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Checking in from Day 3 of Everett Silvertips training camp

Published 1:30 am Saturday, August 26, 2017

By Jesse Geleynse Herald Writer

In case you missed it, here is my story that ran in Saturday’s Herald from Day 2 of Everett Silvertips training camp.

Brendan Morrison was gracious with his time and energy all weekend. In addition to coaching Team Red he went through the interview gauntlet with both Silvertips broadcaster Mike Benton and me.

Brendan Morrison never actually played in the WHL. He went the BCHL and college route where he won the NCAA national title with Michigan in 1996 and was named the national player of the year in 1997. So there is precedent in the Morrison family to eschew the WHL.

Just 15 years old, Brayden has a full yet before he has to make a decision. Brendan doesn’t seem too keen on pushing his son one way or the other.

“He’ll make his own decision,” Brendan said. “I think as a parent you just want to educate your kid as best as possible and from there they have to decide what they want to do.

“He definitely wanted to come here and experience (training camp),” he added. “He likes what he’s seen so far and we’ve got a little bit of time before we have to make a decision.”

It is worth noting that Brendan’s coach in the BCHL was none other than current Silvertips general manager Garry Davidson, who coached the elder Morrison during the 1992-93 season with the Penticton Panthers.

“Now to come full circle and have him draft my son to Everett it means you’re getting old,” Brendan said with a chuckle. “It brings back a lot of memories. I talked to Garry about it (Wednesday). It’s the same type of thing. The first camp I went to I was playing against older guys, you want to figure out how you fit in, you’re excited to get going and at the same time you’re nervous, but those are all normal feelings.”

The Morrisons aren’t the only NHL-WHL father-son combination here this weekend. Ron Sutter, the former NHL veteran and Calgary Flames player development coach has been around all weekend watching son Riley who is entering his draft year as a Silvertips forward.

Though Brendan and Ron were never teammates and are 11 years apart in age, their careers overlapped from 1997-2001.

“You see quite a few guys that you crossed paths with at rinks with their own kids kind of in this age where they’re getting into junior hockey,” Brendan said. “The hockey community is a really tight-knit community. You may not have seen a guy that was a teammate for years, but when you see him there’s an instant connection again it’s just easy. It’s seamless. You go right into stories and pick up where you left off… It’s a unique family to be a part of.”

In other news:

– Team Blue claimed the training camp title with a 3-0-1 mark and 24 goals scored:

– The Rookie Game concluded Saturday as 40 players from the 2001 and 2002 draft classes squared off.

– Team Green defeated Team Grey 4-3 in the Rookie Game. Junior Silvertip 16-U player Alonso Coburn scored the game-winner at the 19:00 mark of the second period (the teams played two 30-minute periods).

– Mikol Sartor, Gage Goncalves, Jake Alcaraz scored for Team Grey. Walker Erickson, Jack Oleksiuk, Brady Whitely and Coburn scored for Team Green.

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