Training Camp Scrimmage Day 2... yawn

I wish I could sit here an tell you all of the exciting things I saw at the 2nd Training Camp scrimmage yesterday but I always promised to tell my readers the truth. So the truth is I was bored yesterday. I was bored yesterday because there really isn't much to decide in camp this year.

I'll save the roster breakdown for another day but there are arguably only 2 or 3 spots open on this roster unless Russ gets creative and makes some trades before the season started.

I counted 7 defencemen who are locks or near locks to make the roster and the team will likely carry only around 8 or maybe 9. I counted 11 forwards who will likely make the roster and once you count Noebels who hasnt skated yet and the "yet to be traded for 20 year old player" that Seattle will no doubt acquire you have 13 forwards who are likely on the roster and they will probably only carry around 14.

As such... most of the players in camp know they are already making the team and that creates a mostly boring game.

That said... here are the few mental notes that I made to myself yesterday.

- I love watching Colin Jacobs play. He is the kind of player I love having on my team. He always plays hard, always. As I stated earlier, these games really don't mean anything and a handful of players are playing like it doesn't matter... but Jacobs isn't one of them. He's playing like he has something to prove on each shift and I can appreciate a player like that.

- In my opinion, one of those roster battles is going to be the 8th and final defensive position and that battle will likely come down to Austin Frank, Zach Walker, Evan Wardley and Austin Baecker. Each brings something slightly different to the table and to various degrees I like all of them. I'd probably lean towards Wardley being the guy.

- Smooth transition... Wardley is a 16 year old. Look for the Tbirds to keep only 2 or maybe 3 players from the '94 class on the roster this year. Troock is a no-brainer with my pick for the 2nd spot being Wardley. I think Jetlan Houcher is making it difficult for them to send him home.

- Goaltending depth beyond Calvin Pickard and Michael Salmon is looking quite thin. I haven't seen anything impressive from the other goaltenders. That doesn't mean they've been bad... they just aren't standing out.

- One final note. In the closing minutes of the scrimmage Silvester fore-checked hard and went in a little high on Scott Ramsay knocking him to the ice (no small feat). Ramsay didn't care for it and went after Silvester and they had a very brief fight that was more of a wrestling match than anything else. Two points here. I've been saying for a while that if Silvester can stay healthy that he might be in for a big year. 60-70 points big? Probably not. The ultimate sparkplug who can skate, hit and score a little? Maybe. Second point. I like the fact that Ramsay isn't going to take shit from anyone even if it is just a training camp scrimmage.

- The one player I wanted to watch more than anyone was Connor Sanvido. The 2008 1st round bantam selection must make this roster to have any future with the Thunderbirds. Thus far I just haven't seen enough out of him. To his credit he was skating hard and did have an assist on the first goal that came off a rebound from his shot... but I just don't think he is a slam dunk to make this roster. Frustrating for the fans and probably Sanvido himself.