EVERETT – Fans of the Western Hockey League can sample an appetizer this weekend in Everett.
The six-team Everett Silvertips Preseason Tournament takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Everett Events Center.
All five teams from the WHL’s U.S. Division – Everett, Seattle, Tri-City, Spokane and Portland – as well as Vancouver, will be involved. Games are at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. each day, with Everett featured in the final matchup each night.
Everett plays Spokane on Friday, Seattle on Saturday and Vancouver on Sunday.
The Silvertips Preseason Tournament replaces the Tri-City Dust Devil Tournament, which was previously the annual tuneup for teams from the United States.
“It takes a toll on organizations when they do it every year,” Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said. “Tri-City was nice enough to invite us last year and we accepted. We asked if we could hold it this year and they said ‘Sure.’ I thought it would be good for the community and good for us. It brings people to the community and lets us expose our new building to everybody.”
The Silvertips currently have 32 players on the roster: four goalies, 10 defensemen and 18 forwards. That number includes defenseman Ivan Baranka, who’s scheduled to return from his home in Slovakia on Sunday and won’t play in the tournament, and also includes 15-year-old forward Matt Meropoulis, who is too young to stick with the team and will return home after the tournament.
Everett wants to trim the roster to about 24 players for the start of the season on Sept. 24. This weekend’s tournament could go a long way toward determining who makes the final cut.
“We’re going to analyze players over the course of the weekend and more than likely cut down again on Monday,” Soetaert said. “It’s a crucial weekend for some people. It’s a chance to see them against some real competition and it should tell the story on a lot of questions – not just our young guys, but our veterans, too.”
Tickets for all games are $10 and the only seating will be in the lower bowl. The games will not be broadcast on the radio. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-866-EEC-TIXX, online at www.neweratickets.com or at the Everett Events Center box office from noon to 6 p.m.
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