Jacob Krupp knows the way to San Jose, but he's in no hurry to get back there.
The 19-year-old native Californian would have much preferred to stick with the Prince George Spruce Kings as a B.C. Hockey League goaltender this season.
Krupp was among six goalies fighting for a position in training camp over the weekend and he came in knowing it will be tough to dislodge 19-year-olds Jesse Jenks and Ontario import Alex Brooks-Potts from the Spruce Kings crease.
As it turned out, Krupp was one of the two goaltenders cut after Sunday's last intra-squad game.
"They have two goalies who are pretty solid but you never know how junior hockey's going to go," said Krupp. "You just go out there and try to play your best and you never know when a spot's going to open up or if you impress some coaches on another team.
"It would be a dream come true to make this team. Coming from California, there aren't many teams around there that give good exposure, and everyone talks how Canada has the best hockey and the BCHL is one of the best leagues. Numerous guys have come out of the BCHL to play Division 1 [college] hockey so I know the exposure here is just ridiculous."
Krupp attended the Kings' spring camp on the recommendation of scout Mike Holmes and played well enough to be invited back to main camp. He played in the Minnesota college prep league for the Fort Wayne Federals. Krupp grew up playing mostly baseball and admits he's a late bloomer in hockey, introduced to the game as 14-year-old when he started playing for his high school team. He likes what he's seen so far from his teammates.
"The level of play is a lot higher and the speed of the play is faster and everyone is good so everyone makes each other better," said Krupp. It's a really fun level of hockey to play. It's definitely been an experience to remember."
Jenks proved more than capable of getting the job done last season as the backup to 20-year-old Alex Murray and Brooks-Potts also turned in a stellar season with the Kingston Voyageurs of the Ontario Junior Hockey League as runner-up for the league's top goalie award.
Brooks-Potts, a native of Burlington, Ont., fills a good chuck of the net with his six-foot, 170-pound frame. Last season with the Voyageurs he finished with a 26-7-2 record with a 2.54 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. But the lure of the BCHL led Brooks-Potts to request a trade and the Spruce Kings were happy to oblige, picking him up as part of a three-way deal in which the Kings sent the playing rights to 20-year-old forward Brett Roulston to the Nanaimo Clippers.
"I've heard that this is the top junior A league in Canada and right off the bat that attracts me," said Brooks-Potts.
"From what I've seen in the camp so far it looks like we have a really good team. Everyone is confident in the group right now and we're all looking forward to the season. The players in the league get a lot of looks from [NCAA college scouts] and that what I want to do. Most guys from Ontario that I've talked to say if they could go to B.C. they would and luckily I have the chance to do it."
Playing in the Mainland Division, the Kings' closest division rival is Chilliwack, and that will take a major adjustment for Brooks-Potts, who got used to sleeping in his own bed most game nights in Ontario.
"Our team travels a lot so I think it's good to have two good goalies," he said. "Having a good goalie partner like Jesse will help me work harder in practice and help me push myself to become a better goalie."
Jenks, a six-foot-two, 18-pound native of Crofton who makes his off-season home in Osoyoos, played 22 games in his rookie season, finishing with a 9-11-1 record, a 2.97 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.
"I think it will be a lot like last year, when we had two good goalies and the team seemed to thrive off it," said Jenks. "Between the two of us, I think it will be kind the same thing where both of us can go in and win games for the team."
Jenks helped Team West win bronze in the World Junior A Hockey Challenge but admits the quality of his play tailed off after that when he rejoined the Kings but with another year of maturity under his belt he'll try to put out a more consistent effort this season to try to lock up a college scholarship.
"Towards the end I personally struggled a bit and the team struggled a bit but from last year I learned a lot about how to compose myself and keep everything in front of me and if something [bad] happens, leave it behind me," said Jenkins. "I'll be a lot more mentally tough. I've learned about the league and how to deal with yourself when you're traveling a lot and how to take care of yourself to make it through the season."
While it's most likely Jenks and Brooks-Potts will make the team, that's still to be determined, and the Kings will have a couple weeks to make their choices before the season opens at the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack on Sept. 20.
"There's lots of competition and that bodes well for us, guys have to be pushed and if they can't handle that sort of pressure it's going to be difficult for them in the season," said Kings head coach Dave Dupas.
"Brooks-Potts and Jenks are coming in here as signed guys but there's some real good goalies here pushing and we'll see what happens. Jesse does think it is his year but if somebody come here and outperforms him, we have to put the best team on the ice. We know he can be that guy, we've seen him do it, but Alex is a great goalie and he's going to get his time too."
Three other goalies -- 18-year-old Prince George minor hockey product Mitch Profeit, sixteen-year-old Liam McCloskey of Pitt Meadows, and 17-year-old Bailey DePalma of Kamloops -- made it to training camp. Dupas said those who don't make the team will likely get offers to play junior B this season.
The Kings play their first exhibition game tonight in Salmon Arm.
