What we learned as the Peoria Rivermen opened camp: Father-son duo, captain vibes and boxing
PEORIA — Jean-Guy Trudel has been through 24 opening days of training camp in his pro hockey career, some as a player, others as a head coach.
That's nearly a quarter-century of hockey first days, some in Europe, some in the old International Hockey League, others in the American Hockey League, or the ECHL, or now as the most successful coach in SPHL history with the Peoria Rivermen.
One thing never changes.
"I always feel pressure on the opening day of camp," Trudel said. "Especially as a coach. You have to figure out everything in eight days. Then you're playing a game for real. So on opening day, I'm always nervous.
"Am I ready? Can I help the team (as a player)? Is my message to the team (as a coach) the right one?
"This is my hometown, and for me it's always about bringing a championship to Peoria and joy to the fans."
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A very different camp opening
The 2023 SPHL training camp opening ice session was a first of its kind for Trudel in one respect, though.
His son, Tristan, 20, was on the ice competing for a roster spot, signed by Trudel in the fall ahead of camp.
Tristan Trudel grew up around Carver Arena at Rivermen games, but he's no little kid anymore. He towers on the ice at 6-foot-5, 236 pounds.
"(Former Rivermen captain) Alec Hagaman has been absolutely killing him with the workouts he's put him through all summer," Trudel said. "His preparation has been great.
"I'm proud of Tristan. I've seen a change in him. You have to be absolutely obsessed about hockey to make it as a pro player. I see that in him now."
If Tristan Trudel makes it through training camp and earns a roster spot when the season opens on Oct. 21 at Quad City, he and Jean-Guy Trudel will become the first father-son duo in SPHL history and the fourth such combination to play for the Rivermen in Peoria's 42-year franchise history.
"I think that's up to him," the coach said. "If he's good enough, he'll stay."
And if he's not?
"I'll cut him," Trudel said of his son. "We'll have to find a plan for him, another team, another league, whatever it takes for an opportunity."
Two all-SPHL players in a coaching role
Now-retired Rivermen goaltender Eric Levine came down from the Chicago area for camp and was coaching up the goaltenders on opening day.
And longtime Peoria captain Hagaman — who retired after the playoffs last spring — spent his first day on the ice as associate head coach.
"A lot of things go through your head when you retire," Hagaman said. "Mainly, you wish you could still play out here. But I think I can really help the team, especially our new guys, learn this system and understand what is going on here, because I experienced it as a player.
"And instead of being out of breath as a player and trying to talk to guys on the ice, I can speak to everyone easily now."
The Peoria-born former captain likes his team, and points to a deep leadership group with players like former Evansville captain Hayden Hulton, veteran David Nippard and returnees Zach Wilkie, Alec Baer and more.
And if the Rivermen find themselves in the heat of a playoff race next spring and searching for an experienced impact forward, might Hagaman once again put on his skates?
"We'll see what happens," he said, grinning, then skating away.
We see 'C' you
The Rivermen have several candidates to take over captain this season, but the presumptive favorite is Zach Wilkie, the reigning SPHL Defenseman of the Year.
His energy and his passion for the game are unequaled, and things like charging full speed down the tunnel to the ice, scrawling inspirational messages on his stick and delivering nightly next-level play on the blueline.
"I had the advantage of being part of a team led by guys like Alec Hagaman and Nick Neville and others here," Wilkie said. "It's going to be a little bit of a shock for us when we look over on the ice and No. 17 (Hagaman) isn't standing next to us during the national anthem.
"Hags is the best captain I've played with in my career. If I'm chosen to take his place, it will be a tremendous honor. I'm ready for it."
No time to waste
The Rivermen opened camp on Tuesday, and right away an SPHL preseason game looms.
After just 72 hours of camp, Peoria will meet up with Huntsville for a neutral site game at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tenn.
The venue just opened in July, and it's believed the SPHL is staging this game there in hopes of recruiting the market into the high-A league.
"We won't be set up as a team yet, not after three days, and neither will Huntsville," Trudel said. "But both our organizations have experience and know what to do, and we'll have a productive game. We're fortunate we had 10-11 guys come back this season, and that will help us break in the players who are new to our system and our culture.
"We want to use this game to measure our hockey IQ and see who competes. There's value in that for us."
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River Readings
One of the team-building things the Rivermen did as a prelude to camp was assemble Saturday at 309 Crossfit in Peoria and take a boxing class together. The team did yoga sessions led by veteran goaltender Eric Levine the last couple years. So now the boxing sessions off-ice could fill that void. … SPHL veteran goaltender Nick Latinovich, who the Rivermen got in a trade with Macon for defenseman Jake Hamilton, was the lone player missing Tuesday. He is still in ECHL Savannah camp. … Among the newcomers, Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel said Michigan State winger Ryan Nolan (6-1, 206) and goaltender Brett Epp caught his eye. "Nolan is a big body, very physical and with a great shot," Trudel said. "Epp looks great in the net." … The Rivermen regular-season opener looms on Oct. 21 at Quad City. The team will then stage its home opener at Carver Arena against Evansville on Oct. 27. The team will play that game in special jerseys featuring retired goaltender Eric Levine's likeness. He'll be at the opener as guest of honor. ... Fans at some point will see a new massive banner in the upper corner of Carver Arena. When it's ready, it will replace the individual championship banners and retired numbers (they'll all be incorporated on the new large banner). Stay tuned on that one. … Word is the Civic Center has renovated the press box in Section 12 — where it was still 1982 — giving media and team staff a nice new working space.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Rivermen hockey camp opens for 2023-24 SPHL season: What we learned
