Setting their goals

The Spokane Chiefs are hitting the road – not their usual custom when kicking off their Western Hockey League season.

That’s not a bad thing if you ask head coach Bill Peters.

Spokane’s 72-game season opens this weekend with back-to-back games in northern British Columbia against the Prince George Cougars, and the way Peters sees it, there’s no time like the present to test this up-and-coming Spokane roster.

“We usually don’t have this trip as our opening weekend,” Peters said. “For us, it’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing. We get on the road, head up north and get started. We usually don’t go up until after Christmas, so it’ll be nice to get it out of the way.”

After their two-game series with the Cougars, the Chiefs will visit Kootenay and Everett. Before returning to the Arena Oct. 6 to face the Americans, Spokane will play Oct. 5 at Tri-City.

“This (road series) is a real good test for us,” said Peters. “To have the first five games on the road and play some tough teams in the BC Division is great. We’re still figuring out exactly who we are as a team and where everybody fits in.”

A two-year playoff drought came to an end last season when the Chiefs finished fourth in the U.S. Division and faced Everett in the opening round of the playoffs.

Spokane lost in six games, but this year’s team – a mix of tenacious veteran forwards and young, aggressive defenseman – could make these Chiefs real contenders for a division title and a deeper playoff run.

There’s no question that they’re hungry for more.

“We would love to carry on from past success,” Peters said, “but we’re not assuming that we have that much in place at this stage. You get a little ahead of yourself when you start looking that far down.

“We are still in the evaluation stage for the first six or seven games. We’ll take things back to practice, and get guys working on their deficiencies and continue to improve.”

Off of last year’s roster, Spokane lost eight players, including overages Derek Ryan, Evan Haw and Stephane Lenoski.

Moving on to the pros were 19-year-olds Michael Grabner (Vancouver), Sean Zimmerman (New Jersey) and Adam Hobson (Chicago).

J.P. Szaszkiewicz, a three-year veteran, was picked up in the expansion draft by Edmonton, where former Chiefs assistant Steve Pleau is making his debut as a WHL head coach.

On the 24-man roster are 16 players from last year’s playoff roster, seven rookies and 18-year-old defenseman Patrick Kozyra, who the Chiefs acquired from Red Deer in the off-season.

Veteran forward Drayson Bowman, Carolina’s third-round pick in the NHL draft this summer, returned Wednesday from camp with the Hurricanes after playing in one exhibition game and a pair of intersquad scrimmages.

Initially, it looked doubtful he would make the trip.

Though the Chiefs lost a lot of scoring power in Ryan, Hobson and Grabner last season, the offense, for the most part, is a year older and a year wiser.

“As long as the work ethic is up to speed – we work hard up front, and are committed to solid two-way game – we’re going to be successful,” Peters said. “Our (defensemen) are going to continue to improve on a week-to-week basis, we have solid goaltending and we believe one of our key strengths is our depth up front.”

The Chiefs have 11 veteran forwards on the roster, including recently named captain Chris Bruton, Judd Blackwater and David Rutherford – the three overages.

Nineteen-year-olds Seth Compton and Curtis Kelner and 18-year-olds Cody Esposito, Dustin Donaghy, Chris Langkow, Bowman and import Ondrej Roman, who was drafted in the fifth round by Dallas, will be expected to impact the Chiefs’ deep offense.

Lone 16-year-old Jared Cowen, the top overall pick in the 2006 Bantam Draft, and veteran Justin Falk, Minnesota’s fourth-round selection in the NHL draft, are expected to be forces on defense, along with Jared Spurgeon.

The Chiefs have two solid bets protecting the net in 19-year-old Kevin Armstrong and 18-year-old Dustin Tokarski. Both goalies will see playing time on the road trip before a starter is announced.

“We really took a step (from last season to this season) as far as maturation goes,” Peters said. “Our guys know how they fit in to the team and their role on the team, and I’ve seen these guys grow as people and as players.

“The guys are hungry for team success, and it’s very evident.”