Generals boast veteran group as new VIJHL season approaches

The Nanaimo native is moving into his first head coaching role at the junior hockey level, serving last season as an assistant to Brad Knight.

Knight moved on after the campaign, citing work and family obligations.

Bickerton has been a head coach before in his career, with both the Nanaimo bantam tier 2 team and the Nanaimo midget tier 1 team the year prior to joining the Generals’ staff.

The task of taking over a team that has finished last-place in the VIJHL standings the last three seasons doesn’t seem to be daunting for Bickerton.

“I think it’s just excitement. Hockey doesn’t tend to make me too nervous at the best of times.”

Bickerton will be joined on the coaching staff by Scott Bickerton and Chris Lennox. Rob Gaudreault will be back as the team’s general manager.

Scott, according to Gerry, will be especially valuable in teaching players what it takes to move on to the next level, thanks to plenty of BCHL experience during his playing career.

The Generals have the enviable opportunity to return up to 20 players from last year’s roster. Bickerton expects that likely won’t happen though, with at least six from last season testing the waters at junior ‘A’ camps this year.

A notable hole in the scoring department will be the absence of Mathieu Jallabert, who has signed with the SJHL’s Melville Millionaires.

The Nanaimo product led Oceanside in scoring in both of the last two seasons, posting 86 points in 73 regular season games.

However, the return of another talented young scorer will help mitigate the pain, as Brodie Smith will come back to his hometown team after being dealt to Westshore late last season.

“There’s large expectations. He’s a top-five player in this league, a local kid too. There’s an expectation he’ll carry some of that offensive load.”

In 2013-14, Smith notched 30 points in 43 games as a 17-year-old rookie with Oceanside. He spent all of 2014-15 with Cowichan Valley in the BCHL, netting 11 points in 48 games.

He started last season with Alberni Valley in the BCHL, but was sent back to Oceanside. He was then moved to Westshore for Matteo Giomo.

Now, Bickerton says, Smith is solely focused on the Oceanside Generals.

“Brodie is a focused kid. Whether he’s preparing to go to junior ‘A’, or he’s focusing on us like he is this year, I think we’re going to get the same kind of effort and work ethic out of him. The results will come from that.”

Ethan Sundstrom, who finished second in team scoring last season, will also be returning as a highlight up front, says Bickerton.

Bickerton was asked what the goal is for a team that has just 28 wins over their last 144 regular season games.

“With the opportunity to return that many veteran guys with experience in this league, that gives us a better chance to improve on the past few years. Our goal is to host the first round of the playoffs.”

The Oceanside club also has a new title sponsor on board. Quality Foods has stepped up to provide critical financial support for the community run team, a commitment that is not lost on the head coach.

“It’s massive. Their qualities and what they believe in fall right in-line with what we’re trying to do in our program. Be a community-first team and they’re a community-first organization.”

The Generals open the pre-season this Friday in Campbell River. Their regular season opener is September 2, also in Campbell River.

Home opener night at Oceanside Place goes September 10. Admission is free if you show your Q card.

by Dominic Abassi

Generals boast veteran group as new VIJHL season approaches

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