As Kootenay Ice training camp came to a close Labour Day Monday, Adam Rossignol wasn’t exactly sure where he was on the depth chart.

But you can bet he knows exactly where he wants to be come Sept. 25: on the blueline at the Cranbrook Rex Plex, when the role call of the 2010-11 edition of the Kootenay Ice takes place.

Combining his play during training camp along with his experience last season with the Junior B Aldergrove Kodiaks of the PIJHL, Rossignol could have the inside track.

“My plan was that I came up here and I want to play here this year,” said the 6-foot 175-pound forward who won’t turn 17 until mid-October. “If I keep working hard I think I might be able to do that.”

Drafted in the seventh round (147th overall) in 2008, Rossignol impressed at last year’s camp as a 16-year-old but couldn’t stick. The smooth-skating forward did stick with the junior B Kodiaks and flourished, finishing second in club scoring with 17 goals and 32 assists, good for 49 points and 15th overall league-wide.

He also chipped in another three goals and 11 helpers as the Kodiaks captured the PIJHL title and represented the league at the Cyclone Taylor Cup provincial championship; the KIJHL’s Revelstoke Grizzlies eventually won that title.

The Ice are returning 19 veterans and likely 11 forwards. Only two spots are up for grabs for Rossignol and six other forwards who made the 31-man roster that will head into the club’s exhibition season.

Rossignol agrees that his junior experience will only help his cause.

“I played major midget my first year (as a 15-year-old) and then I went to junior B last year and noticed there’s a big difference playing against 20-year-olds,” he said. “The jump from that to the WHL… the guys will be bigger and it’ll be a lot faster but I think I can adjust to it.”

On the back end, there is ostensibly one defence and one goaltender position available for the 2010-11 season. Among blueliners, 16-year-olds Mike Simpson of Surrey and Regina’s Jeff Hubic impressed enough to stick with the club for the exhibition season that begins Friday in Kennewick, Wash.

Ice director of scouting Garnet Kazuik agreed Simpson, Hubic and Rossignol made an impression but with 12 new faces vying for four spots, the competition is far from over.

“It’s a fair assessment, but we’re going to treat them all equally,” Kazuik said of the remaining players. “Rossignol had a successful season with the Kodiaks, winning the league and going to the Cyclone Cup and he got to play with older, stronger guys. Does he have an advantage? Sure, but he’s going to be treated the same as the others in the competition to earn that spot…

“The competition has begun and they’re well aware of the process to move on. It’s going to be an exciting process.”

Rookies Impress

If there was a knock against the thick roster coming back for the 2010 Kootenay Ice, it might be scoring. That is, with last year’s leading scorer Dustin Sylvester graduating, where would it come from?

That question is still looking for an answer as the club broke training camp yesterday but if you were looking for some scoring, the club’s 1995 draft class was eager to please.

At the club’s annual training camp wind up Blue-White charity game, five of the eight goals came from 15-year-olds.

“There’s no doubt at the start of the game today, the 95’s really played well and hopefully that’s a glimpse of what fans will see in the future,” said Kazuik.

Canmore’s Luke Philp, selected in the third round of April’s bantam draft (59th overall), notched two goals for Team White, who also got a marker from fifth-rounder Jesse Wood-Schatz (97th).

Sam Reinhart, Kootenay’s first-round pick (15th), scored a pair for Team Blue.

“The 1995-born players were absolutely outstanding,” offered Kazuik of this year’s draft class. “As a scouting staff we are excited about the future, as we are every year, but having said that, it’s a free camp for them. It’s really easy for them to come in here. There’s zero pressure and they can come and just play and do what they do best.

“Each one we’ve talked with them and they’ve got to come next year with the mindset to make the hockey club.”

Exhibition Additions

Players added to the Kootenay Ice exhibition roster, including age and hometown.

Goalies

Mackenzie Skapski 16 Abbotsford, BC

Brett Teskey 17 Regina, SK

Defencemen

John Neibrandt 18 Yorkton, SK

Jeff Hubic 16 Regina, SK

Michael Simpson 16 Surrey, BC

Forwards

Ryan Bloom 17 Calgary, AB

Levi Cable 16 Hudson Bay, SK

Jarett Zentner 17 Red Deer, AB

Erik Benoit 17 Regina, SK

Colby Cave 16 Battleford, SK

Jared Iron 16 Canoe Narrows, SK

Adam Rossignol 17 Surrey, BC