After a successful prospects camp with the Vancouver Canucks, Garden Bay native Kyle Bruce is off to Winnipeg.
The Canucks assigned the feisty right winger to the Manitoba Moose, Vancouver's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, last week after wrapping its camp. Bruce reports to Winnipeg to start training camp with the Moose on Wednesday.
The camp begins with physicals on Sept. 29 then players hit the ice at 8 a.m. on Sept. 30. The session will be divided into two groups and will consist of a one-hour practice then an intra-squad game in the afternoon. These sessions will last for three days, then the Moose head to Portage La Prairie, Man. for a full intra-squad game on Oct. 3. Two-hour practices will continue Oct. 4 to 7, then the Moose plays its first exhibition game in Fort Frances, Ont. against the Hamilton Bulldogs on Oct. 8. The two teams hook up for another game the next night in Dryden Ont. The regular season opener for Manitoba is Oct. 13 in Wilkes-Barre against the Penguins.
Bruce knows it's going to be a grueling couple of weeks, but he feels ready for the challenge.
"I know I'll be fighting for a spot on the roster," Bruce said. "In my meetings with the Canucks after the prospects camp, they said I need to get down and dirty and play that feisty style that I'm known for. At the prospects camp I tried to show a lighter side of my game instead of a physical presence and that I can contribute offensively. Hopefully I can go to Manitoba and put in a good showing."
Bruce said he's been skating in Vancouver with a few teams to make sure he's in top physical form for the Moose camp.
"I'm quite excited about the opportunity," he said. "It's going to be a tough camp, but I know I deserve to be there and I want a spot on the roster. My job now is to show the coaches that."
Scott Brown, director of communications with the Moose said Bruce will get a good shot to make the team.
"He'll certainly get a good look," Brown said. "We have a couple of spots available on our third and fourth lines and hopefully Kyle will come here and show that he can play at this age level."
If Bruce doesn't make the final roster with the Moose, he will likely be assigned to the Columbia Inferno, the club's East Coast Hockey League affiliate.
Brown said the Moose are looking forward to the new season.
"There are always high expectations at this time of the year," Brown said. "Randy Carlyle returns this year as head coach after a few years with the Washington Capitals. It's great to have Randy back with us. Our philosophy is to always strive for a club that plays hard every night. The effort needs to be there every night and I think we can do that under Carlyle."
