defenceman Mike Quesnele had 54 points for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds last year ... Former Fort William North Stars Ryan Magill and Trevor Gamache are also in camp and appear to be factoring into Scherban’s plans after being cut a year ago.
