Bortnak eager to return, play

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
While 22 players on the Kamloops Blazers’ roster are preparing for Game No. 28 in the WHL’s regular season, centre Dalibor Bortnak is readying for his home-opener.
Bortnak, an 18-year-old Slovakian in his second season with the Blazers, hasn’t played in a game since Aug. 25 when he suffered a spleen injury during the team’s intrasquad game. He has been cleared to play Friday when the Kootenay Ice pays a visit.
“That was little weird because I hit a guy, no one hit me,” Bortnak recalled of the injury after practice Wednesday at Interior Savings Centre. “I came to the bench and it wasn’t that bad but after a while it was really sore and an ambulance came.
“I first thought I had a broken rib but after a scan they told me my spleen was bleeding.”
Colin Robinson, the Blazers’ athletic therapist, likened the injury to a hairline fracture. He added that a major concern at the time was internal bleeding and pointed out that when medical staff tried rotating Bortnak’s hips, the flow of blood was already posing an impediment.
“Yeah, it was frustrating because it was after summer and one week before NHL camp,” said Bortnak, who had worked hard all summer and was to have gone to camp with the Edmonton Oilers. “I didn’t think it would be that long, but now I am really excited and hungry to play.”
Now, however, after three months of waiting and watching, working out and skating, Bortnak is ready.
“Finally, I am back and I am ready to play,” he said with a smile. “I had lots of practices and I am excited to play again. I will try to help the guys as much as I can.”
Prior to this season, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Bortnak was projected as the Blazers’ No. 2 centre, behind veteran C.J. Stretch. Bortnak was coming off a freshman season in which he totaled 28 points in 68 games, with 13 of those points coming in 31 post-Christmas games.
“I worked real hard all summer because they told me I was going to an NHL camp,” he said. “I expect more from myself after my first (season) because I’m older and I want to help the team more than the first (season).
“I know the league, I know the people around me. It should be easier for me than the first season.”
Bortnak said he feels “really good,” adding that he has been working hard with skating and off-ice workouts.
“And now I see the team is not doing really well so I am excited to help the team,” he said.
The Blazers haven’t played since Saturday, when they halted a five-game losing streak with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Bruins in Chilliwack. Since then, they have jettisoned goaltender Justin Leclerc, traded for goaltender Kurtis Mucha, traded away defenceman Giffen Nyren and left-winger Brett Lyon, acquired defenceman Ryan Funk and signed a new head coach in Guy Charron.
“We have a couple of changes — a new coach, goalie and defenceman,” Bortnak said. “Hopefully, the team will be improved and I can help.”
Funk, who was acquired from the Vancouver Giants, and Mucha, who came over from the Portland Winterhawks, skated with their new teammates for the second time yesterday.
Afterwards, both likened it to the start of training camp.
With a new coach in town and a couple of new players added to the group, Funk, a 20-year-old from Morden, Man., explained that a lot of it is about “looking to establish relationships.”
“But,” he added, “everything is pretty professional and this looks to me like a very talented group.”
Funk is hopeful that because it’s his fifth season in the WHL — he played four seasons with the Saskatoon Blades — he’ll be able to help in the leadership department and “help with the young guys.”
Mucha said that it’s almost like the start of a new season.
“I get a clean slate and 22 other guys get a clean slate, too, because we’ve got a brand new coach,” Mucha said.
The way Mucha sees it, the Blazers should get a spark from all that has happened of late. And he expects the club to play well in the short term, which seems to be what frequently happens following a coaching change, and then to keep it rolling.
“I don’t want to see a slide,” he said. “I like the fact that I’m coming into a situation where it’s not like we’re chasing teams to get into the playoffs. We are in a playoff spot — I know we haven’t been good lately — but we’re one or two wins from jumping up two or three spots in the standings.”
The Blazers (11-13-2-1) are tied with the Kelowna Rockets for seventh in the 10-team Western Conference. They are two points behind the Chilliwack Bruins and four in back of the Everett Silvertips and Spokane Chiefs.
And just above those two are the Winterhawks with whom Mucha and the Blazers have three games remaining.
“I want to take six points from them,” Mucha said with a smile. “I’m not going to settle for anything less than that.”
The Blazers play host to the Winterhawks on Jan. 13 and travel to Portland on Jan. 20 and Feb. 3.
JUST NOTES: G Justin Leclerc, who was dropped Sunday with the acquisition of Mucha, cleared waivers Wednesday and now is a free agent. He is expected to practice with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers while he decides on his immediate future. . . . Blazers GM Craig Bonner and RW Tyler Shattock left for Kelowna late yesterday afternoon. Shattock will play for Team WHL in a Subway Super Series game against a touring Russian side tonight. . . . The game between the Ice and Blazers here Friday will be televised by Shaw Cable. . . . F Sahir Gill, whose WHL rights were acquired by the Blazers from Vancouver last season, has decided to attend Boston University and play for the Terriers next season. Gill, who left the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers after last season, has 20 points in 16 games with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. He is from Terrace.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
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