Return of key vets from NHL camp boost Colts’ lineup ahead of busy weekend

The Barrie Colts roster is coming into shape.

With the return of veteran defencemen Evan Passmore (New York Rangers) and Gabriel Eliasson (Ottawa Senators), along with starting goaltender Ben Hrebik (Boston Bruins) from their respective NHL camps, the lineup will be a lot deeper when Barrie opens up a busy weekend on Thursday night against the Owen Sound Attack at Sadlon Arena.

It also means the competition for ice time will only ramp up, especially after several of the Colts’ rookies and younger players shone brightly in an opening-season 6-2 win at home over the Guelph Storm last Saturday.

“There sure is,” Colts’ vice president and general manager Marty Williamson said of the competition to get into the lineup. “It’s a healthy situation, but it’s also tough decisions. With possibly two or three more guys coming back, the decisions keep having to be made.

“We’re not there yet, but it’s nice getting the two blueliners back and obviously our big goaltender.”

To make room, the Colts have sent first-round OHL pick Alexander Sementsov, winger Ben Bowen, and blueliner Noah Barton down to Newmarket.

More moves are expected as they await the return of Cole Beaudoin (Utah Mammoth), Emil Hemming (Dallas Stars), and Kashawn Aitcheson (New York Islanders) to get down to Williamson’s desired roster size of two goaltenders, seven defencemen, and 14 forwards.

“We’re set in those positions now,” he said of the blueline and in goal. “It’s the forwards that we’re a little bit in flex with Beaudoin and Hemming still to come.”

Aitcheson was knocked out of a preseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this week on a hit at centre ice, but he returned to the lineup Tuesday night in a 6-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

“He texted us. He’s fine and is actually playing tonight,” Williamson said ahead of Tuesday night’s game. “There’s no issue at all there.”

Beaudoin and Hemming could get longer looks with this being their second NHL camp.

“I think so, but we’re not quite sure,” said Williamson. “Cole has played in two games. (Utah’s) already played three out of their four preseason games. They do have a couple of injuries there, but they’re not very serious.

“They told me they’re going to plug the veterans in, and they might get their guys back sooner, so it’s up in the air. I feel we’re going to get Cobo back. It just depends, if it’s this week or another week.”

Williamson was impressed with the showing of his younger players in the season opener. Joseph Salandra, William Schneid, and Eamon Edgar all recorded their first OHL points, while rookie goaltender Arvin Jaswal notched his first OHL win.

“I loved their energy,” he said of the play of all the young players. “They’re attention to detail. I was really, really pleased with them. (Head coach Dylan Smoskowitz) said the team has been practicing really well. I watched (Tuesday) and (saw) how hard they’re working.”

While he added overage forwards Alex Assadourian and Calvin Crombie in separate deals earlier this summer, Williamson said he doesn’t see making any deals in the near future.

“We’re pretty set with our hockey team, and we want to see it play for a few months and get the lay of the land of the league before we’re going to put our toes into anything else right now,” he said. “We like our blueline. We like our goaltending, and I think we got a really nice mix of forwards.

“I think the competition is very healthy. They’re going to have to battle hard, they’re going to have to play hard, and we’ll put our best lineup in of what we think that week, but it could change week-to-week. It’s a nice thing to have really good depth.”

Williamson admits he had a bit of fear of just how much the Colts would score, at least until Beaudoin and Hemming return, but he was happy to see the good start on Saturday and believes they should be fine in that department.

Overagers Brad Gardiner, Assadourian, and Crombie, along with Beaudoin and Hemming, will get their points, while Bode Stewart and Carter Lowe are being counted on to increase their scoring totals.

Salandra and Schneid should also contribute.

“It’s only one game, but even through exhibition, I think we’re going to be OK there,” said Williamson. “As specialty teams get better, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. I think the test for these guys is to be that 60-minute team. That team is really difficult to play against and keeps doing what they did for two periods in that Guelph game. I thought the third got a little sloppy, but for two periods we were pretty sharp.”

This weekend’s schedule should prove to be a more difficult test for the Colts with a battle Saturday night against the Windsor Spitfires, ranked second in the CHL Top 10, sandwiched between a home-and-home set with Owen Sound.

The Attack just got Canadian world junior goaltender Carter George back from NHL camp with the Los Angeles Kings.

“They’re always kind of a nemesis for us,” Williamson said of Owen Sound. “We got them twice this weekend, and then Windsor is a very good team, so we’ll get another look at our group and a bigger challenge before we get some of our key pieces back.

“It’ll be interesting to watch them play.”

Game time Thursday night is 7 p.m.

ICE CHIPS: It’s expected that Hrebik will get the start in net on Thursday night against the Attack. . . Rookie forward Luc Gauvreau, said Williamson, is expected to make his OHL debut this weekend. . . Bowen, Barton, Sementsov, and goaltender Hagan Bach will practice daily with Barrie. “He’s going to play in the first line down there,” said Williamson of Sementsov. “He’s going to run their power play. I think it’s a very important year for him. Who knows which way we go, but he could come back to us later in the year if things go really well for him down there.”