Bartley on way back to Kamloops

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Victor Bartley spent Wednesday night on a bus hurtling through the night on
his way back to Kamloops.
While his Regina Pats teammates watched a movie — well, if you insist, it
was Beerfest — and laughed in the background, the 20-year-old from Maple
Ridge remembered . . .
“I was a Kamloops Blazer for four years,” Bartley said. “That was some of
the best years of my life. But coming to Regina . . . it was a whole new
place . . . I really don’t know how to explain it. It’s what I needed and
it’s worked out for the best for me.”
Bartley was a Kamloops regular until the evening of Jan. 4 when, shortly
after a 3-2 victory over the visiting Tri-City Americans, he learned that he
had been traded to Regina. In a swap of four defencemen, Bartley headed
east, along with Ryan Bender, in exchange for Nick Ross, Spencer Fraipont
and a 2008 fourth-round bantam draft pick.
Bender now is at the U of Regina, while the Blazers released Fraipont over the
summer.
So when the teams meet Friday, 7 p.m., at Interior Savings Centre, some fans
are sure to be looking at it as the undrafted Bartley versus Ross, 19, a
first-round selection by the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL’s 2007 draft.
Bartley chooses to take the high road and not respond to questions about
what all went on with the Blazers last season, including changes in
ownership and coaches. He prefers to talk about his new life in Regina.
“Life’s been great,” he said. “Last season didn’t quite work out like I
planned. But I ended up with a lot of confidence so that was good. I came
back this season and have played well so far, so things are going good.
“Things have been great. I had a great summer of training and came here in
great shape. And I’m playing a lot of minutes . . . three of us play about
30-35 minutes a game.”
Included in the heavily used trio are Colten Teubert, a first-round
selection of the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL’s 2008 draft, and Matt
Delahey, who was taken in the fourth round by the New Jersey Devils.
Bartley is the Pats’ sixth-leading scorer. He has 19 points, including five
goals, and 41 penalty minutes in 29 games. He also is plus-4.
On top of that, he finds himself as the captain of the oldest major junior
hockey team in Canada.
“Great . . . it’s great,” Bartley said of wearing the ‘C’ for the
tradition-laden Pats. When he was told he was to be captain, he said his
reaction was: “Wow! This is pretty big.”
As for his team, Bartley said fans attending Friday’s game can look for a
“very skilled team.”
“We play a lot offence,” he added. “We jump on everything and take
everything to the net. Our forecheck is one of the main things that gets our
team going every night. We’re a fairly physical team usually all game long.”
The Pats are coming off two 4-1 setbacks — to the Tigers in Medicine Hat on
Saturday and the Broncos in Swift Current on Friday.
They haven’t played in Kamloops since Nov. 22, 2006, when Blazers goaltender
Dustin Butler stopped 11 shots in a 4-0 victory.
“I can’t wait (for Friday’s game),” Bartley said. “I’ve been talkng to my
billets (Lorrie and Gary Franoff) and it’s going to be exciting to see them
and to see a couple of buddies.
“It’s going to be nice to get back to Kamloops. I played there for four
seasons so it’s special place for me.”
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca