Spokane Chiefs training camp closes with rousing championship game, expectations for future

For the second year in a row, the Spokane Chiefs held an expanded training camp, splitting 84 players into four teams to compete against each other, culminating in the annual “Red-White” game on Sunday.

And though the first-time invitees wore the helmets and pants of their club or midget teams, every player on the ice wore the Chiefs crest on the front of their sweater.

As team owner Bobby Brett likes to say, “Once a Chief, always a Chief.”

The organization will cull the 84 camp attendees down to roughly 25-30 between now and Wednesday’s closed-door exhibition game against the Wenatchee Wild. But each player in camp will take home the memories and experiences from this camp.

Those memories will include a thrilling championship game at the Arena on Sunday morning, when 15-year old Nathan Chorlton, the 24th-overall selection in the 2023 U.S. Priority Draft, scored 43 seconds into overtime to give Team Cowen (in red) a 5-4 win over Team Smith (in blue).

Chorlton finished with two goals and an assist.

“I liked what I saw,” Chiefs coach Ryan Smith said. “I think the scouts did a great job identifying potential future Chiefs and our veterans and signed guys did real well too.”

Chiefs general manager Matt Bardsley likes what they are getting out of the expanded camp.

“We talked to some of the players, especially the ones that are returning from last year, and they felt more comfortable because they were familiar with staff, the routine of the camp and what to expect,” he said. “I think for the first-year players it’s been a bit of an eye-opener.

“Credit to our veteran group, really taking care of the young players, showing them what the expectation is for being a Spokane Chief, and doing it in a real positive fashion. I thought the on-ice was real good with the players. We saw some real good skill sets.”

Returning forward Berkly Catton contributed to every goal in the championship game for the red team with a goal, three assists, and a key play to hold the blue line on the three-on-three overtime game-winning goal.

“That was a great game,” Catton said. “That whole experience was so fun. I got to meet so many new guys. It was all-around a great experience for everyone, I think.”

“Berk is special,” Smith said. “He’s heading in the right direction with his hockey and it’s great for players to play against guys like that. It’s important to see the level of one of the top players in the whole league.”

Returning goalie Cooper Michaluk played the second half for the red team and made a key save in a one-goal game on a slapshot from the point by teammate Ty Cheveldayoff with just more than seven minutes to play – snapping it off at the end for emphasis.

“The team was great in front of me, the whole tournament really,” Michaluk said. “But that’s my boy, there, Chevy. He shoots on glove in practice every day and I knew he was going there so I thought I’d show the crowd a little something.”

“If the puck had gone in I’m sure Chevy would have celebrated, too,” Smith said. “That game had some feel to it. They were playing for something – it meant something to them.”

Splitting returning players up on the camp teams keeps things lively on the ice and in the room.

“It makes it more intense, for sure,” Michaluk said. “You want to beat your buddies. But you get to meet new guys and make friends and now we have those relationships for the rest of our lives.”

“You saw the last game today. It was pretty intense,” Smith said. “They were fighting for every inch out there. The vets, they gotta learn how to play against each other, because that’s who they’re going to be playing against in a couple of weeks. It was a real good atmosphere out there.”

For the Chiefs organization now, it’s back to business – which they hope means winning hockey games and developing NHL -caliber players – after a 2022-23 season during which the Chiefs logged just 15 wins and an uncharacteristic last-place finish in the WHL’s U.S. Division.

“The mood’s been positive thus far in the offseason,” Bardsley said. “It was challenging last year but I thought our guys – you have to face adversity. It was maybe more than we wanted to, but I think we’re going to be that much better for it. The mindset of our players so far is in a really good spot.”

“It’s a result-driven business – every sport is,” Smith said. “Last year we had some things with our team that we really liked, especially down the stretch. I think the last 15-20 games after the trade deadline, we didn’t get all the results we wanted but man, we were in those games. We were around it. It’s just taking that next step.”

Smith said he learned some things in his first year as a head coach in the WHL.

“As a coach, all we want to do is win. We want to get these guys singed to pro contracts and win a championship. But that doesn’t happen every year,” he said. “Last year there was a bit of a regroup, and now we’re turning the corner.

“I learned a lot of lessons last year, from the highs of winning and the lows of losing. And how to deal with players. For me, it’s about just keeping communications lines open and letting players know where they stand.”

The organization over the past decade or so has turned out several NHL players and Bardsley maintains that is part of the overreaching philosophy of the club.

“We’re here to develop hockey players, and we want to win championships,” he said. “I think if we’re developing the right way, it can only help us win championships. As far as the pro level goes, we want to do the right things and give them the experience and I think we’ll continue to see a lot of pro players come out of our organization.”

Bardsley mentioned recent draft picks Brody Gillespie and Mathis Preston as players that will make a difference – maybe not this year, but very soon for the Chiefs.

“Brody had a really good summer. He’s a good player but we see another level out of him … Preston is a dynamic player. He’s got excellent skating ability, can separate from players. He shoots the puck quite hard and puts everything into his shot.”

Catton, 17, and Michaluk, 18, both feel as returning players they need to take more of the mantle of leadership on the team.

“I think I enjoy being a leader, as do all our other guys coming back” Catton said. “We remember when we were the young guys coming in and all the old guys were so good to us. Now it’s nice to be the older guy and lead.”

“It’s not very common for a 16-year-old to have the responsibility or the role that (Catton) had last year,” Bardsley said. “But with our team we felt that he could do it. He was so good. Some nights he was going up against other top-line centers who had four, five years experience on him but he handled it well and had a great year for us.

“We’ll be leaning on him, but he wants that. He’s a special player and a special person.”

Goaltenders naturally take a leadership role, but it’s one Michaluk relishes.

“We’re the older guys, we’re familiar with the setup and stuff so we gotta take those guys under our wing and make sure their comfortable,” Michaluk said. “Our leaders on (Team Cowen) did that and it showed on the ice and that’s why we won.”

The Chiefs open the season on the road Sept. 14 in Kamloops. The home opener is Sept. 30 against Tri-City.